Ezra the editor

[smellingsalts]

Last two weeks, I was reading the devotional from Touchstone Magazine.

http://www.touchstonemag.com/frpat/2004_10_03_frpatarchive.html
http://www.touchstonemag.com/frpat/2004_10_10_frpatarchive.html

I found out that Ezra was the editor for much of the Old Testement and made commentary on various passages.

So was do you guys think about Ezra being the editor?

 

[Bladestunner316]

Interesting Ive never heard of this before Id love to read commentaries by him!!

blade

 

[Puritan Sailor]

Originally posted by Bladestunner316
Interesting Ive never heard of this before Id love to read commentaries by him!!

blade

Read Chronicles, Ezra, and Nehemiah

As to whether he editted the rest, that is really speculation. We have no indicatiobn in Scripture that this was the case. But, Ezra being an inspired writer of Scripture, certainly would not raise any objections for me if he did some editting under the inspiration of the Spirit. It doesn't change that fact that it's still God's Word.

 

[Bladestunner316]

good point

 

[Contra_Mundum]

Occasionally (and far, FAR less than JEPD theorists, other late-date advocates, and general liberals assume) we will find "editorialized" commentary in the Scripture. Things like, "such and such a place is called X now," which indicate that at a later date--and obviously under inspiration--some later prophet like Ezra put something in to assist later believers (including us) in our appreciation of God's Word.

SOMEBODY (Ezra or whoever) or "commitee" put the OT into a "final form." I mean established groupings and book order, not "determined" the canon. Remember, God's people have always heard God's Voice whenever, wherever it came. So to recognize Ezra's contribution (as tradition has it) is no concession to liberal ideas about the matter of textual creation or preservation. When they and we talk about editing, the two are talking about totally different things.

 

[SmokingFlax]

I had heard of Ezra editing portions of the OT through some Rabbinical writings. It seems also (from what I've read about the Rabbis) that Ezra is considered 2nd only to Moses as far as great Jewish leaders are concerned. Patrick's comments are the same conclusions that I came to after learning about this.