ScrollofEsther

THE SCROLL OF ESTHER AS DEUTERONOMIC THEOLOGYBy Jonathan T. Matías

Introduction

The canonical scroll of Esther recounts how a personal conflict between Mordecaiand Haman actually stems from Israel’s past covenant failures and nearly leads to theelimination of the Jews in Persia. On a basic level, the story of Esther rehearses how theFeast of Purim enters into Jewish customs based on their deliverance from this danger.Theologically, however, Esther tells how God provides himself to be a covenant-keepingGod as he delivers the Jewish exiles from certain annihilation through a series of extraordinary coincidences and reversals of fortune. The two motifs of providentialcoincidences and feasting serve as the keys that unlock the theological message of thescroll. On one hand, the story of Esther shows how the Old Covenant failures nearly leadto the elimination of the Jews. On the other hand, extraordinary providential actsdemonstrate Yahweh’s commitment to his covenant promises, guaranteeing the future New Covenant’s fulfillment.

The Canonical Text of Esther

To determine the structure and message of Esther, the biblical scholar mustchoose from the several widely varying texts of Esther. Joyce Baldwin describes thesituation: "No other book of the Old Testament has come down to use in so many variant

2forms."

1

Above all versions stands the Masoretic Text (MT), the only text with “nosignificant differences between the copies" of that version.

2

This fact heavily lendssupport to the MT as the canonical version.In contrast, the Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox churches accept the LXXversion to Esther that adds 177 verses to the MT.

3

The LXX version should not beaccepted as canonical because it directly contradicts the significant point in the Hebrewversion that Haman was an Amalekite by changing his lineage to “a Macedonian”(Deuterocanonical Esther 16:10).

4

The deuterocanonical version includes bizarreadditions such as Esther’s surprise entrance into Ahasuerus' presence in a most unlikelyway—fainting and collapsing her way into her lover-king's arms (DeuterocanonicalEsther 15:7-15).

5

David Howard observes that the six apocryphal additions must have been added later so that the scroll would be more palatable to Jewish audiences

6

becausethey “give it a religious overtone that is otherwise missing”

from the MT.

7

Only theMasoretic Text deserves consideration as the canonical text of Esther.

The Structure of the Scroll of Esther

The story of Esther is composed of several small subplots that combine to form

1

Joyce G. Baldwin,

Esther: An Introduction and Commentary

, Tyndale Old TestamentCommentary Series, Edited by D.J. Wiseman (Downer's Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press,1984), p. 42.

2

Ibid, p. 42.

3

Roy Dillard and Tremper Longman,

An Introduction to the Old Testament

(GrandRapids: Zondervan, 1994), p. 177.

4

Bruce Metzger, Editor,

The Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books of the Old Testament

(Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press, 1992), p. 35.

5

Ibid, p. 33.

6

Only the LXX additions speak of “God,” “prayer,” “Hades,” and other religiouselements.

7

NIDOTTE, S.v. “Esther: Theology.”

3one overall plot centered on the pending holocaust of the Jews. McConville describes thiseffect: "The story of Esther is a little like the plots of modern novels or films in which thereader/audience is slowly introduced to the characters, who appear at first to bear norelation to one another, but whose lives are ultimately interwoven in a complex way"

8

For example, the reader should follow the resolution of the subplot between Haman andMordecai because it prefigures the resolution of the main complication, the near annihilation of the Jewish exiles.

Exposition

Chapters 1 and 2 form the exposition of the Esther narrative that sets the stage for the main conflict. The deposition of Vashti and the selection of Esther as queen serve asthe first subplot that composes the exposition. Esther 1:1-11 describes a series of lavish banquets hosted by King Ahasuerus of Persia. Feast #1, Ahasuerus’ banquet for thenobles, is noted in 1:2-4. Esther 1:5-8 describes Feast #2, Ahasuerus’ banquet for thecitizens of Susa. Queen Vashti hosts Feast #3, her banquet for the women of Susa (1:9).Verse 12 serves as the inciting moment for this subplot whereby Vashti refuses to appear before the king and the nobles at his banquet.

9

Ahasuerus selects Esther the Jew as hisqueen, four years after deposing Vashti for her insubordination (2:17). Then Ahasueruscommissions Feast #4, “Esther’s banquet,”

10

in honor of his new queen (2:18).Mordecai’s discovery and prevention of an assassination plot in 2:20-23comprises a second subplot within the exposition that sets the stage for the main story of

8

J.G. McConville,

Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther

, Daily Bible Study Series (Philadelphia,PA: Westminster Press, 1985), p. 161.

9

This is only the second main action in the story. For in the first twelve verses, onlyverses 1:1 and 1:12 begin with Waw Conversives that indicate the mainline.

10

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are from the

English Standard Version

of the Bible.