Among those returning to Jerusalem from
the Babylonian captivity, Ezra 2:58-60 tell us that there was a group of 652
people whose ancestry they could not ascertain. They were from three families
namely Dalaiah, Tobiah, and Nekoda. Hence, their status as Jews was in question.
Similarly, among the priests, Ezra
2:61-63 said that they were also three families of priests whose names could
not be traced in the ancestral registry. They were the sons of Habaiah, the
sons of Hakkoz, and Barzillai. Thus they were considered unclean and not
allowed to conduct priestly functions. The governor then decided they could not
partake of the holy food until a priest could ascertain their status with the
Urim and Thummim.
Interestingly, verse 61 elaborated on how
Barzilai got his name. He was said to have married a daughter of the famous
Barzilai who helped King David during Absalom’s rebellion. He then took on the
name of his father-in-law.
For continuity, they needed to be sure
that all returnees had Jewish heritage. The same was also for the priesthood,
they wanted to be sure those called to perform priestly functions truly
qualified for their tasks. Ezra 2:59-63 imply that being a true Jew or priest
was more important than just being presumed to be one. So they took the pain to
ensure that one was a true Jew or a true priest.
One lesson to take away: Being a true
Christian and a true disciple of Christ is more important than just presuming
oneself to be one. It is important that our identity as a Christian and a
disciple of Christ be affirmed by our character. The way we conduct ourselves
will show whether we are genuine disciples of Christ or not. Let us seek to be
genuine disciples of Christ and don’t just presume that we are one, without
truly being one.
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