Hearing the Law of God
September 19th, 2009
Ezra Reading the Law - Woodcut by Julius Schnoor von Carolsfeld
It’s hard to overestimate the importance of today’s lesson scripture – it’s about scripture after all. The Word of God was first delivered to Israel in the Wilderness – then it was virtually lost during the First Temple Kingdom before being re-discovered during the reign of King Josiah. During the exile that followed, the law was preserved by the people in captivity, but was again almost unknown by the people of Judah. Keep in mind that those who were taken into exile included all of the aristocracy, the priests and scribes and those who could read. The ones left behind were primarily lower working class and peasants. Before Ezra’s return the law – scripture – would have been a rare thing and the people lost touch with God’s word. Imagine then their reaction when Ezra read aloud what they had not heard before as the Levites circulated among them explaining what it all meant:
1 all the people gathered together into the square before the Water Gate. They told the scribe Ezra to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had given to Israel.
2 Accordingly, the priest Ezra brought the law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could hear with understanding. This was on the first day of the seventh month.
3 He read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law.
4 The scribe Ezra stood on a wooden platform that had been made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right hand; and Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hash-baddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam on his left hand.
5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up.
6 Then Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. Then they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.
7 Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, helped the people to understand the law, while the people remained in their places.
8 So they read from the book, from the law of God, with interpretation. They gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.
9 And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law.
10 Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions of them to those for whom nothing is prepared, for this day is holy to our Lord; and do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
11 So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, “Be quiet, for this day is holy; do not be grieved.”
12 And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them. Neh 8:1-12 (NRSV)
I say that it’s easy to underestimate the significance of these verses today because we suffer from an embarrassment of riches that is of very recent vintage. Prior to the printing press and the Protestant Reformation it was difficult to obtain a Bible – especially one that you could read in any language save Latin. Even after that there have been times when access to scripture was strictly controlled or forbidden – think about the former Soviet Union for instance or even the restrictions placed on blacks during the period of slavery. Bibles were not common, but were expensive treasured family heirlooms. Now, many people have more than one Bible – oftentimes owning several translations including study bibles with commentaries. But remember it was not always so and think what a miracle it is for us to have these words thousands of years after they were first written down. The Bible is almost unique in being the oldest intact text to have survived the ages.
Adam Clarke in his commentary notes that the people stood as Ezra read out of respect for the sacred nature of the text. Think about that the next time you stand as the Gospel is read during worship.
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