Ezra 1:4 Kommentar

In this chapter we have, I. The proclamation which Cyrus, king of Persia, issued out for the release of all the Jews that he found captives in Babylon, and the building of their temple in Jerusalem (Ezr 1:1-4). II. The return of many thereupon (Ezr 1:5, Ezr 1:6). III. Orders given for the restoring of the vessels of the temple (Ezr 1:7-11). And this is the dawning of the day of their deliverance.

This chapter informs us of the proclamation of Cyrus king of Persia, for the Jews to return to their own country, and rebuild their temple, Ezr 1:1, and that, upon it, the chief of them rose up for that purpose, whose hands were strengthened and supplied by those about them, Ezr 1:5 and particularly by Cyrus, who gave orders that the vessels belonging to the temple should be delivered to them, Ezr 1:7.

And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth,.... Is left behind, and cannot go up through poverty, not having a sufficiency to bear his charges in his journey to Jerusalem: let the men of his place keep him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts; with money to bear the expenses of his journey, with goods to furnish his house, or trade with, when he came to Judea, and with cattle to carry him, and his goods, and to till the ground with, when he came thither; and the men exhorted to this are either the Gentiles that dwelt in the cities where these poor Jews were, or the richer Jews, who chose as yet not to go up until they saw how things would succeed; and are therefore called upon to assist their brethren who had a will, but not ability: besides the freewill offering for the house of God that is in Jerusalem: which they freely gave, and sent by them for the rebuilding of the temple.

And all the rest, wherever they live, should help him, etc. The distinction of words is to be noted, because to all those released from the injury of captivity, the king gave the permission that whoever wished to go up and build the temple of the Lord might go up with the leader. However, he did not command everyone to go up there. For if there were any from the same people of God, who preferred to enjoy the liberty given more than others in the various places, he commanded them to assist those who were ascending from their own places, providing them with money or livestock for the necessity of such a long journey. He also desired them to give and present other gifts, which, upon arriving there, they should offer in the temple of the Lord as a memorial for those who remained. Therefore, all were freed from the Babylonian captivity. All were devoted to acts of piety; but the more perfect went up to build the temple of the Lord, while the rest helped those who ascended. For although all the chosen, having been delivered from the power of darkness, pertain to the liberty of the glory of the sons of God, and all rejoice to be numbered among the society of the holy city, that is, the Church; yet it is not the task of all, but only of the more perfect, to labor in building the same Church also by preaching to others. Hence, such as these, before other believers, are deemed worthy of double honor by the Apostle (1 Tim. V); just as the angel said to Daniel, "Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the firmament; and those who instruct many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever" (Dan. XII). And certainly, the more these instructors of many teach their helpers to seek and love heavenly things, the less they themselves care for acquiring or possessing earthly things, and indeed, very often, whatever temporal things they have acquired, they leave all for the hope of eternal things. Therefore, it is necessary for their poverty to be supported by the generosity of the wealthier, who cannot preach, so that even the rich may be partners in the same preaching. On their behalf, John says to Gaius: "For they went forth for the sake of the Name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles" (John III). Therefore, we ought to support people like these, so that we may become co-workers for the truth. Consequently, it is now said that those who were going up to build the house of the Lord should be aided by the generosity of money from their friends wherever they lived, that is, whether in Chaldea or other places to which they had fled in fear of the Chaldeans: except, he says, that whatever they voluntarily offer to the temple of God, which is in Jerusalem; for it is fitting for those who abound in temporal riches not only to supply the necessary things to the poor of Christ from these, but also to freely perform good works themselves, so that by the merit of these, as if by spontaneous offering, they also may earn a share in the temple of God, which is the Church. Let this brief mention of the writing of King Cyrus suffice. Nor will anyone doubt that his words overflow with spiritual sacraments since it is foretold that God raised his Spirit so that he might understand these things to be written and commanded; since, as the prophet Ezra admonished, he commanded these things to the people to fulfill the words of the prophets. For how could it be that a king, inspired by divine instinct, would not be able to write about heavenly mysteries, who is proven to have known, confessed, and loved the true glory of God’s house and to have restored it? When the very governor, a treacherous man, enemy, and murderer of our Redeemer, wrote the greatest sacrament of true faith, to set over His cross: “This is Jesus the Nazarene, King of the Jews.” In the intention of this title, he remained so fixed that he could not be persuaded by the Jews to alter it, although they asked persistently. He also wrote it in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin in the grace of a certain mystery for us; because surely all divine law, which the Hebrews had, all worldly wisdom in which the Greeks boasted, and all earthly kingdom, in which the Romans then preeminent, attest that Christ is the King, the Lord of all the holy and confessing ones. If, therefore, the writing of a prince hostile to God is so full of significant sacraments, how much more could a king, a lover and doer of divine worship, inspired or raised by the Lord, as the prophet says, both declare and spread in writing the mysteries of the Lord? The subsequent text of holy Scripture shows what effect his edicts and writings had.

The proclamation of Cyrus for the rebuilding of the temple, Ezr 1:1-4. The people provide for their return, Ezr 1:5, Ezr 1:6. Cyrus restores to Sheshbazzar the vessels taken by Nebuchadnezzar out of the temple of Solomon, Ezr 1:7-11. In the introduction to this book the reader will find the history of Ezra detailed at considerable length. It is only necessary to say here that he is generally allowed among the Jews to have been of the sacerdotal family, and therefore he is called ὁ ἱερευς, the priest by the Septuagint. Among the rabbins he passes for a most extraordinary critic, Divinely authorized to collect and arrange the different portions of the sacred writings, and digest them into a system. How far all they say on this subject is true, we cannot tell; he was, beyond all controversy, a very eminent man; and in all that he did, acted under the immediate direction and inspiration of the Almighty. This history contains the transactions of about eighty-two years; from the first year of Cyrus in Babylon, according to Archbishop Usher, A.M. 3468, to the nineteenth year of Ardsheer Diraz Dest, or Artaxerxes Longimanus, who sent Nehemiah to Jerusalem, about A.M. 3550. For all other particulars, see the introduction.

Whosoever remaineth in any place - Every one was at liberty to go, but none was obliged to go. Thus their attachment to God was tried; he whose heart was right with God went; he who was comfortably settled in Babylon, might go if he chose. Those who did not go, were commanded to assist their brethren who went.

PROCLAMATION OF CYRUS FOR BUILDING THE TEMPLE. (Ezr 1:1-6) in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia--The Persian empire, including Persia, Media, Babylonia, and Chaldea, with many smaller dependencies, was founded by Cyrus, 536 B.C. [HALES]. that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled--(See Jer 25:12; Jer 29:10). This reference is a parenthetic statement of the historian, and did not form part of the proclamation.

I. The Return of the Jews from Babylon under Cyrus. Restoration of the Temple and of the Worship of God at Jerusalem - Ezr 1:1 When the seventy years of the Babylonian captivity had elapsed, King Cyrus, by an edict published in the first year of his rule over Babylon, gave permission to all the Jews in his whole realm to return to their native land, and called upon them to rebuild the temple of God at Jerusalem. The execution of this royal and gracious decree by the Jews forms the subject of the first part of this book - Ezr 1:1-11 and 2 treating of the return of a considerable number of families of Judah, Benjamin, and Levi, under the conduct of Zerubbabel the prince and Joshua the high priest, to Jerusalem and Judaea; the remaining chapters, Ezra 3-6, of the restoration of the worship of God, and of the rebuilding of the temple.