Est 4:3 | KingComments | STEP | The chapter begins and ends with a performance by Mordecai. In between there is contact between Mordecai and Esther through intermediaries. The content of the contact is consultation in order to come to an aversion to the announced annihilation of the Jews. Mordecai was deeply affected when he “learned all that had been done” ( ). What he knows concerns not only the contents of the letter sent around, but also the events that gave rise to it and what followed on from it. How he found out everything is not mentioned. That is also not necessary for the story. That he knows everything is necessary in order to fully inform Esther ( ). He expresses his deep suffering by tearing his clothes and enveloping himself in sackcloth and ashes. He does not mourn in secret, but loudly and bitterly wails “into the midst of the city”. He openly expresses his grief, possibly partly through the realization that he is the cause of this terrible intention. In the expression of his sorrow he goes as far as possible in the direction of the king ( ). He approaches the gate. He is not allowed to go any further because he is dressed in a robe of mourning. Mordecai is not alone in the expressions of mourning. There is great mourning among the Jews everywhere in the whole realm where the king’s command and his law have arrived ( ). Here we see the close connection between all the Jews throughout the empire and Mordecai in Susa. The mourning is described in many different ways in order to convey its extent and depth to the reader as poignantly as possible. There are five elements: great mourning, fasting, weeping, wailing and sackcloth and ashes. Mordecai’s mourning at the gate is necessary to draw the attention of Esther’s maidens to himself ( ). Mordecai achieves his goal. Esther’s maidens and her eunuchs tell her. When Esther hears what is going on, she is tremendously frightened, she “writhed in great anguish”. Then she wants to take away Mordecai’s mourning clothes and let him put on ordinary clothes. She wants to heal, so to speak, “the brokenness … superficially” ( ). She does not want to face the cause of the grief, but to cover it with a beautiful appearance. Mordecai, however, does not want that. The anguish of imminent annihilation is undiminished and cannot be camouflaged by the appearance of beautiful clothes. Mordecai does not want to give up the connection with his grieving people. There is an enormous threat hanging over their heads. Changing their clothes does not take away the threat. Mordecai doesn’t like the ostrich attitude, with its head in the sand. He’s facing the real problem. Prophetically, Mordecai’s complaint is that of the Lord Jesus, Who “in the days of His flesh, … offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death” ( ). The Lord Jesus does not complain because of the enemy, but because of what God is going to do to Him when He will be made sin. The command of ‘the king’ is against Him. No one grieves with Him. When, in view of that suffering, He prays in Gethsemane to beg His Father there, He asks His disciples to keep watch with Him. However, they are unable to do so and fall asleep. They do not understand what awaits Him ( ).

‏ Esther 4:3

Introduction

The chapter begins and ends with a performance by Mordecai. In between there is contact between Mordecai and Esther through intermediaries. The content of the contact is consultation in order to come to an aversion to the announced annihilation of the Jews.

Mordecai and the Jews in Mourning

Mordecai was deeply affected when he “learned all that had been done” (Est 4:1). What he knows concerns not only the contents of the letter sent around, but also the events that gave rise to it and what followed on from it. How he found out everything is not mentioned. That is also not necessary for the story. That he knows everything is necessary in order to fully inform Esther (Est 4:7).

He expresses his deep suffering by tearing his clothes and enveloping himself in sackcloth and ashes. He does not mourn in secret, but loudly and bitterly wails “into the midst of the city”. He openly expresses his grief, possibly partly through the realization that he is the cause of this terrible intention.

In the expression of his sorrow he goes as far as possible in the direction of the king (Est 4:2). He approaches the gate. He is not allowed to go any further because he is dressed in a robe of mourning. Mordecai is not alone in the expressions of mourning. There is great mourning among the Jews everywhere in the whole realm where the king’s command and his law have arrived (Est 4:3). Here we see the close connection between all the Jews throughout the empire and Mordecai in Susa. The mourning is described in many different ways in order to convey its extent and depth to the reader as poignantly as possible. There are five elements: great mourning, fasting, weeping, wailing and sackcloth and ashes.

Mordecai’s mourning at the gate is necessary to draw the attention of Esther’s maidens to himself (Est 4:4). Mordecai achieves his goal. Esther’s maidens and her eunuchs tell her. When Esther hears what is going on, she is tremendously frightened, she “writhed in great anguish”. Then she wants to take away Mordecai’s mourning clothes and let him put on ordinary clothes. She wants to heal, so to speak, “the brokenness … superficially” (Jer 8:11). She does not want to face the cause of the grief, but to cover it with a beautiful appearance. Mordecai, however, does not want that. The anguish of imminent annihilation is undiminished and cannot be camouflaged by the appearance of beautiful clothes.

Mordecai does not want to give up the connection with his grieving people. There is an enormous threat hanging over their heads. Changing their clothes does not take away the threat. Mordecai doesn’t like the ostrich attitude, with its head in the sand. He’s facing the real problem.

Prophetically, Mordecai’s complaint is that of the Lord Jesus, Who “in the days of His flesh, … offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death” (Heb 5:7). The Lord Jesus does not complain because of the enemy, but because of what God is going to do to Him when He will be made sin. The command of ‘the king’ is against Him. No one grieves with Him. When, in view of that suffering, He prays in Gethsemane to beg His Father there, He asks His disciples to keep watch with Him. However, they are unable to do so and fall asleep. They do not understand what awaits Him (Mk 14:32-42).