2 Esdras chapter 14
[This chapter is in Orthodox Bibles] Ezra is given a mission. Ezra will dictate the Scriptures. Ezra addresses the people. Ezra dictates to five scribes.
Note. The Book of Second Esdras is recognized as Deuterocanonical Scripture by the Orthodox Churches
EZRA IS GIVEN A MISSION
VERSE 1. It came to pass upon the third day, I sat under an oak, and, behold, a voice came out of a bush near me, and said, “Esdras, Esdras!”
upon the third day. The preceding six visions total 40 days.
VERSE 2. I said, “Here I am, Lord,” and I stood up on my feet.
VERSE 3. Then he said to me, “I revealed myself in a bush and talked with Moses when my people were in bondage in Egypt.
I revealed myself in a bush. The LORD God is speaking directly.
VERSE 4. I sent him, and he led my people out of Egypt. I brought him up to Mount Sinai, where I kept him with me for many days.
he. Another reading is I.
VERSE 5. I told him many wondrous things, and showed him the secrets of the times and the end of the seasons. I commanded him, saying,
showed him the secrets of the times. Some of the revelations to Moses were secret.
VERSE 6. ‘You shall publish these openly, and these you shall hide.’
these you shall hide. Those secret revelations to Moses were to remain secrets.
VERSE 7. Now I say to you:
VERSE 8. Lay up in your heart the signs that I have shown, the dreams that you have seen, and the interpretations which you have heard;
VERSE 9. for you will be taken away from men, and from now on you will live with my Son and with those who are like you, until the times have ended.
you will be taken away from men. This foreshadows Ezra being assumed into heaven.
from now on you will live with my Son. Ezra will go live with the Lord Jesus Christ.
and with those who are like you. Other people are also living with the Lord Jesus Christ.
VERSE 10. For the world has lost its youth, and the times begin to grow old.
the times begin to grow old. The world is waning.
VERSE 11. For the age is divided into twelve parts, and ten parts of it are already gone, even the half of the tenth part.
This verse is omitted in the Syriac version.
The Aethiopic version says:
For the age is divided into ten parts, and is come to the tenth: and half of the tenth remains.
even. The Latin version says and.
VERSE 12. There remain of it two parts after the middle of the tenth part.
This verse is omitted in the Syriac version.
VERSE 13. Now therefore set your house in order, reprove your people, comfort the lowly among them, and instruct those of them who are wise, and now renounce the life that is corruptible,
The Latin version omits and instruct those of them who are wise.
VERSE 14. and let go of the mortal thoughts, cast away from you the burdens of man, put off now your weak nature,
VERSE 15. lay aside the thoughts that are most grievous to you, and hurry to escape from these times.
escape from these times. Ezra will escape the toilsomeness of the age.
VERSE 16. For worse evils than those which you have seen happen will be done after this.
VERSE 17. For look how much the world will be weaker through age, so much that more evils will increase on those who dwell in it.
VERSE 18. For the truth will withdraw itself further off, and falsehood will be near. For now the eagle which you saw in vision hurries to come.”
the eagle. So say the so-called Oriental versions.
EZRA WILL DICTATE THE SCRIPTURES
VERSE 19. Then I answered and said, “Let me speak in your presence, O Lord.
Let me speak. The Latin version says I will speak.
VERSE 20. Behold, I will go, as you have commanded me, and reprove the people who now live, but who will warn those who will be born afterward? For the world is set in darkness, and those who dwell in it are without light.
VERSE 21. For your law has been burned, therefore no one knows the things that are done by you, or the works that will be done.
your law has been burned. The Torah was destroyed.
VERSE 22. But if I have found favor before you, send the Holy Spirit to me, and I will write all that has been done in the world since the beginning, even the things that were written in your law, that men may be able to find the path, and that those who would live in the latter days may live.”
send the Holy Spirit to me. Ezra asks for the Holy Spirit.
This request is unparalleled in 2 Esdras.
I will write all that has been done. Ezra will write divine revelation.
that men may be able to find the path. The goal of writing divine revelation is so people can find their way.
VERSE 23. He answered me and said, “Go your way, gather the people together, and tell them not to seek you for forty days.
for forty days. This equals the length of time Moses was on the mountain.
Ezra’s first six visions also took a total of 40 days.
VERSE 24. But prepare for yourself many tablets, and take with you Sarea, Dabria, Selemia, Ethanus, and Asiel, these five, which are ready to write swiftly;
Ethanus. Or Elkana.
VERSE 25. and come here, and I will light a lamp of understanding in your heart which will not be put out until the things have ended about which you will write.
Ezra will remember the revelation until he finishes writing.
VERSE 26. When you are done, some things you shall publish openly, and some things you shall deliver in secret to the wise. Tomorrow at this hour you will begin to write.”
some things you shall publish openly. Some parts of the divine revelation are for the public.
some things you shall deliver in secret to the wise. Other parts of the divine revelation are for a very select audience.
EZRA ADDRESSES THE PEOPLE
VERSE 27. Then went I out, as he commanded me, and gathered all the people together, and said,
VERSE 28. “Hear these words, O Israel!
Ezra reveals the reasons for the exile, as well as the hope of eternal life.
VERSE 29. Our fathers at the beginning were foreigners in Egypt, and they were delivered from there,
VERSE 30. and received the law of life, which they didn’t keep, which you also have transgressed after them.
VERSE 31. Then the land of Zion was given to you for a possession; but you yourselves and your ancestors have done unrighteousness, and have not kept the ways which the Most High commanded you.
VERSE 32. Because he is a righteous judge, in due time, he took from you what he had given you.
VERSE 33. Now you are here, and your kindred are among you.
VERSE 34. Therefore if you will rule over your own understanding and instruct your hearts, you will be kept alive, and after death you will obtain mercy.
after death. Ezra clearly speaks of life after death.
you will obtain mercy. After we die, we will be granted mercy.
VERSE 35. For after death the judgment will come, when we will live again. Then the names of the righteous will become manifest, and the works of the ungodly will be declared.
VERSE 36. Let no one therefore come to me now, nor seek me for forty days.”
EZRA DICTATES THE SCRIPTURES TO FIVE SCRIBES
VERSE 37. So I took the five men, as he commanded me, and we went out into the field, and remained there.
the five men. Presumably these are the “wise” people mentioned previously.
VERSE 38. It came to pass on the next day that, behold, a voice called me, saying, “Esdras, open your mouth, and drink what I give you to drink.”
This is not a dream-vision. Rather, Ezra is awake.
VERSE 39. Then opened I my mouth, and behold, a full cup was handed to me. It was full of something like water, but its color was like fire.
VERSE 40. I took it, and drank. When I had drunk it, my heart uttered understanding, and wisdom grew in my breast, for my spirit retained its memory.
I took it, and drank. The cup contains the Holy Spirit.
VERSE 41. My mouth was opened, and shut no more.
VERSE 42. The Most High gave understanding to the five men, and they wrote by course the things that were told them, in characters which they didn’t know, and they sat forty days. Now they wrote in the day-time, and at night they ate bread.
The Most High gave understanding to the five men. The scribes are also inspired.
characters which they didn’t know. So say the so-called Oriental versions.
VERSE 43. As for me, I spoke in the day, and by night I didn’t hold my tongue.
VERSE 44. So in forty days, ninety-four books were written.
VERSE 45. It came to pass, when the forty days were fulfilled, that the Most High spoke to me, saying, “The first books that you have written, publish openly, and let the worthy and unworthy read them;
The first books that you have written. Twenty-four is the traditional number of books in the Hebrew Bible.
VERSE 46. but keep the last seventy, that you may deliver them to those who are wise among your people;
the last seventy. These are the secret books.
VERSE 47. for in them is the spring of understanding, the fountain of wisdom, and the stream of knowledge.”
The secret books contain saving knowledge.
VERSE 48. I did so.
2 ESDRAS
CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16
RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, Memorize, How Many People Will Be Saved
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