The books of Ezra and Nehemiah hold much confusion for Biblical scholars, as far as chronology is concerned. Some conclude Ezra and Nehemiah were contemporaries, while others believe Ezra arrived in Jerusalem over 50 years after Nehemiah’s ministry. Actually, the chronology of the books is very simple, IF, and only if, one decides with Jesus’ conclusion that scripture cannot or must not be read in a manner that forces it to contradict itself (John 10:35). In other words, one must labor to find a way in which two or more passages of scripture will not contradict. If this is done successfully, one would probably hold the truth of the matter in mind. How is this so, or why must this be done? It is because names of places have changed; sometimes people are known by more than one name; indeed, worldviews change from one age to another, so how one looks at something said in the scriptures triggers a different context of understanding than the original. Therefore, if one labors to understand the original meaning of the text, vis-à-vis what it meant to the original audience, one may very well be rewarded with the truth.
Reading genealogies is so boring; isn’t that true? Yet, from time to time, depending on the context of one’s study, they are very revealing. For example, none of the names that we find written in Ezra 8:1-14 are recorded in either the Book of Ezra or the Book of Nehemiah as having assisted in the rebuilding projects of either the Temple of God or the walls surrounding Jerusalem. That should come as a surprise for anyone who believes that the Decree of Artaxerxes had anything to do with either building project, and there are Biblical scholars who believe the decree permitted the building project to continue to its conclusion. Nevertheless, if none of the folks that Artaxerxes released to rebuild the Temple or the city are found to have participated in that labor, how can anyone conclude the Decree of Artaxerxes had anything to do with the Seventy Weeks Prophecy of Daniel 9:24-27?
The labor of building the Temple began with Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah, and Joshua, the high priest. It was they and those with them who rebuilt the Altar of God on the Feast of Trumpets, immediately following their coming to Jerusalem after being released by Cyrus from their captivity in Babylon (Ezra 3:1-3), and the Seventy Weeks Prophecy begins there. Moreover, the project of rebuilding the Temple continued from the second month of the second year, after being released from Babylon (Ezra 3:8). Additionally, the text claims that, after both the leaders and the rest of the men who came out of the captivity, vis-à-vis the folks listed in the genealogy found in chapter two of the Book of Ezra, laid the foundations of the Temple, they paused to celebrate the fruit of their labor (Ezra 3:8-13). Nevertheless, after about a year or two, and after no little frustration created by the Samaritans, the labor ceased by the order of Cambyses, king of Persia (Ezra 4:1-6).
It didn’t begin again until the coming of Nehemiah, and it is reveled in his account that the building project included the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls (Nehemiah 4:1-7). Moreover, those who took part on this building project included the folks of the generation that was born in Judah after the children of the captivity returned to Jerusalem from Babylon, and they are listed in chapter three of the Book of Nehemiah! In each case, the name mentioned lists his father/grandfather as being one of those who returned to Jerusalem from Babylon with Zerubbabel, the governor, and Joshua, the high priest.[1] Genealogies are boring to read, but they are important to show some very important things, including the timeframe, showing when certain events occurred, and who was involved. So, let me repeat, none of the names listed in Ezra 8:1-14 who returned with Ezra in the seventh year of Artaxerxes, the king of Persia (cp. Ezra 7:7), participated in the building project at Jerusalem. What can we conclude from this point? The conclusion of the matter is that Ezra and company arrived after the building project was over. The Temple was already completed, and its dedication was celebrated a year prior to the release of Ezra (Ezra 6:15-18). Moreover, the city and its walls were also complete, and Ezra and company arrived in Jerusalem just in time (a few weeks prior), to participate in the celebration of dedicating the walls of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 12:27, 35-36).
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[1] For example, Eliashib, the officiating high priest during the days when Nehemiah was in authority over the building project at Jerusalem, helped build the wall beginning at the Sheep Gate (Nehemiah 3:1). He was the grandson of Joshua the high priest, who had come up from the captivity (Nehemiah 12:10; cp. Ezra 2:2). Meremoth built the wall near the Fish Gate (Nehemiah 3:3), and he was the son of Urijah (Nehemiah 3:4), the son of Koz (cp. Ezra 2:61), and so on.
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146 responses to “The Chief Men Who Returned with Ezra”
What is the third dimension in reading? Imagination? Whatever you claim is correct?
Concerning the complexity of Jewish teachings, I just quoted a Jewish website above, and what did you do? You claimed it was nothing more than religious rhetoric. What Jewish teaching are you referring to? It certainly isn’t any legitimate teaching that I can find on the web. What you mean by Jewish teaching must, therefore, mean **your** teaching or perhaps the teaching of **your** group or denomination of Judaism, meaning all other groups or denomination profess religious rhetoric.
No one is a Jew except for you and your group. Isn’t that correct? Makes me wonder though, why you get upset over the past, when the goyim persecuted Jews. In as much as I can tell, they were Jews just like the Jews you condemn here.
Well, that’s true according to your worldview. According to my worldview it is “by grace alone, by faith in Christ alone.” As for justice, there is little difference in the meaning of the word between the Jews and the goyim. You may use justice as the basis of your faith, but that same thing would not be true for us. It’s called a difference in our worldviews—what makes sense to us.
Where’s this coming from? I never mentioned Paul on the Damascus road. This is a false argument. You get to make the statements and then you get to shoot the statements down. You’re playing solitaire, my friend!
Why was man exiled from the garden? Did God grow tired of him?
Man was exiled/cast out because of rebellion—not sin. As I mentioned earlier, Adam was lying to Eve and he was blackening the name of God in her eyes. Yet, he wasn’t cast out/exiled for these sins. He was exiled for rebellion. He was unhappy with the “table of the Lord” and wanted to pick and chose his way for himself. Good and evil was what Adam said it was (instead of God).
How do you know this? You have presented **0** evidence for your claim. I have better evidence that it was not sealed, because the Septuagint (a Jewish translation) had numerous books that did not end up in the final cut.
Explain to me, please, how a three page dissertation on the conflict over rights to the Suez Canal contextually replies to our current discussion, and I’ll restore your thesis to its original length.
Sure. UN Resolution 242 written by Britain and France a propaganda fraud just as the Apostle Paul a propaganda agent provocateur, sent to Rome to promote Civil War. Hence the writings of Paul precede all of the hundreds of gospels written which the church acccepted only four. Those four counterfeit Roman false messiah propaganda to in their turn produce a Jewish Civil War.
No way. Not my place to declare “who is Jewish”, when the Talmud has already done just that.
[[ In as much as I can tell, they were Jews just like the Jews you condemn here.]] I do not understand this sentence.
[[Well, that’s true according to your worldview. According to my worldview it is “by grace alone, by faith in Christ alone.”]] The fruits of 2000+ years of Xtian barbarity and injustice toward the Jews … the Shoah.
[[Why was man exiled from the garden? Did God grow tired of him?]] As mentioned previously, the story of Adam in the garden introduces the key Torah concept the curse of g’lut/exile.
The T’NaCH sealed by the men of the Great Assembly in the generation of Ezra. Based upon this masoret within the Talmud, Rabbi Yechuda sealed the Mishna in 210 CE and Rav Ravina and Rav Ashi sealed the Gemarah in Iraq in about 450CE. Torah common law stands upon precedents.