The Challenge of Learning, Part 1

Scripture — Nehemiah 8:1-3, 7-8 (NRSV)

All the people gathered together into the square before the Water Gate. They told the scribe Ezra to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had given to Israel. Accordingly, the priest Ezra brought the law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could hear with understanding. This was on the first day of the seventh month. He read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law. . . . Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, helped the people to understand the law, while the people remained in their places. So they read from the book, from the law of God, with interpretation. They gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.

Devotion

The first seven chapters of Nehemiah featured Nehemiah, who told his story in the first person. But, abruptly, chapter 8 goes in a different direction. Nehemiah does not play nearly as central a role in this part of the story. Plus, the narration is by someone other than Nehemiah who, makes a brief appearance in 8:9 and then doesn’t reappear until the end of chapter 12.

In place of Nehemiah, Ezra plays a central role in this portion of the narrative. Ezra was a priest and a scribe, someone we would refer to as a scholar and teacher. He figures prominently in the book right before Nehemiah, which is named after him. He appears without introduction in chapter 8 of Nehemiah so that he might read God’s law to the people (8:1). As it says in verse 3, “He read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand.” That, I must say, is a long Scripture reading! If next Sunday, your preacher stands up and reads the Bible for six hours, I expect you’ll be surprised, maybe even a bit chagrined. The Jews in Jerusalem, however, were glad for such a lengthy reading and eager to understand what they heard.

Throughout this passage, there is a consistent emphasis on understanding. It wasn’t enough for the people to hear God’s law and do it, though hearing and doing are certainly essential (see Matt 7:24-27). But they also needed to understand the law, to grasp its central themes as well as its fine details. The more people understand God’s law, the more they’d be able to do it faithfully—and the more they’d know the God who gave them the law.

So what did the Jewish leaders in the time of Nehemiah do? They made sure there was a process of teaching and learning so that the people would understand. Verse 7 supplies a list of 13 people, Levites who served in the temple, who “helped the people to understand the law” (8:7). Verse 8 tells us what they did and how it was received: “So they read from the book, from the law of God, with interpretation. They gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.” Apparently, after Ezra read his long portion of the law to the entire gathering of people, the Levites divided the people up into smaller groups. They reread the law, stopping to offer an “interpretation” where needed. They wanted people to grasp the “sense“ of the text.

I’m impressed by how much it mattered to Nehemiah, Ezra, and their colleagues that the people truly understood the law of God. These leaders knew that the law wasn’t only meant for religious observance. Rather, the law ordered their life together as a covenant people. It helped them to live in a way that honored God and experienced God’s shalom.

It was one thing to have a strong wall around your city. With that wall, you would be protected from outside enemies. But within the wall, the law offered protection from the foibles, faults, and failures of human life. Life in community can be a mess unless it is wisely ordered and guided. The law of God provided that order and guidance for the Jewish people. For this reason, Nehemiah and Ezra knew how important it was for the people to understand the law. How else could they love God with their heart, soul, mind, and strength? How else could they love their neighbor as their self?

Next week we’ll cover Part 2 of this devotion. For now, why don’t you consider the following questions?

Find all Life for Leaders devotions here. Explore what the Bible has to say about work at the unique website of our partners, the Theology of Work Project. Reflection on today’s Life for Leaders theme can be found here: Restoration of Covenant Life, Phase Two: Ezra and Nehemiah Together (Nehemiah 8:1-13:31).