Don't Tell

          Now there was in the citadel of Susa a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin, named Mordecai son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, who had been carried into exile from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, among those taken captive with Jehoiachin king of Judah. Mordecai had a cousin named Hadassah, whom he had brought up because she had neither father nor mother. This girl, who was also known as Esther, was lovely in form and features, and Mordecai had taken her as his own daughter when her father and mother died. 
          When the king’s order and edict had been proclaimed, many girls were brought to the citadel of Susa and put under the care of Hegai. Esther also was taken to the king’s palace and entrusted to Hegai, who had charge of the harem. The girl pleased him and won his favor. Immediately he provided her with her beauty treatments and special food. He assigned to her seven maids selected from the king’s palace and moved her and her maids into the best place in the harem. Esther had not revealed her nationality and family background, because Mordecai had forbidden her to do so.  (Esther 2:5-10)
 

          The word goes out. Talent scouts are sent through all the lands with instructions to find just the right sort of contestants. They had to be beautiful, young, and virgins. How young? Yes, probably that young. One day gigging and singing “Matchmaker, Matchmaker” with the neighborhood girls, the next day pointed at by some guy in a chariot and “escorted” into a harem and told that she has six months to prepare to meet the king. He would spend one night with her, and after that she may well never be called into his presence again. The rest of her life might well be spent with a bunch of women with very little to do… Not the sort of love story that most girls dream of.
         Hadassah was one of those chosen. Her name means “myrtle.” Her Persian name was Esther, meaning “star.” She had been orphaned and adopted by her cousin or uncle, Mordecai. My study notes say that he may have been a eunuch, because no family is mentioned other than Esther, and because he is able to keep in contact with Esther. His main advice to her seems to have been to keep her heritage a secret. Why? As we’ll find out soon, just being a Jew meant that one had enemies.
          Not telling people she was a Jew meant more than just never saying, “Oh, by the way, I’m a Jew.” There’s nothing to tell us how observant she and Mordecai had been. It’s reasonable to assume they didn’t travel to Jerusalem several times a year. If nothing else, there was no temple. Because she was a girl, there was no issue with people noticing circumcision. But did she eat pork or any of the other unclean foods? Did she neglect the practice of the Sabbath? Was that a change when she was taken into the harem? Was Hegai also a Jew and in on the secret? Was that why he put her in the best spot? Was it a place where she could have some seclusion in which to be Jewish?
         I don’t know the answers to any of those questions. I suspect most of the scholars don’t either, but the reason for the exile was because they weren’t following the teachings of Scripture. 
         Some people might point to this passage and say that it teaches that it’s acceptable to lie, even to those closest to you – perhaps especially to those closest to you, in order to survive. It’s OK to “lie to the enemy” and “deceive the devil.” This violates one of the twelve rules my pastor has taught us. “Biblical examples are not authoritative unless supported by a command.” People do lots of things in the Bible that The Bible clearly does not condone. David committed adultery and murder. Many of the patriarchs and kings married multiple wives. Nowhere in the Bible does it say that those things are OK. It simply says that they were done.   
         This is what I believe Peter was doing when he denied Christ three times. He didn’t think he was denying Christ. He thought he was being clever and lying the enemy. It didn’t turn out to well for him. This is also what we’re being told to do in our society today. I believe we’ve been being told this for most of history; sometimes more than others. Today, however, the demand for compartmentalization is strong, for some groups. We are told that it’s wrong to ask anyone to keep their sexuality “in the closet.” It’s wrong to ask a Muslim to keep his/her religion or culture in the closet. However, “religion” – by which they seem to mean Christianity – has no place in the public square, and no place in government. Oh sure, you can be a Christian, as long as you don’t practice your beliefs in public or suggest that anyone would be better off if they practiced your beliefs, in spite of the fact that statistics show that they are better off if they do.
          Some years ago, the question went around, “If being a Christian were illegal, is there enough evidence for you to be convicted?” I used to wonder.