7. Ezra, Nehemia, Esther

Question 1

What are the former prophets?

Answer 1

1. Joshua
2. Judges
3. Samuels
4. Kings

Question 2

What are the latter prophets?

Answer 2

1. Jeremiah
2. Ezekiel
3. Isaiah
4. The twelve

Question 3

What are the last four parts of the writings?

Answer 3

1. Daniel
2. Esther
3. Ezra-Nehemiah
4. Chronicles

Question 4

What does it mean for the OT to be a canonical Text?

Answer 4

It has definitive titles, structure, order, and number of books

Question 5

What does the ancient tripartite structure of the canon infer?

Answer 5

That there is a literary-rational ordering of the books

Question 6

What is the function of the Former prophets?

Answer 6

To continue the narrative plotline begun in the Torah all the way to the exile

Question 7

What is the function of the Latter prophets and the first part of the Writings?

Answer 7

Offer a digressive commentary on all that has transpired

Question 8

What is the function of the rest of the Writings?

Answer 8

resume the narrative plotline with the events that transpired during the exile and Ezra-Nehemiah and after exile

Question 9

What is Esther’s place in the canon?

Answer 9

1. To reinforce Daniel’s claim that Israel cannot perish (Esther comes right after Daniel in Hebrew canon)(
2. The kingdom of God will eventually triumph over all earthly kingdoms

Question 10

How did Haggai and Zechariah envision the restoration?

Answer 10

as a momentous event

Question 11

How did Ezra-Nehemiah envision the restoration

Answer 11

paint a bleak picture of the restoration

Question 12

What is the message of Ezra-Nehemiah?

Answer 12

the people are in the land, but they are still in exile

Question 13

What is the chiastic context of Nehemiah?

Answer 13

city walls (1-6)
repopulation (7)
torah/worship (8-10)
repopulation (11)
city walls (12-13)

Question 14

The city of God is to be restored in a two-fold manner:

Answer 14

(1) leadership and

(2) priority of true worship, focused on God’s word.