REPENTANCE AND CONTRITION OF EZRA IN THE NAME OF THE WHOLE PEOPLE The second batch of those returning from captivity arrived under the leadership of Ezra to Jerusalem.. And four months later, the leaders came to tell him that some of the men have married pagan women (1-2). Here, Ezra’s joy turned into sorrow and bitterness of the soul. He could not endure hearing this, on account of that, it would be counted as treason against the Holy God, because of which God allowed for the captivity of the people to Babylon, that lasted for 70 years. Such mixed marriages with pagans was the cause of the perversion of many from faith. Yet Ezra did not take the position of a judge, which has been in his authority given to him by the Persian king; but he tore his garment and his robe, and plucked out some of the hair of his head and beard, and sat down astonished all the day long (3-5). Many men, women, and children assembled around him, but no one dared to utter a word. And when it was time for the evening sacrifice, Ezea raised a strong prayer of confession that had its great impact upon the people. Ezra assembled the people to offer the evening sacrifice; and poured his heart before the Lord, confessing the sin of the people; counting what they did as though his own deeds. In the name of the people he confessed that all have previously sinned; for which God chastised them for a little while by captivation. And now God liberated them and extended mercy to them in the sight of the king of Persia; but, having sinned again, they are worthy of perdition, and are ashamed to stand before God. 1- The news of the treason against God 1 - 2 2- The contrition of Ezra 3 - 5 3- A prayer and a confession 6 – 15 1- THE NEWS OF THE TREASON AGAINST GOD: “When these things were done, the leaders came to me, saying, ‘The people of Israel and the priests and the Levites have not separated themselves from the peoples of the land with respect to the abominations of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites,, the Egyptians, and the Amorites” (1) “When these things were done”; Namely after their arrival to Jerusalem, offered burnt offerings and sin sacrifices, delivered the king’s commands to the satraps and the governors; and the articles of the house of the Lord; the leaders came to Ezra four months after their arrival.-- He arrived in the fifth month (7-9), and his meeting with the leaders was in the ninth month (10: 9) “For they have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, so that the holy seed is intermingled with the peoples of those lands. Indeed the hand of the leaders and the rulers have been foremost in this trespass” (2) Among those who came in the first batch under the leadership of Zerubbabel and Jeshua, some of their children have already forgotten the humiliation of captivity; And instead of caring to sanctify their life to become a holy leaven for the people who have lost their freedom, land, and authority, disregarding the divine statute, they were preoccupied with their carnal desires, and got married to pagan women or girls,. And unfortunately, some rulers, priests, and Levites fell as well in this treason; Instead of being good leaders and good role models to their people, who should exhort them to holy life, and to keeping the covenant of God, they became an offense to them. Now, they are in their holy land, in love and unity, and no sign of idol worship; but the leaders, by the guidance of the Holy Spirit, discovered those mixed marriages; which would probably lead to the apostasy of the people to idol worship; something that happened to Solomon himself; and which was the cause for the wrath of God, for which He previously sent them into captivity. “The holy seed is intermingled”; Namely the husbands together with the children would learn from the pagan women their abominable ways of idol-worship. There was indeed certain exception to this in ‘Ruth’ the Moabite; but the exception should not become the rule; for the people of God should be holy., namely consecrated and dedicated to God, and pure in their life. Having been the only people on earth who worshipped the living God, they were committed to separate themselves from the pagan peoples, to preserve their purity, and not to intermingle with the Gentiles, and be lost, the way it happened to the people of Samaria. This serious strike goes back to the days of Noah, when it is written: “When the people began to multiply on the face of the ground, and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that (the daughters of men) were fair; and they took wives for themselves of all that they chose” (Genesis 6: 1-2). In his book “The City of God”, St. Augustine talks about two cities: one earthly, and the other heavenly; the former represents the wicked people bonded to the earthlies, and the later to the believers bonded to the heavenlies. Hence he saw in the inter-marriage between the sons of God to the daughters of men, a mixture between the two cities, which will corrupt the citizens of the heavenly city; against which the apostle Paul warned us, saying: “For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness; and what communion has light with darkness; and what accord has Christ with Belial?” (2 Corinthians 6: 14-15). And for the sake of keeping the covenant with God, and not falling into idol-worship, the divine commandment came, saying: “Lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they play the harlot with their gods, and make sacrifice to their gods, and one of them invites you and you eat of his sacrifice; and you take of his daughters for your sons, and their daughters play the harlot with their gods and make your sons play the harlot with their gods” (Exodus 34: 15-16); And, “Nor shall you make marriages with them. You shall not give your daughter to their son, nor take their daughter for your son. For they will turn your sons away from following Me to serve other gods; so the anger of God will be aroused against you and destroy you suddenly” Deuteronomy 7: 3-4). The goal of this commandment is the purity; For God does not intend to separate the nations from one another; but He rather longs for all to be one in Him. He wishes to have a royal generation, and His own people, renewable humanity, under the leadership of the New Adam, as one Head, for all the believers in the world. And as humanity was not yet ready for such a holy union, He separated the believers from the pagans, and put limitations on the freedom of their marriage. + The sons of the believers were in some sense meant for holiness and salvation; and with the deposit of this hope; Paul supports the marriages which he wishes to uphold. (The scholar Tertullian) + Marriage, being a spiritual gift, will not be as such if made with non-believers. The Spirit of God will not be given to dwell in non-believers. + The sacrament of matrimony should be consummated with sanctity, and not in haste nor in a distorted atmosphere. (The scholar Origen) + Marriage is greater than to be human; It is a minor kingdom; a little house for the Lord. + Our Savior attended a wedding to sanctify the origin of human life. + Who are these two or three assembled in the name of Christ, among whom the Lord will dwell? Are they not the husband, the wife, and their child; for the man and the woman are being united by God. + By the counsel of the saints, the nations and the homes are well ordained. + Marriage is a holy image that should be kept pure of any defilement. It is befitting of us to wake up together with Christ from our slumber; then go back to sleep with thanksgiving and peace. + The hearts of lovers have wings … But love can turn into hate, if causes of mutual lack of respect crawl into it, + Whoever seeks only the carnal pleasure will turn marriage into adultery. (St. Clement of Alexandria) 2- THE CONTRITION OF EZRA: “So when I heard this thing, I tore my garment and my robe, and plucked out some of the hair of my head and beard, and sat down astonished” (3) Before Ezra, we have not heard of anyone who came to be in astonishment by such a kind of treason; for all would look at it as a regular matter, not serious enough to shake anyone. But Ezra , once he heard of it, he tore his garment and his robe, and plucked out some of the hair of his head and beard, and sat down astonished. In spite of the authority he has from the king;. yet such a kind of treason is not to be dealt by commands, but by the repentance from the heart. Now, who will exhort those fallen people to repent? On another aspect, those fallen people were new as far as spiritual knowledge and experience are concerned. As their fathers and mothers lived in captivity in intense spiritual draught, he feared to use cruel words and chastisement, that they might not endure. He was confused, as well, for such a people who could be counted as novices in their practice of worship in Jerusalem, have not benefited from what happened to their grandfathers who fell into the Babylonian captivity because of sin. ……….Ezra feared of the probable wrath of God upon the whole congregation. Tearing the garments and robes, and plucking hair from the head and beard, were a Jewish custom, a sign of intense grief and disgust. + Such contrition of the heart is spiritually of benefit; contrary to another kind of contrition that may cause anxiety, and may lead to despair. (St. Mark the hermit) “Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel assembled to me, because of the transgression of those who had been carried away captives, and I sat astonished until the evening sacrifice” (4) The news soon spread to the people and leaders; some of whom did not take it seriously, and even counted Ezra’s reaction as not befitting of him. Whereas some others were impressed by such a reaction of the man of God who has forsaken his high position in Babylon to go through such a disappointment. There was a third category who had the fear of God, shared with Ezra his confusion and the bitterness of soul, and silently joined him, waiting for any word or command he might give them to execute or help him to do. + Whoever intend to get the love of God, let him have the fear of God; for fear may give rise to weeping, then to strength; and in case all these are consummated in the soul. It will start giving fruition in everything. And when God sees those good fruition in the soul, He smells them a sweet fragrance, and, together with His angels He will rejoice, satiate it with joy, and keep it in all its ways, until it reaches to the place of its rest without harm. Seeing the Great Exalted Guardian protecting the soul, the devil will fear approaching or attacking it because of that great power surrounding it.. You should, therefore, acquire such a power to make the demons terrified before you, to have your things become easy for you, and to find pleasure in the divine work, for God’s love is sweeter than honey. Many monks and virgins who haven’t tasted this divine sweetness, nor acquired this divine power, think that they have got them, despite their lack of strife. But whoever strive for their sake will certainly get them through the divine mercies; for “God shows favoritism to no man” (Galatians 2: 6).. Whoever intend to have God’s light and power, is committed to despise the honors and defilement of this world, and its carnal pleasures, to purify his heart of all the evil thoughts, and to present to God fasts and tears day and night as pure prayers; Then God will pour over him such a power. Diligently seek this power, to be able to do all things with ease, and to have great daring before God, who will grant you all your requests. (St. Anthony the Great) “Until the evening sacrifice”; Once it was time for the evening sacrifice, Ezra arose from his sorrowful depression, hastened to the service, and raised his heart by prayer. The evening sacrifice, being a symbol of the sacrifice of the Lord Christ who carries our sins; Ezra’s insight was probably on the Savior Messiah. “At the evening sacrifice I arose from my fasting, and having torn by garment and my robe, I fell on my knees and spread out my hands to the Lord my God” (5) Most probably all those assembled around him remained silent until it was the time for the evening sacrifice, when Ezra arose from his humiliation, bowed down on his knees, in his torn off clothes, and stretched his hands in prayer. “I fell on my knees”; So the prayer should be, either standing up or kneeling down. 3- A PRAYER AND A CONFESSION: ‘and said, ‘O my God, I am too ashamed and humiliated to lift up my face to You, my God, for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has grown up to the heavens” (6) He started his prayer, counting all what was done by those traitors as though he himself has done. Their sin became so great to reach up to heaven, like the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18: 20), because of which God sent fire and brimstone. We see here Ezra’s prayer, not a prayer of requests, but of a confession of guilt from a heart pure with the love of God; who puts himself with his people, and confesses his sins together with theirs, saying: “our iniquities, our guilt”. Although he himself did not partake of those things; yet he does not blame the others and justifies himself; but, being a priest who loves his people, like the prophet Moses and the apostle Paul (Exodus 32: 32; Romans 3: 9); he puts himself forth on the same level. That was done by the Lord Christ who carried our sins. That prayer and those tears, and his love for his people, had their impact on his people, that they forsook their pagan wives. Our guilt has grown up to the heaven”; Namely it was as high as the tower of Babel that had its top in heaven (Genesis 11: 4); and like the outcries against Sodom and Gomorrah that has come up to (Genesis 18: 21) + “Whoever is disgusted of his sins, is committed to talk about them with bitterness; that would be punishment for the accusations by which his tongue justifies his consciousness. But we are committed to put in our consideration that they bring forth a kind of relief from the sufferings of remorse that strike itself; for then, it will arise in more confidence to confront the judgment of the heavenly Judge. (St. Gregory the Great) + What sins are there, that remorse cannot cleanse? What tough stains are there, that tears cannot wash? By Peter’s triple confession, he wiped out his triple denial. (St. Jerome) + The extended prayer and the abundant tears, draw the mercy of God. + Intending to show all the beatitudes in Himself, having said: “Blessed are those who mourn (weep). Jesus wept. “Since the days of our fathers to this day we have been very guilty, and for our iniquities we, our kings, and our priests have been delivered to the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, to plunder, and to humiliation, as it is this day” (7) “Our kings and our priests”; namely our civil and spiritual leaders. “Kings of the lands”; kings of Assyria and Babylon in particular. Ezra confessed that sin is not new in the life of his people, but its roots run deep since the days of their fathers to this day; they, therefore are worthy of being chastised by the sword, captivity, plunder, and humiliation. + Be of good cheer while under scourges, for the inheritance is kept for you; God does not forsake His people; He chastises for a little while, and not forever. (St. Augustine) + God endures all the weaknesses of mankind, but He will not leave the man who keeps grumbling, without chastisement. (St. (Mar) Isaac the Syrian) “And now for a little while grace has been shown from the Lord our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a peg in His holy place, that our God may enlighten our eyes and give us a measure of revival in our bondage” (8) Even though we are worthy of His anger because of our sins, yet God’ anger is “for a little while”, then He pours His mercy, and holds us fast, as though by a peg in His sanctuary, the way a tent is held fast in the ground by a peg.. By His mercies He enlightens our eyes. “For a little while”; The seventy years of captivity, although dark, yet they were like a little while in the sight of God. “To leave us a remnant to escape”; from the desolation of Jerusalem, and from Babylon and its evils. “That our God may enlighten our eyes”, The days of captivity were days of darkness; while those of return were days of light. The days of captivity were like death; whereas those of the return were like a revival. + “You struck me”, but not as a Judge, but as a Father to correct my ways. + Who can lift up the rod of God, namely of His divine wrath; so that man would no more be terrified from Him? No one but our Lord Jesus Christ on whom our iniquity was put; and who brought us forth into the divine love, to become, by His Holy Spirit, children of God, who have daring on Him. “Let Him lift His rod up from me”; for having incarnated and come to be one like us, He would never strike us with the rod, nor with fear; provided that we would escape to His grace and to faith; escape to Him who resurrected from the dead, who said to the women: “Do not be afraid” (Matthew 28: 5, 10); And when He appeared to His disciples He uttered the same words … St. John the Evangelist says: “Perfect love casts out fear” (1 John 4: 18). (Father Hesichius of Jerusalem) + Paul, calls our punishment ‘chastisement’, for it is meant to be more as a warning rather than as a condemnation; It is for healing rather than for avenging; to reform rather than to punish. (St. John Chrysostom) “For we were slaves, yet our God did not forsake us in our bondage, but He extended mercy to us in the sight of the kings of Persia to revive us, to repair the house of our God, to rebuild its ruins, and to give us a wall in Judah and Jerusalem” (9) Ezra would not forget that God who allowed for His people to fall into captivity, is He who stirred up the hearts of the kings of Persia to build His house, and to send His people back to Jerusalem. “For we are slaves” They were slaves in Babylon, and were still slaves to the king of Persia. “To give us a wall”; God’s pleasure and protection was for them like a wall; “I will be a wall of fire all around her” (Zechariah 2: 5). But God has His tools, who were here, the king of Persia whose heart He stirred up to protect the people of Israel. “And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? For we have forsaken Your commandments” (10) “After this”; After all God’s mercies they betrayed Him. “which You have commanded by Your servants the prophets, saying, ‘The land which you are entering to possess is an unclean land, with the uncleanness of the peoples of the lands, with their abominations which have filled it from one end to another with their impurity” (11) “By Your servants the prophets”; There is no prophecy in these words; but the prophet Moses in Deuteronomy 7: 1-3 forbade marriage to pagans women. What Ezra mentions here is the spirit of the law, the same thought proclaimed by the prophets, namely to separate ourselves from evil. “Now therefore, do not give your daughters as wives for their sons, nor take their daughters to your sons; and never seek their peace or prosperity, that you may be strong and eat the good of the land, and leave it as an inheritance to your children forever” (12) “Never seek their peace”; Namely do not make with them treaties of peace and security, nor political or military alliances, so as not to fall into the snares of their idol-worship. “And after all that has come upon us for our evil deeds and for our great guilt, since You our God have punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and have given us such deliverance as this” (13) Ezra confesses that, God has punished them less than what their iniquities deserve; and it was befitting of them to put the divine mercies into their consideration. “should we again break Your commandments, and join in marriage with the people of these abominations? Would You not be angry with us until You had consumed us, so that there would be no remnant or survivor? (14) Having broken the divine commandment, they lost their relationship with the divine truth; For Adam, by breaking the commandment lost the concept of the commandment; And by breaking it, the Pharisees lost their ability to recognize God and His love. The Lord therefore confirms: “If you abide in My word you are my disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8: 31-32); And, “The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life” (John 6: 63); “For the word of God is living and powerful” (Hebrew 4: 12). + Whoever does not keep the divine commandments has not the love of God in him. (St. Dedymus the blind) + God hides in His commandments; Whoever seeks Him will find Him in them (by putting them into practice). Do not ever say: I kept all the commandments, yet I did not find the Lord in them For whoever search for Him in truth will find peace. + Some may think that they truly believe in God while not keeping His commandments; And others, while keeping the commandments, expect the kingdom as a just reward (for their self-worthiness). They both err against the truth. (St. Mark the Hermit) + The proof of love is to proclaim it through work. That is why, St. John says in his epistle: “He who says ‘I know Him’, and does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (1 John 2: 4). Our true love will be, if we make our will in harmony with His commandments. But he, who wanders to and fro through his evil desires, would not love God in truth; for he acts against His will. (Pope Gregory the Great) + It is not enough to acquire the commandments, but we need an elaborate observation of them. (St. John Chrysostom) + He who has My commandments in his memory, and observe them in his life; he who has them on his lips and in his ears, and behave according to them; he who persistently observe them in his work; Such a man loves Me. … By work, love is proclaimed, and through their application yet without fruition, love will be only by name. (St. Augustine) “O Lord God of Israel You are righteous, for we are left as a remnant, as it is this day. Here we are before You in our guilt, though no one can stand before You because of this” (15) Ashamed to seek forgiveness for sins unbefitting to fall into, Ezra seeks from God help to lift them up from sin. “You are righteous, for we are left as a remnant, as it is this day: By His mercy, God kept them safe, even though they were worthy of death, For without His mercy, there would be no remnant left to escape.. “Here we are before You”; He delivered the whole situation to the Lord, and had nothing more to say before His mercy. ------------------------------ AN INSPIRATION FROM EZRA 9 GRANT ME, O LORD, A SPACIOUS HEART TO ACCOMMODATE THE WHOLE WORLD + You shone with Your law upon Your servant Ezra; You made him a skillful scribe who adores Your commandment; His heart was on fire with Your love; And was spacious to embrace all his brethren; Grant me a spacious heart to accommodate the whole world; To love in truth all Your creatures; I desire the holiness of all mankind; And anticipate the day of their eternal wedding. + Ezra could not endure to hear about the treason of his brethren against you; He counted himself the traitor; His soul was contrite within him; He kept weeping before You; He tore his garment and robe, and plucked hair from his head and beard; He cried out and sat in astonishment. + It was within his authority to issue harsh verdicts; He could rebuke with violence; But he trembled within himself, for he had Your fear in his heart; His heart could not endure breaking the divine commandment; And his love for his brethren could not endure their perdition for breaking the commandment. + Like Moses, he stood interceding for his brethren, who said: “Forgive their sin – but if not, I pray, blot me out of Your book which You have written” (Exodus 32: 33) And partaking of the apostle’s compassionate fatherhood, he said: “Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation”” (1 Corinthians 11: 29) + In the evening sacrifice, he raised his face toward You; He kneeled down and cried out to You; He looked up, as though to the sacrifice of the cross, and said: Our trespasses have increased over our heads; And our iniquities have reached up to heaven. + He blamed himself together with his brethren; And counted Your chastisement on the people as though for a little while; He confessed that without Your mercy, no remnant of Your people would escape; He confessed that he, together with the people have broken Your commandment, the grantor of life; He had no more daring to stand before You; He therefore became great in Your sight; For You are the forgiver of sins; You have no pleasure at all that the wicked should die, and not that he should turn from ways and live. Grant me Ezra’s repentance and His love for You; Grant me his humility before You; Fill my heart with love for You and my brethren.
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