The Book of Esther: How Does It Fit Into the Bible?
Shannon Bonilla
Research Paper
Submitted to Professor Armida Belmonte Stephens for the course of BTS 1850
Introduction to the Bible at North Park University
Chicago, Illinois
November 4, 2014 The Bible consists of many stories regarding the chosen people of God. In the past, there has been much debate on the books that should be included in the Bible. The Book of Esther is set during the time of King Xerxes, the Persian King. The Book of Esther is the story of a Jew who helps save her people from destruction. Esther marries the Persian King and her influence helps stop the unfortunate fate that was destined for the people of God. Many, however, have
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This is similar to the other festivals or celebrations that are a part of the Jewish culture, like Passover. The Feast of Purim became part of Jewish tradition because of the significance of Esther and her story. The celebration of this is important to the people of God because they were once again saved from destruction. The Feast of Purim continues to be celebrated by the Jews. During the Feast of Purim, the Jews say, “Blessed is Mordecai” and “Cursed is Haman”. Some have a theory that part of the reason why this book omits some religious elements is to not accidentally profane one of these. It may seem like an accurate theory, but it only explains why God is not in the book or why some of the traditional Jewish practices are not mentioned. Another part of the celebration is to read the book of Esther. Esther is part of the books read at five of the major festivals of the Jewish liturgical year. The other books that are read during the five major festivals are Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, and Ecclesiastes. It is surprising to notice that Song of Songs and Ecclesiastes are read at different festivals because these books joined Esther in the debate on whether or not the book should be included in the Bible. The Book of Esther is significant to the history of the Jews, since it provides a historical basis for this festival. Due to the start of the Festival of Purim, the Jewish community rarely questioned the inclusion of the Book of Esther in the Bible, and believes it is one of the most important books of the Jewish canon beside the books in the Pentateuch because Purim became such an important
Despite being the product of separate, largely dissimilar religions, Christmas and Hanukkah fulfill a similar goal. Although the specific food traditions throughout Christianity and Judaism differ greatly, the role of food in these holidays is largely the same. Food is imbued with a sense of remembrance and reverence, creating a level of similarity between two very distinct traditions. Hanukkah, or the Festival of Lights, is a central holiday in modern Judaism. Although it is not a Biblical holiday, it marks a significant cultural event in Jewish history, commemorating the Maccabean revolt and subsequent rededication of the temple by Judah Maccabee.
The Exodus story is a key event in regards to Israel’s history and the Old Testament. Exodus is often seen as the beginning for the Israelites in regards to their journey of faith. In Exodus it covers many events which includes Moses being called by God to lead the slaves, the escape of Egypt, wandering in the Sinai desert for forty years, establishing a covenant with God, receiving the Torah, and getting settled in the new land that they were called to. The Torah is known as the instruction from God that was given to Moses and then passed on to the Israel’s people. Passover is an event that has important significance still to this day. Jews still celebrate this event every year as a way to show the importance of passing through the life of
The Persian Empire is arguably one of the greatest and largest empires ever in the history of the world. It was in place from approximately 550 to 334 BCE in Asia Minor and Persia. Throughout the time the empire was in place there were multiple kings that ruled it changing the cultures of the people living in the empire. The Book of Ester is a book from the Hebrew Bible written during the fourth century BCE that tells the story of a Persian king Achashvairosh. In the story information is given on how Persian Kings were able rule their vast empire for such a long period of time. The Persian Kings that ruled the Persian Empire were able to do their job successfully, deal with problems they faced, and keep their empire culturally vast because
To Kill A Mockingbird takes place during The Great Depression, note that African Americans won't be able to vote until 25 years pass when the 15th amendment will be passed. So this is a threshold in one of the books primary themes of Social Inequality. Throughout the book we see many characters being treated unequally because they are poor, colored, or simply misunderstood like Boo Radley. For example, the jury of the court did not like the fact that a very presentable and etiquette man such as Atticus was defending a colored man. Many of his peers looked down on him for doing so.
The Book of Esther presents Persia as the setting under the rule of King Ahasuerus in the capital of Shusan/Susa. There is a debate concerning the identity of King Ahasuerus with little consensus. The book in question is even proposed to either be a fabrication or a historical novella. Regardless, the Book of Esther portrays how Jews of the time perceived their place under Persian rule. King Ahasuerus is depicted as a largely unknowing and malleable ruler as he is convinced by Haman to execute his wife, Queen Vashti for disobeying an order to strip at a party, and later seen as unaware of Esther’s Jewish heritage despite being the one to pick her. The climax of the story is due to King Ahasuerus being convinced to permit the genocide of
The events in New York introduce us to the beginning of Esther’s psychological transformation. The story first inaugurates with the
From the 19th century to the present day there has been a massive migration from Mexico to the United States of America. There have been many causes for this migration from the Mexican Revolution to the need for laborers in the United States. This migration has brought benefits as well as problems like the thousands of unaccompanied children currently crossing the border to the United States.
Also seen in the Old Testament, Esther parallels Joseph by assimilating from being a passive commoner to a queen, the highest royal position for a woman. Her life entirely changes when she marries King Ahasuerus
The purpose of the book of Esther defined is thus, it is to provide a historical motive for the commencement and perpetual celebration or observation of the Feast of Purim. It was also used to exhort the Jewish populace to put their trust on providence or God for their welfare. According to Lasor, Hubbard and Bush; “Purim is a boisterous celebration full of merriment and high spirits, in which the ordinary conventions of decorum and deportment are suspended and a spirit of satire and fun is given full sway.” The major theme of Esther is of the traps laid returning to the one who plotted and started it. This the author does by constantly reminding the audiences of the ongoing conflict between Israel and their enemies [Haman an Amalekite? an old enemy of the Jews from the time of Exodus] (Esther 2:5, 3:1-6, 9:5-10). The unknown author juxtaposes Haman with Mordecai. The whole of Esther is narrated or portrayed through these two characters with their own struggles. Haman the antagonist of the text sought to exterminate the Jews in the Persian Empire. Mordecai and Esther sought to preserve their people from their impending doom. When Esther presents herself unrequested into the presence of the King risking her life in the process, she is portrayed as trusting in something greater to preserve her. The celebratory theme that underlines
The third person that illustrated the theme of the book was Esther. Esther showed the theme of the book by the ability to accept change and her love for her family, which held them together. For instance, when she was forced for her home on the train she was scared and she did not know what the future held for her but she pursued on. She even did not even complain in situations that other people would. In addition, she also had to endure not having her own space, new roommates, even different schools, and making new friend. However, even through all
The universe has a beginning. The world had a beginning. A human life has a beginning. They will all inevitably end. But, is killing a child that has yet to experience their life truly the way their beginning should end? In the situation where human lives are weighed against a national economy, which one prevails? This is the conflict that the Chinese government has been struck with.
Esther was an orphan who was raised by her cousin Mordecai (Leath, 2010). There came a time that she would go from orphan to queen. Esther lived in Persia, where King Ahasuerus ruled. A day arrived that Queen Vashti refused to obey King Ahasuerus and was soon replaced by Esther (Leath, 2010). During this time, the King held ultimate power and everyone was subject to the king’s authority. Consequently, Queen Vashti displayed disobedience by not obeying the King and was punished by being removed as queen (Leath, 2010). However, the removal of Queen Vashti paved the way for Esther and she was purposefully placed in position as queen. This seized
Esther was constantly pushed around by men, which was a stereotype in the 1950’s that men controlled the women and were always in charge. Esther had a relationship with a man named Buddy Willard who was expecting that she was just going to marry him. Men believed that they had everything a woman may desire, but actually they did not. Women were forced to marry men because of their fortune or family relations.
The book of Esther tells the faithfulness of one woman and her uncle. It is only one of two books that contain the heroism and bravery of a woman heroine. The story of Esther accomplishes two profound things, the first: “To demonstrate God’s providential care of his people, even those outside the land of Israel, and 2) to commend the observance of the feast of Purim by relating how it originated” (Breneman 289).Unlike the rest of the Bible the story of Esther does not directly state or talk about God, but instead shows God’s plans for all of our lives and how in all frightening moments of life, He remains faithful to those who trust and have faith in Him. “In spite of the omission of any name for deity, there is no other book in all the
At first read the book of Esther is a story of a Queen who was able to achieve a heroic act that saved her people from being destroyed. However as you examine the story it’s more than a historic story of triumph, but through the actions of the characters in the story it becomes a blueprint for many aspects of leadership. By examining the different dimensions of the leadership traits of King Ahasuerus, Haman, Mordecai and Esther will represent the different facet of developing into a leader.