Ezra

Ezra: Kings and Chronicles

The book of Ezra was originally a part of the book of the Chronicles, and has been divided from it.

It begins with the two last verses of the books of Chronicles, and the first book of Esdras begins with the two last chapters thereof.

Ezra was therefore the compiler of the books of Kings and Chronicles.

He brought down the history to his own time. He was a ready Scribe in the Law of God.

Nehemias:

• founded a library to assist him in this work
• gathered together:
  • the Acts of the Kings and the Prophets, and of David
  • the Epistles of the Kings, concerning the holy gifts, 2 Maccab. ii. 13.

By the Acts of David, I understand here the 2 books of Samuel, or at least the second book.

Out of the Acts of the Kings, written from time to time by the Prophets, he composed the books of the Kings of Judah and Israel, the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah, and the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.

In doing this he joined those Acts together, in due order of time, copying the very words of the authors, as is manifest from hence, that the books of the Kings and Chronicles frequently agree with one another in words for many sentences together.

Where they agree in sense, there they agree in words also.

So the Prophecies of Isaiah, written at several times, he has collected into one body.

The like he did for those of Jeremiah, and the rest of the Prophets, down to the days of the second Temple.

The book of Jonah is the history of Jonah written by another hand. The book of Daniel is a collection of papers written at several times.

The 6 last chapters contain Prophecies written at several times by Daniel himself: the six first are a collection of historical papers written by others.

• Chapter 4 is a decree of Nebuchadnezzar.
• Chapter 1 was written after Daniel’s death: for the author said that Daniel continued to the first year of Cyrus; that is, to his first year over the Persians and Medes, and third year over Babylon.

For the same reason, Chapters 5 and 6 were also written after his death.

For they end with these words: So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

Yet these words might be added by the collector of the papers, whom I take to be Ezra.

The Psalms composed by Moses, David, and others were collected by Ezra into one volume.

I reckon him the collector, because in this collection I meet with Psalms as late as the Babylonian captivity, but with none later.

After these things, Antiochus Epiphanes:

• spoiled the Temple
• commanded the Jews to forsake the Law
• burnt the sacred books

In these troubles the book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel was entirely lost.

But upon recovering from this oppression, Judas Maccabæus gathered together all those writings that were to be met with, 2 Maccab. ii. 14. and in reducing them into order, part of the Prophecies of Isaiah, or some other Prophet, have been added to the end of the Prophecies of Zechariah.

The book of Ezra has been separated from the book of Chronicles, and set in 2 different orders:

1. One order in the book of Ezra, received into the Canon
2. Another order in the first book of Esdras.

After the Roman captivity, the Jews preserved their traditions by writing their Talmud.

To preserve their scriptures, they agreed on an Edition.

Such marginal notes, or other corruptions, as by the errors of the transcribers, before this Edition was made, had crept into the text, are now scarce to be corrected.

The Jews before the Roman captivity, distinguished the sacred books into the Law, the Prophets, and the Hagiographa, or holy writings.

They read only the Law and the Prophets in their Synagogues.

Jesus and his Apostles laid the stress of religion on the Law and the Prophets, Matt. vii. 12. xxii. 4. Luke xvi. 16, 29, 31. xxiv. 44. Acts xxiv. 14. xxvi. 22. Rom. iii. 21.

By the Hagiographa they meant the historical books called Joshua, Judges, Ruth, Samuel, Kings, Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther, the book of Job, the Psalms, the books of Solomon, and the Lamentations.

The Samaritans read only the Pentateuch.

When Jehosaphat sent men to teach in the cities, they had with them only the book of the Law; for the Prophecies now extant were not then written.

After the return from the Babylonian captivity, Ezra read only the book of the Law to the people, from:

• morning to noon on Month 7 of Day 1 and
• day to day in the feast of Tabernacles

He had not yet collected the writings of the Prophets into the volume now extant; but instituted the reading of them after the collection was made.

By reading the Law and the Prophets in the Synagogues, those books have been kept freer from corruption than the Hagiographa.

In the infancy of the nation of Israel, when God had given them a Law, and made a covenant with them to be their God if they would keep his commandments, he sent Prophets to reclaim them, as often as they revolted to the worship of other Gods.

Upon their returning to him, they sometimes renewed the covenant which they had broken.

These Prophets he continued to send, till the days of Ezra.

But after their Prophecies were read in the Synagogues, those Prophecies were thought sufficient. For if the people would not hear Moses and the old Prophets, they would hear no new ones, no not tho they should rise from the dead.

At length when a new truth was to be preached to the Gentiles, namely, that Jesus was the Christ, God sent new Prophets and Teachers.

But after their writings were also received and read in the Synagogues of the Christians, Prophecy ceased a second time. We have Moses, the Prophets, and Apostles, and the words of Christ himself; and if we will not hear them, we shall be more inexcusable than the Jews.

For the Prophets and Apostles have foretold, that as Israel often revolted and brake the covenant, and upon repentance renewed it; so there should be a falling away among the Christians, soon after the days of the Apostles; and that in the latter days God would destroy the impenitent revolters, and make a new covenant with his people.

The giving ear to the Prophets is a fundamental character of the true Church. For God has so ordered the Prophecies, that in the latter days the wise may understand, but the wicked shall do wickedly, and none of the wicked shall understand, Dan. xii. 9, 10. The authority of Emperors, Kings, and Princes, is human. The authority of Councils, Synods, Bishops, and Presbyters, is human.

The authority of the Prophets is divine, and comprehends the sum of religion, reckoning Moses and the Apostles among the Prophets; and if an Angel from Heaven preach any other gospel, than what they have delivered, let him be accursed.

Their writings contain the covenant between God and his people, with instructions for keeping this covenant; instances of God’s judgments upon them that break it: and predictions of things to come.

While the people of God keep the covenant, they continue to be his people.

When they break it they cease to be his people or church, and become the Synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not. And no power on earth is authorized to alter this covenant.

The predictions of things to come relate to the state of the Church in all ages: and amongst the old Prophets, Daniel is most distinct in order of time, and easiest to be understood.

Therefore in those things which relate to the last times, he must be made the key to the rest.