This assignment will focus on the Old Testament book of Esther. The main concern in this week’s assignment is to ask what some of the social and historical realities in Esther’s story are that would help us understand the context of the book of Esther. The historical world will be combined with the literary world to help understand better what is happening in the contemporary world.
• Read The Book of Esther
1. What is the approximate date, time, and location of the book of Esther? (date, setting, culture, political climate, king, etc.)
2. What are the assumptions being made about the role of women? Can you give any specific examples?
3. What are the assumptions being made about the nature of God’s people in relationship to the people in whose land they live? Give examples from the book of Esther.
4. What are the assumptions being made about power and authority? What can we come to understand about what power and authority look like in the book of Esther?
5. What are the relationships of Vashti to Ahasuerus? Esther to Ahasuerus? Vashti to Esther? Mordecai to Ahasuerus? Mordecai to Haman? (for example, what are each one’s national and ethnic background, and how might this help in discerning the background and meaning to the book of Esther?)
6. What has Vashti done wrong, if anything? What about Mordecai? Haman? Esther? (Read carefully and check your own assumptions.) How do these things shape our understanding of what the world may have been like during Esther’s time?
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