Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther

by James Gordon McConville

"The Gospel according to Saint John is to many people the most precious book in the Bible," states William Barclay in this first of two volumes on the Gospel of John. In order to help uncover the tremendous wealth of this Gospel, Dr. Barclay has provided his own unique translation of the text, a detailed commentary, and a comprehensive introduction. Millions of readers have found The Daily Study Bible commentaries the ideal help for both devotional reading and serious Bible study. The complete New Testament series furnishes a comprehensive commentary and devotional study guide for individuals or groups who want to discover what the message of the New Testament really means for their lives.

Genres: Biblical Studies, Reference

212 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1985

About the author

J. Gordon McConville is Professor of Old Testament Theology at the University of Gloucestershire, Cheltenham, England.

Reviews

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I highly recommend this book. Scripture to be discussed is included with the discussion, a feature I particularly like. McConville offers historical reference as well as application to Christian life as he discusses and dissects the texts. I was particularly impressed with the discussion of Nehemiah, whom I have always just thought of as the man who got the wall built. The Biblical text shows a man concerned for the physical needs of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, not just the safety the wall would provide. Nehemiah, as McConville points out, didn't take his salary as governor and fed people from his own table--being in power/politics wasn't a way to line his pockets. Nehemiah also deplored the exploitation of the poor by the wealthy in Judea and commanded the people to stop the practices that were causing the poor to become poorer. In McConville's words: "There can be no conscientious exultation in the plenty of God's world while brothers and sisters go needy."

[Philip · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful and accessible commentary on Ezra-Nehemiah and Esther. Very good study companion and reference.

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in the Persian Empire, one of the greatest kingdoms the world has ever known, the stories contained in the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah provide the most comprehensive scriptural account of the restored Judean community after the Babylonian Exile. According to J. G. McConville, "If Chronicles (the preceding book) tells us that God acted in mercy by restoring his people, Judah, Ezra-Nehemiah will reveal to us how they fared upon their return."

The overriding religious theme of these two books is the re-establishment of the community of the covenant people, reunited with their land, in fulfillment of the prophecy of Jeremiah. "Each new achievement of the community (the re-building of the temple, the building and the dedication of the walls, with attendant victories over enemies) is celebrated with worship and thanksgiving as an act of God on behalf of his people."

The experience of the exile, therefore, dominates these two books. There is a deep awareness of the fact that the people of God, having been chastened, should be more disposed to fidelity. There is the realization that "restoration" is not a fixed condition, but rather a relationship that calls for continuing obedience to God and perpetual need for divine mercy.

According to McConville, "Without in any sense diminishing the greatness of the deliverance from Babylon or its demonstration of God's commitment to Judah there is nevertheless a strong feeling throughout... that the full potential for a relationship between God and his people has not yet been realized."

The Book of Esther is also set in the Persian period of Israel's history, although the concern is for a different community. This book shows, says McConville, "that the Jews of the diaspora--i.e. those Jews who did not return to Jerusalem following Cyrus's decree--were still counted as God's people and had a role to play in the future of the whole." On one level, this is the romantic and suspense-filled story of an exiled young Jewish woman who becomes queen of Persia and saves her people from destruction.

On the other hand, there is a theological dimension to the story, even though the name of God does not appear in it. McConville asserts that the silence about God is deliberate, "not to make the point that he is inactive in human situations, but on the contrary, that he is hidden behind all events. This is the implication of the numerous coincidental occurences in the book. The story can become, therefore, a powerful statement about the reality of God in a world from which he appears to be absent."

~from book jacket

[Covenant Presbyterian Springfield Ohio]

Call Number: 220.7 DSB-11

Reference.

[Luke Evans · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good. I love McConville's other work. Short but worthwhile.

[Mimi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this commentary series.