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英語原文
The affairs of the church were in a very good posture, we may well suppose, now that Ezra presided in them. Look without; the government was kind to them. We hear no complaints of persecution and oppression; their enemies had either their hearts turned or at least their hands tied; their neighbours were civil, and we hear of no wars nor rumours of wars; there were none to make them afraid; all was as well as could be, considering that they were few, and poor, and subjects to a foreign prince. Look at home; we hear nothing of Baal, or Ashtaroth, nor Moloch, no images, nor groves, nor golden calves, no, nor so much as high places (not only no idolatrous altars, but no separate ones), but the temple was duly respected and the temple service carefully kept up. Yet all was not well either. The purest ages of the church have had some corruptions, and it will never be presented "without spot or wrinkle" till it is "a glorious church," a church "triumphant," Eph 5:27. We have here, I. A complaint brought to Ezra of the many marriages that had been made with strange wives, Ezr 9:1,2. II. The great trouble which he, and others influenced by his example, were in upon this information, Ezr 9:3,4. III. The solemn confession which he made of this sin to God, with godly sorrow, and shame, Ezr 9:5-15.
1-15
Ezra's Reformation (456 BC)
エズラの改革（紀元前456年）
¹ これらの事がなされた後、君たちは私のところに来て言った。「イスラエルの民、祭司、レビ人は、その地の民から離れず、カナン人、ヘテ人、ペリジ人、エブス人、アモン人、モアブ人、エジプト人、エモリ人の忌むべきわざに従って行っている。 ² 彼らはその娘たちを自分たちや息子たちのためにめとった。こうして聖なる種がその地の民と混じった。事実、君たちや支配者たちの手がこの罪過において主であった」。 ³ 私はこの事を聞いたとき、私の上着と下着を引き裂き、頭とひげの毛を引き抜き、驚いて座り込んだ。 ⁴ すると、捕囚から帰還した者のそむきのゆえに、イスラエルの神のことばにおののく者がすべて、私のところに集まってきた。私は夕のささげ物の時まで驚いて座っていた。
エズラは、バルナバがエルサレムに来てその兄弟たちへの「神の恵みを見た」とき、「喜び、心を一つにして主にすがりつくようにすべての人を励ました」ように（使徒11:23）。彼は何も悪いことを見なかった（多くの腐敗は最も警戒深い支配者の目からも隠れている）。しかしここに彼の喜びへの冷水がある。多くの民、いや一部の支配者さえもが異邦人の家族から妻をめとり、見知らぬ人々と姻戚関係を結んだという報告がもたらされた。観察せよ。
第一に、彼らが犯した罪は何であったか。それは「その地の民と混じる」（Ezr 9:2）ことであった。交易や交わりにおいて彼らと交際し、親しくなり、その親戚関係を完成させるために「その娘を息子たちの妻にめとる」ことであった。彼らがその神々を礼拝しなかったと私たちは望ましく思う。捕囚が彼らの偶像礼拝をいやしたと。彼らは確かに「忌むべきわざに従って行った」と言われている。しかしそれは（パトリック監教が言うように）ここでは、いかなる国とも混交した結婚における異邦人の模倣を意味するだけで、それが次第に偶像礼拝へと導くのである。ここにおいて、1. 彼らは異邦人とのすべての親密さ、とりわけ婚姻契約におけるそれを禁じた神の明確な命令に背いた（申命7:3）。2. 彼らはその特別性の冠を汚し、神が最近においても、かつてと同様に、特別な恵みのしるしによって高められた者たちの上に自らを置いた。3. 彼らは神が彼らを保護し、高める力を不信し、肉なる政策によって、これらの同盟によって自らを強め、隣人たちの間に利益を作ろうと望んだ。神の全十分性の実践的不信は、私たちが自分を助けるために行うすべての哀れな手段の根底にある。4. 彼らは自らを、そしてさらにその子どもたちを偶像礼拝の危険にさらした。かつて彼らの教会と国民を滅ぼしたまさにその罪、そしてこのまさにその方法によってもたらされた罪である。
第二に、この罪を犯したのはだれであったか。より良く知らないイスラエルの無思慮な民の一部だけでなく、「祭司やレビ人の多く」――その職務は律法を教えることであり、この律法もその中に含まれ、一般のイスラエル人より高く引き上げられているゆえに、より大いなる罪であった。他の部族へ嫁ぐことはその部族の子らにとっては減であり、王室の部族以外にはめったになかった。しかしそのような者が異邦人、カナン人、ヘテ人や、私の知らない誰かと結婚することは、もし彼らが義務の感覚を持たずとも、名誉の感覚を持っていたなら、決して犯さなかったような不名誉であった。しかしこれは最悪ではなかった。「力によってこの大いなる非行を防ぐか、改革するべきであった君たちや支配者たちの手が、この罪過において主であった」。君たちが罪過の中にいるなら、その模範が他の人々に与える影響のゆえに、その主として告発されるであろう。「多くの者がその滅びる道に従うであろう」。しかしその指導者たちが彼らを堕落させ、誤らせる民の状態は惨めである。
第三に、これがエズラに報告されたこと。それは最も苦情を述べるにふさわしい人々、すなわちその誠実さとともにその尊厳を保った君たち――そのうちの一部――によって与えられた。彼ら自身が非難から自由でなければ、他の人々を告発することはできなかったであろう。それは事態を正す力を持つ人に与えられた。「律法に熟達した書記官」として彼らと論じ、王の委員として彼らに敬畏を与えることができた。これらの君たちはおそらくこの悪を正すためにしばしば努力したができなかった。しかし今やエズラに申し出、彼の知恵、権威、影響力がそれを行うために及ぶことを期待した。自ら公の悪を改革できない者でも、それのできる者に情報を与えることによって良い奉仕をすることができる。
第四に、これがエズラに与えた印象（Ezr 9:3）。「彼はその衣服を引き裂き、毛を引き抜き、驚いて座った」。こうして彼は深い感覚を表した。1. それによって神に与えられた不名誉に。神の御名によって呼ばれる民が、神の律法をかくも公然と犯し、その懲らしめによってかくも少しも益されず、その恵みに対してかくも悪い返報をすることは、彼の心を痛めた。2. 民が自らに与えた害と、神の怒りが彼らに向かって迸る危険に。覚えるべきこと。(1) 他の人々の罪は私たちの悲しみであるべきであり、それによって神の誉れと人々の魂に与えられた害は、私たちが心に留めるべきである。(2) 罪に対する悲しみは大いなる悲しみでなければならない。エズラの悲しみは「ひとり子、または初子のため」のようなものであった。(3) 信徒のスキャンダラスな罪は、私たちが驚く理由となる。人が自らに矛盾し、貶め、損ない、滅ぼすのを見て、私たちは驚き得る。人がかくも無思慮に、かくも自らと矛盾して行動するとは不思議である。正しい人はそれに驚く。
第五に、エズラのこのための悲しみが他の人々に与えた影響。彼は「主の家に上った」と私たちは考える。そこで自らを低くするために。彼の悲しみにおいて神に目を向けていたからであり、そこはその不興を和らげるのにふさわしい場所であったからである。やがて公にそれが注目され、手近にいたすべての敬虔で真面目な人々が彼のもとに集まった。彼らが遣わされたとは何も言われていないので、自発的にであったと思われる（Ezr 9:4）。覚えるべきこと。1. 良い人々の特徴は「神のことばにおののく」ことである。その戒めの権威と、その脅しの厳しさと正義を畏れる。そしてそうする者に「神は目を留められる」（イザヤ66:2）。2. 「神のことばにおののく」者は「人の罪におののか」ざるを得ない。それによって神の律法が破られ、その怒りとのろいが招かれるからである。3. 一人の罪に対する敬虔な熱心は、おそらく多くの者を同じように引き起こす。使徒が別の件で語るように（2コリント9:2）。多くの者が従うであろう。良いわざにおいて導くための思慮、才能、勇気を持たない者たちである。4. すべての良い人々は、罪と不敬虔に対する神の大義において現れ、行動する者を認め、彼らを支え、その手を強めるためにできることをするべきである。
⁵ 夕のささげ物の時に、私は悲しみから立ち上がった。そして私の上着と下着を引き裂いたまま、私はひざまずき、私の神、主に向かって手を広げた。 ⁶ 言った。「私の神よ。私は恥じて、私の神よ、あなたに顔を上げることを恥じ入る。私たちの不義は私たちの頭の上に増し加わり、私たちの罪過は天にまで達した。 ⁷ 私たちの先祖の日から今日まで、私たちは大いなるとがの中にあった。私たちの不義のゆえに、私たち、私たちの王々、祭司たちは、地の王々の手に渡され、剣に、捕囚に、略奪に、顔の恥に渡された。今日の通りである。 ⁸ そして今、しばらくの間、私たちの神、主から恵みが示され、私たちに残りの者を残して逃れさせ、その聖なる所に私たちにくぎを与え、私たちの神が私たちの目を明るくし、私たちの隷従の中で私たちに少しの回復を与えられた。 ⁹ 私たちは奴隷であった。しかし私たちの神は私たちの隷従の中で私たちを見捨てられず、ペルシャの王たちの前で私たちにあわれみを広げ、私たちに回復を与え、私たちの神の家を立て直し、その荒廃を修復し、ユダとエルサレムに私たちに城壁を与えられた。 ¹⁰ そして今、私たちの神よ。これらの後に何を言いましょう。私たちはあなたの戒めを捨てたからである。 ¹¹ あなたがそのしもべである預言者たちを通して命じられたこと。『あなたがたが行って所有する地は、その地の民の汚れと、その忌むべきもので汚れた地である。それがその不潔をもってその一端から他端まで満たした。 ¹² それゆえ、あなたがたの娘をその子らに与えてはならない。その娘をあなたがたの子らの妻にめとってはならない。彼らの平安や繁栄をとこしえに求めてはならない。そうすればあなたがたは強く、その地の良い物を食べ、それをとこしえにあなたがたの子孫の嗣業として残すことができる』。 ¹³ これらすべての事が私たちの悪いわざと大いなるとがのゆえに私たちに臨んだ後、あなたは私たちの神として、私たちの不義が値するよりも少なく私たちを罰し、このような救いを与えられた。 ¹⁴ 私たちは再びあなたの戒めを破り、これらの忌むべきものの民と姻戚関係を結んでよいだろうか。あなたは私たちを滅ぼし尽くされるまで怒り、残りの者も逃れる者がなくなるまで怒られるのではないか。 ¹⁵ イスラエルの神、主よ。あなたは正しい。私たちが逃れて残っているのは今日の通りである。見よ、私たちはそのとがのゆえにあなたの前にいる。このゆえに私たちはあなたの前に立つことはできない。
エズラが数時間驚いて座っていた間、その心の瞑想が何であったかを、彼がついに「その舌で語った」ときのその口の言葉から推測できる。そしてこの機会に天に向けてなされた最も切々たる訴えである。観察せよ。
第一に、彼がこの訴えをした時。「夕のささげ物の時に」（Ezr 9:5）。その時（おそらく）敬虔な人々は神殿の庭に来て、犠牲の荘厳さに花を添え、それと一致して自らの祈りを神にささげるのが常であった。その聴衆の前でエズラはこの告白を選んだ。それは彼らがその民の罪を正当に感じ取るようにするためであり、それまで彼らが気づかないか、軽く見ていた罪であった。祈りは説教することができる。犠牲、とりわけ夕のささげ物は、世界の夕暮れに「ご自身の犠牲によって罪を取り除く」「神の小羊」の大いなる贖いの型であった。エズラはこの悔い改めの訴えにおいて、信仰の目をその大いなる犠牲に向けていたと考えることができる。彼は「手をその大いなる犠牲の頭の上に置く」ように告白し、「私たちは贖いを受ける」のである。エズラは、数年前に御使ガブリエルが夕のささげ物の時にダニエルに伝えた、そしてそれを説明するかのように、油注がれた者なる君に関するメッセージ（ダニエル9:21,24）を知らなかったはずはない。おそらく彼はこの時を選ぶにあたり、それに思いを向けたのであろう。
第二に、この訴えのための彼の準備。1. 彼は「悲しみから立ち上がった」。神に向かって心を上げるのに必要な程度に、悲しみの重荷を振り払った。驚きから立ち直り、乱れた霊の騒ぎを幾分静め、神との交わりのために霊を整えた。2. 彼は「ひざまずいた」。自らを低くする悔いる者の姿勢、および恵みを求める願い人の姿勢をとった。その両者において、彼が今とりなしている民を代表した。3. 彼は「手を広げた」。これから語ろうとすることに心を動かされた者として、それを神にささげ、恵み深い答えを受けることを切に待ち望み、手を差し伸ばすかのように。ここにおいて彼は主として、またその神としての神に目を向けた。力の神、しかし恵みの神。
第三に、訴えそのもの。これは厳密には祈りとは呼べない。その中に願いの言葉は一つもない。しかし祈りをその十分な幅において取るなら、それは敬虔で信心深い思いを神にささげることであり、エズラがここで表す思いは非常に信心深く、非常に敬虔である。その訴えは罪の悔い改めの告白であり、自らのもの（自らの罪責に圧せられた良心と自らの危険を予感する良心からの）ではなく、その民の罪に関する、神の誉れとイスラエルの幸福への恵み深い関心からの。ここに率直な悔い改めの生き生きとした絵がある。この訴えの中で観察せよ。
- 彼が罪とその悪化事由について行う告白。彼はこれを強調する。自らの心と、彼と共にいる者の心に、聖なる悲しみ、恥じらい、恐れをもって、その考察において影響を与えるために。彼らがそれのために深くへりくだるように。そして注目すべきは、彼自身がこの罪責から完全に潔白であったのに、彼が同じ共同体の一員であるゆえに――「私たちの罪、私たちの罪過」――罪人の数に自らを数えている。おそらく彼は今、兄弟たちの後バビロンに長く留まり、その地の民から早くに離れなかったことを自らの過失として思い起こした。私たちが悪人の悪を嘆くとき、もし自分自身を正当に省み、自らの心に忠実に取り扱うことを許せば、同じ性質の、より低い度合いにおいてせよ、私たち自身も同じ罪を犯したことがあるのを見いだすかもしれない。いずれにせよ、彼は一般的な訴いとして、あるいはそうであるべきであったものとして語っている。
(1) 彼らの罪が非常に大いなるものであったと認めた。「私たちの不義は私たちの頭の上に増し加わった」（Ezr 9:6）。「深い水の中にあるように、私たちはその中で滅びようとしている」。かくも一般にそれが蔓延し、かくも激しくその力があり、かくも有害な結果を脅かしていた。「私たちの間に不義がかくも高さにまで達し、天にまで達した」。かくも厚かましく天に挑み、かくも挑発的で、ソドムの罪のように天に復讐を叫ぶ。しかし真の悔いる者の慰めは、彼らの罪が天に達しても、神のあわれみは「天にある」（詩36:5）ということである。「罪の増し加わった所には、恵みはさらに満ちあふれる」。
(2) 彼らの罪は長く続けられていた（Ezr 9:7）。「私たちの先祖の日から今日まで、私たちは大いなるとがの中にあった」。先に進んだ者たちの模範は、彼らの過ちを宥恕するのではなく、かえってそれを悪化させると彼は考えた。「私たちは同じ石につまずかないよう警告を受けるべきであった。腐敗は根深く、処方箋を主張し始めているが、これによって私たちは不義の尺度が満ちようとしているのを恐れる理由がある」。
(3) 神がその罪のゆえに彼らにもたらされた大いなる激しいさばきが、彼らの罪を非常に悪化させた。「私たちの不義のゆえに、私ちは剣と捕囚に渡された」（Ezr 9:7）。しかも改革されず、回復されなかった。「すり鉢の中ですりひかれ、それでも『愚かさは去らなかった』」（箴言27:22）。「懲らしめられたが、回復されなかった」。
(4) 神が彼らに与えた最近の恵みもまた、彼らの罪を非常に悪化させた。これを彼は大いに強調する（Ezr 9:8,9）。観察せよ。[1] 恵みの時。「今、しばらくの間」。すなわち「私たちが自由を得てから少ししか経っていない。そしてそれが長く続くとは思えない」。これが彼らの罪を大いに悪化させた。彼らがかくも最近まで炉の中にあり、いつまたそこに戻るか分からないことを知っていたのに。それでも彼らは安んじていられたのか。[2] 恵みの源。「主から恵みが示された」。ペルシャの王々は彼らの解放の器であった。しかし彼はそれを神とその恵み、彼らの功績によらない自由な恵みに帰する。[3] 恵みの流れ――彼らは「その隷従の中で見捨てられなかった」。バビロンにおいても神の臨在のしるしを受けた――イスラエル人の残りの者が残された。多くの中からわずか、かろうじて逃れた。
英語原文
Ezra's Reformation (456 BC)
¹ Now when these things were done, the princes came to me, saying, The people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the people of the lands, doing according to their abominations, even of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.
² For they have taken of their daughters for themselves, and for their sons: so that the holy seed have mingled themselves with the people of those lands: yea, the hand of the princes and rulers hath been chief in this trespass.
³ And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my mantle, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down astonied.
⁴ Then were assembled unto me every one that trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the transgression of those that had been carried away; and I sat astonied until the evening sacrifice.
Ezra, like Barnabas when he came to Jerusalem and saw the grace of God to his brethren there, no doubt was glad, and exhorted them all that with purpose of heart they would cleave to the Lord, Ac 11:23. He saw nothing amiss (many corruptions lurk out of the view of the most vigilant rulers); but here is a damp upon his joys: information is brought him that many of the people, yea, and some of the rulers, had married wives out of heathen families, and joined themselves in affinity with strangers. Observe,
I. What the sin was that they were guilty of: it was mingling with the people of those lands (Ezr 9:2), associating with them both in trade and in conversation, making themselves familiar with them, and, to complete the affinity, taking their daughters in marriages to their sons. We are willing to hope that they did not worship their gods, but that their captivity had cured them of their idolatry: it is said indeed that they did according to their abominations; but that (says bishop Patrick) signifies here only the imitation of the heathen in promiscuous marriages with any nation whatsoever, which by degrees would lead them to idolatry. Herein, 1. They disobeyed the express command of God, which forbade all intimacy with the heathen, and particularly in matrimonial contracts, De 7:3. 2. They profaned the crown of their peculiarity, and set themselves upon a level with those above whom God had by singular marks of his favour, of late as well as formerly, dignified them. 3. They distrusted the power of God to protect and advance them, and were led by carnal policy, hoping to strengthen themselves and make an interest among their neighbours by these alliances. A practical disbelief of God's all-sufficiency is at the bottom of all the sorry shifts we make to help ourselves. 4. They exposed themselves, and much more their children, to the peril of idolatry, the very sin, and introduced by this very way, that had once been the ruin of their church and nation.
II. Who were the persons that were guilty of this sin, not only some of the unthinking people of Israel, that knew no better, but many of the priests and Levites, whose office it was to teach the law, and this law among the rest, and in whom, by reason of their elevation above common Israelites, it was a greater crime. It was a diminution to the sons of that tribe to match into any other tribe, and they seldom did except into the royal tribe; but for them to match with heathen, with Canaanites, and Hittites, and I know not whom, was such a disparagement as, if they had had any sense, though not of duty, yet of honour, one would think, they would never have been guilty of. Yet this was not the worst: The hand of the princes and rulers, who by their power should have prevented or reformed this high misdemeanour, was chief in this trespass. If princes be in a trespass, they will be charged as chief in it, because of the influence their examples will have upon others. Many will follow their pernicious ways. But miserable is the case of that people whose leaders debauch them and cause them to err.
III. The information that was given of this to Ezra. It was given by the persons that were most proper to complain, the princes, those of them that had kept their integrity and with it their dignity; they could not have accused others if they themselves had not been free from blame. It was given to the person who had power to mend the matter, who, as a ready scribe in the law of God, could argue with them, and, as king's commissioner, could awe them. It is probable that these princes had often endeavoured to redress this grievance and could not; but now they applied to Ezra, hoping that his wisdom, authority, and interest, would prevail to do it. Those that cannot of themselves reform public abuses may yet do good service by giving information to those that can.
IV. The impression this made upon Ezra (Ezr 9:3): He rent his clothes, plucked off his hair, and sat down astonished. Thus he expressed the deep sense he had, 1. Of the dishonour hereby done to God. It grieved him to the heart to think that a people called by his name should so grossly violate his law, should be so little benefited by his correction, and make such bad returns for his favours. 2. Of the mischief the people had hereby done to themselves and the danger they were in of the wrath of God breaking out against them. Note, (1.) The sins of others should be our sorrow, and the injury done by them to God's honour and the souls of men is what we should lay to heart. (2.) Sorrow for sin must be great sorrow; such Ezra's was, as for an only son or a first-born. (3.) The scandalous sins of professors are what we have reason to be astonished at. We may stand amazed to see men contradict, disparage, prejudice, ruin, themselves. Strange that men should act so inconsiderately and so inconsistently with themselves! Upright men are astonished at it.
V. The influence which Ezra's grief for this had upon others. We may suppose that he went up to the house of the Lord, there to humble himself, because he had an eye to God in his grief and that was the proper place for deprecating his displeasure. Public notice was soon taken of it, and all the devout serious people that were at hand assembled themselves to him, it should seem of their own accord, for nothing is said of their being sent, to, Ezr 9:4. Note, 1. It is the character of good people that they tremble at God's word; they stand in awe of the authority of its precepts and the severity and justice of its threatenings, and to those that do so will God look, Isa 66:2. 2. Those that tremble at the word of God cannot but tremble at the sins of men, by which the law of God is broken and his wrath and curse are incurred. 3. The pious zeal of one against sin may perhaps provoke very many to the like, as the apostle speaks in another case, 2Co 9:2. Many will follow who have not consideration, talent, and courage, enough to lead in a good work. 4. All good people ought to own those that appear and act in the cause of God against vice and profaneness, to stand by them, and do what they can to strengthen their hands.
⁵ And at the evening sacrifice I arose up from my heaviness; and having rent my garment and my mantle, I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto the LORD my God,
⁶ And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens.
⁷ Since the days of our fathers have we been in a great trespass unto this day; and for our iniquities have we, our kings, and our priests, been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, and to a spoil, and to confusion of face, as it is this day.
⁸ And now for a little space grace hath been showed from the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage.
⁹ For we were bondmen; yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath extended mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our God, and to repair the desolations thereof, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem.
¹⁰ And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? for we have forsaken thy commandments,
¹¹ Which thou hast commanded by thy servants the prophets, saying, The land, unto which ye go to possess it, is an unclean land with the filthiness of the people of the lands, with their abominations, which have filled it from one end to another with their uncleanness.
¹² Now therefore give not your daughters unto their sons, neither take their daughters unto your sons, nor seek their peace or their wealth for ever: that ye may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children for ever.
¹³ And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and hast given us such deliverance as this;
¹⁴ Should we again break thy commandments, and join in affinity with the people of these abominations? wouldest not thou be angry with us till thou hadst consumed us, so that there should be no remnant nor escaping?
¹⁵ O LORD God of Israel, thou art righteous: for we remain yet escaped, as it is this day: behold, we are before thee in our trespasses: for we cannot stand before thee because of this.
What the meditations of Ezra's heart were, while for some hours he sat down astonished, we may guess by the words of his mouth when at length he spoke with his tongue; and a most pathetic address he here makes to Heaven upon this occasion. Observe,
I. The time when he made this address—at the evening sacrifice, Ezr 9:5. Then (it is likely) devout people used to come into the courts of the temple, to grace the solemnity of the sacrifice and to offer up their own prayers to God in concurrence with it. In their hearing Ezra chose to make this confession, that they might be made duly sensible of the sins of their people, which hitherto they had either not taken notice of or had made light of. Prayer may preach. The sacrifice, and especially the evening sacrifice, was a type of the great propitiation, that blessed Lamb of God which in the evening of the world was to take away sin by the sacrifice of himself, to which we may suppose Ezra had an eye of faith in this penitential address to God; he makes confession with his hand, as it were, upon the head of that great sacrifice, through which we receive the atonement. Certainly Ezra was no stranger to the message which the angel Gabriel had some years ago delivered to Daniel, at the time of the evening sacrifice, and as it were in explication of it, concerning Messiah the Prince (Da 9:21,24); and perhaps he had regard to that in choosing this time.
II. His preparation for this address. 1. He rose up from his heaviness, and so far shook off the burden of his grief as was necessary to the lifting up of his heart to God. He recovered from his astonishment, got the tumult of his troubled spirits somewhat stilled and his spirit composed for communion with God. 2. He fell upon his knees, put himself into the posture of a penitent humbling himself and a petitioner suing for mercy, in both representing the people for whom he was now an intercessor. 3. He spread out his hands, as one affected with what he was going to say, offering it up unto God, waiting, and reaching out, as it were, with an earnest expectation, to receive a gracious answer. In this he had an eye to God as the Lord, and as his God, a God of power, but a God of grace.
III. The address itself. It is not properly to be called a prayer, for there is not a word of petition in it; but, if we give prayer its full latitude, it is the offering up of pious and devout affections to God, and very devout, very pious, are the affections which Ezra here expresses. His address is a penitent confession of sin, not his own (from a conscience burdened with its own guilt and apprehensive of his own danger), but the sin of his people, from a gracious concern for the honour of God and the welfare of Israel. Here is a lively picture of ingenuous repentance. Observe in this address,
1. The confession he makes of the sin and the aggravations of it, which he insists upon, to affect his own heart and theirs that joined with him with holy sorrow and shame and fear, in the consideration of it, that they might be deeply humbled for it. And it is observable that, though he himself was wholly clear from this guilt, yet he puts himself into the number of the sinners, because he was a member of the same community—our sins and our trespass. Perhaps he now remembered it against himself, as his fault, that he had staid so long after his brethren in Babylon, and had not separated himself so soon as he might have done from the people of those lands. When we are lamenting the wickedness of the wicked, it may be, if we duly reflect upon ourselves and give our own hearts leave to deal faithfully with us, we may find something of the same nature, though in a lower degree, that we also have been guilty of. However, he speaks that which was, or should have been, the general complaint.
(1.) He owns their sins to have been very great: "Our iniquities are increased over our heads (Ezr 9:6); we are ready to perish in them as in deep waters;" so general was the prevalency of them, so violent the power of them, and so threatening were they of the most pernicious consequences. "Iniquity has grown up to such a height among us that it reaches to the heavens, so very impudent that it dares heaven, so very provoking that, like the sin of Sodom, it cries to heaven for vengeance." But let this be the comfort of true penitents that though their sins reach to the heavens God's mercy is in the heavens, Ps 36:5. Where sin abounds grace will much more abound.
(2.) Their sin had been long persisted in (Ezr 9:7): Since the days of our fathers have we been in a great trespass. The example of those that had gone before them he thought so far from excusing their fault that it aggravated it. "We should have taken warning not to stumble at the same stone. The corruption is so much the worse that it has taken deep root and begins to plead prescription, but by this means we have reason to fear that the measure of the iniquity is nearly full."
(3.) The great and sore judgments which God had brought upon them for their sins did very much aggravate them: "For our iniquities we have been delivered to the sword and to captivity (Ezr 9:7), and yet not reformed, yet not reclaimed—brayed in the mortar, and yet the folly not gone (Pr 27:22)—corrected, but not reclaimed."
(4.) The late mercies God had bestowed upon them did likewise very much aggravate their sins. This he insists largely upon, Ezr 9:8,9. Observe, [1.] The time of mercy: Now for a little space, that is, "It is but a little while since we had our liberty, and it is not likely to continue long." This greatly aggravated their sin, that they were so lately in the furnace and that they knew not how soon they might return to it again; and could they yet be secure? [2.] The fountain of mercy: Grace has been shown us from the Lord. The kings of Persia were the instruments of their enlargement; but he ascribes it to God and to his grace, his free grace, without any merit of theirs. [3.] The streams of mercy,—that they were not forsaken in their bondage, but even in Babylon had the tokens of God's presence,—that they were a remnant of Israelites left, a few out of many, and those narrowly escaped out of the hands of their enemies, by the favour of the kings of Persia,—and especially that they had a nail in his holy place, that is (as it is explained, Ezr 9:9), that they had set up the house of God. They had their religion settled and the service of the temple in a constant method. We are to reckon it a great comfort and advantage to have stated opportunities of worshipping God. Blessed are those that dwell in God's house, like Anna that departed not from the temple. This is my rest for ever, says the gracious soul. [4.] The effects of all this. It enlightened their eyes, and it revived their hearts; that is, it was very comfortable to them, and the more sensibly so because it was in their bondage: it was life from the dead to them. Though but a little reviving, it was a great favour, considering that they deserved none and the day of small things was an earnest of greater. "Now," says Ezra, "how ungrateful are we to offend a God that has been so kind to us! how disingenuous to mingle in sin with those nations from whom we have been, in wonderful mercy, delivered! how unwise to expose ourselves to God's displeasure when we are tried with the returns of his favour and are upon our good behaviour for the continuance of it!"
(5.) It was a great aggravation of the sin that it was against an express command: We have forsaken thy commandments, Ezr 9:10. It seems to have been an ancient law of the house of Jacob not to match with the families of the uncircumcised, Ge 34:14. But, besides that, God had strictly forbidden it. He recites the command, Ezr 9:11,12. For sin appears sin, appears exceedingly sinful, when we compare it with the law which is broken by it. Nothing could be more express: Give not your daughters to their sons, nor take their daughters to your sons. The reason given is because, if they mingled with those nations, they would pollute themselves. It was an unclean land, and they were a holy people; but if they kept themselves distinct from them it would be their honour and safety, and the perpetuating of their prosperity. Now to violate a command so express, backed with such reasons, and a fundamental law of their constitution, was very provoking to the God of heaven.
(6.) That in the judgments by which they had already smarted for their sins God had punished them less than their iniquities deserved, so that he looked upon them to be still in debt upon the old account. "What! and yet shall we run up a new score? Has God dealt so gently with us in correcting us, and shall we thus abuse his favour and turn his grace into wantonness?" God, in his grace and mercy, had said concerning Sion's captivity, She hath received of the Lord's hand double for all her sins (Isa 40:2); but Ezra, in a penitential sense of the great malignity that was in their sin, acknowledged that, though the punishment was very great, it was less than they deserved.
2. The devout affections that were working in him, in making this confession. Speaking of sin,
(1.) He speaks as one much ashamed. With this he begins (Ezr 9:6), O my God! I am ashamed and blush, O my God! (so the words are placed) to lift up my face unto thee. Note, [1.] Sin is a shameful thing; as soon as ever our first parents had eaten forbidden fruit they were ashamed of themselves. [2.] Holy shame is as necessary an ingredient in true and ingenuous repentance as holy sorrow. [3.] The sins of others should be our shame, and we should blush for those who do not blush for themselves. We may well be ashamed that we are any thing akin to those who are so ungrateful to God and unwise for themselves. This is clearing ourselves, 2Co 7:11. [4.] Penitent sinners never see so much reason to blush and be ashamed as when they come to lift up their faces before God. A natural sense of our own honour which we have injured will make us ashamed, when we have done a wrong thing, to look men in the face; but a gracious concern for God's honour will make us much more ashamed to look him in the face. The publican, when he went to the temple to pray, hung down his head more than ever, as one ashamed, Lu 18:13. [5.] An eye to God as our God will be of great use to us in the exercise of repentance. Ezra begins, O my God! and again in the same breath, My God. The consideration of our covenant-relation to God as ours will help to humble us, and break our hearts for sin, that we should violate both his precepts to us and our promises to him; it will also encourage us to hope for pardon upon repentance. "He is my God, notwithstanding this;" and every transgression in the covenant does not throw us out of covenant.
(2.) He speaks as one much amazed (Ezr 9:10) "What shall we say after this? For my part I know not what to say: if God do not help us, we are undone." The discoveries of guilt excite amazement: the more we think of sin the worse it looks. The difficulty of the case excites amazement. How shall we recover ourselves? Which way shall we make our peace with God? [1.] True penitents are at a loss what to say. Shall we say, We have not sinned, or, God will not require it? If we do, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. Shall we say, Have patience with us and we will pay thee all, with thousands of rams, or our first-born for our transgression? God will not thus be mocked: he knows we are insolvent. Shall we say, There is no hope, and let come on us what will? That is but to make bad worse. [2.] True penitents will consider what to say, and should, as Ezra, beg of God to teach them. What shall we say? Say, "I have sinned; I have done foolishly; God be merciful to me a sinner;" and the like. See Ho 14:2.
(3.) He speaks as one much afraid, Ezr 9:13,14. "After all the judgments that have come upon us to reclaim us from sin, and all the deliverances that have been wrought for us to engage us to God and duty, if we should again break God's commandments, by joining in affinity with the children of disobedience and learning their ways, what else could we expect but that God should be angry with us till he had consumed us, and there should not be so much as a remnant left, nor any to escape the destruction?" There is not a surer nor sadder presage of ruin to any people than revolting to sin, to the same sins again, after great judgments and great deliverances. Those that will be wrought upon neither by the one nor by the other are fit to be rejected, as reprobate silver, for the founder melteth in vain.
(4.) He speaks as one much assured of the righteousness of God, and resolved to acquiesce in that and to leave the matter with him whose judgment is according to truth (Ezr 9:15): "Thou art righteous, wise, just, and good; thou wilt neither do us wrong nor be hard upon us; and therefore behold we are before thee, we lie at thy feet, waiting our doom; we cannot stand before thee, insisting upon any righteousness of our own, having no plea to support us or bring us off, and therefore we fall down before thee, in our trespass, and cast ourselves on thy mercy. Do unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee, Jdg 10:15. We have nothing to say, nothing to do, but to make supplication to our Judge," Job 9:15. Thus does this good man lay his grief before God and then leave it with him.
エズラがこれらの事を司っていたので、教会の事柄は非常に良い状態にあったと考えてよい。外を見れば、政府は彼らに親切であった。迫害や圧迫の訴えは聞かれず、彼らの敵は心を変えられるか、少なくとも手を縛られていた。隣人たちは礼儀正しく、戦争や戦争の噂も聞かれなかった。彼らを恐れさせる者はいなかった。彼らが少なく、貧しく、外国の君主の臣民であったことを考えれば、すべては可能な限り良かった。内を見ても、バアルやアシュタロテやモレク、偶像やアシラや金の子牛は見られなかった。いや、高き所さえ（偶像の祭壇だけでなく、分離した祭壇も）言及されなかった。神殿は正当に尊ばれ、神殿の奉仕は注意深く保たれていた。しかしすべてが良かったわけではない。教会の最も純粋な時代にもいくらかの腐敗があり、それが栄光の教会、勝利の教会としてしみやしわのないものとして献げられるまでは決して完全にはならないであろう(Eph 5:27)。ここには次のものがある。I. 異邦の妻たちとの多くの結婚についてエズラにもたらされた告発、Ezr 9:1,2。II. この知らせによって、彼および彼の模範に影響された他の人々が陥った大きな苦悩、Ezr 9:3,4。III. 敬虔な悲しみと恥をもって、彼がこの罪を神に厳粛に告白したこと、Ezr 9:5-15。