Ezra 4:6-16

It should seem that Ahasuerus and Artaxerxes are both names of the same person: probably meaning the same as King. And it should seem that the enemies of the church caught at the first moment in the opening of this man's reign to throw down the temple. There must have been a period of at least 12 years in this interval. And Reader! do not overlook (for it is a feature which hath in all ages marked the character of God's enemies) how disaffection to government is urged by way of exciting the displeasure of the court against God's faithful servants. And was not our Lord Jesus accused in the same manner as if he forbad to give tribute to Caesar? Whereas Jesus paid the tribute, and those that accused him hated the Roman government, under whom Judea was in tribute, and would not have paid it if they had dared to refrain. Witness their hatred to the tax-gatherers the publicans.