Our congregation recently went through the book of Esther. To start the series, the preacher told us that Esther is one of the most favorite books of the Jews after the Torah. Although I don’t know many Jewish people to confirm this with, it didn’t take long to figure out why.
In the story, the Jewish people are stuck with their backs against the wall once again. Yet another foreign kingdom has come and ruled over them. Despite the fact that they seemed like they were on the mend (e.g. Nehemiah), now, because of some personal beef, the number two man in the empire gets a complete genocide authorized and financed by the king of the Medes and Persians. They face immediate extermination.
But unlike other stories, this one ends happily for the Jews. They are not only saved from slaughter, they wind up being able to kill thousands of their enemies at the king’s pleasure, and end up with representatives as both the queen and the highest official in the land.
In fact, this comes about as close to a Messiah story as you could get. In many ways, this is the story the Jews were waiting for.
But the story of Jesus is in many ways the antistory of Esther. There are certain parallels and whispers that make it sound like the same story in reverse.
Here are a few of the themes I’ve been thinking about as we’ve gone through this passage. In the Esther story, both Esther and Mordecai play the role of the Savior at different moments.
1. An entire people are subject to a foreign power
Both stories start off explaining who is in power at the time. In Esther, it is the Medes and Persians who have conquered the rest of the world and have power over the Jewish people. In Jesus’s story it is the Romans.
2. A young girl is subjected to a power beyond her control
Esther and Mary were probably about the same age at the start of their journey. Unfortunately, Esther is brought into the king’s harem and forced to sleep with him, yet finds favor with him and becomes the queen of all the land.
Also chosen was Mary who conceives a baby through the Holy Spirit. She says of herself, “He has looked upon the humble state of his servant. For from now on all generations will call me blessed, for he who is mighty has done great things for me.”
3a. The savior figure is honored, but conceals her identity
3b. The savior figure is hunted, but boldly shares his identity
When Esther is announced as queen, the king throws a party and gives everyone a big tax rebate. But she never tells anyone that she is a Jew. When Herod learns that there is a baby born who is to be king of the Jews, he tries to kill the child. As Jesus grows, he boldly claims of his special relationship with God from a very young age.
4a. There is a plot to kill all the Jews for 10,000 talents of silver
4b. There is a plot to kill Jesus for 30 pieces of silver
Haman’s plot involves exterminating all the Jews. The chief priest’s plot believe that it is better for one man to die than the whole nation to perish.
5a. The savior savvily uses the rules of power to win favor with the king
5b. The savior rejects the power structures, claiming that no one has power other than what God gives.
When she makes her bold stand before the king, Esther is wielding her rather impressive amount of clout she has with the most influential people in the land. Jesus comes before Pilate as none better than any other criminal. Pilate tries to convince him that he has the power to let him walk away unharmed. Jesus says, “You would have no authority over me at all, unless it was given to you from above.”
6a. The savior asks her people to diligently fast and pray for her, which they do
6b. The savior asks his friends to stay up and pray with him, which they don’t
Esther rallies her people around her who all come to her aid quickly. Jesus has only three friends with him at the end, and they cannot keep their eyes open to pray.
7a. The powers that be honor the savior with a parade around town.
7b. The powers that be mockingly parade the savior around town.
Haman is forced to take Mordecai around the city and dress him in the king’s clothing. The Roman soldiers give Jesus a crown of thorns, a cheap military cloth made to look like royalty.
8a. The savior is threatened to be hung on a tree, but in the end the enemy is hung by the foreign power.
8b. The savior is hung on the tree by the foreign power.
Haman makes plans to hang Mordecai on a tree for all to see what happens when someone challenges his authority. In the end, it is Haman who was hung on the pole. Jesus is hung on the cross for all to see what happens when someone challenges the authority of those in power.
9a. The savior gains a high position in the government uses the power to exact revenge on all enemies.
9b. The savior is killed by the government, but his followers spread a message of loving your enemies.
Mordecai and Esther work to pass laws that let the Jews kill all those who were going to kill them. Jesus is killed, yet after his resurrection, a message of love and acceptance of outsiders is preached.
10a. The savior’s rise gives freedom to all the Jews scattered around the world
10b. The savior’s rise gives freedom to all mankind around the world.
(There’s also the issue of the King not being able to get around his own law, and so comes up with an alternate plan, but I’m not ready to deal with that issue.)
Which story would you rather have?
Given the history of the Jews, Story A looks a whole lot more appealing than Story B. Who wouldn’t want the one where the hero rises to the top, beats up all the bad guys, and finally gets the respect he deserves. That’s the kind of story we are wired to want, not the one where the hero is ridiculed, mocked, and killed.
The most famous Indian outside of India
For most of us who grew up outside of India, we could name one Indian at best: Mahatma Gandhi. We knew him to be a great leader of the nonviolent movement and instrumental in getting India independence.
His birthday is a national holiday and his face is on every currency note. But in reality, his name doesn’t come up that often. You’ll rarely hear someone say, “We need another Gandhiji,” or “What would Gandhi have done here?”
The reason I feel like he only gets tacit acknowledgement is that most see Gandhi as pretty weak. They see him as passive, dressed in ancient clothing. India has been fighting a stereotype for a long time, and Gandhi with his skinny legs and goofy smile isn’t helping that.
Indians (like most of the world) want to be strong. They want a leader someone with potestas. They want to be seen as global, formidable, a force to be reckoned with. They want Rajnikant as Sivaji, or Baahubali–someone that can show the world that they are large, rich, in charge, and fine on their own.
Sometimes the hero we want isn’t the one we need.
Photo by Keith Luke on Unsplash
