PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Pulpit Commentary — Ezra
George Rawlinson [1812-1902] · 142,759 words · 159 reading sections
The Pulpit Commentary — Ezra — Section 61
wh~ch ther laid down. Meantime the first ardour abated, and priests and people, taking their tone from the governor and the high priest, settled down into satisfaction when they should have been filled with eagerness and anxiety. A noble aspiration ':as rapidly giving way to an ignoble contentment. This is but too f…
807 wordsSECTION 62The Pulpit Commentary — Ezra — Section 62
La.ying a.side a.ll idea of moving further in with zeal. Hagga.i's mission continued only the matter of the temple, they had turned for a very short space-from September, n.c. their energies to the practical object of estab- 520, to December of the same year; bu~ lishing themselves in good and comfortable before his w…
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"Zerubbabel" and "Jeshua, 11 the leaders, had been remiss and, as it were, dead to the e_nterprise 11 ; consequently, in again going on with it, had again, as it were, t.o " be_gm. This seems also the best explanation of the sin~lar way in whioh Haggai (ii. 18) and Zechariah (viii. 9) speak of the "foundation" of …
879 wordsSECTION 64The Pulpit Commentary — Ezra — Section 64
pe.rticule.r moment-God's prophets were commissioned to recognise and address them e.s such. Well might the people listen, that being the case. The purport, also, of the message thus sent to them was just as much to the point. A mere glance at the extant prophecies of Haggai and Zechariah will suffice to show this. The…
857 wordsSECTION 65The Pulpit Commentary — Ezra — Section 65
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vers. !, 2.-The inspiration of prophecy. Through the hostility of the Samaritans, who obtained authority from Artaxerxes, the work of building the temple was interrupted.. This interruptio1_1 see~s to have commenced u~der Cyrus (eh. iv. 5). It was continued under the bnef reign of an up…
811 wordsSECTION 66The Pulpit Commentary — Ezra — Section 66
the building which hnd been stopped by command of Artaxerxes (vers. 3, 4). (2) Zechnriah now appeared. He opened his commission by exhorting to repentance (Zech. i. 1-6). Note-When triale come we should search our hearts, and, if we see cauee, amend our ways. (3) Haggai also followed with words of encouragement, ~nd as…
1,029 wordsSECTION 67The Pulpit Commentary — Ezra — Section 67
EXPOSITION. RENEWAL OF OPPOSITION ON TllE PART sure WOB in the matter (ver. 17). This letter OF THE NEIGHBOURING HEATRE...""I, LETTER Tatnai, in his capacity of satre.p, despatched Wl'tITI'EN BY THEM AND SENT TO DARIUS to the court by special messenger, and so (vers. 3-li). Once more opposition showed left the busi…
541 wordsSECTION 68The Pulpit Commentary — Ezra — Section 68
Ver. 3.-Tatnai, governor on thia side the Cyrus in eh. i. 2, 3, and of Nebuchadnezzar river. The title given to To.tno.i is the same in Dan. ii. 47 and iii. 29; but they were which is o.asigned to Zerubbo.bel, both in eh. persons who had been brought to the know- vi. 7 and in Haggai (i. I, 14, &c.), viz., ledge that Je…
1,012 wordsSECTION 69The Pulpit Commentary — Ezra — Section 69
Solomon, the greatest of tho Jewish mon- Ver. H.-The veaaele also of gold and archs, if we consider the extent and pros- silver. See eh. i. 7-11. On the great im- perity of his kingdom, and the position that portance attached to these vessels, see the it occupied among the other kingdoms of comment on eh. i. 7. So l…
908 wordsSECTION 70The Pulpit Commentary — Ezra — Section 70
building on the part of the Jews. In vers. 6-10 we have an almost identical but slightly fuller account of the same matter in the letter sent by the opponents them- selves to Darius. In ver. 5, in the next place, we have the historian's account of the amount of success to which that revived opposition attained, viz., t…
883 wordsSECTION 71The Pulpit Commentary — Ezra — Section 71
was also a wise line to adopt. If they were permitted to be Jews at all (as they certainly were), they might not only be allowed to worship their own God ( as already touched on), but also to worship him according to so long-established and truly national a manner. 3. On the score of necessity. Their national welfar…
845 wordsSECTION 72The Pulpit Commentary — Ezra — Section 72
expressed by the humnn eye, so, &c. Thus used to express the compassion of God for his suffering people in Egypt (Exod. iii. 7-10). Also, for the tears of Heze- kiah (2 Kings xx. 6). So he pitied his people in. BabJ:lon, and his eye of pity is over them here. (2) As the eye also expresses satisfaction, so the complaia…
804 wordsSECTION 73The Pulpit Commentary — Ezra — Section 73
coi:ifiding in the help of Jehovah? Such distractions must have (or may have) agitated and perplexed their minds. Such trials of faith we may expect when we have entered the path of piety or the field of Christian work. Inexperience might imagine that in a path so sacred and Divine the adversary would not be allowe…
1,268 wordsSECTION 74The Pulpit Commentary — Ezra — Section 74
Vers. 6-17.-The letter to Darius. The occasion of this letter was the resumption of the work of rebuilding the temple of the Lord at Jerusalem after an interval of sixteen years. The authors of it nre Tatnai, the governor, probably of nil the pro- vinces west of the Euphrates, and Shethar-boznai, who may have been the …
1,230 wordsSECTION 75The Pulpit Commentary — Ezra — Section 75
unfiniahed? only God ca.n tell. How long, 0 Lord? 3. The reproach. With so mnny workmen, a.nd with the aid received, the work of the Church ought to be more advanced. The half finished walls a.re a rebuke to us. 4. The requirement. We must go with new determination and ~ore fervent praye: t~ c_ompl~te the work of the C…
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Ver. 3.-Let the house be builded, the any participation in so great a crime, and place where they offered aacrifloe. Or, "the not only instructed his treasurer, Mithredath, place where they may offer sacrifice." It is the to deliver the vessels over to Zerubbo.bel (eh. future, nt~er than the past, which Cyrus is i. …
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oftho twolfth month of his sixth yc11r. This a,ccompanied (Exod. xx:ix. • 40, 41 ; Lev. ii. was a, spaco of four years nnd a half. The 13, &c.). Let it be given them day by day. temple of Solomon, o.fter ft long term of pre- Since sacrifice was offered every day. Ver. 10.-Thftt they may offer sacrifices paration, occu…
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Jews. The search recommended, it is true, was duly decreed and instituted 1• and that, so far as appears, without any delay or reluctance. But the important docu- ment sought for was not forthcoming immediately. On the contrary, in that II house of the rolls, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon," and where "…
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equally sati~fnctory ~2) as to its _spirit. For example, it evinced (a) much respect for the Jewish rehg1011. How signal a mark of such respect such a public request as that we find in ver. 10 so mighty a king thus openly asking those humble believers for an interest in their prayers l (b) Much sympathy with the Jews t…
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HOMILIES DY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vcrs. 1-5.-T/ie dwree of Cyrus. In the letter of Tatnai to Darius he advised that se_a~ch should _be_ made to ascertain whether there existed any decree of Cyrus author1smg the b111ldmg of the temple at Jerusalem. Search was accordingly made and the roll recovered. The decree may be vie…
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2. Removed by Nebucltadnezzar. (1) Taken from the temple. The sin of the people was the cause. The removal of the vessels was therefore a sign to them of their apostasy. (2) Taken to Babylon. Type of the confusion of the world. Placed there in the temple of hie god (see eh. i. 7, 8; v. 14). Thence taken out only to mak…
816 wordsSECTION 82The Pulpit Commentary — Ezra — Section 82
of their purposes would sting them to the quick. Lesson-Never do anything that may invol'°'e humiliation. Reflection-What an agony of mortification there will be in the vanquished insolence of the lost I ' II. THE REQUISITION MADE BY DAR.IDS (vers. 8-10). 1. Tlwt .from the king's revenue from beyond the river expens…
852 wordsSECTION 83The Pulpit Commentary — Ezra — Section 83
whereO,S this Artaxerxes should, by the unknown to the first temple. The Lord position of his name, be one of the successors himself, the Messenger of the covenant, of Darius. It has been suggested that Xerxes so long sought by his people, suddenly is intended, and that he may have been associated with his father durin…
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aooording to the writing of the book of the priests. It would seem that as in lllloeee. But the "courses" themselves were Hezekiah's time, "the Levites we{'O more not established till David's time. upright in heart to sanctify themselves than CELEBRATION OF THE PASSOVER IN THE the priests" (2 Chron. xxix. 34). ENSU…
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first employed in that service ; these are the only particulars now requiring to be described. These, we shall find, are accordingly described to us here. I. THE BUILDING FINISHED. 1'his w_as do?e, as _we gather-1. W:ithout delay. There was no delay on the part of Tatna1 1 &c. m makmg known the edict of Darius or in c…
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imperfect and unwor~hy, they would not therefore _be negligent. Rather, they would seek to order everythmg exactly as he had prescribed, so far as lay in their power. Not "'"!1erely the house, but the household (Matt. Henry), the "priests" and the " Levites," who should attend to the building and its services, were …
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HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vera. 12-15.-0verthrow and upbuilding. The end of this mission brings to our view- I. THE OVERTHROW 01!' EVIL. "Then Tatnai, . . . Shethar-boznai, and their com- panions, according to that which Darius had sent, so did they speedily ' (ver. 13). With deepest mortification and chagrin must…
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Vers. 13-15.-T/ie successful issue. The vicissitudes through which the building of the temple was carried to its completion figure forth those of the spiritu11l temple of the Church. This eventful history teaches- I. THAT Gon's PURPOSES WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED. 1. This truth is exemplified in the .~eation. (1) A. univ…
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Ver~. 14--16.-Tlie temple .finislied. The building of the temple was finisher\ in about four years nfter tlie work was resumed. This was a Rhort time for a work so vnst, when compnred with the resources of the Jews. It was carried through without intermission ; the zeal of the people was not suffered to become languid …
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of trouble, and prosperity nfter distress. Haggai's pledge on behalf of God was ui!-filled : for drought they had flowing waters ; instead of fruitless labour they had • tood for the hung-ry," and" the finest of the wheat 11 (cf. Ps. cxlvi. 6-10; cxlvii. 3, 8, 13-20, with Haggai, passim). In almost all great histori…
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Ver. 15.-Churcli prosperity. I. THEnE WAS A CHANGE OF MOOD IN THOSE wno BAD SOUGHT TO HINDEn THE WORK. Tatnai, who had sought to hinder the building of the temple, now by the royal command does all he can to promote it. The world sometimes changes its mood toward the Church ; often from motives of policy or fear; seldo…
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r THE RF,JOICING WAS OYER TRE FINISHED WORK. 1. It was (ho end of all their fml. (1) The end, in being the consummation towards which they wI"Ought. So will the heavenly state be to all true workers in the Church of God. (2) Also the end, in the sense of bringing their toil to its period. The labour of twenty long …
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Vers. 16-22.-Timely and wise entkusiruJm. It was natural and right that when the te':°ple was finished, the Israelites, w~o ~ad spent on their work so much ;nxiety and toil, and who looked on the sacred bwldmg as the one great possession and glory of the land, should find their hearts elated with a strong and glowin…
885 wordsSECTION 94The Pulpit Commentary — Ezra — Section 94
man, it is a joy. 2. The purpose of the work a joy. It is built for the glory of God and for the good of man. 3. The spirit of the work a joy. 4. The completion of the work a joy. 5. The prospect of the work a joy. 6. The interest of the work a joy. Hea,en rejoices in tl1e finished sanctuary, in which its holy worsh…
806 wordsSECTION 95The Pulpit Commentary — Ezra — Section 95
aversion to the abominations of the Egyptians from which he was delivered (Exod. xii. 17; xiii. 3). These Jews would associate with the abominations of Egypt those of Babylon from which they were now delivered. (2) The Eucharist is our feast of unleavened bread. Those who partake of this should put away all leaven of …
689 wordsSECTION 96The Pulpit Commentary — Ezra — Section 96
nf Isrnclites from Babylon, on a tolerably parts :-1. The genealogy of Ezra (eh. vii. lnrge scale, took place. Ezra, a member of 1-6); 2. The fact of his journey, with its tho high priest"s family, 11 descendant of dates (ibid. vers. 6-10); 3. The decree of Soraiah, the " chief priest" at the time of Artaxerxes with…
836 wordsSECTION 97The Pulpit Commentary — Ezra — Section 97
miah o.s Mnemon. Bara the son of Beraiah. accomplishment of it within a moderate space Probo.bly the great-gree.t-gre.ndson. In the of time (vers. 6, 9). langue.ge of the so.cred writers, every de- scende.nt is n "son," and every e.ncestor a Ver. 6.-Thia Ezra went up. See comment "fe.ther." Christ is "the son of Do.vid…
1,153 wordsSECTION 98The Pulpit Commentary — Ezra — Section 98
Vers. 1-10.-The reformer. "After these things"-nearly sixty years "after," as usually understood-certain other things came to pass. Things so far similar that they may be recorded in the same connection ; things so far different as to open out to us quite a new part of this book. There is this similarity, for exampl…
646 wordsSECTION 99The Pulpit Commentary — Ezra — Section 99
11 law of Moses"), and also Divine (which "God had given"). qomp. 1 TheAs. ii. 13-" the word of God which ye heard of us." He recognised also their poculiar value (which the" God of Israel had given"), as God's special gift to his own people (Rom. iii. 1, 2). (b) By Ezra's diligence. Being thus valuable he treated the…
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Vers. 1-10.-The exodus under Ezra. "After these thini·s," viz., the events which culminated in the dedication of the temple, and consequent ordering of the service o~ God. "In t~e rei~ of Artaxerxes king of Persia," after an interval of nearly su1:y .. years, ~l.J.-:1Ilg wh1ch the ~o.use of the Lord _had so fallen …
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wne four months (ver. 9). It appears to have been, at leaetfor the able-bodied, a march; for whence could carriages be procured for the transport of 9000 persons? Amongst the requisites they were provided with they had tents for their encampment ( eh. viii. 15). During their pilgrimage their hearts would be in Zion. So…
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nttempt great things, nnd helped of God to achieve them. His life flowed on like a fertilising river, and did so because " all his springs were in God" (Ps. lxxxvii. 7). Our character may contain much that is excellent, and our lives include much that is honourable, but.except t~e "hand of the Lord our God b~ llp~m …
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and prayer for the reception of the gospel in all its entirety ; will exhibit the goRpel in his daily conduct ; will seek the hidden messages of the gospel ; and will strive to bring mankind to a. knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus. }V, THAT HE 1B A MAN CAPABLE OF ATTACHING MEN TO HIMSELF_(ver 7; compare vm. 16,…
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4 _; X; 3 )· He had a vivid_ consciousness of his mission, and the nearness of God to h~m m its fulfil~e~t ; agam and again he refers his success to "the good hand of his God upon him. ' 2. Ezra had courage, but it was the courage of the student • not impulsive, but meditative. He knew and feared the dangers of the …
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heathen, not 1_nonotheietic heathen like the Persians ; they were the heathen of Syria, whose worship WIIB fouled with lust and blood. The term " abominations" as applied to their customs, ie no mere outburst of Jewish arrogance; the tol~rant modern spirit is revolted by the record. Intermarriage with them meant sharin…
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(Yer. 25). 2. He was authorised to enforce his g'rnir (from g'mar, ff to complete ") should decisions by the penaltios of imprisonment, be taken with sdpha.r, "scribe," the wholo confiscation of goods, banishment, and even passage being translated as in the margin of death itself (ver. 26). 3. An exemption the A. V.…
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obtain"-" all that thou canst get my other corn and wine, a land of bread and vi11c- subjects to give thee." Compare the pro- yards, a land of oil olive, and of honey" clamation of Cyrus (eh. i. 4, 6). (2 Kings xviii. 32), and which, in the regfon Ver. 17.-Tha.t thou ma.yest buy speedily about the Dead Sea, abounded w…
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of this there is no other evidenCIJ. But they With an abruptness that may appear strange, would scll.l'cely h1Lve placed 1L foreign priest- but which has many parallels in the works hood on a higher level of favour than their own. of Oriental writers, Ezra passes without a Ver. 25.-And thou, Eirl'IL. This con- word…
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are sovernl things, therefore, under this aspect that we may note of Ezra at this timo. 1. His courage. It was never a light thing, and not alwayR a safe thing for any man, and especially for one of n nation of captives, to stand and speak there (comp. Prov. xvi. 14; Neh. ii. 2; Esther iv. 11, end of ver. 16, &c.). …
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the king," as the king, "delighted to honour" and help at that time (see Esther vi. 11) . . May we not, therefore, learn here-I. The ncble.st WJe of world,ly advantages, viz., to help, either directly or indirectly, in the great work of acquainting men with God and his will., under which we include, of course, his …
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have been extended to Ezra himself as concerned in bringing about this result. This again, this love for God's house, this joy in all that tends to its prosperity a great mark of true piety. Observe on this point, in Ps. xxvi., the connection bet,;,een the declaration of ver. 8 and the prayer and hope of ver. 9. Als…
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HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Ver. 11.-The royal, and the religious. I. THE ESTEEM WHICH THE ROYAL HAD FOB THE RELIGIOUS. "Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the bw of t.he God of heaven, perfect peace" (ver. 12). Ezra had so conducted himself as to win the regard of the king ; the king adm…
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( ver. 23) ? Artaxerxea had at least so much fear of the living God that he desired to propitiate him and to avert his wrath. This is, as it ever was, the chief note of pagan piety. It is a system of propitiating power and averting its anger rather than reverencing goodness and rejoicing in its love. " I will let you g…
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when we glory in the Lord (see Jer. ix. 23, 24; 1 Cor. i. 31). 2. He addresses liia letter: (1) "Unto Ezra the priest." The emphatic article is used because Ezra stood out prominently amongst the priests of his nation by his many noble qualities, Noble qualities evermore give Christians distinction among their brethr…
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to the treasurers beyond the river. These directions, though emanating from a heathen source, suggest tlie principles wliicli should yuule lwerality in tlie cause of God, as to its measure, its spirit, and its reasons. I. THE MEA~~RE. 1. T~is sho?ld be generous. " Whatsoever Ezra the priest," &c. (1) Prov1s1on for …
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Vers. 27, 28.-The e.'C'UnSU!n of the mercy of the covenant. After recounting the wonderful success of his enterprise, Ezra breaks out into a rapture of gratitude to God. "Blessed be the Lord God," &c. Here- I. HE ACKNOWLEDGES Goo IN HIS COVENANT CAPACITY. 1. This is expressed in the terms " God of." (1) This is sho…
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Vers. 27, 28.-Aspects of the IJivine and human. I. Aspects of Gon. "Blessed be the Lord God" (ver. 27), 1. He is blessed by devout men. 2. He is the God of our fathers. 3. He puts good things into the hearts of men. II. Aspects of MANHOOD (ver. 28). 1. Mercy extended. "And bath extended mercy unto me.'' 2. Influence a…
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EXPOSITIO:N. THE ?\7JMBER OF THOSE WHO WENT UP TO "Oft_hc sons of Zattu, Shechaniah, the son of JERUSALDI WITH EzRA, AND THE NAMES J aha.z1el." Zattu is mentioned in cli. ii. 8. OF THE CII!EF ?,!EN (eh. viii. 1-14). This ye~. 10.-Here again there is a similar list is parallel "ith that of eh. ii. 3-ll?, and om1ss~o…
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HOMILETICS. Vers. 1-20.-The 1·endezvous, or the second 111,11,Ster. We have been to!,! twice before in this story that Ezra went up from Babylon to Jerusalem (vii. 6-8, 9), and that he did not go by himself. But we only now enter upon the actual details of this second and supplementary expedition. Who were those th…
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their 11ssistants; (a') as to character, being all men of resolution and purpose whose "names" (end ver. 20) would be given as those of men whose minds were rdade up. Also, among these, two especially of much note, viz., Sberebiah and Hashabiah (comp. ver. 24, and Neh. viii. 7; ix. 4; x. 11, 12; xii. 24), the first nam…
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Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.