Then said we unto them after this manner, These are the names of the men that make this building.
All Commentaries on Ezra 5:4 Go To Ezra 5
Bede
AD 735
And they bribed counsellors against them, to frustrate their plan throughout the days of Cyrus king of Persians, and until the reign of Darius king of the Persians. The distinction of the words should be noted because he says that they bribed counsellors for a certain price to go against the temple builders so that their plan would be frustrated. However, he does not say that their plan had actually been frustrated or that they ceased from their work until the letter of accusation was written to Artaxerxes, at whose command, as Scripture reports, they prevented them by force. For there it is written: Then the work of the house of God in Jerusalem ceased, and it remained suspended down to the second year of the reign of Darius king of the Persians. Consequently, it can be inferred that during the whole of Cyrus's reign, when the work was begun, they were pressing on with that work although more slowly than was just, but when he died they were not merely impeded by wicked plans but were prevented from working through open attack. For while Cyrus - who had commanded that the work be carried out - was still alive, the enemies did not dare to oppose his edicts through open contention even though they did so by hidden suggestion and counsel. The allegorical meaning, however, is quite plain: that heretics assail the Church whenever the opportunity is favourable. At times they attack through the counsels of wicked teachings, at others through the fiercer battle of swords, and sometimes they are not even afraid to harass the Church through the support of Gentile rulers. For they hinder the hands of the people of Judah when they keep the Church in its weaker members from works of devout practice; they seek to frustrate the plan to work when they endeavour to inhibit their minds from even the very intention of good action; they accuse them to kings when with the help of earthly rulers too they seek protection against the Church. How much this harms the faith became clearer than daylight during the time of the Arian treachery.
