Chapter 16

The inevitability of calamities threatening Babylon, Asia, Egypt, and Syria (1–16). Depiction of these calamities (17–35). Their proximity (36–49). A call to the sinful world to repentance (50–68). Trials awaiting those chosen by God (69–78).

In chapter XV the author spoke separately of Egypt, Palmyra, Rome, and Asia. Now he addresses all together. In his denunciatory speech it is important to highlight the historical element that encompasses the calamities contemporary to the author.

2 Esdras 16:1. Woe to you, Babylon and Asia, woe to you, Egypt and Syria! 2. Gird yourselves with sackcloth and hair cloth, mourn for your sons, and grieve, because your destruction has drawn near. 3. A sword has been sent upon you, and who will turn it back? 4. Fire has been sent upon you, and who will extinguish it? 5. Calamities have been sent upon you, and who will avert them? 6. Will someone drive a hungry lion in the forest, or extinguish fire in straw when it begins to blaze? 7. Will someone turn back an arrow shot by a strong archer? 8. The Lord, the Mighty One, sends calamities, and who will avert them? 9. Fire will go forth from his anger, and who will extinguish it? 10. He will flash lightning, and who will not fear? He will thunder, and who will not be terrified? 11. The Lord will look with fury, and who will not be crushed to the ground at the sight of him? 12. The earth trembled and its foundations shook; the sea was stirred up from its depths, and its waves were troubled, and the fish of the sea from the presence of the Lord and from the greatness of his strength. 12. In 262 the Roman Empire was visited by a terrible earthquake, during which many cities were inundated by the sea. However, one can see here the usual depiction of God’s anger against sinners.

2 Esdras 16:13. For his right hand is strong, stretching the bow, his arrows are sharp, sent forth by him, they will not grow weak when sent to the ends of the earth. 14. Behold, calamities are sent and will not return until they come upon the earth. 15. Fire burns and will not be extinguished until it consumes the foundations of the earth. 16. Like an arrow shot by a strong archer, calamities that are sent upon the earth will not return. 17. Woe to me, woe to me! Who will save me in those days? 18. Sorrows will begin, and many will groan; famine will begin, and many will perish; wars will begin, and the rulers will be afraid; calamities will begin, and all will tremble. 19. What shall I do then when calamities come? 20. Behold, famine and plague and sorrow and distress are sent as scourges for correction: 21. but with all this, people will not turn from their wickedness, and they will not always remember the scourges. 22. Behold, on earth there will be cheapness of all things, and they will think that peace has come; but then calamities will overtake the earth – sword, famine, and great confusion. 23. From famine very many inhabitants of the earth will perish, and the rest, who endure the famine, will fall by the sword. 24. And corpses, like dung, will be thrown out, and there will be no one to mourn them, because the earth will be laid waste, and its cities will be destroyed. 18–24. The picture of calamities drawn here fully corresponds with the events that took place in Egypt in the middle of the third century (XV:16–19).

2 Esdras 16:25. No one will remain to till the earth and sow on it. 26. The trees will give fruit, and who will gather them? 27. The grapes will ripen, and who will tread them? For there will be great desolation everywhere. 28. It will be hard for a person to see a person or hear his voice, 29. for from the inhabitants of the city there will remain no more than ten, and from the country folk – two people, who will hide in the dense groves and in the crevices of the rocks. 30. As in an olive orchard sometimes three or four olives remain on the trees, 31. or in a plundered vineyard some clusters are not noticed by those who carefully gather the grapes: 32. so in those days three or four will remain when the houses are searched with the sword. 29–32. Compare Matt 24:40-41.

2 Esdras 16:33. The earth will remain desolate, its fields will become barren, its roads and all its paths will be overgrown with thorns, because no one will walk on them. 34. Maidens will weep, having no bridegrooms; wives will weep, having no husbands; daughters will weep, having no helpers. 35. Their bridegrooms will be killed in war, and their husbands will perish from hunger. 36. Hear this, and understand, servants of the Lord! 37. This is the word of the Lord: listen to it, and do not believe the gods of which the Lord speaks. 38. Behold, calamities are approaching and will not delay. 39. As in a pregnant woman, when in the ninth month the time comes for her to give birth to a son, two or three hours before the birth pains seize her womb, and when the child comes forth from the womb, they do not delay a single moment: 40. so the calamities will not delay in coming upon the earth, and the people of that time will groan; pains will seize them. 41. Hear the word, my people: prepare for battle, and in the midst of calamities be like strangers on the earth. 42. Let the one who sells be like one preparing to flee, and the one who buys – like one ready for destruction; 43. let the one who trades be as one expecting no profit, and the one who builds a house – as one not hoping to live in it. 44. Let the sower think that he will not reap, and the vinedresser – that he will not gather the grapes; 45. those entering into marriage – that they will not bear children, and those not entering – like widowers. 42–45. Compare 1 Cor 7:29-30.

2 Esdras 16:46. Therefore all who labor labor in vain, 47. for strangers will use the fruits of their labor, and despoil their possessions, ruin their houses, and enslave their sons, because in captivity and hunger they will bear their children. 47. By foreigners the author means the Goths, whose sudden appearance was regarded at that time as a sign of the imminent end. Their name was brought into connection with the names of the apocalyptic peoples of Gog and Magog (Rev 20:7; Ezek 38-39), companions of the antichrist. How great was the expectation of the second coming in the middle of the third century is evidenced by the appearance of an entire schism over the question of the thousand-year Kingdom.

2 Esdras 16:48. Whoever engages in plundering – the more they beautify their cities and houses, their possessions and their faces, 49. the more I will hate them for their sins, says the Lord. 50. As a harlot hates a virtuous and very well-behaved woman, 51. so righteousness will hate unrighteousness, adorning herself, and will convict her in the sight when He comes Who will defend against every sin on the earth. 52. Therefore do not imitate unrighteousness and its deeds, 53. for yet a little while, and unrighteousness will be removed from the earth, and righteousness will reign over you. 54. Let not the sinner say that he has not sinned, for burning coals will ignite upon the head of the one who says: I have not sinned before the Lord God and his glory. 54. Compare Prov 25:22-23; Rom 12:20.

2 Esdras 16:55. The Lord knows all the deeds of people and their undertakings, and their thoughts and their hearts. 56. He said: “Let the earth be,” and the earth came to be; “Let the sky be,” and it was. 56. Gen 1:1.

2 Esdras 16:57. By his word the stars were created, and he knows the number of the stars. 57. Ps 146:4.

2 Esdras 16:58. He contemplates the depths and what is hidden in them, has measured the sea and what is in it. 59. By his word he enclosed the sea in the midst of waters and hung the earth upon the waters. 60. He spread out the sky like a tent over the waters and founded it. 60. Isa 40:22.

2 Esdras 16:61. He placed springs of water in the desert and lakes on the peaks of mountains, to send rivers down from the high rocks, to water the earth. 62. He created man and placed his heart in the midst of his body, and gave into him spirit, life, and reason 63. and the breath of the Almighty God, Who created all and observes all that is hidden in the hidden places of the earth. 64. He knows your intention and what you think in your hearts when you sin and wish to hide your sins. 65. Therefore the Lord clearly sees all your deeds, and will convict you all; 66. and you will be ashamed when your sins are revealed before people, and your wickedness will stand as accusers on that day. 67. What will you do and how will you hide your sins before God and his Angels? 68. Behold, God is the Judge; fear him; abandon your sins and forever cease to do wickedness, and God will lead you out and save you from all distress. 69. For behold, the fury of a large multitude is kindling against you, and they will seize some of you and kill them as an offering to idols. 70. Those who agree with them will be subjected to mockery, insult, and trampling by them. 71. For in all places and in neighboring cities many will rise up against those who fear the Lord. 69–71. Gallienus’s reign, with insignificant exceptions, was a time of comparative peace for Christians. Christians were granted the rights of a religious society. Their religion was declared free from persecution. The author foresees in the near future a new persecution. Perhaps this is the persecution of the antichrist, whose coming was then expected.

2 Esdras 16:72. Like mad men, without mercy they will plunder and rob all from those who fear the Lord. 73. They will lay waste and rob their possessions, and expel them from their houses. 74. Then will come the trial of my chosen ones, as gold is tried by fire. 75. Listen, my beloved ones, says the Lord: behold, days of sorrow are before you, and I will deliver you from them. 76. Do not be afraid and do not doubt, for your leader is God. 77. If you keep my commandments and precepts, says the Lord God, then your sins will not be a burden pressing you down, and your wickedness will not prevail against you. 75–77. The author’s task was to strengthen Christians in firm endurance of the coming sufferings. He achieves this by promising the chosen of God speedy deliverance from all trials. The author believes in the nearness of the Kingdom of the Messiah, the participants of which will be Christians who remain unshaken amid the calamities of the pagan world

2 Esdras 16:78. Woe to those who are bound by their sins and covered by their wickedness! This is a field overgrown with undergrowth and through which the way is covered with thorns, so that a person cannot pass through it: it is abandoned and condemned to fire for destruction. 78. Compare 2 Sam 23:6. N. Abolensky.