2.1. Ezra’s mission, reforms and opposition
Ezra was a Jewish priest and scribe who returned to Jerusalem from Babylon in the fifth Century BC with a group of exiles. His mission was to promote religious and social reform among the Jewish community and to restore the worship of the God of Israel. Ezra’s return to Jerusalem was made possible by the Edict of Cyrus, which allowed the Jews to return to their homeland and rebuild their religious center. His mission to Jerusalem is recorded in the biblical books of Ezra and Nehemiah. He was known for his expertise in the Law of Moses and his commitment to the restoration of Jewish religious practice. Upon his arrival in Jerusalem, Ezra gathered the people together and read the Law of Moses to them, emphasizing the importance of obedience to God’s commandments.
Ezra made important religious and social reforms of the Jewish community in Jerusalem. These reforms include: 1) The establishment of a school of the law – Ezra organized a school of law in Jerusalem. 2) Where the people could learn the Law of Moses and study the principles of the Jewish faith. 3) The prohibition of intermarriage. Ezra enforced the prohibition of intermarriage between Jews and non-Jews, in order to preserve the purity of the Jewish community and to prevent the assimilation of Jewish culture into the surrounding cultures. 4) The purification of the priesthood. Ezra initiated a program of purification among the priests, in order to ensure that they were qualified to serve in the Temple and to maintain the sanctity of the religious institution.
The Jewish community in Jerusalem did not universally accept Ezra’s reforms, and he faced opposition from some groups who disagreed with his policies. Some of the opposition to Ezra’s reforms included: 1) Resistance to the prohibition of intermarriage – Some members of the Jewish community resisted. Ezra’s prohibition of intermarriage, arguing that it was an infringement on their personal freedom and that it prevented them from forming beneficial alliances with other communities. 2) Opposition to the purification of the priesthood – Some priests resisted Ezra’s program of purification, arguing that it was unnecessary and that it undermined their status and authority within the community.
Despite the opposition to his reforms, Ezra remained committed to his mission and continued to promote the restoration of the worship of the God of Israel and the spiritual and moral development of the Jewish community. His legacy as a religious and social reformer continues to inspire and influence Jewish religious thought and practice to this day.
2.2. Nehemiah’s mission and Leadership, and accomplishments
Nehemiah was a Jewish cupbearer to the Persian king Artaxerxes I who returned to Jerusalem in the fifth century BCE. His mission was to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, which had been destroyed during the Babylonian invasion, and to promote social and economic reform among the Jewish community.
Nehemiah was a skilled leader who was able to rally the people of Jerusalem to work together to rebuild the city’s walls. He was a man of great determination and faith, and he was able to overcome the opposition of his enemies and the challenges of the task. Nehemiah was also known for his administrative abilities. He was able to organize the people of Jerusalem into work crews, assign those tasks, and ensure that the work was completed on schedule. He was also able to negotiate with the Persian authorities to obtain the necessary resources and support for the project. Nehemiah’s greatest accomplishment was the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. The rebuilding of the walls was a significant achievement, as it helped to restore the security and independence of the Jewish community and to promote economic growth and development.
In addition to the rebuilding of the walls, Nehemiah instituted a number of important reforms that helped to promote social and economic reform among the Jewish community. Some of the reforms instituted by Nehemiah include: The cancellation of debts – Nehemiah cancelled the debts of the poor among the Jewish community, in order to relieve their financial burdens and promote social justice. The promotion of Sabbath observance – Nehemiah enforced the observance of the Sabbath, in order to promote rest and spiritual renewal among the people. The purification of the Temple – Nehemiah purified the Temple and reinstated the proper worship of the God of Israel, in order to restore the religious integrity of the Jewish community. Nehemiah’s leadership and accomplishments helped to restore the strength and vitality of the Jewish community in Jerusalem. His legacy as a skilled leader and dedicated reformer continue to inspire and influence Jewish religious thought and practice to this day.
III. The Exile in Ezra-Nehemiah(586–538)
Ezra-Nehemiah was written during a period of Jewish history when the Jewish people were under the rule of the Persian Empire, following the Babylonian Exile. The Babylonian Exile began in 586 BCE when the Babylonians, led by King Nebuchadnezzar, conquered the Kingdom of Judah and destroyed the Temple in Jerusalem. The Jews were forced into exile in Babylon, where they remained for 70 years. This period of exile had a profound impact on the Jewish people, and it forms an important backdrop to the events recounted in Ezra-Nehemiah .
Following the destruction of the Temple, many Jews were forced into exile in Babylon, where they remained for 70 years. During this time, they were subjected to various forms of persecution and oppression, which included being forced to abandon their culture, language, and religious practices in favor of Babylonian customs and traditions. They were also separated from their homeland and their religious center, which made it difficult for them to maintain their religious identity and beliefs. Despite these challenges, the Jews managed to maintain their identity and their faith during the Babylonian Exile. They continued to practice their religious rituals and traditions, even in the face of persecution and oppression. They also began to develop new religious practices and beliefs that would become a part of Jewish tradition in the years to come.
The Babylonian Exile (586–538) marks an epochal dividing point in Old Testament history, standing between what were subsequently to be designated the pre-exilic and post-exilic eras. The Judahite community in Babylonia was, on the whole, more Yahwist in religion than ever, following the Mosaic Law, emphasizing and redefining such distinctive elements as circumcision and the Sabbath and stressing personal and congregational prayer—the beginnings of synagogal worship.
The Babylonian Exile ended when Cyrus (539/38) authorized Ezra-Nehemiah and other exiles to return to the land of Judah and rebuild their Temple. This marked the beginning of a new period in Jewish history, as the Jews were able to return to their homeland and rebuild their religious center. However, the experience of the Babylonian Exile had a lasting impact on the Jewish people, and it continued to shape their beliefs and practices for centuries to come (Ezra 1:1, Neh. 13:6).
In Ezra-Nehemiah, we see the impact of the Babylonian Exile on the Jewish people and their efforts to rebuild their religious center and their community in Jerusalem. The events recounted in these books demonstrate the resilience and determination of the Jewish people, as well as their commitment to maintaining their religious identity and traditions in the face of adversity.
