06.16. The "Holy Writings"
Chapter 15 The “Holy Writings”
We have seen the third part of the Old Testament, according to Jewish nomenclature known as the Holy Writings, to consist of Ruth, Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Lamentations, and Daniel. Concerning this division as a whole a few introductory remarks may be desirable before considering the books separately. In all probability the Law was canonized first, the constant reference to it in the later books of the Old Testament affording sufficient evidence of that fact. But the canonization of the Law must have given impulse to that of the Prophets, and this as soon as completed, to quote the language of Dr. Macpherson on the subject, must have called attention to the need of treating similarly the remaining books. Some of these books had long been current among the people, and others may have been the work of contemporaries of Ezra or even Malachi. The reason they were not included in the second division of the Canon is doubtless explained by their contents, which in large measure is different from the prophets. Prophecy is found in them, of course, but they are miscellaneous, nevertheless. The name “Prophets” having been appropriated to the second division, that of “The Other Writings,” and subsequently, “The Holy Writings,” came naturally enough to designate this, although the one word “Psalms,” from the chief book of the collection, is sometimes used for the whole. There is no record of any objections raised to the placing of these books in the Canon in the first instance, although disputes concerning them arose afterwards in unsuccessful attempts to have some of them withdrawn. The books objected to were Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, and Esther. Some Jewish rabbis, away back at about the beginning of the Christian era, sought the elimination of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, because they seemed to contain contradictory sayings. The battle was fought over the last-named book really, and the decision finally rendered in its favor.
We have already treated of three of these books as far as our space will permit, Ruth, Lamentations, and Daniel, for reasons stated in each case; but the present chapter affords an opportunity to refer to an important matter concerning the last-named not mentioned hitherto. For example, Why is Daniel placed among the Holy Writings and not among the Prophets? This, indeed, is one of the arguments used against the genuineness of the later chapters of Daniel, as though his place in the last division of the Old Testament were proof of a very late authorship. We have already shown the evidence for regarding the whole of Daniel to have been written by that prophet during the captivity, but the answer to this particular question has been given thus: The real difference between Daniel and the prophets lies in the fact that his book is rather an apocalypse than a prophecy, and belongs more nearly to the poetical books or the Wisdom literature than to those preceding.
Taking up the list of the books in the third division not heretofore considered, Chronicles comes first, which originally went by the name of the “Diaries” or “Journals,” because composed, as it was thought, from the diaries or court records of the different kings. They were also called “the things omitted,” because they record many facts unnoticed in the earlier books of Kings. They are of a date later than the captivity, and although their author is unknown, yet their object seems to have been to show the division of families and possessions before that critical event in order to restore the same after the return. Emphasis, as you will find, is laid on the history of Judah rather than Israel, because of the Messianic expectations in that line.
Certain apparent discrepancies between Chronicles and Kings may be accounted for in at least two ways: (1), the former omits what the latter gives in sufficient detail and vice versa; and (2), the former being written much later doubtless than the latter, the names of certain localities, etc., may have undergone a change.
Ezra was of the priestly order, being of the tribe of Levi and the family of Aaron (Ezra 7:1), and probably born in Babylon during the captivity. He joined his brethren at Jerusalem perhaps seventy years after the first return, bringing up with him a second large company of colonists. Parts of his book (Ezra 4:8-24; Ezra 5:1-17; Ezra 6:1-18; Ezra 7:12-26), are written in the Babylonian language and consist of conversations or decrees in that tongue, but the rest is written chiefly in the first person and contains the history of the returning exiles, the rebuilding of the temple, and the story of his own commission as governor, his journey to Jerusalem and his exertions for the religious and political betterment of the people. The whole should be read in connection with the contemporaneous prophets Haggai and Zechariah.
According to tradition, as we have seen, it is Ezra who is supposed to have settled the Canon of the Old Testament and given permanence to the threefold division of the Law, the Prophets and the Holy Writings. No serious question of criticism has arisen with reference to the genuineness of his own book, and he is supposed, moreover, to have compiled Chronicles and to have added the history of Nehemiah to his own.
Nehemiah, however, was the author of his own book, or the greater part of it, as may be gathered from even a superficial acquaintance with its contents. It takes up the history of the Jews in Jerusalem after the captivity about twelve years subsequent to the events in the book of Ezra, telling of the rebuilding of the city wall and gates and the firmer reestablishment of the colony on a kind of national base. No account is given of the death of Nehemiah, but his book closes the history of the Old Testament. Like Ezra, no serious criticism has arisen as to the genuineness of the book of Nehemiah.
Esther belongs somewhere in the period between the time of the going up to Jerusalem of the first company of returning captives under Zerubbabel and the date of Ezra’s mission. Xerxes is on the throne of Persia, who is called in the book “Ahasuerus,” and the narration may have been taken from his court records (Esther 2:23; Esther 6:1), a fact which would account for the secular tone of the book and its entire omission of the name of God. But as another says, “Though the name of God is not in the book, his hand is plainly seen there defeating and overruling evil to the salvation of his people.” The genuineness of the book is supported by the festival of “Purim” instituted at that time and maintained by the Jews to this day. It is supposed by some to be referred to in John 5:1, but if such is not the case there is no allusion to Esther in the New Testament. Nevertheless, let us always remember that it was part of the Canon of the Old Testament in Christ’s day. In the last analysis we tie ourselves up to him.