Reader’s Guide: “The Word for Today” Wednesday, December 12, 2012 Read – Ezra 6 & 7 Chapter 6 tells the story of the completion of the Temple and it dedication. The story is not as grand as the story of Solomon’s dedication of the first Temple. It is likely that this rebuilt Temple was not nearly as grand as Solomon’s Temple, however, the important point is that the Temple was rebuilt. The rebuilding of the Temple is the main point of the whole book to this point. It was this Temple that Herod the Great completely restored at the time of Jesus – making it one of the Seven Wonders of the World. And it was Herod’s Temple that was finally destroyed once and for all by the Romans in the Jewish War that ended in 70 AD. Chapter 6 also tells of the resumption of the celebration of Passover by the returning exiles. It is likely that ritual became far more important at this time as a way of connecting with the past during a stressful and less that satisfying time. While it is true that the exiles were allowed to return home we should not mistake that return with true freedom. They were under the rule of the Persians. Both the books of Ezra and Nehemiah make that clear. The book bears the name of Ezra, but Ezra does not make an appearance until chapter 7 where he described as a “scribe skilled in the law of Moses”. We will hear more of Ezra in the book of Nehemiah. But, what are we to make of this description of Ezra? It is speculative to be sure but many Biblical scholars have come to understand the time of the exile to have been a crucial time of reflection when the people of God made an attempt to “put it all together” and define their faith. It is very likely that there were many writings that went back to earlier times as well as many oral stories of the past. It is possible that these writing and oral stories were consolidated by scribes like Ezra during the time of the exile. Much of the Old Testament story as we know it today may likely have taken its final form during this time. We have noticed how at times the story is a bit ragged and that different uses of the name for God are found in various strands of material. It is likely that all of those strands were woven together during the time of the exile and the people of God became the “people of the book” as they were called at that time. Again, we can only speculate about all of that but there is something that makes a great deal of sense in this way of thinking. So, the exile became a very important time in the life of God’s people. The exile left its mark on the people and on the faith of Israel. The remainder of the book of Ezra focuses on more lists of people and a detailing of some religious practices that have little impact upon us. We are going to move on to the book of Nehemiah.