Rabanus Maurus — Commentary on Scripture | TrulyRandomVerse

On Esther

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Esther 2:12

Now, why is it that the girls who were to be brought into the king’s bedchamber were prepared for twelve months with oil and scent, i.e. for six months they were anointed with oil of myrrh (which is known to have a pleasant odor) and for another six they used various pigments and scents? It must be that all the souls who are invited to receive the gift of holy baptism and to enter the bed of the true Groom, i.e. Christ the king, are thoroughly imbued by oil of myrrh—i.e. by the light of faith and the salve of love—with the scents of the virtues, so that they will deserve to be worthy of his company. For what are the holy preachers doing when they instruct their catechumens in the truth of the faith, if not teaching them to adorn that faith with good works so that with fasting, prayer and charity, and with other works of virtue, they may quickly wash away the original filth of the old man and clothe themselves in the elegance of the new one. We read, after all, in the Acts of the Apostles that the centurion Cornelius had first pleased God with prayer and charity, and then when Peter a…

Now, why is it that the girls who were to be brought into the king’s bedchamber were prepared for twelve months with oil and scent, i.e. for six months they were anointed with oil of myrrh (which is known to have a pleasant odor) and for another six they used various pigments and scents? It must be that all the souls who are invited to receive the gift of holy baptism and to enter the bed of the true Groom, i.e. Christ the king, are thoroughly imbued by oil of myrrh—i.e. by the light of faith and the salve of love—with the scents of the virtues, so that they will deserve to be worthy of his company. For what are the holy preachers doing when they instruct their catechumens in the truth of the faith, if not teaching them to adorn that faith with good works so that with fasting, prayer and charity, and with other works of virtue, they may quickly wash away the original filth of the old man and clothe themselves in the elegance of the new one. We read, after all, in the Acts of the Apostles that the centurion Cornelius had first pleased God with prayer and charity, and then when Peter arrived he received the purification of baptism and the sanctification of the Holy Spirit.

Commentary on Esther
Esther 2:13
For any soul that strives to hurry to the bed of the heavenly Groom receives from its teachers the adornment that is appropriate to it, and with which it shows itself more devoted to the understanding of the faith and the knowledge of virtue, so that—by the intact faith of the holy Trinity and full confession—it may go forth from among the postulants to receive the sole baptism and anointment with the holy oil, when it is genuinely united with the heavenly Groom.

Commentary on Esther
Esther 2:14
What then follows—“She would enter in the evening and leave in the morning, and was then brought to the second building”—and so on, proves in an allegorical way that after our vices have subsided, the glow of our virtues (which will not shine properly anywhere but in the unity of the holy Church) ought to rise. And yet one who has sequestered himself from it because he has some foul odor of error or vice is quite rightly kept from being brought to the second building where the king’s concubines were waiting, because a decline in robust faith deserves not a advance in but a restoration of respect; and he will no longer have such an authorization to return to our king until he has been visited once again by celestial grace, and restored through his calling to his original dignity.

Commentary on Esther
Esther 2:15

It says “in the course of time,” i.e. once the five ages of the world—during which the posterity of the Fathers was gaining ground, and the institution of the Law was flourishing among the Jews—had come to an end, and a sixth age was at hand when, with the arrival of the Redeemer, a multitude from among the nations would be brought together through the Gospel. For it was then that Esther in the allegorical sense, i.e. the Church, was being brought from among the nations to Christ the king through the apostles’ preaching, and by means of the belief of robust faith and the sacrament of baptism; she was shapely, and in the incredible beauty of her virtues she appeared gracious and lovely to all who saw her. The apostle Paul mentions this period when he writes to the Galatians, as follows: “After the fullness of time had come, God sent his own Son born from a woman, made under the Law so that he might redeem those who were under the Law, so that we might receive the adoption given to children” (Galatians 4). And to the Ephesians: “God, who is rich in mercy, revived us together with Chris…

It says “in the course of time,” i.e. once the five ages of the world—during which the posterity of the Fathers was gaining ground, and the institution of the Law was flourishing among the Jews—had come to an end, and a sixth age was at hand when, with the arrival of the Redeemer, a multitude from among the nations would be brought together through the Gospel. For it was then that Esther in the allegorical sense, i.e. the Church, was being brought from among the nations to Christ the king through the apostles’ preaching, and by means of the belief of robust faith and the sacrament of baptism; she was shapely, and in the incredible beauty of her virtues she appeared gracious and lovely to all who saw her. The apostle Paul mentions this period when he writes to the Galatians, as follows: “After the fullness of time had come, God sent his own Son born from a woman, made under the Law so that he might redeem those who were under the Law, so that we might receive the adoption given to children” (Galatians 4). And to the Ephesians: “God, who is rich in mercy, revived us together with Christ by whose grace you were saved, because of the great charity with which he loved us even though we were dead through our sins; and he revived us with him, and had us sit with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus to show in the ages to come the abundant riches of his grace in his goodness toward us in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2).

Commentary on Esther
Esther 2:15-18
It is evident that the magnificent banquet for Esther’s wedding, prepared for both the princes and the people, represents the greatest bliss that is enjoyed by the entire human race, both great and small, for the spiritual union of Christ with the church. In this banquet, in fact, no carnal foods are consumed by those who are worthy to participate in it. Instead they consume a spiritual diet of wisdom and virtue. In this banquet, all the faithful receive the holy mysteries of the body and blood of the Lord as a remedy for their salvation. Here the meal of eternal life resides. And our king gives peace to all the provinces, and bestows abundant gifts in freeing those who believe in him from the weight of sins, and rewarding them with spiritual gifts. Therefore he himself says in the gospel, “Come to me, all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

EXPLANATION ON THE BOOK OF ESTHER 4
Esther 2:16-17

Hence we should also bear in mind the crucial moment when Esther was brought to the king’s bedchamber: “So she was brought to the bedchamber of King Ahasuerus in the tenth month, which is called Tevet, in the seventh year of his reign; and the king loved her more than all the women, and placed the diadem of kingship on her head, and had her rule in place of Vashti.” For Tevet is that month in the Hebrew calendar which corresponds to the Greek Eudymos and the Latin Januarius, when the Lord incarnate was circumcised on the eighth day and was adored even as a tiny infant by the Magi, who were brought there by a star that led the way, and honored as God, man and king with the gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh that were offered to him. This was also the month when he was heralded and baptized by John. So in the seventh year of Ahasuerus, Esther went up to the king’s bed; and the Church was brought to and joined with the king Christ, in whom she remains without change by the grace of the sevenfold Spirit. “Whom he loved more than all the women;” and she had before him grace and mercy…

Hence we should also bear in mind the crucial moment when Esther was brought to the king’s bedchamber:

“So she was brought to the bedchamber of King Ahasuerus in the tenth month, which is called Tevet, in the seventh year of his reign; and the king loved her more than all the women, and placed the diadem of kingship on her head, and had her rule in place of Vashti.” For Tevet is that month in the Hebrew calendar which corresponds to the Greek Eudymos and the Latin Januarius, when the Lord incarnate was circumcised on the eighth day and was adored even as a tiny infant by the Magi, who were brought there by a star that led the way, and honored as God, man and king with the gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh that were offered to him. This was also the month when he was heralded and baptized by John. So in the seventh year of Ahasuerus, Esther went up to the king’s bed; and the Church was brought to and joined with the king Christ, in whom she remains without change by the grace of the sevenfold Spirit. “Whom he loved more than all the women;” and she had before him grace and mercy above all women, that is, above all the nations of the world. “He placed on her head the diadem of kingship,” when he summoned her as his consort in kingship; “and he had her rule in place of Vashti,” i.e. the Synagogue of the Jews which lost its place of honor when it spurned and crucified our king. That is, the prophet is looking at the excellence of this queen when he says to Christ the king: “The queen stood at your right hand in golden robes, cloaked in colorful clothing” (Psalms 45). And right after that, he speaks to her as follows: “Listen daughter, and see, and lend your ear, and forget your people and your father’s home, because the king has desired your beauty. He is the Lord your God, and the daughters of Tyre will adore him; with gifts all the wealthy among the people will seek your face” (ibid.).

Commentary on Esther
Esther 2:18

Now, what can “prepare a greatly magnificent feast for all his officials and slaves in honor of his marriage with Esther” mean, if not that everyone throughout the world, from the greatest to the least, celebrates with the greatest joy the spiritual union of Christ and the Church? After all, at this feast it is not meals of the flesh that the celebrants have the honor to consume, but the spiritual dishes of wisdom and virtue. It is there that all of the faithful receive—for the sake of restoring their salvation—the sanctified mysteries of the body and blood of the Lord; and there that the fodder of eternal life is stored. Our king gives a respite to all the provinces, and bestows gifts of many kinds, when he frees those who believe in him from the burden of sin, and repays them with spiritual gifts. That is why he himself says in the Gospel: “Come to me all of you who labor and are burdened, and I will restore you. Take my yoke upon yourselves, and learn from me because I am mild and humble of heart, and you will find rest in your souls” (Matthew 11). The prophet as well says about t…

Now, what can “prepare a greatly magnificent feast for all his officials and slaves in honor of his marriage with Esther” mean, if not that everyone throughout the world, from the greatest to the least, celebrates with the greatest joy the spiritual union of Christ and the Church? After all, at this feast it is not meals of the flesh that the celebrants have the honor to consume, but the spiritual dishes of wisdom and virtue. It is there that all of the faithful receive—for the sake of restoring their salvation—the sanctified mysteries of the body and blood of the Lord; and there that the fodder of eternal life is stored. Our king gives a respite to all the provinces, and bestows gifts of many kinds, when he frees those who believe in him from the burden of sin, and repays them with spiritual gifts. That is why he himself says in the Gospel: “Come to me all of you who labor and are burdened, and I will restore you. Take my yoke upon yourselves, and learn from me because I am mild and humble of heart, and you will find rest in your souls” (Matthew 11). The prophet as well says about this: “When he went up on high he led captivity away captive; he gave gifts to men” (Psalms 68). That is why the apostle adds to this: “And he made some of them apostles, others prophets, still others evangelists, and others pastors and teachers for finishing the training of the saints for the work of ministry, for building the body of Christ until we all arrive at the unity of faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, at the complete man, at the measure of the age at which Christ reaches his fullness” (Ephesians 4).

Commentary on Esther
Esther 2:19-23

There is no doubt that the Scribes and Pharisees of the Jews are signified by the two eunuchs who were the caretakers of the royal house and guarded the threshold of the palace. Indeed it was said that even though they had the key to knowledge, they did not enter and did not let others enter. They wanted to rebel against the king and kill him because they were jealous of the teaching and virtue of the Savior. They constantly put him in danger and conspired with the ministers of Roman power to find a way to kill him. Therefore it is written in the gospel, “Then the Pharisees went and plotted to entrap him in what he said. So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, ‘Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?’ ” And in another passage it is read, “So the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the council, and said, ‘What are we to do? This man is perf…

There is no doubt that the Scribes and Pharisees of the Jews are signified by the two eunuchs who were the caretakers of the royal house and guarded the threshold of the palace. Indeed it was said that even though they had the key to knowledge, they did not enter and did not let others enter. They wanted to rebel against the king and kill him because they were jealous of the teaching and virtue of the Savior. They constantly put him in danger and conspired with the ministers of Roman power to find a way to kill him. Therefore it is written in the gospel, “Then the Pharisees went and plotted to entrap him in what he said. So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, ‘Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?’ ” And in another passage it is read, “So the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the council, and said, ‘What are we to do? This man is performing many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take our place and people.’ ” And a bit further it is added, “So from that day on they planned to put him to death.”

EXPLANATION ON THE BOOK OF ESTHER 5
Esther 2:19-20

Virgins are being sought for the king a second time and gathered together, because it was not enough for our Lord Jesus Christ to associate himself exclusively with the Jewish members of the early Church; rather he also acquired through his preachers copious numbers of the faithful from among the nations so that a single catholic Church would arise from both peoples, namely his most noble bride who has no blemishes or wrinkles. Hence he himself says in the Gospels: “And I have other sheep which are not from this fold, and it is right that I should lead them; and they will listen to my voice, and there will be one fold and one shepherd” (John 10). “Mordecai was staying at the king’s door,” because the holy teachers who are persistently committed to teaching the Gospel call together the nations to the entryway of faith and the sacrament of baptism; and our Esther had still not betrayed her country and her people in keeping with the order of Mordecai the prefiguration because in keeping with the doctrine of faith, the Church of the saints never does anything out of arrogance but rather…

Virgins are being sought for the king a second time and gathered together, because it was not enough for our Lord Jesus Christ to associate himself exclusively with the Jewish members of the early Church; rather he also acquired through his preachers copious numbers of the faithful from among the nations so that a single catholic Church would arise from both peoples, namely his most noble bride who has no blemishes or wrinkles. Hence he himself says in the Gospels: “And I have other sheep which are not from this fold, and it is right that I should lead them; and they will listen to my voice, and there will be one fold and one shepherd” (John 10). “Mordecai was staying at the king’s door,” because the holy teachers who are persistently committed to teaching the Gospel call together the nations to the entryway of faith and the sacrament of baptism; and our Esther had still not betrayed her country and her people in keeping with the order of Mordecai the prefiguration because in keeping with the doctrine of faith, the Church of the saints never does anything out of arrogance but rather obeys—humbly and in pure conscience—everything commanded her by the aforementioned evangelists. And it is about her that the prophet says: “All the glory of the king’s daughter from within” (Psalms 45). And the apostle says: “She is our glory, the testimony of our conscience” (2 Corinthians 1).

Commentary on Esther
Esther 2:21-22

Now, what can these two eunuchs, who were doorkeepers of the royal house and presided over the first rank in the palace, symbolize if not the scribes and the Pharisees of the Jews about whom it is said that though they had the key to knowledge, they did not enter themselves and would not allow anyone else to enter. These men decided to rise up against the king and kill him because they constantly envied the teachings and virtues of the Savior and so decided to plot against him; and together with the administrators of Roman rule they were trying to kill him in some way. Hence we read in the Gospel that “the Pharisees went out and hatched a plot to catch him with his words; and they sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians, saying ‘Master, we know that you are truthful and you teach the way of God in truth; and that you do not concern yourself with anyone because you show no regard for a man’s status. Tell us, then, what you think—should one pay taxes to Caesar, or not (Matthew 22)?’” And elsewhere it is written that “the chief priests and the Pharisees assembled a council…

Now, what can these two eunuchs, who were doorkeepers of the royal house and presided over the first rank in the palace, symbolize if not the scribes and the Pharisees of the Jews about whom it is said that though they had the key to knowledge, they did not enter themselves and would not allow anyone else to enter. These men decided to rise up against the king and kill him because they constantly envied the teachings and virtues of the Savior and so decided to plot against him; and together with the administrators of Roman rule they were trying to kill him in some way. Hence we read in the Gospel that “the Pharisees went out and hatched a plot to catch him with his words; and they sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians, saying ‘Master, we know that you are truthful and you teach the way of God in truth; and that you do not concern yourself with anyone because you show no regard for a man’s status. Tell us, then, what you think—should one pay taxes to Caesar, or not (Matthew 22)?’” And elsewhere it is written that “the chief priests and the Pharisees assembled a council, and they said ‘what shall we do? Because this man does many wonders, if we let him go like this everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and do away with our place and our nation’” (John 11). Hence a bit after that, he adds: “So from that day forth they determined to kill him” (ibid.). The prophet Isaiah is alluding to these two characters when he mentions the two houses in which the Savior incarnate became a stone to trip against and a rock to stumble over, a snare and a trap for the inhabitants of Jerusalem on which many of them will stumble and fall, and be bruised, and ensnared, and caught. So our Mordecai, who knew about the wickedness of these eunuchs, turned them into the king through Esther, because the order of preachers shows the faithful—who are the limbs of Christ—how to be on guard against the deceit and the depravity of these men. These two eunuchs might also represent the character of heretics and schismatics who, because they carry in their hearts the poison of deception and wickedness, attack the truth by assiduously constructing evil schemes for removing it from the hearts of believers, and somehow killing within them Christ who is the life of the faithful. But the sacred teachers, who illuminate the sinfulness of these men, expose to the light the darkness of their errors by showing how the innocent are rescued from the death of the soul because God has pointed them out; how the guilty are punished with just vengeance; and how those who deserve it are repaid with the appropriate reward.

Commentary on Esther
Esther 2:23

Then it adds: “And it was investigated, and discovered, and both men were hung on a gibbet; and the king commanded that it be written in the record book that he should be repaid somehow for saving his life; and it was set down in the accounts, and recorded in the chronicles before the king.” The “record books” are, then, the volumes of the two Testaments which set down the rewards that await the righteous in return for their good deeds, and the punishments that await the wicked for their sins. Hence it is written in the Gospel: “The son of man is going to come in the glory of his Father, and will then repay each one according to his works” (Matthew 16). And likewise, “The wicked will come to eternal punishment, while the just come to eternal reward” (Matthew 25). Hence Paul as well writes to the Romans as follows: “For the wrath of God is unleashed upon all the wickedness and injustice of men, who repress in their injustice the truth of God who repays each according to his works; and those who seek glory, honor, and purity by patiently doing good deeds will receive eternal life, whil…

Then it adds: “And it was investigated, and discovered, and both men were hung on a gibbet; and the king commanded that it be written in the record book that he should be repaid somehow for saving his life; and it was set down in the accounts, and recorded in the chronicles before the king.” The “record books” are, then, the volumes of the two Testaments which set down the rewards that await the righteous in return for their good deeds, and the punishments that await the wicked for their sins. Hence it is written in the Gospel: “The son of man is going to come in the glory of his Father, and will then repay each one according to his works” (Matthew 16). And likewise, “The wicked will come to eternal punishment, while the just come to eternal reward” (Matthew 25). Hence Paul as well writes to the Romans as follows: “For the wrath of God is unleashed upon all the wickedness and injustice of men, who repress in their injustice the truth of God who repays each according to his works; and those who seek glory, honor, and purity by patiently doing good deeds will receive eternal life, while those who trust in wickedness, because they are contentious and will not acquiesce to the truth, will receive wrath and indignation. There will be trouble and distress for every soul of an evildoer” (Romans 1 and 2). Ezekiel as well speaks about this: “The justice of the just man will be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked man will be upon him. When a soul has sinned, it will die” (Ezekiel 18). The Psalmist also refers to this in the same terms: “The eyes of the Lord are upon the just, and his ears attend to their prayers; the face of the Lord is upon those who do evil, that he may wipe their memory from the earth” (Psalms 33).

Commentary on Esther
Esther 3:1-2

Now, what could the arrogant Haman symbolize if not the haughtiness of the powerful of this world, who exploit the benefactions conferred on them in the name of godly piety even as they disdain to treat their neighbors—who share their lot in nature—as partners in their good fortune? That is why they wickedly attempt to direct toward themselves the honor and reverence which should properly be paid to God alone; and they persecute with hatred, pursue with torments, and even try to have killed anyone who refuses to do or agree to this. But the supreme judge, “who looks down upon the humble but recognizes the haughty from far away; who knows the deceiver and he who is deceived, turns the grief caused by the wicked back upon their heads, and their wickedness comes down on the tops of their heads. The unjust are caught in their own traps; the just man is freed from his constraints; and the wicked man is put in his place” (Psalms 138 and 7). It may also be that this Haman the Agagite, who according to Josephus was descended from the line of Amalek, prefigures the bloody people of the Jews w…

Now, what could the arrogant Haman symbolize if not the haughtiness of the powerful of this world, who exploit the benefactions conferred on them in the name of godly piety even as they disdain to treat their neighbors—who share their lot in nature—as partners in their good fortune? That is why they wickedly attempt to direct toward themselves the honor and reverence which should properly be paid to God alone; and they persecute with hatred, pursue with torments, and even try to have killed anyone who refuses to do or agree to this. But the supreme judge, “who looks down upon the humble but recognizes the haughty from far away; who knows the deceiver and he who is deceived, turns the grief caused by the wicked back upon their heads, and their wickedness comes down on the tops of their heads. The unjust are caught in their own traps; the just man is freed from his constraints; and the wicked man is put in his place” (Psalms 138 and 7). It may also be that this Haman the Agagite, who according to Josephus was descended from the line of Amalek, prefigures the bloody people of the Jews who killed their prophets and were not afraid to kill even the Lord of the prophets and his apostles. It was when they lost the nobility of their race because of their disbelief and hardness of heart that Isaiah called them the princes of Sodom and the people of Gomorrah; and Ezekiel tells them: “Your father was an Amorite, and your mother a Hittite” (Ezekiel 16). Hence these proclaimers of Christ regard them as enemies of the law of God. So they rush to lay their hands not only on Mordecai, that is, on the preachers of the Gospel, but also on the entire catholic people, and to wipe them out from this life; and yet the death they were scheming to inflict upon the innocent in this world they are forced to endure endlessly within their souls because their own actions demand it, and a just judge is paying them back.

Commentary on Esther
Esther 3:1-6
Nothing else is symbolized by the arrogant Haman than the opulence of the powerful of this world who take advantage of the benefits conceded to them by divine mercy. They despise allowing their neighbors, who are given to them as companions by nature, to have as sharers of such grace. Therefore they are guilty of striving to transfer to themselves the honor and reverence that are rightly due to God alone. And so they pursue with hatred all those who do not want to act according to such behavior or comply with it. They persecute them with afflictions and endeavor to put them to death. But the heavenly judge, “who regards the lowly, and perceives the haughty from far away, who knows the deceiver and he, who is deceived, makes the pain return upon the heads of the sinful, and their iniquity descends on their head. The sinful are caught in their own traps: the righteous will be freed from their anguish, the impious will be handed over in their stead.”

EXPLANATION ON THE BOOK OF ESTHER 6
Esther 3:7-15

The fact that the twelfth month, which is called Adar, was chosen for the destruction of Israel after casting lots is not with its own spiritual meaning. It is referring, in fact, to the grace of Christ which has been prepared for the faithful in the fullness of time when the faithful will undergo a fierce persecution in the world in the last days. And writing about this to Timothy, the teacher of the Gentiles says, “You must understand this, that in the last days distressing times will come. For people will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, inhuman, implacable, slanderers, profligates, brutes, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding the outward form of godliness but denying its power.” And the Lord himself says in the Gospel, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the world, as a testimony to all the nations; and then the end will come.” And a bit further: “For at that time there will be great sufferi…

The fact that the twelfth month, which is called Adar, was chosen for the destruction of Israel after casting lots is not with its own spiritual meaning. It is referring, in fact, to the grace of Christ which has been prepared for the faithful in the fullness of time when the faithful will undergo a fierce persecution in the world in the last days. And writing about this to Timothy, the teacher of the Gentiles says, “You must understand this, that in the last days distressing times will come. For people will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, inhuman, implacable, slanderers, profligates, brutes, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding the outward form of godliness but denying its power.” And the Lord himself says in the Gospel, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the world, as a testimony to all the nations; and then the end will come.” And a bit further: “For at that time there will be great suffering, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, and never will be.”

EXPLANATION ON THE BOOK OF ESTHER 6
Esther 3:8-11
So Haman promised ten thousand talents of silver to the king, and asked for the death of the Jews; and so too the Jewish people, who were dedicated to the fleshly observance of the rites of the Law in the belief that they were pleasing God in this way, planned the death of the true witnesses to Christ who were performing their spiritual service to God in accordance with the teachings of the Gospels. And just as Haman, when he sent his letters, took care to enforce them with the king’s seal because this would make it easier for him to carry out his wishes, the faithlessness of the Jews wrongly exploited—as evidence for their heresy—the books of divine law in which the seal of the supreme king is impressed, that is, the grace of the Holy Spirit is made manifest. This they did in their effort to denounce the conversion of the nations to a fellowship of faith, and to condemn the Gospel of Christ as something contrary to God’s precepts.

Commentary on Esther
Esther 3:13

Nor is it merely a straightforward fact that it was the twelfth month of the year, which is called Adar, that was set aside by lot for the murder of Israel; it signifies rather that the grace of Christ, which has been entrusted to the faithful in the fullness of time, is going to experience a harsh persecution in this world in the last days, carried out upon the faithful. This is what the teacher of the nations is also writing about when he says to Timothy: “And let it be known that in the last days we will face dangerous times; and men will be lovers of themselves, greedy, arrogant, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, wicked, emotionless, implacable, slanderers, unrestrained, harsh, without kindness, treacherous, reckless, bombastic, loving their pleasures more than they do God; and though they will have the appearance of righteousness, they will deny its power.” Hence the Lord also says in the Gospel: “This evangel of the kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will arrive” (Matthew 24). And a…

Nor is it merely a straightforward fact that it was the twelfth month of the year, which is called Adar, that was set aside by lot for the murder of Israel; it signifies rather that the grace of Christ, which has been entrusted to the faithful in the fullness of time, is going to experience a harsh persecution in this world in the last days, carried out upon the faithful. This is what the teacher of the nations is also writing about when he says to Timothy: “And let it be known that in the last days we will face dangerous times; and men will be lovers of themselves, greedy, arrogant, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, wicked, emotionless, implacable, slanderers, unrestrained, harsh, without kindness, treacherous, reckless, bombastic, loving their pleasures more than they do God; and though they will have the appearance of righteousness, they will deny its power.” Hence the Lord also says in the Gospel: “This evangel of the kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will arrive” (Matthew 24). And a bit after that: “Then there will be great tribulation, of a sort there has not been since the beginning of the world till now; but it will not happen unless those days have been cut short” (ibid.).

Commentary on Esther
Esther 3:15
“And the decree was immediately issued in Shushan; and the king and Haman were attending the feast while all the Jews in the city were crying.” This is what the Savior preached to his disciples in the Gospel: “Amen, amen I say to you that you will cry and weep, while the world rejoices; and though you will be sad, your sadness will turn to joy” (John 16).

Commentary on Esther
Esther 4:1-4

When Mordecai heard about the destruction of the Jews which had been sanctioned with an imperial decree, he put on clothes for mourning and proceeded to the gates of the palace with bitterness in his soul and grief in his voice. In the same way, after the teachers of the church hear of the persecution which the princes of this world want to bring against the innocent servants of Christ, they come with their prayers and alms, with vigils and prayers, with tears and heavy hearts in view of what they know must happen. They give their all before the supreme judge, so that through the dignity and prayers of the true queen, namely, the holy church—which is still a stranger in this world even as it reigns in heaven together with the Lord—they might be heard by the king of the universe. If someone, then, should ask how it might be fitting to a most just king to inflict torments on the innocent, let him know that this is not the result of an evil decision, but of the command of a supreme will. Indeed divine wisdom—a wisdom which defeats every wickedness and leads things from beginning to end…

When Mordecai heard about the destruction of the Jews which had been sanctioned with an imperial decree, he put on clothes for mourning and proceeded to the gates of the palace with bitterness in his soul and grief in his voice. In the same way, after the teachers of the church hear of the persecution which the princes of this world want to bring against the innocent servants of Christ, they come with their prayers and alms, with vigils and prayers, with tears and heavy hearts in view of what they know must happen. They give their all before the supreme judge, so that through the dignity and prayers of the true queen, namely, the holy church—which is still a stranger in this world even as it reigns in heaven together with the Lord—they might be heard by the king of the universe. If someone, then, should ask how it might be fitting to a most just king to inflict torments on the innocent, let him know that this is not the result of an evil decision, but of the command of a supreme will. Indeed divine wisdom—a wisdom which defeats every wickedness and leads things from beginning to end with its power, and perfectly arranges everything—does whatever it wants in heaven and on earth, in the sea, and in every abyss. The events that occur, occur fairly so that (God’s) faithful servant may be given into the hands of their persecutors both for the expiation of sin, and the correction of their habits … as the prophet testifies, “the Lord is just in all his ways, and kind in all his doings. The Lord is near to all who call on him.”

EXPLANATION ON THE BOOK OF ESTHER 7
Esther 4:1-2

When Mordecai hears that the slaughter of the Jews has been fixed by imperial decree, he dresses himself in somber clothing and approaches the doors of the palace with a bitter soul and a wailing voice; and when the leaders of the Church hear about the persecution which the princes of the earth desire to inflict upon the blameless slaves of Christ, they long to pour out their troubles—with fasting and charity, with vigils and prayer, with tears and the devotion of the heart—to the hidden recesses of Heaven, i.e. in the sight of the supreme judge. So in light of the honor and the prayers of the true queen, i.e. the holy Church which even now wanders the earth for some of the time, and rules with the Lord in Heaven for the rest, they deserve to be heard by the king of all ages. If, moreover, one were to ask how it might befit a just king to inflict torments on the innocent, he should know that the source of this is not some desire to do harm but the intention of the highest providence; for the divine wisdom—which conquers every sort of wickedness and reaches powerfully from one end to…

When Mordecai hears that the slaughter of the Jews has been fixed by imperial decree, he dresses himself in somber clothing and approaches the doors of the palace with a bitter soul and a wailing voice; and when the leaders of the Church hear about the persecution which the princes of the earth desire to inflict upon the blameless slaves of Christ, they long to pour out their troubles—with fasting and charity, with vigils and prayer, with tears and the devotion of the heart—to the hidden recesses of Heaven, i.e. in the sight of the supreme judge. So in light of the honor and the prayers of the true queen, i.e. the holy Church which even now wanders the earth for some of the time, and rules with the Lord in Heaven for the rest, they deserve to be heard by the king of all ages. If, moreover, one were to ask how it might befit a just king to inflict torments on the innocent, he should know that the source of this is not some desire to do harm but the intention of the highest providence; for the divine wisdom—which conquers every sort of wickedness and reaches powerfully from one end to the other, and disposes everything with ease—does whatever it wishes in Heaven and on earth, on the sea and in all the depths. It is, in other words, with just judgment that his faithful servants are delivered into the hands of the persecutors, whether to expiate their sins or to correct their behavior or even to add to their merits or multiply their rewards, since— as the prophet testifies—“the Lord is just in all his ways, and holy in all his acts; he is close to all who call upon him” (Psalms 145). In truth, he will do the will of those who fear him, and will listen to their prayers and bring them salvation; for the Lord did not deliver Job into Satan’s hands to destroy him because he asked him to, but so that with Job’s help he could defeat his most wicked enemy and so acquire for himself the palm of victory, and leave to that enemy the just punishment for his wickedness. The apostle Paul was subjected to a corporal goad, namely the angel of Satan, who pummeled him so that his virtue would be perfected in a state of weakness. We should also be careful not to pass over in silence the statement that Mordecai could not enter the royal court because he had put on sackcloth, but instead got as far as the doors of the palace; because no one who has been polluted by the life of this world may enter the court of the heavenly realm, rather each of us should, before the last day of his life, knock on the entrance of the kingdom by chastising his body and repenting in his heart for as long as he is here. And this way, he will be fortunate to enter the paradise of the Lord after he has passed into death.

Commentary on Esther
Esther 4:15-16

Mordecai prays with the Jews on behalf of Queen Esther, and the queen likewise prays for Mordecai and the Jews, because a teacher ought to offer prayers to the Lord on behalf of his students, and students on behalf of their teachers, that the entire community of the faithful—i.e. the limbs along with the whole body—may be kept whole through the kindness of Heaven. This explains why, when Paul writes to the Romans, he tells them that he constantly mentions them in his prayers; and he also makes these same Romans swear on the Lord Jesus Christ, and on the charity of the Holy Spirit, that they would help him in their prayers and pray for him to the Lord that he might be freed from the faithless who were in Judea, and that his ministry—which he was bringing to Jerusalem—might be acceptable to the saints. So too is it written in the Acts of the Apostles that when Peter was thrown in jail, the Church prayed constantly to the Lord on his behalf; and he himself likewise asks in his letter that the grace of God, and the peace of the Church, may be multiplied and fulfilled in the knowledge of…

Mordecai prays with the Jews on behalf of Queen Esther, and the queen likewise prays for Mordecai and the Jews, because a teacher ought to offer prayers to the Lord on behalf of his students, and students on behalf of their teachers, that the entire community of the faithful—i.e. the limbs along with the whole body—may be kept whole through the kindness of Heaven. This explains why, when Paul writes to the Romans, he tells them that he constantly mentions them in his prayers; and he also makes these same Romans swear on the Lord Jesus Christ, and on the charity of the Holy Spirit, that they would help him in their prayers and pray for him to the Lord that he might be freed from the faithless who were in Judea, and that his ministry—which he was bringing to Jerusalem—might be acceptable to the saints. So too is it written in the Acts of the Apostles that when Peter was thrown in jail, the Church prayed constantly to the Lord on his behalf; and he himself likewise asks in his letter that the grace of God, and the peace of the Church, may be multiplied and fulfilled in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Commentary on Esther