SwordPlay - S3E8 (ep. 71) - Greek Esther

• What additions have been made to the book of Esther in the LXX?
• How do we know that these are additions to the original story?
• What kind of copies do we have for Greek Esther?
• What similarities does this vision have to apocalyptic imagery in the Bible? (A:4-10)
• Why are the humble people in the vision seen as eating (“devouring”) the honorable? Cannibalism? (A:10)
• What is a Bougaion and why is there no mention of Haman being an Amalekite or Agagite? (A:17)
• What methods of persuasion/manipulation does this letter use to convince the populace of cooperating with this plan?
• What reason does Mordecai give for God to save them? (C:8-10)
• Why does Esther put poop in her hair? Was that common? (C:13)
• If God had already “determined” (NRSV; or “planned,” LES) what He was going to do (A.11/11.12), His sovereign control recognized by Mordecai & Esther in their prayers, why pray?
• What kind of overtones should be seen in Esther’s description of being “resplendent?” (D:2)
• Should Esther’s comparison of Artaxerxes to that of an angel be considered blasphemous? Was she lying? Was this righteous deception? (D:13-14)
• Who wrote this decree - the king, Esther, Mordecai, all of the above?
• Why is Haman referred to as a Macedonian? What is the truth behind Haman’s hidden motivation? (E:10, 14)
• Why does it say Haman was crucified instead of hanged or impaled? (E:18)
• Why would beasts and birds be included in the threatened wrath? (E:24)
• Should Esther F be our hermeneutic for interpreting apocalyptic literature? (F:3-6)
• Why were these additions made to Esther?
• How do we know which text we should prefer, the Hebrew or Greek Esther?
• Which version of the story is better in terms of storytelling?

This week’s Featured Creature: Rephaim

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