OTHCC Chapter 72: items 1421 - 1440

The Old Testament in the Heart of the Catholic Church < > All Chapters

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The books of Ezra and Nehemiah are concerned with

a.   the last days of Judah and the destruction of the Temple.
b.   the period of Exile in Babylon and the struggles there.
c.   the re-occupation of Judah and the rebuilding of the Temple.

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Note: Do NOT restate the incorrect answers to this question. Only the correct answer has meaningful content.

Historians tell us that the Jews were citizens of the Persian Empire after the fall of Babylon in 539 BC, until the entire near East (including Judah) came under the control of the Greek leader Alexander the Great. Jews were citizens of the Persian empire for about

a.   200 years.
b.   400 years.
c.   600 years.

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After the Persian king Cyrus defeated the Babylonians, the Jews

a.   did not need permission to re-occupy Judah and rebuild the Temple.
b.   received no permission to re-occupy Judah and rebuild the Temple.
c.   received permission to re-occupy Judah and rebuild the Temple.

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Many scholars think that Ezra and Nehemiah

a.   pay little attention to the restoration of the Temple and its worship.
b.   pay much attention to the restoration of the Temple and its worship.
c.   pay no attention to the restoration of the Temple and its worship.

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Read Ezra 3. Read Nehemiah, Neh 8:1-11. After the Exile, the people of Israel

a.   did not rebuild the Temple but began again to hear and understand the Law.
b.   rebuilt the Temple and began again to hear and understand the Law.
c.   rebuilt the Temple but failed again to hear and understand the Law.

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In the judgment of many scholars, Ezra and Nehemiah emphasize that holiness

a.   involves physical closeness between Jews and non-Jews, but not between Jewish and non-Jewish practices.
b.   involves physical closeness between Jews and non-Jews, and also between Jewish and non-Jewish practices.
c.   must not involve physical closeness between Jews and non-Jews, or between Jewish and non-Jewish practices.

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After the Exile, the people of Israel had a devastated land, no king, no Jerusalem, and no Temple. Most scholars think that there is Old Testament evidence that many Jews preferred to remain in Babylon rather than return to such desolation. They also think that the return happened in waves over a long period, under the dedicated, even heroic, leadership of men such as Ezra and Nehemiah. Ezra is remembered for his restoration of Temple worship and the revival of the law.

Nehemiah is remembered not only for rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, but for rebuilding a sense of unity and common purpose among the returnees. The book of Nehemiah plainly records a returning people beset by internal squabbling and by external enemies on all sides. Many scholars note the humility, political and diplomatic skill, and sheer guts demonstrated by Nehemiah in the face of such difficulties. >>

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According to many scholars, the books of Ezra and Nehemiah emphasize the continuity of post-exilic Jews with pre-exilic Judaism. The books portray Jews returning from Exile, proving that their ancestors came from the land. The Temple is restored and Jerusalem's walls are rebuilt. Worship in the Temple was resumed as in the past. The law of Moses was restored and read to the people.

Also according to many scholars, Ezra and Nehemiah place a great emphasis on physical separation as a key to closeness to God. Both Ezra and Nehemiah are recorded as condemning marriage to foreigners, and of emphasizing practices of worship and of law (such as the Sabbath rest) that set Jews apart from their neighbors. The unity of Israel and its closeness to God is now seen to be more related to Israel's physical separation from its neighbors, and becomes more closely centered in the law and Temple worship.

Many scholars note that there were few other institutions that could have given the people a sense of unity and purpose, since the kingdom of Judah and its kings were effectively gone. <<

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Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy || Joshua Judges Ruth 1 Samuel 2 Samuel 1 Kings 2 Kings || 1 Chronicles 2 Chronicles Ezra Nehemiah || Tobit* Judith* Esther 1 Maccabees* 2 Maccabees* Job

Psalms

Proverbs Ecclesiastes Song of Songs Wisdom* Sirach* || Isaiah Jeremiah Lamentations Baruch* Ezekiel >> Daniel << || Hosea Joel Amos Obadiah Jonah Micah Nahum Habakkuk Zephaniah Haggai Zechariah Malachi

The Old Testament books with a star * are not any more or less important than the others. The star indicates that the Catholic Church definitively professes and knows these books to be part of the sacred writings, the inspired Word of God [cf. CCC 120], but that they are specifically rejected by the Jewish people, and called ''apocryphal'' (of doubtful inspiration) by Protestants.

The book of Daniel says that the Babylonian (Chaldean) king was defeated by Darius the Mede. Read Daniel, Dan 5:30-6:1. As the Old Testament itself records in several other places, Babylon was defeated by a king who (in 538 BC) issued a decree allowing the Jews to return to Jerusalem. This king was

a.   Cyrus the Persian.
b.   Darius the Persian.
c.   Darius the Mede.

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The setting of the first six chapters of Daniel is the exile in Babylon. It is likely that Jews in exile in Babylon would quickly have forgotten the name and country of the king who liberated them.

a.   Yes.
b.   No.
c.   Maybe.

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The first six chapters of Daniel are set in the exile in Babylon, but the book of Daniel doesn't even know the correct name of the king who liberated Israel from the exile. It really was Cyrus the Persian, but Daniel says it was "Darius the Mede." It is not very likely that anyone who was actually there would forget the correct name. Considering this, most scholars judge that the first six chapters of Daniel were written

a.   around the time of the exile in Babylon.
b.   at the time of the exile in Babylon.
c.   long after the time of the exile in Babylon.

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Most scholars divide the book of Daniel into three parts:

- first, stories of faithfulness to the LORD, and stories of the LORD recognized by other nations

- second, visions revealing hidden information, especially about future times

and third,

a.   an historical account of Jewish life under Greek-speaking rulers.
b.   more stories of faithfulness to the LORD, and the LORD recognized by other nations.
c.   more visions revealing hidden information about future times.

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Daniel is a relatively short book that has captured the imagination of many Catholics (and other Christians) through the ages. Three young men are shut in a furnace because of their faith. While there they sing the beautiful Song of the Three Young Men. Read Dan 3:51-90.

(Because Protestants do not accept this canticle as inspired, the RSV Catholic edition lists these with a separate numbering in the middle of chapter 3. The Song begins with verse 28, ''Then the three, as with one mouth...'').

The phrase, ''seeing the handwriting on the wall'' (meaning seeing your impending doom) comes from the famous story in Daniel 5. Read Dan 5. Innumerable artists have painted the scene of Daniel in the lion's den. Read Dan 6.

In her liturgy the Catholic Church regularly reads the story of the faithful Susanna and how the LORD stirred up the spirit in Daniel to rescue her. Read Dan 13. <<

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Before proceeding, it's now time to read the first three chapters of the book of Genesis. [Gen 1-3].

The readings of the Easter Vigil, the most solemn of all the Church's liturgies, at which she calls to mind the full mystery of her Lord and Redeemer, begin with the account of

a.   the Creation.
b.   the Last Supper.
c.   the Passover.

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Creation is [CCC 280]

a.   a metaphor for God's love for us.
b.   of subsidiary importance to human life.
c.   the foundation of all God's saving plans.

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Creation [CCC 280]

a.   exists apart from the history of salvation.
b.   reaches its fulfillment and conclusion in Christ.
c.   tells us how and when the universe arose physically.

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The mystery of Christ [CCC 280]

a.   hides the purpose for which ''in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.''
b.   partially reveals the purpose for which ''in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.''
c.   reveals the purpose for which ''in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.''

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At the Creation, God [CCC 280]

a.   already had in mind and saw the glory of the new creation in Christ.
b.   failed to see that everything has its final purpose in the new creation in Christ.
c.   had no intention of completing everything in the new creation in Christ.

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The account of Creation [CCC 284]

a.   does at least necessarily tell us how and when man appeared.
b.   does tell us exactly how and when the universe arose physically.
c.   does not necessarily tell us how and when the universe arose physically.

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The account of Creation

a.   does not tell us the meaning of existence.
b.   is evasive about the meaning of existence.
c.   tells us the meaning of existence.

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