![]() “After these things King Ahasuerus promoted Haman the Agagite” (Esther 3:1). However, the text provides a different answer: Many commentators have seen Mordecai’s refusal to bow down to Haman as a religious observance: refusal to to worship anyone other than YHWH. ![]() Here are two more reasons for the argument that the story of Esther presents God’s loving response to practical atheism: Mordecai’s refusal to bow down “It is apparent from this verse that unlike Daniel, Esther does not request a kosher diet: to do so would make it impossible for her to conceal her Jewish identity, as she is said to do in the very next verse.”Īnother striking element is that God is not named once throughout the entire book. ![]() But is concealment a righteous response to a potentially hostile environment?” It is a counsel that will contribute later to her success and the Jews’ triumph over their enemies. “Mordecai ordered Esther to conceal her Jewishness, to blend into the world around her. “The name Mordecai almost certain derives from Marduk, who was a storm god and chief god of the Babylonian pantheon.” In his commentary on Esther, Anthony Tomasino notes several concerning elements: I want to explore the idea that the book of Esther is a treatise on God’s loving response to practical atheism-that is, God’s people living as if he doesn’t exist. ![]() Others, such as the New American Commentary’s author see faithful service to God throughout.īut what if there were a third option? One which acknowledges some of the difficulties of both points? What follows is my struggle to reconcile two separate viewpoints. Some, such as Adele Berlin see the book as entirely secular-the exiles live completely without God. But what was the author’s theological intent behind the book? Is there a single overarching theme or message for today’s readers to walk away with?Ĭommentators are divided. The book of Esther is a classic story: the peasant who becomes a Queen and saves her people. Facebook Twitter Reddit Pinterest Email LinkedIn ![]()
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