"take it up with G-d"
self-righteous much ? With all due respect, Sir, even Messiah Himself showed humility, as the Bible commands-
Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth;
A stranger, and not your own lips
Proverbs 27:2
Why don't we all just be honest with ourselves here ? There are some things, and religion is at the top of the list, where I don't believe anybody can completely remove the bias of their own interpretation, from teachiing.
So why don't we all just admit that, yes, we do have our beliefs, and they probably ARE going to influence how we interpret ecah verse. Hasidic lore holds that every passage in the Torah contains 70 different meanings. I find that it's true throughout the Bible, as well. In other words, even if a person has a right and true interpretation of scripture, it doesn't necessarily follow that all other interpretations are wrong.
That's how I see it, anyway. But down to business. We can take this down to chapter and verse, I really didn't think there was much dispute on the story of Esther. It's pretty straightforward.
First off, "only if there are no suitable men around" ? That's not the case in the story of Esther.
King Achashverosh was very pleased with Mordekhai
"So Haman.." (BOO!!!) ".. took the robes and the horse, dressed Mordekhai and led him riding through the streets of the city, as he proclaimed ahead of him, 'This is what is done for a mna whom the king wants to honor!' "
Esther 6:11
And we see in 6:2 why..
It was found written [in the records of the daily journal] that Mordekhai had told about Bigtana and Teresh, two fo the king's officers from the group in charge of the private entryways, who had conspired to assassinate King Achashverosh.
I would say he was both of suitable character, and in a suitable position to at least TRY to seek favor with the king.
Much more so than any woman, even a queen. We see as the story unfolds that for right or wrong, the king does tend to see women as property.
As I say she was humble, even before her selfless act. She submitted to the advice of Mordekhai(2:10 ; 4:8-14), who had raised her as his own, and was a very devoted daughter, although this does NOT necessarily indicate subservience.
THEN we get up to Esther 4:15-17 and we find an instruction that DIDN'T come from Mordekhai, but that the queen instructed TO Mordekhai (perhaps after consulting with her Rabbi, or someone else, who knows?)
Go assemble all the Jews to be found in Shushan, and have them fast for me, neither eating nor drinking for three days, night and day; also I and the girls attending me will fast the same way. Then I will go in to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish.
Then Mordekhai went his way and did everything Ester had ordered him to do.
There's not much room to doubt here. Fasting is a distinctly religious instruction.
I dont want to quote half the book, but chapter 7 is a great one. That's where Ester has the king come to another feast, and actually pleads her case. The king gets so mad, demands to know "where is the man who dared to do such a thing?" and when he finds out it's his trusted officer Haman (BOO!) has him hung on the very same gallows that Haman (BOO!) had built to hang Mordekhai "who spoke only good for the king."
And of course, she also wins his favor in the civil matter concerning the destruction of all the Jews
If it pleases the king, if I have won his favor, if the matter seem right to the king and if I have his approval, then let an order be written rescinding the letters devised by Haman the son of Hamdata the Agagi, which he wrote to destroy the Jews in all the royal provinces. For how can I bear to see the disaster that will overcome my people? How can I endure seeing the extermination of my kinsmen? ...
You should issue a decree in the king's name for whatever you want concerning the Jews, and seal it with the king's signet ring; because a decree written in the king's name and sealed with the king's ring can't be rescinded by anyone. Ester 8:5-8
Scripture is pretty clear here.
Oh, and lest there be any doubt about Mordekhai's qualifications TO have interceded, not ONLY did he save the king's life, he WAS remembered, as in 8:1-4 records that Mordekhai was given Haman's ring and his house, which was obviously of position of some significant authority.
self-righteous much ? With all due respect, Sir, even Messiah Himself showed humility, as the Bible commands-
Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth;
A stranger, and not your own lips
Proverbs 27:2
Why don't we all just be honest with ourselves here ? There are some things, and religion is at the top of the list, where I don't believe anybody can completely remove the bias of their own interpretation, from teachiing.
So why don't we all just admit that, yes, we do have our beliefs, and they probably ARE going to influence how we interpret ecah verse. Hasidic lore holds that every passage in the Torah contains 70 different meanings. I find that it's true throughout the Bible, as well. In other words, even if a person has a right and true interpretation of scripture, it doesn't necessarily follow that all other interpretations are wrong.
That's how I see it, anyway. But down to business. We can take this down to chapter and verse, I really didn't think there was much dispute on the story of Esther. It's pretty straightforward.
First off, "only if there are no suitable men around" ? That's not the case in the story of Esther.
King Achashverosh was very pleased with Mordekhai
"So Haman.." (BOO!!!) ".. took the robes and the horse, dressed Mordekhai and led him riding through the streets of the city, as he proclaimed ahead of him, 'This is what is done for a mna whom the king wants to honor!' "
Esther 6:11
And we see in 6:2 why..
It was found written [in the records of the daily journal] that Mordekhai had told about Bigtana and Teresh, two fo the king's officers from the group in charge of the private entryways, who had conspired to assassinate King Achashverosh.
I would say he was both of suitable character, and in a suitable position to at least TRY to seek favor with the king.
Much more so than any woman, even a queen. We see as the story unfolds that for right or wrong, the king does tend to see women as property.
As I say she was humble, even before her selfless act. She submitted to the advice of Mordekhai(2:10 ; 4:8-14), who had raised her as his own, and was a very devoted daughter, although this does NOT necessarily indicate subservience.
THEN we get up to Esther 4:15-17 and we find an instruction that DIDN'T come from Mordekhai, but that the queen instructed TO Mordekhai (perhaps after consulting with her Rabbi, or someone else, who knows?)
Go assemble all the Jews to be found in Shushan, and have them fast for me, neither eating nor drinking for three days, night and day; also I and the girls attending me will fast the same way. Then I will go in to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish.
Then Mordekhai went his way and did everything Ester had ordered him to do.
There's not much room to doubt here. Fasting is a distinctly religious instruction.
I dont want to quote half the book, but chapter 7 is a great one. That's where Ester has the king come to another feast, and actually pleads her case. The king gets so mad, demands to know "where is the man who dared to do such a thing?" and when he finds out it's his trusted officer Haman (BOO!) has him hung on the very same gallows that Haman (BOO!) had built to hang Mordekhai "who spoke only good for the king."
And of course, she also wins his favor in the civil matter concerning the destruction of all the Jews
If it pleases the king, if I have won his favor, if the matter seem right to the king and if I have his approval, then let an order be written rescinding the letters devised by Haman the son of Hamdata the Agagi, which he wrote to destroy the Jews in all the royal provinces. For how can I bear to see the disaster that will overcome my people? How can I endure seeing the extermination of my kinsmen? ...
You should issue a decree in the king's name for whatever you want concerning the Jews, and seal it with the king's signet ring; because a decree written in the king's name and sealed with the king's ring can't be rescinded by anyone. Ester 8:5-8
Scripture is pretty clear here.
Oh, and lest there be any doubt about Mordekhai's qualifications TO have interceded, not ONLY did he save the king's life, he WAS remembered, as in 8:1-4 records that Mordekhai was given Haman's ring and his house, which was obviously of position of some significant authority.
Last edited: