How would you respond to a friend or family member who had serious doubts about the trustworthiness of Scripture based on questions of historicity?

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Ezra and Nehemiah both ministered to Jerusalem during the postexilic period. The priest-scribe Ezra oversaw the religious revival of the postexilic community, while Nehemiah oversaw the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s wall. Both came from positions in the Persian royal court to minister in Palestine. Ezra and Nehemiah were originally a single composition of an anonymous postexilic chronicler; large portions of the text are written in Aramaic. The chronicler’s theological interests include the covenant renewal with the restoration community, the rebuilding and rededication of the Jerusalem temple, the continuity of the pre- and postexilic Israel, and the legitimacy of the postexilic community as God’s people.
Rather than inspiring hope in the people, the new temple only reminded them of glory lost and expectations unfulfilled. The community was threatened externally by hostile neighbors and internally by apathy and decay. Against this backdrop, Ezra and Nehemiah instituted their reforms. The accounts emphasize the covenant renewal of the postexilic community, reminding the people that God’s faithfulness in the past represents his plan in their present and future. The book is arranged according to historical chronology and the author’s theological emphases. Archeological findings corroborate the historical reliability of Ezra and Nehemiah; more difficult is determining the nature of the relationship between the men’s respective ministries, since neither mentions the other.
Much controversy surrounds the book of Esther, including questions of canonicity, genre, historicity, and authorship. The book is set during the reign of Xerxes I (Ahasueras), reigning during the fifth century bc. Contemporary sources fail to identify most of the major actors within the book, leading many to question the work’s historicity, though this is not ample evidence to outweigh the book’s own insistence on its accuracy. The literary characteristics of the book indicate that the work is not intended as a historical chronicle; rather, it is intended to convey a theological message to the scattered Israelites of God’s protection of his people and his judgment against their enemies.
The plot and message of Esther are structured around the technique of reversal, which is heightened by irony. The text is read annually at the celebration of Purim, which commemorates the deliverance of the Jews recorded in the book and also establishes its celebration. The events of the book imply that God’s display of power is designed to confirm the people in their faith, rather than witness to the surrounding world, which has already observed God’s revelation through Israel.
Key Terms
Apocrypha: a collection of intertestamental Jewish literature, recognized as deuterocanonical in some Christian traditions
Hellenism: the influence of Greek thought, language, and culture spread throughout the Near East after the conquests of Alexander the Great
Purim: festival that celebrates God’s deliverance of Israel as recorded in the book of Esther
Persian Empire: major power in the ancient Near East ca. 539–332 bc
Xerxes: King who ruled Persia during the time of Esther
Key Ideas
The physical restoration of the city of Jerusalem.
Yahweh as a covenant-keeping God.
Religious and social reform as the aftermath of repentance.
God is at work even when he is behind the scenes.
The schemes of the wicked are doomed.
God’s plan for his people cannot be thwarted.
Discussion Forum Question:
Please respond to the following questions in 150 – 250 words:
At several places along our journey through the Old Testament historical narratives we have been confronted with the view that some of the events recorded in the Bible potentially didn’t actually take place. At no place is that more apparent than in the book of Esther.
Here at the end of our journey through the historical books, reflect upon this discussion as you have encountered it throughout the course of the semester so far. Are you troubled by the questions of historicity? Why or why not?
What answers from the textbook throughout the semester on this matter of historicity have been the most helpful to you? What answers did you find the least compelling?
How would you respond to a friend or family member who had serious doubts about the trustworthiness of Scripture based on questions of historicity?

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