The Pulpit Commentary — Ezra — Section 112

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 admitted the moral character of Ezra in all its grandeur. The minister must gain the esteem of his comrades before he can influence them for good; piety is attractive, and when rightly manifested will win the esteem even of a heathen king. The enemies of Christ cannot but admire the devout scribe. The Christian is the light of the world, and as such will attract by his moral loveliness. II. THE INQUIRY WHICH THE ROYAL MADE THROUGH THE RELIGIOUS. "To inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem" (ver. 14). The king sends Ezra on an important commission. 1. .A uthoritatit•e. "Thou art sent of the king and of his seven counsel- lors." The true minister is sent of God to his work. The moral often requires the authority of the civil and political. 2. Interrogative. "To in1uire." The true minist.er has many inquiries to make concerning the moral condition of men. 3. Religious. The mission of Ezra had chiefly a moral purpose; he was sent to Judah and Jerusalem. Ministerial inquiries must be of a religious character; concerning the work of God. 4. Regulative. " According to the law of thy God." Man must lneasure life by God's law; how Ezra's teaching appears in this decree of the king. It is the duty of the Church to watch over the welfare of the state; this is part of its commission. III. THE RESOURCE WHICH THE ROYAL IN'TRUSTED TO THE RELIGIOUS. "And to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counsellors have freely offered unto the God of Israel, whose habitation is in Jerusalem" (ver. 15). The king intrusts Ezra with great treasure; religion conduces to honesty and awakens confidence. The true minister will always be faithful to the treasures and trusts of men-monetary, experimental, and moral. The state may safely commit its most sacred interests to the care of the Church. IV. THE DISCRETION WHICH THE ROYAL PERMITI'ED TO THE RELIGIOUS. 1. As to amplitude of resource (vers. 18--20). 2. As to judicial arrangements (ver. 25). 3. As to the requirements of God's house (ver. 23). 4. As to exemption from civil duty (ver. 24). The true minister requires and must be allowed full discretionary powers; always subservient to the Divine law. God places great resources at the command of his servants, greater than Artaxerxes had to give. V. THE PROPITIATION WHICH THE ROYAL SOUGHT FROM THE RELIGIOUS. "For why should there be wrath against the realm of the king" (ver. 23)? The king sought the aid of the scribe in order that he might propitiate an offended Deity. Men seek the spiritual from varied motives ; often animated by fear; they little know that God's way is merciful to them. The spiritual often remove national calamity ; the true minister will be glad to do all he can to remove the wrath of God from men.-E. Vers. 11-26.-Pagan pi,ety. It is certainly a striking fact that a second Persian monarch should have shown so right a feeling toward the people and the cause of God. We have in this Artaxerxes another illustration of pagan piety. We see- r. !Ts FAITH. "What&oever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be dili- gently done," &c. (ver. 23). Evidently Artaxerxes thoroughly believed in the exist- ence and the power of Jehovah. It is noteworthy that he speaks of him not as the God of Judma or of the Jews, but as" the God of heaven" (vers. 12, 23). Whencr this? Chiefly, if not wholly, from what he saw of the Jews about hie court: of their strength of conviction, refusing, as they did, to accommodate themselves to the evil ways of the land they lived in-to "do at Rome as Rome did ; " of their purity of life • of their probity ; of their diligence. Probably Ezra's own characte~ and demeano~r e:xertod a powerful influence on bis mind. The captives lived the truth, and the monarch became its subject. II. ITs FEAR. " Why should there be wrath against the realm of the king," &o. on. vn. 11-28.J THE BOOK OF EZRA. 117