A Cup of Eau Claire

Esther is a Persian story about Hebrew people living in exile. As such, it has elements that remind me of tales from Arabian Nights , particularly in these first chapters (think Disney’s animated movie “Aladdin”). First we meet the king, Ahasuerus (who is not verified historically, but there is a parallel with King Xerxes I in the same time period, late 5 th century bce). This king likes to party, and celebrates with other nobles of the land for six months in the winter capital, Susa (today in western Iran). At the culminating banquet, he orders his queen, Vashti, to appear before the (drunken) crowd so they can admire her beauty. She refuses, setting the stage for Esther to become queen and for the rest of the story. This is the only place Vashti is found in scripture. She does not speak, but she is powerful. She is hosting her own banquet, probably for the women. She singularly chooses to refuse the king’s command, refusing to be objectified or put on display. Whethe...

The book of Esther is a single story describing a critical event by which the Jews living in Persia were saved from destruction. Whether or not it actually happened in history is disputed, and its hyperbolic detail and carnavalesque style suggest it is a story that holds truth while not needing to be historically accurate, similar to the teaching myths of Genesis 1-11. As you read, keep in mind that this is a carefully crafted story of celebration, so there are elements of exaggeration and overstatement that make it fun to read but are not to be taken literally. Indeed, there are parts of it that make me think of the best of Shakespearean comedy, when we as readers know things the characters do not and can anticipate the mess that is being woven (however, Esther is quite a bit more gruesome than most classic comedies). Some background info that might be helpful: Purim: The entire book of Esther is read aloud on the spring feast of Purim in Jewish tradition. Purim celebrates ...

June 16, 2019 (Intro to Summer reading: Ruth, Esther, Daniel) This summer we are reading 3 books from Hebrew scripture: Ruth, Esther, and Daniel.  These stories have several aspects in common:  Israelite people living as foreigners,  holding fast to their faith in God; that strong faith has a powerful impact on others,  even to the point of saving lives In the Hebrew Bible, these are considered “writings”; in Christian categories, Ruth and Esther are historical, Daniel is a major prophet God is not a major character in any of these books, but the stories they tell remind us of God’s faithfulness no matter where one finds oneself, and no matter why one is there;  that is, God is not stuck in a temple in Jerusalem nor bound by the borders of Israel. When God’s people are scattered by enemies or they emigrate because of famine, God is with them. Ruth’s, Esther’s, and Daniel’s trust in this covenant promise     ...

The book of Ruth is a lovely short story which sits in sharp contrast to Judges, which is situated at the same time in history. Judges portrays ruthless violence during the time of the Judges, before a monarchy was established; indeed, the last line of the book is “In those days there was no king in Israel; all the people did what was right in their own eyes”, and the preceding 21 chapters have shown us they were not getting it right. By contrast, the characters in Ruth organize their relationships around generosity, kindness, loyalty, and faithfulness to family, community, and God, no matter how dire the circumstances. Ruth shows us that hardship can bring out the best in people, not necessarily the worst. The story is easy to follow, so I just highlight some interesting background details: The story happens in Bethlehem—yes, the city of David (who isn’t born yet) where Jesus will be born; and in Moab, to the east of the Dead Sea (modern day Jordan). Tradition traces the Moa...

This summer we will be reading from 3 shorter books of Hebrew scripture: Ruth, Esther, and Daniel. Each of these is a story about keeping faith while living in exile, a stranger in a foreign land. Each is a portrait of faithfulness in crisis that defies reason, with God ever-present although never a character in the stories. These three books are considered “Writings” in Jewish tradition—poetry, prayer, philosophy, short stories—which do not claim to be divinely inspired. (Christian tradition names Daniel as one of the prophets, but because of its apocalyptic nature, it is included in the Writings rather than the Prophets in Jewish scripture.) Ruth and Esther are short stories about faithful women who are committed to God and to the covenant. Daniel contains stories like the lion’s den and the fiery furnace, as well as visions and dreams. Please read these books according to the schedule below, as they will be the preaching texts each week. Occasional reflections and ...