ESDRAS, SECOND (2) (see previous article for pronunciation and root words). The title comes from the Geneva Bible; in the Vul. it is called 4 Esdras. Sometimes called the “Ezra Apocalypse” (due to the character of chs. 3-14). Many writers regard chs. 1, 2 and 15, 16 to be Christian interpolations and give them the names 5 Ezra and 6 Ezra, respectively (e.g., Eissfeldt). See below under Date.

1. Literary character. While set in a Pers. situation (1:1-3), where the prophet Ezra received divine communication during the reign of Artaxerxes, the book is mainly apocalyptic, that is, a revelatory work on the order of Daniel 7-12. It is made up of seven visions (2 Esd 3:1-5:20; 5:21-6:34; 6:35-9:25; 9:26-10:59; 11:1-12:51; 13:1-58; 14:1-48) containing judgment against “Babylon” (Rome).

In words reminiscent of the prophet Habakkuk, the writer of 2 Esdras wrestled with the problem of evil: “How long and when will these things be? Why are our years few and evil?” (2 Esd 4:33; see also 6:59; cf. Hab. 1:2). Even when his angelic informant explained (2 Esd 4:10, 11), Ezra showed his bewilderment (4:12).

Much of the message is conveyed by symbolism. Outstanding are the fifth and sixth visions where (1) an eagle with twelve wings and three heads was encountered by a lion (11:1, 37) and (2) a man-like figure who rose from the sea and flew with the clouds of heaven was opposed by an innumerable multitude of men (13:3, 5).

2. Date. There is fairly general agreement that chs. 3-14 were composed near the end of the 1st cent. a.d., and that chs. 1, 2 and 15, 16 were added during the next cent. or two. What follows is a representative view, indicating the position of scholars as Oesterley, Metzger, Eissfeldt and others: chs. 1, 2, about a.d. 150; chs. 3-10, about a.d. 100; chs. 11, 12, about a.d. 69-96; ch. 13, about a.d. 66; ch. 14, about a.d. 100-120; and chs. 15, 16, between a.d. 240-270.

Probably the main reasons for rejecting the Pers. setting and placing the book in the Christian era are (1) the interpretation of the eagle vision (11:1-12:51) as a symbol of the Rom. empire (during the time of Vespasian, Titus and Domitian); and (2) the anti-Jewish or Christian character of much of the material in chs. 1, 2 (e.g., affinities to the gospels and the NT Apocalypse, and the anti-Jewish sentiments found in 1:24-27, 30-32, 33-35; 2:7).

3. Content. As indicated above, there are nine parts in the book, made up of an introduction and conclusion with seven visions:

(1) 1:1-2:48. The genealogy of Ezra and the record of the commands he received from the Lord to deliver the people of Israel (notice 1:4; 2:33, 42).

(2) 3:1-5:20. At Babylon, thirty years after the fall of Jerusalem, Ezra saw the contrast between the destruction of his city and the affluence of Babylon. He was perplexed over the seeming injustice, but was assured that God would solve the problem justly.

(3) 5:21-6:34. Seven days later he received a vision concerning the scattering of Israel among the nations (“O Lord, why hast thou...scattered thine only one among the many?”). Much of the discussion sounds similar to the Book of Job, and the solution to the problem seems to echo the Book of Revelation (on the former, see 5:35-55; on the latter, 6:17-24).

(4) 6:35-9:25. This is the longest of the visions. Eight days after the previous vision he spoke “in the presence of the Most High.” Perplexity over the contrast between the many who will perish and the few who will be saved dominates this section. The judgment of mankind is vividly described. (Verses 36-105, appearing in brackets, are found in many ancient MSS but are missing from the Lat. Vul. and the KJV. It is the opinion of some that theological reasons were involved in the latter, for these vv. strongly prohibit prayer for the dead, e.g., v. 105.)

(5) 9:26-10:59. Ezra saw a woman mourning because her son had died. Then he saw a city of huge foundations. The vision was explained as follows: the woman was the heavenly Zion (10:44; cf. Rev. 21:9, 10); her son was the earthly city (10:46); and his death was the destruction which befell Jerusalem (10:48).

(6) 11:1-12:51. An eagle, having twelve wings and three heads, arose from the sea. He reigned over the earth, but was soon countered by a lion who uttered the words of the Most High against him. The interpretation identified the eagle as the fourth kingdom of Daniel’s vision, and the lion as the Messiah who shall destroy the enemies of the Lord.

(7) 13:1-58. Seven days later Ezra saw “something like the figure of a man” arising from a stormy sea, and the man “flew with the clouds of heaven,” language similar to Daniel 7:13. Opposed by a great multitude, the man sent forth fire from his mouth and burned them all up. The man was the Son of the Most High (13:32) who shall destroy the wicked and gather the people of Israel from their dispersion.

COMPARISON OF 1 AND 2 ESDRAS

(8) 14:1-48. In this final vision the prophet was commissioned to write for forty days, then would be taken to live with the Son until the times were ended. He wrote ninety-four books; twenty-four were to be made public; seventy were to be kept secret for the wise among the people. The former represented the Heb. canon (five, the Law, eight, the Prophets and eleven, the Writings); the latter prob. apocalyptic books. The Holy Spirit, sent into him as a cup full of fiery water, enabled him to write.

(9) 15:1-16:78. This final section, added in the 3rd cent. a.d., consists mainly of warnings of divine judgments against the nations. Egypt, Arabia, Parthia (Carmania), Babylon, Asia and Syria are mentioned by name. God’s elect shall be delivered from the days of tribulation.

4. Theology. Second Esdras shares in common with other Jewish apocalypses a concern for the future. This concern is backed by a variety of affirmations about God and man, and by an expectation of the appearance of the Messiah (or, a Messiah) and the kingdom of God, along with a variety of beliefs about resurrection and judgment. Some of these conceptions in this book are the following:

(1) God. The favorite title is “the Most High” (at least sixty-eight times, RSV text), followed by “Lord” (at least sixty, RSV). There are various combinations, in addition, such as “Lord God” (4), “the Lord Almighty” (6) and “the Mighty One” (5). The name God occurs some twenty-one times.

One interesting variant may be noted. “Most High” does not occur in chs. 1, 2, 15 or 16, the “interpolated” sections of the book. On the other hand, the title “Lord” (and its combinations) is found many times (at least forty-three out of seventy) in these same chapters.

(2) Man. God allowed the nations to exercise free will unhindered (2 Esd 3:8). Man’s ungodly nature showed itself because of his evil heart (3:20). Adam’s sin resulted in a permanent moral disease, the good departing and the evil remaining (3:22). The idea of original sin showed itself in Adam (4:30). See 4:33, 38, 39; 7:22-25; 7:46-48

Human understanding is limited (4:1, 2), and man cannot understand God’s ways (4:11). When he is questioned he is unable to fathom the depths (4:1-12; 5:33-40).

(3) Resurrection and judgment. There is strong affirmation of a resurrection of the body at the end time (2:16; 7:32). The new age will soon dawn, after evil has been punished (4:26-32). The day of judgment is like a time of threshing (4:30). No one knows when this time will come (4:51, 52), but God has already determined the length of the age (4:36, 37; cf. Sir 36:8), and has prepared the judgment (7:70).

(4) Messiah. He is God’s son who shall reign for 400 years, then die (7:28, 29). He appears as a lion who shall destroy the wicked nations (12:31, 32), and as a man arising from the sea and flying with the clouds of heaven (13:3, 25, 26). Once again he is declared to be God’s Son (13:32, 37, 52), and shall stand victoriously on Mount Zion (13:35-38).

(5) Kingdom. There is to be a temporary earthly kingdom (7:26-44), preceded by certain sings (6:20-24). A city shall be established (8:52; 10:27, 41-44), the heavenly Zion. After 400 years, this kingdom shall end (7:28, 29). Then comes the new age, characterized by resurrection, judgment and “the paradise of delight” (7:31, 32, 36).

While many of the lines are not clearly defined, one point is made often—the solution to the prevailing state of evil and the fate of both the good and the bad is the day of judgment, when all shall be made right by the Most High.

Bibliography R. H. Charles, Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha, II (1913); ibid., Religious Development Between the Old and New Testaments (1914); W. O. E. Oesterley, An Introduction to the Books of the Apocrypha (1946); D. S. Russell, The Method and Message of Jewish Apocalyptic (1964).