Ezra 3:7 Ulasan

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.

They gave money also to the masons, and to the carpenters,.... To buy stone and timber with for the building of the temple: and meat and drink and oil unto them of Zidon, and to them of Tyre; which were more agreeable to them than money, because there was not plenty of such things in their country, as in the land of Israel: to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea of Joppa; as they did at the first building of the temple by Solomon; they cut down cedars at Lebanon, which belonged to them, and sent them by sea to Joppa, the nearest seaport to Jerusalem, about forty miles from it: see Ch2 2:16, according to the grant that they had of Cyrus king of Persia; for Tyre and Zidon being under his dominion as well as Judea, he not only gave leave to the Jews to get cedar wood from Lebanon, but gave orders to the Zidonians and Tyrians to furnish them with it, paying a valuable consideration for it; and so some (a) render the word, "according to the commandment of Cyrus". (a) "juxta praeceptum", Vatablus; "juxta quod praeceperat", V. L. So Ben Melech.

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.

However, they gave money to the stonecutters and the builders, etc. The stonecutters are hewers of stones. Hence it is written in the book of Chronicles: And David commanded that all proselytes from the land of Israel be assembled, and appointed some of them as stonecutters to cut stones (II Chron. XXXII). Builders are those who make cement for binding stones from gypsum or lime. Hence another translation for stonecutters and builders is hewers of stones and craftsmen. Therefore, note the pious ingenuity of the people, that sparing no expense, from what was necessary for them, and from what they lived on, they either bought materials for the building of the temple or hired workers. Joppa, however, is a maritime city of Palestine, about forty miles from Jerusalem. But Sidon and Tyre were the most noble cities of Phoenicia, having Mount Lebanon nearby. Hence, the children of the exile, obtaining their aid, asked for cedar wood to be cut for them from Lebanon and transported by rafts through the sea to Joppa, from where they could again carry it by land to Jerusalem for the work of the temple, which is established to have been done in the same order at the first construction of the temple. And because Solomon, with royal power, obtained whatever he desired from his friend King Hiram without any labor. But now exiles, returning home after many years, since they did not have the power of the kingdom, obtained all that the desired work required by means of payment. In a spiritual sense, the stonecutters in the building of the house of God are those who, by teaching or reproving, shape the hearts of their neighbors; whom, when they teach to stand steadfast among the partakers of the same grace, they fit them as hewing stones to be neatly joined. For as a square, whichever way you turn it, it will stand. And the mind of the elect, while it remains unmoved among all the adversities or prosperities of the world, demonstrates that it possesses the form of invincible virtue. In this sense, it is also described that Noah's ark was made of squared timbers (Gen. VI). For the same Church, which the temple made of stone signifies, also the ark made of timbers represented. The same was also shown by the tabernacle composed of boards and curtains (Exod. XXXVI). Builders, however, are in the house of the Lord, the same holy preachers who, while they bind those whom they instruct with good works in the bond of charity to each other, they join with the infusion of cement, saying: Be prudent and watchful in prayers, above all having unfailing mutual charity among yourselves (I Pet. IV). And the apostle Paul, commanding us to have the bowels of mercy, kindness, humility, modesty, patience, and the like, immediately added: But above all these things, put on charity, which is the bond of perfection (Col. III). But also the Sidonians and Tyrians, who cut the cedar wood from Lebanon for the temple structure, figuratively denote the same holy preachers, who cut down the men once elevated and shining in the glory of this world with the axe of God's word from the state of their former conversation so that, having them prostrated salutarily, and as if dried out from the corruptive moisture of innate senses, they correct them from all vice's tortuosity and raise them loftily for the ornament or defense of the holy Church. Concerning this, it is said in the Psalm titled, At the completion of the tabernacle: The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars (Ps. XXVIII). For the voice of the Lord breaks the cedars that the tabernacle may be completed when the hearts of the proud are humbled by divine inspiration, so that, with them also corrected, the number of the holy Church may be perfected. Hence, the Sidonians are interpreted as hunters, the Tyrians as constrained. For the holy preachers are hunters, capturing the wandering and errant senses of the wicked with the nets of faith to subjugate them to Christ, as He says: Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men (Matt. IV). They are also constrained because they have tribulation in the world, yet confident because the Lord has overcome the world (John XVI). Therefore, stonecutters and builders, preparing stones and cement; Sidonians and Tyrians, bringing cedar wood from Lebanon to the temple work, suggest holy preachers, who instruct the minds of their listeners to the fellowship of the Church by teaching. The princes of the fathers, namely Joshua and Zerubbabel and their brothers, give money to the same stonecutters and builders so that they might be more eager to work when those who have preceded the teachers of the word in time, merit, and learning, by Christ's authority either propose examples of their virtues or grant the pages of the divine scriptures, whose exhortations or promises fortify, so that they may not weary in the heavenly labor. They also give to the Sidonians and Tyrians food, drink, and oil, that they might bring the cedar wood from Lebanon to the sea of Joppa when they recommend spiritual gifts, among the greatest of which is charity, to be emulated by the same teachers to make them capable of preaching (II Cor. XII). Or certainly when our Lord, whom we also taught to be designated by Joshua and Zerubbabel, distributes spiritual gifts to the ministers of His word, by which illuminated inwardly, they may become stronger to combat by preaching the pride of the arrogant and the foolish wisdom. For it does not need to be taught how food, drink, and oil signify the internal nourishment of our mind, who says well that of the Psalmist singing to the Lord: You have prepared a table before me in the presence of those who trouble me. You have anointed my head with oil, and my cup inebriating, how splendid it is (Ps. XXII). Therefore, money is given to the stonecutters and builders, food, drink, and oil are given to the hewers of wood, so that they might prepare materials for the building of the house of the Lord when the abundance of virtues is divinely bestowed on the preachers of truth, by which assisted, they may suffice to correct the perverse hearts and fit them for the reception of heavenly goods. They bring the cut wood to the sea, not to be submerged in it, but to be carried through it to Joppa, which means beauty; when the same teachers announce to their listeners called to faith, the temptations of the world will occur to them but can be overcome by faith, so that first, either the waves of vices or of wicked men must be endured and thus they may reach the most beautiful fortifications and port of virtues. We can also understand that the wood intended for the temple building is carried through the sea to Joppa so that we renounce the devil, who is called by the prophet the dragon, king of all that are in the waters, that is, of the wicked, whose conversation is not in heaven but in the perturbations of the fluctuating sea of the world. We renounce all his pomps and works, and then we come to the beauty of the faith, by which we confess the Holy Trinity, one and true God, the dispensation of the Lord’s incarnation, the unity of the holy Church, the remission of sins, and the resurrection of the flesh. Therefore, rightly in this city Peter raised Tabitha, a woman devout to God, from the dead (Acts IX); because certainly in the perfection of this faith, and generally the whole Church is raised from the death of sins through baptism; and when after baptism we again fall into the death of sin, we must revive through that same faith by repenting and be returned through the reconciliation of the priests of the Church again to the assembly of the faithful.

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.

They gave money also - They copied the conduct of Solomon while he was building his temple; see Kg1 5:11. He employed the Tyrians, gave them meat and drink, etc.; and this permission they now had from Cyrus.

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.

They gave . . . meat . . . drink, and oil, unto them of Zidon--They opened negotiations with the Tyrians for workmen, as well as for timber, on the same terms and with the same views as Solomon had done (Kg1 5:11; Ch2 2:15-16).

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.