Esther – Bible study ideas & activities

Movies about powerful women

Can you name these films?

Can you see a connection with Esther’s story?

Answers HERE (see ‘Esther’) Can you think of others?

Film reviews

Stage 1: Make up a list
List some films about the dangers of political or social corruption – for example ‘Absolute Power’ which explores the themes of corruption and power, a dangerous mix, or ‘The Hunger Games’, about political tyranny. If this is a group activity, choose films most people will know.

Stage 2: Glance over your list
1. Have you chosen films that are realistic, showing the nitty-gritty of political life, or do you prefer films/series, like ‘The West Wing’ that are inspiring/uplifting?
2. Do your favorites have both these qualities?

Stage 3: Choose your favorite
4. What are the central themes in this film?
5. Do you think they are realistic? Do they mirror the political situation you know?

Stage 4: Think about your choices
Group activity: discuss these questions, making sure everyone in the group has a chance to talk about their ideas.

Paintings of Esther

Stage 1

Rembrandt’s painting of Esther

Read the story at Bible People: Esther
Stage 2

Go to the link Esther: Famous Paintings. Scroll through the paintings from first to last.
Which part of the story of Esther has been the most popular with artists?
Would this have been your choice? Was there another part of the story that interested you?
Artists paint what they want to paint, but they also paint with their audience in mind. Look at the paintings again. Who is the painting directed at? Explain your reasoning.

Stage 3
If you have chosen something different, ask yourself why this other incident appeals to you more than the scene favored by the artists.

Spend some time quietly thinking about your response.

Debate

Topic: ‘that benign despotism is an effective form of government’

Decide what ‘benign despotism’ means – this might be the hardest part of the activity….
Divide the group into two sides
Decide which side will support the proposal and which will oppose it.
Draw up a list of at least three points to support your argument
Decide which points should be argued most strongly
Nominate a number of debating team members and a chairperson
Choose the team members for your side.
Team members meet and prepare their arguments.
Conduct the debate; guests may be invited
Hold a debriefing/discussion afterwards.

Discussion, analysis

What would be the qualities of an ideal queen?
In other words, what should Ahasuerus have been looking for when he searched for a new queen/wife?
What qualities do you hope to find in a husband/wife? Discuss this question with a learning partner, and list the five most important qualities.
What qualities do you think your future life partner would hope to find in you?
How can you cultivate these qualities in yourself? List some practical strategies for being the person you want to be.

Focus Questions

1. What are the most interesting moments in Esther’s story?

Esther, by Raanan. Go to Bible Paintings: Esther for ideas about this painting

2. In the story, who speaks and who listens? Who acts? Who gets what they want? If you were in the story, which person would you want to be friends with? Which person would you want to avoid?
3. What is God’s interaction with the main characters? What does this tell you about the narrator’s image of God? Do you agree with this image?
4. The narrator/editor has chosen to tell some things and leave other things out. What has been left out of the story that you would like to know?
5. Are the characteristics and actions of the people in the story still present in the world? How is the story relevant to modern life and politics?

Write Esther’s Biography

Esther lived the opulent life of an ancient queen. The Book of Esther gives her origins, her achievements, the powers and restrictions of being a queen, her emotions, and the way she handled a husband with many failings.

Write a short biography of Esther, or at least as much as you can given the information in the Book of Esther (see Bible Text: Esther for help with this).

Collect your data
Organise it into time sequence or subject matter
Match a Bible text to each time sequence or incident
Read these texts carefully, noting the nuances of the passage and jotting down questions as you go
Write character outlines for each person
Divide Esther’s life into separate sections
Write a list of questions for each section
Answer the questions, making each answer a paragraph or set of paragraphs
Read your responses from start to finish, making sure you have the correct sequence of events and noting any important bits you might have missed
Polish your material by editing out unnecessary words or phrases

Congratulations! You’ve written Esther’s biography.