This is the first of a two part post on Nehemiah. I would
like to talk about Nehemiah’s background a little bit. Much of the information
below was taken from the thesis I wrote to graduate from Denver Seminary. I
apologize if it is a bit too “academic”. I have kept the footnotes which show
where I gathered the information from so I can give credit where credit is due.
Today’s post will cover his education, and the next post will cover his
occupation.
One of the first things we need to discuss is why Nehemiah
was so moved by the plight of his Jewish brothers and sisters, and the fact
that the city of Jerusalem was in shambles. Remember, Nehemiah was born in
exile, raised in exile, and remained in Persia serving the King of the Persian Empire
while many others made the trek home. By all accounts, he should have had no
emotional ties to a city he had never seen. There were three journeys made back
to the Jerusalem area: first, Sheshbazzar and Zerubbabel lead a trip home
during King Cyrus’ reign, about 538 BC (Ezra 1:7-8, 2:2); second, Ezra the
priest and scribe leads a contingent of Levites and priests back to Jerusalem
under King Artaxerxes in about 457 BC (Ezra 7:17); and finally, Nehemiah returned
to Jerusalem and Judah to govern the rebuilding of the city also during King
Artaxerxes’ reign in about 444 BC (Nehemiah 1-2:6). Nehemiah didn’t ever set
foot in Jerusalem until almost a century after Cyrus gave the edict that the Jews
might return to their homeland.
One of the things that developed during the exile, was the
idea of a synagogue. That is, a Jewish community center where the people could
gather to worship, study Scriptures, pray, and where their children could be
educated in the Torah, Hebrew language, and history of the Israelite people. It
is quite likely that Nehemiah attended one of these Jewish “protosynagogue like”
community centers for his early education.
The passion and concern he demonstrates for his fellow Jews
in Jerusalem after he hears about the condition of the city from Hanani
indicates that his heart was truly broken for his people and their situation
(Nehemiah 1:4). Such concern likely grew out of his early education and
perception of history. Early childhood development writer Eunsook Hyun believes
that learning is culture bound and therefore the immediate environment that the
child grows up in becomes embedded in his or her core being.[1] Therefore Nehemiah’s
concern over his people in Jerusalem was developed at an early age and was
possibly inherited from his parents, teachers, or other religious leaders in
the community.
When we first meet Nehemiah in the book named after him, he
is already serving as cup bearer to the King of Persia. Not just anyone filled
this job. It was an honor to be the cupbearer and was one of the most trusted
positions in the royal court. Therefore, Nehemiah needed a way in. In addition
to attending the “synagogue” for his Jewish education, Nehemiah probably also
attended a Persian school. The Persian schools were open to all the people
regardless of ethnicity; however, this education was usually only utilized by
the wealthy as the poor often needed their children at home to help work.[2] The sons of the Persian
nobility were educated at the king’s court—if they lived in one of the royal
cities. Otherwise, the noble children were educated at the local court of their
cities.[3] Therefore, it is likely
that Nehemiah came from a well-to-do family and was educated at the king’s
court, which is probably how he began his political career which culminated in
his appointment as Cupbearer. Serving Artaxerxes in this capacity would have
meant that Nehemiah was considered one of the king’s “faithful” and that he had
learned justice, gratitude and temperance. To be appointed to the office of
Cupbearer meant that he was most likely at the top of his class.[4]
Nehemiah received both a religious and a secular education.
His family did not remove him from the influences of the world, but rather gave
him the tools he needed to be faithful to God in a multicultural and, for the
most part, religiously tolerant society. God puts us in the world and give us
the tools we need to be faithful to Him, but to also operate in a world that
doesn’t fully recognize His awesome glory and power. Nehemiah was excellent at
what we did in school, and because of it, he was given great honor and the
opportunity to bring much glory to his God. Likewise, may we pursue excellence
and obedience so that we can testify that what truly makes us wonderful is not
what we can do, but whom we serve.
[1]
Eunsook Hyun, Making Sense of
Developmentally and Culturally Appropriate Practice (DCAP) in Early Childhood
Education (New York: Peter Lang Publishing, 1998), 35.
[2]
Pierre Briant, From Cyrus to Alexander: A
History of the Persian Empire (Winona Lake: Eisenbrauns, 2002), 327.
[3]
Briant, 328.
[4]
Briant, 329-330.
We do serve an awesome God!
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