Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10 Commentary

Commentary:

Nehemiah, in General

Since we are just dropping into the text for a moment this week, it might make sense to broaden our perspective to what the whole of Nehemiah wants us to know and learn. The NIBC commentary observes that “Ezra-Nehemiah is the Old Testament equivalent of the Acts of the Apostles — it is a book of new beginnings. Acts opens with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit promised by God in Joel 2.” In other words, this is a detailed narrative of God’s people launching into a new phase of communal life and covenantal relationship with God. The Brazos Theological Commentary agrees with this parallel with the New Testament book of acts when it writes, “Nehemiah develops more clearly the theology of the church. This is because Nehemiah’s detailed discussions of the stone-by-stone and gate-by-gate reconstruction of the wall of Jerusalem allow for a more figural exploration of the visible church, just as Nehemiah’s more detailed discussions of the life of the community allow for perhaps, a richer reflection on what it means to live, in Christ, as the people of God.”

The books of Ezra and Nehemiah butt up against each other in Hebrew Scripture. In fact, ancient texts combine the two into one, although it is clear there are two authors, with two distinct, yet corollary concerns.  Ezra was a priest and Nehemiah was a political leader.  Together, they guided the return of God’s people to Jerusalem, the rebuilding of the city, particularly its walls and the recollection of God’s people into covenant with God.  Robert Alter demonstrates the uniqueness and continuity between the two authors when he writes, “Ezra the scribe and priest, who is concerned about the all-important project of the restoration of the cult and the canonization of the newly redacted Torah through the institution of its public reading, and Nehemiah, coming to Jerusalem from a high position in the Persian court, the political leader who addresses security issues of rebuilding the walls of the city and confronting armed enemies. Their joint concerns…are conceived as the essential activities for the renewal of the life of the nation in its homeland after the long decades of exile.”

In terms of the overall structure of the book, Brazos Theological Commentary outline a two-part organization: “The first six chapters of both books are devoted to rebuilding what the Babylonians destroyed and detail the numerous persecutions endured by those involved with the work of rebuilding.” The second half of both books “focuses on restoring the people’s obedience to the commandments of the Torah and in particular to the separation of the people of Israel from the surrounding peoples.”  Nehemiah 1-6 is the regathering into a holy land whereas Nehemiah 7-13 focuses on the regathering of a holy people.

Nehemiah 8, Specifically

Given the backdrop of Nehemiah, generally, we can place ourselves within the restoring the people and the practice of their religion, specifically.  Scholars of historical criticism recognize that the canon of Hebrew Scriptures was likely edited and compiled while God’s people were in Babylonian exile.  Ezra was a likely leader in this effort. Alter highlights the importance of the moment captured in this weeks’ reading: “If rebuilding the walls and the Table consolidates the physical security and the cultic viability of the people returned to its land, the public reading of the Torah—essentially, a confirmation of its newly minted canonicity—consolidates the spiritual coherence of the people.”

In Jewish observance, the recollection of this event coincides with Rosh Hashanah, the New Year.  As the people hear the law read aloud, they begin to grieve over all that they have not accomplished, everything they have done and left undone, that contributed to their exile to begin with.  They are longing for the newness.  Rather than encourage them to indulge their despair, Nehemiah reminds the people that their hope is not in what they have done or might, someday, accomplish.  Rather, their hope is in the Lord and, as such, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

Consider this story and admonition, then, in connection with the Gospel lectionary reading, in which Jesus reads from the Torah and, sitting down, concludes “this reading is fulfilled in your hearing.” Something that bares continuity but is, also, remarkably new is happening in both scenes.  The Law is a gift given to anchor the people in faith as they reestablish themselves in their homeland. But it is also unresolved and unattainable.  So the people must wait, buoyed by the strength and joy of the Lord. The Word, then, is the fulfillment of the waiting and the law. However, that fulfillment somehow comes through this ordinary hometown boy presents, at least for the moment, less of an anchor and more as an unmooring.  Something new … but not entirely so … is happening in Jesus.

Illustration:

God’s people were living on fragments of remembered Torah, the faint melodies of their people’s songs and the contours of their stories. This scene in Nehemiah would have been cause of remarkable celebration, similar to what we still see today as a Bible translation team finishes their work and delivers the Bible to a people group who had previously heard the stories retold or maybe had a book or two translated along the way or else had to read the text in a language other than their own.  There are beautiful videos, like this one, of a celebration accompanying the return of the text to its people. Hopefully, your own church supports missionaries engaged in this work* as well and you could share something a bit closer to home, connected to your own church’s giving and participation.

*Keeping in mind that missionary aviators, educators, church planters, administrators, etc. all contribute to this effort through the dedication of their own labor.