Lectures - Bible Contradictions: Ruth vs. Ezra

How does the Bible reconcile the stark contradiction between Ezra's exclusionary practices and Ruth's story of foreign inclusion? Ezra was a Jewish priest who administered Jerusalem as a province of the Persian Empire in the 5th century BCE, at the start of the Second Temple Period. Ezra set the tone for the era, focusing the religion on sacrifices and festivals at the restored temple alongside the reading of the Torah, which may have been edited together in its current form under his leadership. Ezra also promoted strict interpretation of religious law and he campaigned against intermarriage between Jews and neighboring peoples. He commanded Jewish men in mixed marriages to renounce their “foreign” wives and children and he rejected the offer of northern Israelites peoples to help rebuild the temple on the grounds that they had intermarried with foreigners, setting up the rivalry between Jews and Samaritans which has continued ever since. However, not all Jews agreed with Ezra’s interpretation of the law and his strict policies against intermarriage. The author of the Book of Ruth presented the opposite perspective, showing that a foreigner, a Moabite woman, could not only become part of the Jewish community but also an ancestor in the lineage of King David, and ultimately, of the Messiah, according to Christian tradition. Join the livestream to participate in the discussion and to ask questions to our lecturer during the Q&A. Other topics covered in this lecture include: Second Temple Judaism Intermarriage in Ancient Israel Women in Ancient Israel Women in the Bible Jehud Persian Empire Browse our catalogue of free lectures at https://www.centreplace.ca/lectures Your generous support allows us to offer these lectures at no cost. Please consider a making donation (tax deductible in the US and Canada) at https://www.centreplace.ca/donate ️