The struggles that the people faced in Ezra and Nehemiah were assisted by the presence of the temple. Smith-Christopher says on 156 that “the temple was a central administrative center; politically, economically, and religiously.” He then goes on to say that “for a population devastated by exile and destruction that this project represented an important focus for communal attention.” Even though Smith-Christopher states that many look towards religious buildings as to whether or not they are successful based on the size of their building, it shows that the people in Ezra-Nehemiah went there for strength and to experience community together in one place.
Smith-Christopher says on page 157 that “King” granted Ezra everything he had asked for. He does note that we do note know exactly what was asked for, but if “we look at the longer narrative about Nehemiah's conversations with the Emperor, the writer may presume we are reading this in tandem with the story of Nehemiah.” On page 157, Smith-Christopher states that “the final two chapters of Ezra are among the most controversial passages in post-exilic biblical literature. He states that Ezra’s prayers belong to the penitential prayers which are found in Nehemiah, Daniel, and Baruch.” I find it a bit cliche on page 158 as it says that Ezra wants certain people to disband their mixed marriages and if they do not, they will lose property and communal membership rights. The idea that Ezra is going to pray these prayers of so much penitence and then tell these people that they don't have a place if they won’t do what she says is a bit disturbing. On page 160, Smith-Christopher states that “some of the same concerns of the Judean post-exilic community appear in Nehemiah as well as Ezra.”
These books like many historical contextual books of the Hebrew Scriptures bring much insight, but we have to be careful as Smith-Christopher stated on page 155 about taking the scripture out of context and applying it to natural disasters, events of catastrophe, or wars. There have been multiple instances this past week that I have seen people post “well God has our attention so we should listen to Him”. I do not say God as He, but that was the context of the misunderstanding of this theological paradigm. It is disturbing to think that God would have vengeance on people such to bring an illness such as we are experiencing. If people read Ezra and Nehemiah and try to relate this 2020 world into that book, it will not have any benefit to the reader or to the modern church. If we look at the context and why exactly these books are in the Hebrew Scriptures and what we can gain with knowing that context and information, there can be a greater benefit of these books.
Peace,
Calvin