Talk:Book of Ezra

Expansion
Waiting F G: Could you expand on this bit, ? To this end, Ezra had 60 years gap in the text added by the Christian authors, necessary to make Jesus fulfil Daniel's prophecy. Both Daniel and Ezra are OT - how could adding to one of them fulfil the prophecy in another? I'm not doubting you're right - but I think it needs expansion, as it confuses my very old brain.--Bobbing up 13:40, 18 July 2008 (EDT)
 * Oh, I can try. It's all about 3rd Century Christians wanting a bible that directly leads to Jesus, you know.  I'll work on it at lunch, and type it in.  This is taxing on my brain as well. Do you know how long it's been since I've written about any of this.  ;-)  Ah, old age (or was it Time...), you do me injustice.--WaitingforGodot 13:48, 18 July 2008 (EDT)
 * I'll bet you a beer that I'm older than you are. [[Image:Nods.gif]]--Bobbing up 13:51, 18 July 2008 (EDT)
 * LOL, I'm sure you'll get your beer. but i still feel so old when every part of me aches in the AM, and losing any weight is a major undertaking (that whole metabolism thing).  Come to Denver, I'll get you your beer and we can chat about Rational Things.
 * ANYHOW, fixed Ezra's "Christian Editing" stuff. Had to go re-read Daniel, Ezra et all.  I hope it's more clear.  I'm concerned that it's too wordy and meandering though.--WaitingforGodot 12:13, 19 July 2008 (EDT)

Mmmmm. Actually I'm still not sure I follow it. You have: ''Other than being used to beat up gays but not lobster eaters, or being used to look foolish in the face of Science, for Christians, the Old Testament primarily acts as proof that Jesus is Super Cool™. To this end, Ezra had 60 years gap in the text added by the Christian editors, which was necessary to make Jesus fulfill Daniel's prophecy of they Seventy Weeks. An angle said to Daniel the Jerusalem cannot be restored until a period of 70 weeks has passed. Since the Jews return to Jerusalem finding the temple destroyed, rebuilding it before the 70 weeks are over, would no be sufficient for Daniel's New Jerusalem and the Anointed One to come. Therefor, Christian Theologians who believe Jesus was the Annointed One (Messiah or Christ), needed 70 years of peace to happen between the return of the Jews and the construction of the Temple. Hence the addition of the lapse in the Christian Ezra.''

Making a few corrections for spelling, grammar, and style - is this what you are after..

Other than being used to beat up gays but not lobster eaters, or being used to look foolish in the face of Science, for Christians, the Old Testament primarily acts as proof that Jesus is Super Cool™. To this end, Ezra's Christian editors inserted an extra 60 years into the text, which was necessary to make Jesus seem to fulfil Daniel's prophecy of the "Seventy Weeks". An angel had told Daniel that Jerusalem could not be restored until a period of 70 weeks had passed. Since the Jews return to Jerusalem finding the temple destroyed, rebuilding it before the 70 weeks are over, would not be sufficient for Daniel's New Jerusalem and the Anointed One to come. Therefore, Christian Theologians who believe Jesus was the "Anointed One" (Messiah or Christ), needed 70 years of peace to happen between the return of the Jews and the construction of the Temple. Hence the addition of the lapse in the Christian Ezra.

Frankly, even with these corrections I find it quite hard to understand. Not least because of 1) the 60 years, 70 weeks and the 70 years; 2) the sentence beginning "since" and 3) the last sentence. (sorry)--Bobbing up 14:24, 19 July 2008 (EDT)
 * I must admit I don't quite follow the argument here, either. -- 15:01, 19 July 2008 (EDT)
 * Here's what Wiki has to say. "Many theologians believe that the prophecy reaches its fulfillment during the life of Jesus Christ, although there is little consensus regarding whether it points to his birth, baptism, transfiguration, triumphal entry, crucifixion, or some combination of these events.

One traditional chronology of the 69 weeks has been done from Ezra's decree in 458 BC to AD 26, the alleged date of Christ's baptism, a span of 483 solar years. Some have used other methods to determine the chronology, some exact to the day." here's links I found in Wiki, not that they expalin it any better.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Ezra--WaitingforGodot 15:29, 19 July 2008 (EDT)
 * Okay. So the theory is that the decree in Ezra 7 was actually issued 60 years earlier, but was pushed to a later date in the reign of Artaxerxes to fit the prophesy? That sounds a little too complicated to me. -- 15:45, 19 July 2008 (EDT)

Split
Should we split them? Green dot.svg 16:55, 29 September 2011 (UTC)
 * Not really, no. 1) there's really not enough on both books, 2) they were seen as one entity, and are generally read/studied as one continual story.  Personally, I'd leave them like this, the same way I'd say leave most of the First and second books of X, as one work.  We just aren't that fancy, and no one, anywhere is likely to link to them.