BGCT: DSM: Old Testament Text: Lecture 25: Esther

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Old Testament and New Testament
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HISTORICAL BOOKS AND INTERBIBLICAL PERIOD

ESTHER

LECTURE 25

Students will be able to

1. summarize the story of Esther and be able to identify the major characters.

2. state the purpose of Esther and explain the occasion for the Festival of Purim.

CONTENT OF LECTURE

Purpose:

To provide a historical record of the annual festival of Purim and to maintain the memory of the Lord's marvelous intentions on behalf of His people.

Theme:

Themes in Esther include reminders of the longterm and ongoing conflict of Israel with the Amalekites (Haman was an Amalekite of the Agag family), the assurance that the remnant of God's people will survive the onslaughts from within and without, the value of human courage; and finally, the author utilizes the theme of feasting in developing his plot. (TN#1)

OUTLINE OF ESTHER (TN#2)

I. Esther's rise to power as Queen of the Persian Empire (chap. 1, 2)

She is brought in as a virgin to the king's harem and, because of her beauty and charm, found his favor and was later made Queen by Xerxes (Ahasuerus) in place of deposed Queen Vashti.

II. Mordecai's refusal to bow to Haman

A. Haman's anger/Mordecai's jeopardy (3:16)-Haman had risen to high position in the court of King Xerxes and had a profound hatred for the Jews. Mordecai's refusal to pay him homage resulted in his plot to annihilate all Jews.

B. Xerox's decree/Israel's jeopardy (3:715)

III. The plan for deliverance of the Jews/Esther's jeopardy (4-5)

IV. Esther's first banquet

At risk of her own life, Esther was persuaded by her cousin Mordecai to make an appeal to King Xerxes on behalf of the Jewish people.

A. Xerxe's insomnia: Mordecai remembered (6:15)

Mordecai had been responsible for thwarting an assassination attempt aimed at the king.

B. Haman's humiliation: Mordecai honored (6:613)

Haman was commanded to lead Mordecai through the streets of Susa in recognition of his exposure of the conspiracy.

V. Esther's second banquet

A. Xerxe's anger: Haman exposed and doomed (7)

When Haman's plot against Esther's people was exposed, he was handed on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai.

B. Xerxe's decree: Israel was given the right to defend itself (8)

Although the initial decree of the king was irrevocable, a new decree allowed the Jews to defend themselves against their enemies.

VI. Israel's enemies destroyed (9:119)

The success of the Jews was indicated in the biblical reference that no one could stand against them (9:2).

VII. Purim observed (9:2032)

The twoday festival of Purim derived its name from Pur, an expression meaning lot since the casting of lots had been used by the Persians to determine the date for the pogrom (Es. 3:7). The Jewish celebration was associated with victory and relief from their enemies.

VIII. The new status of Mordecai (10:13)

Mordecai was ranked second only to King Xerxes and was held in esteem by the Jews because of his efforts in their behalf.

INTERBIBLICAL PERIOD (TN#3)

400-4 B.C.

I. Persian Control of the Holy Land (538332 B.C.) (TN#4)

Since the Jewish historian Josephus all but ignores the latter years of Persian control, we know very little about this period. Apparently, this was a time of peaceful co-existence as the Israelites were treated with respect and given some autonomy.

II. Greek Control (332167 B.C.)

A. Alexander the Great (332323 B.C.)

Alexander initiated a policy called Hellenization which had a very dramatic impact on the Jews. All conquered nations were forced to adopt the Greek way of life, including language and culture (Hellenism).

B. Ptolemaic Dynasty (320198 B.C.)

After the death of Alexander, several of his generals struggled to amass areas under their authority. General Ptolemy solidified his power base in Egypt and gained control of the Holy Land by 320 B.C. In Syria another of Alexander's surviving generals, Seleucus, began a dynasty which would eventually pose a great danger to the Jewish people.

Under Ptolemaic rulers, the Jews were treated with tolerance.

Ptolemy Philadelphus (285246 B.C.) commissioned Jewish scholars to make a major translation of the Hebrew scriptures into Greek, the language spoken by the dispersed Jews living in Egypt. This famous translation was known as the Septuagint and designated LXX because of the tradition which said that seventy scholars worked on the translation.

C. Seleucid Dynasty (198167 B.C.)

During the reign of Antiochus IV, an expansionist policy was adopted which led to the invasion of Egypt. When Jews resisted being forced to accept Hellenism, Antiochus IV tried to eradicate Judaism. Out of contempt, Antiochus IV desecrated the Jewish temple, an act probably referred to in Daniel 11:31 as the "abomination that makes desolate."

III. Jewish Independence (16763 B.C.) (TN#5)

The leaders of this period came to be known as the Maccabeans (after Judas Maccabeus) or Hasmonean Dynasty (Hasmon was the Great Grandfather of Mattathias, the patriarch who initially started the Jewish rebellion). This period probably gave birth to the Pharisees and Sadducees who were prominent in New Testament time.

IV. Roman Control (63 B.C. New Testament times)

Roman rule began with the conquest of Pompey (63 B.C.). After a threemonth siege, the Jews saw the futility of resisting this world power.

OUTLINE OF ESTHER

I. Esther's rise to power as Queen of the Persian Empire (1,2

II. Mordecai's refusal to bow to Haman

A. Haman's anger: Mordecai's jeopardy (3:16)

B. Xerxes' decree: Israel's jeopardy (3:715)

III. Plan for deliverance of the Jews: Esther's jeopardy (45)

IV. Esther's first banquet

A. Xerxes' insomnia: Mordecai remembered (6:1-5)

B. Haman's humiliation: Mordecai honored (6:613)

V. Esther's second banquet

A. Xerxes' anger: Haman exposed and doomed (7)

B. Xerxes decree: Israel given the right to defend itself (8)

VI.. Israel's enemies destroyed (9:119)

VII. Purim observed (9:2032)

VIII. Resulting stature of Mordecai (10:13)

ASSIGNMENT

1 Read Job 16 and summarize the message which the friends of Job were giving as an explanation for his condition.

2. Read Hill and Walton, chapters 21 and 22 ("Introduction to Hebrew Poetry" and "Job" or similar chapters in assigned text.

Discussion Questions:

How do you account for the victories and defeats of the Jewish people? In the Book of Esther, they are victorious in defeating their enemies; yet they are humiliated by the Seleucid ruler Antiochus IV and dominated by the Romans for hundreds of years.

Can people who trust in God expect a miraculous victory in difficult times?

If God does not provide physical victories what are other ways that He might support the faithful?

Teacher's Notes:

The author was undoubtedly a Jew who lived in Persia. The book is dated between 460 B.C. and 330 B.C. Although reference is made to the court records of the Persian Empire (10:2), no record has been found which would substantiate the contents of Esther. Some think that Mordecai may have been a minister of the court of Susa in the early years of Xerxes. The name Mardukaya has been found on a cuneiform tablet discovered near Babylon.

Esther was one of the books whose inclusion in the Old Testament canon was debated. Questions about the value of the book may have resulted from the fact that the contents are very nationalistic and the name of God is not mentioned.

While God is not specifically mentioned, the story of Esther implies God's continuing protection of his exiled people. It is the God of Israel who controls and directs the seemingly insignificant coincidences of life.

#1 There are ten banquets recorded in Esther.

#2 Esther was her Persian name which is possibly derived from the Persian word for star or has its roots in the Babylonian goddess Ishtar.

Teacher's Notes:

#3 Between the events recorded in Esther and the birth of Christ, almost 400 years elapsed.

Since the Book of Esther is the last in the classification of historical books, this would be an appropriate time to briefly sketch the major developments of the Interbiblical Period.

#4 The Persians took control of the Holy Land in 538 B.C.; the Interbiblical Period began about 400 B.C.

#5 The Jewish rebellion against Antiochus began about 167 B.C., but independence was not gained until 142 B.C. Although the "interbiblical period" ends with the birth of Jesus near 4 B.C., the Romans ruled throughout the New Testament era.

RESOURCES

Bjornard, Reidar G. "Esther " The Broadman Bible Commentary Nashville: Broadman Press, 1970.
Hill, Andrew E., and John H., Walton, A Summary of the Old Testament Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1991.
Huey, F.B., "Esther," The Expositor's Bible Commentary, Vol. 4, Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1988.
Tullock, John The Old Testament Story 3rd Ed. Englewood Cliffs, NJ.: Prentice Hall, 1992.
For more information on the Interbiblical Period see: Gundry, Robert H. A Survey of the New Testament Revised Ed. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Press 1981.

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