More on Esther and Mordecai

Holt responds to previous articles debating the ethics of Esther and Mordecai's conduct in the biblical narrative, arguing that their actions should be understood within the context of their powerless position as Jews under Persian tyranny rather than as deliberate deception. He contends that Esther's concealment of her Jewish identity was wise discretion born of necessity rather than sinful lying, and that both characters deserve more charitable interpretation given the dangerous circumstances of their exile. This article engages Reformed principles of biblical interpretation while addressing questions of Christian ethics in difficult circumstances.