Јестира 4:2 Коментар

We left God's Isaac bound upon the altar and ready to be sacrificed, and the enemies triumphing in the prospect of it; but things here begin to work towards a deliverance, and they begin at the right end. I. The Jews' friends lay to heart the danger and lament it (Est 4:1-4). II. Matters are concerted between Mordecai and Esther for the preventing of it. 1. Esther enquires into this case, and receives a particular account of it (Est 4:5-7). 2. Mordecai urges her to intercede with the king for a revocation of the edict (Est 4:8, Est 4:9). III. Esther objects the danger of addressing the king uncalled (Est 4:10-12). IV. Mordecai presses her to venture (Est 4:13, Est 4:14). V. Esther, after a religious fast of three days, promises to do so (Est 4:15-17), and we shall find that she sped well.

INTRODUCTION TO ESTHER 4 This chapter relates the mourning of Mordecai, and of the Jews in every province, on account of the edict to destroy them, Est 4:1, the information Esther had of it, and what passed between her and Mordecai, through Hatach, a chamberlain, by whom he put her upon making a request to the king in their favour, Est 4:4, to which she at first objected, because of a law in Persia which forbids any to come to the king unless called, Est 4:9, but being pressed to it by Mordecai, she agreed, and ordered a general fast among the Jews, Est 4:13.

And came even before the king's gate,.... Or court, that Esther might if possible be made acquainted with this dreadful calamity coming upon her people: for none might enter into the king's gate clothed with sackcloth: or appear in such a dress at court, where nothing was admitted to damp the pleasures of it.

When Mordecai hears that the slaughter of the Jews has been fixed by imperial decree, he dresses himself in somber clothing and approaches the doors of the palace with a bitter soul and a wailing voice; and when the leaders of the Church hear about the persecution which the princes of the earth desire to inflict upon the blameless slaves of Christ, they long to pour out their troubles—with fasting and charity, with vigils and prayer, with tears and the devotion of the heart—to the hidden recesses of Heaven, i.e. in the sight of the supreme judge. So in light of the honor and the prayers of the true queen, i.e. the holy Church which even now wanders the earth for some of the time, and rules with the Lord in Heaven for the rest, they deserve to be heard by the king of all ages. If, moreover, one were to ask how it might befit a just king to inflict torments on the innocent, he should know that the source of this is not some desire to do harm but the intention of the highest providence; for the divine wisdom—which conquers every sort of wickedness and reaches powerfully from one end to the other, and disposes everything with ease—does whatever it wishes in Heaven and on earth, on the sea and in all the depths. It is, in other words, with just judgment that his faithful servants are delivered into the hands of the persecutors, whether to expiate their sins or to correct their behavior or even to add to their merits or multiply their rewards, since— as the prophet testifies—“the Lord is just in all his ways, and holy in all his acts; he is close to all who call upon him” (Psalms 145). In truth, he will do the will of those who fear him, and will listen to their prayers and bring them salvation; for the Lord did not deliver Job into Satan’s hands to destroy him because he asked him to, but so that with Job’s help he could defeat his most wicked enemy and so acquire for himself the palm of victory, and leave to that enemy the just punishment for his wickedness. The apostle Paul was subjected to a corporal goad, namely the angel of Satan, who pummeled him so that his virtue would be perfected in a state of weakness. We should also be careful not to pass over in silence the statement that Mordecai could not enter the royal court because he had put on sackcloth, but instead got as far as the doors of the palace; because no one who has been polluted by the life of this world may enter the court of the heavenly realm, rather each of us should, before the last day of his life, knock on the entrance of the kingdom by chastising his body and repenting in his heart for as long as he is here. And this way, he will be fortunate to enter the paradise of the Lord after he has passed into death.

When Mordecai heard about the destruction of the Jews which had been sanctioned with an imperial decree, he put on clothes for mourning and proceeded to the gates of the palace with bitterness in his soul and grief in his voice. In the same way, after the teachers of the church hear of the persecution which the princes of this world want to bring against the innocent servants of Christ, they come with their prayers and alms, with vigils and prayers, with tears and heavy hearts in view of what they know must happen. They give their all before the supreme judge, so that through the dignity and prayers of the true queen, namely, the holy church—which is still a stranger in this world even as it reigns in heaven together with the Lord—they might be heard by the king of the universe. If someone, then, should ask how it might be fitting to a most just king to inflict torments on the innocent, let him know that this is not the result of an evil decision, but of the command of a supreme will. Indeed divine wisdom—a wisdom which defeats every wickedness and leads things from beginning to end with its power, and perfectly arranges everything—does whatever it wants in heaven and on earth, in the sea, and in every abyss. The events that occur, occur fairly so that (God’s) faithful servant may be given into the hands of their persecutors both for the expiation of sin, and the correction of their habits … as the prophet testifies, “the Lord is just in all his ways, and kind in all his doings. The Lord is near to all who call on him.”

On hearing the king's decree to exterminate the Jews, Mordecai mourns, and clothes himself in sackcloth, Est 4:1, Est 4:2. The Jews are filled with consternation, Est 4:3. Esther, perceiving Mordecai in distress at the palace gate, sends her servant Hatach to inquire the reason, Est 4:4-6. Hatach returns with the information, and also the express desire of Mordecai that she should go instantly to the king, and make supplication in behalf of her people, Est 4:7-9. Esther excuses herself on the ground that she had not been called by the king for thirty days past; and that the law was such that any one approaching his presence, without express invitation, should be put to death, unless the king should, in peculiar clemency, stretch out to such persons the golden scepter, Est 4:10-12. Mordecai returns an answer, insisting on her compliance, Est 4:13, Est 4:14. She then orders Mordecai to gather all the Jews of Shushan, and fast for her success three days, night and day, and resolves to make the attempt, though at the risk of her life, Est 4:15-17.

Before the king's gate - He could not enter into the gate, of the place where the officers waited, because he was in the habit of a mourner; for this would have been contrary to law.

MORDECAI AND THE JEWS MOURN. (Est 4:1-14) When Mordecai perceived all that was done--Relying on the irrevocable nature of a Persian monarch's decree (Dan 6:15), Hamman made it known as soon as the royal sanction had been obtained; and Mordecai was, doubtless, among the first to hear of it. On his own account, as well as on that of his countrymen, this astounding decree must have been indescribably distressing. The acts described in this passage are, according to the Oriental fashion, expressive of the most poignant sorrow; and his approach to the gate of the palace, under the impulse of irrepressible emotions, was to make an earnest though vain appeal to the royal mercy. Access, however, to the king's presence was, to a person in his disfigured state, impossible: "for none might enter into the king's gate clothed with sackcloth." But he found means of conveying intelligence of the horrid plot to Queen Esther.

Mordochai's Mourning on account of the Decree for the Assassination of the Jews, and His Admonition to Esther to Intercede for Her People - Esther 4 When Mordochai heard what had happened, he went mourning and lamenting about the city, and even to the king's gate; and the decree of Haman occasioned great lamentations among the Jews in all the provinces of the kingdom (Est 4:1-3). When Queen Esther heard through her maids and courtiers of Mordochai's mourning, she sent him raiment that he might put off his mourning garb, but he refused to do so. She then sent an eunuch to him to inquire more particularly as to its cause. Mordochai informed him of all that had happened, giving him a copy of the decree to show to Esther, and charging her to entreat the king's favour for her people (Est 4:4-8). The queen, however, expressed her hesitation to go in unto the king unsummoned, but upon Mordochai's repeated admonition, resolved to make the desired attempt, at the peril of her life (Est 4:9-17).