1 esdras 3:19 - it makes the mind of the king and of the fatherless child to be all one; of the bondman and of the freeman, of the poor man and of the rich:
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What does "1 esdras 3:19" mean?
The verse from 1 Esdras 3:19 describes the perceived power of wine, specifically its ability to temporarily erase social distinctions and create a sense of unity: "it makes the mind of the king and of the fatherless child to be all one; of the bondman and of the freeman, of the poor man and of the rich."
Here's a breakdown of what this means:
"It makes the mind...to be all one": This suggests that wine has the power to unify people, at least in a superficial and temporary way. It levels the playing field of consciousness. People from different social strata, when under the influence of wine, can seemingly share similar thoughts, emotions, and desires, momentarily forgetting or overlooking their societal roles.
"The king and of the fatherless child": These are two extremes of the social hierarchy – the powerful ruler and the vulnerable orphan. Yet, the verse claims that wine can bring their minds to a similar state. The king might become less concerned with his royal duties and more focused on immediate pleasure, while the child might momentarily forget his hardship and feel a sense of temporary joy or escape.
"Of the bondman and of the freeman": The bondman (slave) represents a person deprived of their liberty, while the freeman is independent. The verse proposes that wine can temporarily bridge this gap, giving both individuals a shared experience, possibly of liberation (though illusory in the case of the bondman).
"Of the poor man and of the rich": Again, this highlights the disparity of economic status. Wine can cause the rich man to become less preoccupied with his wealth and the poor man to forget his poverty, at least for a while.
In essence, the verse is arguing that wine has a democratizing effect, creating a fleeting illusion of equality and unity by momentarily dissolving social barriers and preoccupations. It emphasizes the temporary and artificial nature of this unity.
The verse is part of a larger speech given by one of the young men in King Darius' court. Each young man is tasked with praising what they believe to be the strongest thing in the world. This young man is arguing that wine is the strongest, using this verse as a prime example of its power. He is not necessarily endorsing drunkenness but rather using it as a rhetorical device to illustrate his point about wine's supposed influence.
It's important to remember that this view is presented as part of an argument within the story, and its truthfulness or wisdom is up for interpretation. It is a rhetorical device and does not necessarily reflect a fully endorsed ethical or social view of the text.
1 esdras 3:19 - it makes the mind of the king and of the fatherless child to be all one; of the bondman and of the freeman, of the poor man and of the rich:
What does "1 esdras 3:19" mean?
The verse from 1 Esdras 3:19 describes the perceived power of wine, specifically its ability to temporarily erase social distinctions and create a sense of unity: "it makes the mind of the king and of the fatherless child to be all one; of the bondman and of the freeman, of the poor man and of the rich."
Here's a breakdown of what this means:
"It makes the mind...to be all one": This suggests that wine has the power to unify people, at least in a superficial and temporary way. It levels the playing field of consciousness. People from different social strata, when under the influence of wine, can seemingly share similar thoughts, emotions, and desires, momentarily forgetting or overlooking their societal roles.
"The king and of the fatherless child": These are two extremes of the social hierarchy – the powerful ruler and the vulnerable orphan. Yet, the verse claims that wine can bring their minds to a similar state. The king might become less concerned with his royal duties and more focused on immediate pleasure, while the child might momentarily forget his hardship and feel a sense of temporary joy or escape.
"Of the bondman and of the freeman": The bondman (slave) represents a person deprived of their liberty, while the freeman is independent. The verse proposes that wine can temporarily bridge this gap, giving both individuals a shared experience, possibly of liberation (though illusory in the case of the bondman).
"Of the poor man and of the rich": Again, this highlights the disparity of economic status. Wine can cause the rich man to become less preoccupied with his wealth and the poor man to forget his poverty, at least for a while.
In essence, the verse is arguing that wine has a democratizing effect, creating a fleeting illusion of equality and unity by momentarily dissolving social barriers and preoccupations. It emphasizes the temporary and artificial nature of this unity.
The verse is part of a larger speech given by one of the young men in King Darius' court. Each young man is tasked with praising what they believe to be the strongest thing in the world. This young man is arguing that wine is the strongest, using this verse as a prime example of its power. He is not necessarily endorsing drunkenness but rather using it as a rhetorical device to illustrate his point about wine's supposed influence.
It's important to remember that this view is presented as part of an argument within the story, and its truthfulness or wisdom is up for interpretation. It is a rhetorical device and does not necessarily reflect a fully endorsed ethical or social view of the text.