A Controversial Book in the Bible

Dragons87 · May 15, 2006

Nope. Not Tobit. Nor Revelations.

But Esther.

I've begun reading this Book today and as I read a commentary I found all my previous conceptions of Esther and Mordecai very shaken.

http://www.bible.org/page.asp?page_id=680

The commentator portrays Mordecai and Esther to be ungodly Jews in an ungodly land, but in the end still highlights the providence of God through ungodly people like them.

Some of the arguments he raises:
1. God is never mentioned in the entire book (subject to controversy; see below) because God never featured in Mordecai's or Esther's minds.
2. Why did Mordecai tell Esther to hide her Jewishness, and why did she obey (Esther 2:10)?
3. Why did Esther the Jew marry Ahasuerus the Persian, even spending the night with him before the actual marriage (Esther 2:14). Notice that the last section of the Book of Nehemiah in Nehemiah 13, Nehemiah is really angry at Jews marrying foreigners (Nehemiah 13:25).
2. Mordecai saved the Jewish race? He was the reason why they were threatened in the first place when he refused to pay official respect to a Persian official, regardless of how evil the official is.

And there is a whole load of controversy regarding the book of Esther itself:

1. Secular historians consider it a myth. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Esther#Narrative_reading

2. The Septuagint have added six other chapters, such as Mordecai's prayers, to "Goddidise" the account, which the Catholic and the Orthodox Churches regard as canonical, apparently in full knowledge that those chapters were added on. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Esther#Additions_to_Esther

I think Esther is one of the most popular stories in the Bible but the least studied. Anybody any response?

catlover · May 15, 2006

Dragons87 said:
Nope. Not Tobit. Nor Revelations.

But Esther.

I've begun reading this Book today and as I read a commentary I found all my previous conceptions of Esther and Mordecai very shaken.

http://www.bible.org/page.asp?page_id=680

The commentator portrays Mordecai and Esther to be ungodly Jews in an ungodly land, but in the end still highlights the providence of God through ungodly people like them.

Some of the arguments he raises:
1. God is never mentioned in the entire book (subject to controversy; see below) because God never featured in Mordecai's or Esther's minds.
2. Why did Mordecai tell Esther to hide her Jewishness, and why did she obey (Esther 2:10)?
3. Why did Esther the Jew marry Ahasuerus the Persian, even spending the night with him before the actual marriage (Esther 2:14). Notice that the last section of the Book of Nehemiah in Nehemiah 13, Nehemiah is really angry at Jews marrying foreigners (Nehemiah 13:25).
2. Mordecai saved the Jewish race? He was the reason why they were threatened in the first place when he refused to pay official respect to a Persian official, regardless of how evil the official is.

And there is a whole load of controversy regarding the book of Esther itself:

1. Secular historians consider it a myth. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Esther#Narrative_reading

2. The Septuagint have added six other chapters, such as Mordecai's prayers, to "Goddidise" the account, which the Catholic and the Orthodox Churches regard as canonical, apparently in full knowledge that those chapters were added on. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Esther#Additions_to_Esther

I think Esther is one of the most popular stories in the Bible but the least studied. Anybody any response?

I have not read the book of Esther in depth. I may later now that you brought it up.

tall73 · May 15, 2006

It was questioned by some, but still included.

I think most who truly read the book understand that Esther was no saint by any stretch, and that was certainly no beauty pageant.

The Greek version does have many references to God, unlike the Hebrew. As to knowing it was added on, it is more that they see the early church as using the Septuagint

I would file your concern under the heading

"why didn't they tell me the whole truth to start with."

My brother was upset in his teens when he realized that Samson was not a great guy...tWhen he learned the story as a child whoever taught it stressed the strength and downplayed the running around with Philistine women parts.

Incidentally, if you are looking for a heroine in the book of Esther you might look at Vashti

BigEd · May 15, 2006

you can really look through the whole bible and most of the people were far from perfect. Often the Bible is about a perfect God using imperfect people to bring about his perfect good.

christianmomof3 · May 15, 2006

A wonderful thing about the book of Esther (besides the fact that Purim is a fun holiday

) is that it shows us that God is caring for us even when we do not see Him. He was caring for the Israelites in a hidden way in the book of Esther. Often we do not see that God is doing things, but He is - it is just hidden to us at the time.

icxn · May 15, 2006

The story of Esther conceals a typological prophecy of the mystery of our salvation, but such things are hidden from the eyes of the literalists.

JimfromOhio · May 15, 2006

The book of Esther show how God controls history through providence. There isn't a miracle in the book and the name of God isn't mentioned but at the same time, without anyone realizing that God is always in control of every single event in this world. The king mentioned in Esther favored Esther and Mordecai, spared all the Jewish people, made Mordecai the Prime Minister and hanged Haman on the gallows he build himself for the Jewish people and preserved the nation Israel. God governs the world (Isa. 40:22-24), the nations (Isa. 40:15-17), and us (Proverbs 16:9).

Proverbs 20:24 A man's steps are directed by the LORD. How then can anyone understand his own way?

Proverbs 21:1 The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases.

Jeremiah 10:23 [ Jeremiah's Prayer ] I know, O LORD, that a man's life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps.

Stan53 · May 15, 2006

I never noticed that. I have read Esther many times. In fact we have the Veggie Tales DVD of the same name. I certainly can see where the commentator is coming from. However I think if you look at the underlining theme of the book it certainly is Godly. Especially in light of the customs in place. Not to bow to the King was not good. But in this case necessary. Also the Israely existance was on the line. More importantly God's sovereingty was on the line. Was God in control or was the Persian King? God I think.
Some one in another paost correctly say God uses unGodly men to accomplish His purposes. In fact God reveals His glory in unGodly men.
Just another one to think on. Isaac, Abraham's son, was one of very few people recorded in the Bible who doesn't blot his copy book in some way. He, it would appear, was a righteous man, or as righteous as humanly possible.

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A Controversial Book in the Bible

Dragons87

The regal Oriental kind; not evil princess-napper

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catlover

Guest

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tall73

Sophia7's husband

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BigEd

an adopted child of God

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christianmomof3

pursuing Christ

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icxn

Bραδύγλωσσος αἰπόλος μαθητεύων κνίζειν συκάμινα

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JimfromOhio

Life of Trials :)

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Stan53

Senior Member

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