Ezra 3:5 Komentář

In the close of the foregoing chapter we left Israel in their cities, but we may well imagine what a bad posture their affairs were in, the ground untilled, the cities in ruins, all out of order; but here we have an account of the early care they took about the re-establishment of religion among them. Thus did they lay the foundation well, and begin their work at the right end. I. They set up an altar, and offered sacrifices upon it, kept the feasts, and contributed towards the rebuilding of the temple (Ezr 3:1-7). II. They laid the foundation of the temple with a mixture of joy and sorrow (Ezr 3:8-13). This was the day of small things, which was not to be despised, Zac 4:10.

INTRODUCTION TO EZRA 3 This chapter relates how that the people of Israel returned from captivity, gathered to Jerusalem, and set up the altar, where sacrifices were offered, Ezr 3:1, and kept the feast of tabernacles, and offered the sacrifices of that, besides the daily sacrifice, and of other festivals; and contributed to the workmen that prepared for the building of the temple, Ezr 3:4 and began it by laying the foundation of it; which to some was matter of joy, to others of grief, on different accounts, Ezr 3:8.

And afterwards offered the continual burnt offering,.... Not after the feast of tabernacles, as if they then began to offer the daily sacrifice; for that they did as soon as the altar was set up, and on the first day of the month, Ezr 3:3, rather the sense is, that after the daily burnt offering of the morning, they offered the other sacrifices peculiar to the several days of the feast of tabernacles; they never neglected that, yea, always began with it; all the rest were after it, and so on other festivals: both of the new moons, and of all the set feasts of the Lord that were consecrated; to the service of the Lord, and the honour of his name, as every first day of the month, and every other appointed festival, they offered the sacrifices appropriate to each; but not to the neglect of that sacrifice, and always after it: and of everyone that willingly offered a freewill offering unto the Lord; these they were careful also to offer in their proper time.

Or rather let them learn of you, who are so well instructed in such histories, how that Jeshua the son of Josedek the priest, and his brother, and Zerubbabel the wise, the son of Salathiel, and Ezra the priest and scribe of the law, as the temple was being built after the captivity, the feast of tabernacles being at hand (which was a great feast and time of assembly and prayer in Israel), gathered the people together with one accord in the great court within the first gate, which is toward the east, and prepared the altar to God, and there offered their gifts and kept the feast. And so afterwards they brought hither their sacrifices, on the sabbaths and the new moons, and the people offered up their prayers. And yet the Scripture says expressly that when these things were done, the temple of God was not yet built; but rather while they thus prayed, the building of the house was advancing. So neither were their prayers deferred in expectation of the dedication, nor was the dedication prevented by the assemblies held for the sake of prayer. But the people thus continued to pray; and when the house was entirely finished, they celebrated the dedication, and brought their gifts for that purpose and all kept the feast for the completion of the work.

And after these things, the daily burnt offering, etc. He calls it the daily burnt offering, which was offered in the morning and evening. Moreover, he calls the Kalends the beginnings of the months, that is, the rising of the new moon; from which the Hebrews always began their months, as they had no months except the lunar ones. Hence the Greeks, instead of Kalends, better call them "neomenias," which means "new moons." Now, if by the month, because of the thirty days by which they are completed, they designate the fullness of the works of light, when in faith in the Holy Trinity we fulfill the commandments of the Decalogue; what are the beginnings of the months, in which the moon, to shine again for us, is said to be newly lighted by the sun, except that they designate the beginnings of each good work, which through the grace of our Creator, we perceive as if by the presence of the Sun of Righteousness? Because of this symbolism of divine illumination, without which we can neither begin nor complete anything good, the Lord commanded all Kalends, that is, the beginnings of the months, to be celebrated and the ceremonies of sacrifices to be observed. This is why the Psalmist says: Blow the trumpet at the new moon, on our solemn feast day (Psalm 81). Which is openly to say: Rejoice, ye righteous, in the Lord, and in the word of doctrine sounding to your neighbors; as soon as you consider yourselves to be regarded by Him in order to do good deeds in the notable light of internal inspiration; by which you are called away from the desire of this world, and are more deeply dedicated to divine matters. Well then, it is said that after the feast of tabernacles was completed, the children of the exiles made the daily burnt offering, both on the Kalends and on all the Lord's consecrated solemnities, and in all where a gift was voluntarily offered to God. Because after the mind has once perfectly renounced this world, it must constantly devote itself entirely to the service of the divine will, which we have said the burnt offering was to designate; and this it should do both in the initiation of each good work and in the devout execution of those virtues which the Lord has commanded, as well as in those in which a pious mind, apart from general commands, delights to spontaneously serve the Lord. About which the Lord Himself, giving counsel rather than commanding, says: If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have (Matt. 19). And when He was disputing about taking a wife, He said not by commanding but by advising: He who can accept this, let him accept it (Matt. 19). But Paul too, boasting about these things which he offered to the Lord as a spontaneous gift, says: Do we not have the right to eat and drink? Do we not have the right to take along a believing wife (1 Cor. 9)? and so forth, in the same place.

The altar of burnt-offerings is set up, Ezr 3:1-3. They keep the feast of tabernacles, Ezr 3:4-6. They make provision for rebuilding the temple; and lay its foundation in the second month of the second year, Ezr 3:7, Ezr 3:8. Ceremonies observed in laying the foundation, Ezr 3:9-11. Some weep aloud, and others shout for joy, Ezr 3:12-13.

THE ALTAR SET UP. (Ezr 3:1-13) when the seventh month was come--The departure of the returning exiles from Babylon took place in the spring. For some time after their arrival they were occupied in the necessary work of rearing habitations to themselves amid the ruins of Jerusalem and its neighborhood. This preliminary work being completed, they addressed themselves to rebuild the altar of burnt offering. As the seventh month of the sacred year was at hand--corresponding to the latter end of our September--when the feast of tabernacles (Lev 23:34) fell to be observed, they resolved to celebrate that religious festival, just as if the temple had been fully restored.

The Altar of Burnt-Offering Erected, the Feast of Tabernacles Celebrated, and the Foundations of the Temple Laid - Ezr 3:1-13 On the approach of the seventh month, the people assembled in Jerusalem to restore the altar of burnt-offering and the sacrificial worship, and to keep the feast of tabernacles (Ezr 3:1-7); and in the second month of the following year the foundations of the new temple were laid with due solemnity (Ezr 3:8-13). Comp. 1 Esdr. 5:46-62.