He also requires Jewish leaders to sacrifice to idols. And they shed innocent blood on every side of the sanctuary, and defiled the sanctuary. The writer compares their virtues and their exploits with those of Israels ancient heroes, the Judges, Samuel, and David. The army of Judas at Bethsura consists of 10,000 according to 1 Macc 4:29, but of 80,000 according to 2 Macc 11:2. However, after successfully invading the Ptolemaic kingdom of Egypt, Antiochus IV enters Jerusalem and removes the sacred objects from the Temple. they chose to die. 1 and 2 Maccabees are set during the reign of the Seleucid Greek empire (the part of the Greek empire that found its roots in Syria). Many Jews adopt a policy of accommodation with him in the interest of maintaining peace with the Gentiles, and others openly embrace the Hellenistic culture he introduces. [ a] 2 He had five sons: John, who was called Gaddi; 3 Simon, who was called Thassi; 4 Judas, who was called Maccabeus; 5 Eleazar, who was called Avaran; and Jonathan, who was called . Antiochus then tries to suppress public observance of Jewish laws, in an attempt to secure control over the Jews. It is not in the Codex Vaticanus. [47] No angels or miracles come to save the Jews; rather, it is the divinely-approved firm leadership of the Hasmoneans that leads to victory.[9]. Probably written about 100 B.C.E., the book was included as scripture in the Greek Septuagint translation of the Hebrew Bible and later included in Christian scripture until the Protestant Reformation, when the apocrypha of the Old Testament were generally rejected by Protestants. 3 So he advanced to the ends of the earth . ALEXANDER THE GREAT. The book is held as canonical scripture today in the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Oriental Orthodox churches (except for the Orthodox Tewahedo). The people of Israel have been specially chosen by the one true God as covenant-partner, and they alone are privileged to know and worship God, their eternal benefactor and unfailing source of help. 1:7 So Alexander reigned twelves years, and then died. They are in the Public Domain. He then imposes a tax and establishes a fortress in Jerusalem. VERSE 52. 1 Maccabees. Reflect on whether you think that Mattathias and his sons were right to rebel against their Greek oppressors.We are challenged about how we should behave towards our enemies and how we should act as Gods agents, wherever we live in the world. When he died his widow, Alexandra, married his elder brother, Alexander Janneus, and she remained on the throne while her son Hyrcanus II was high priest. VERSE 56. Credit is due under the terms of this license that can reference both the New World Encyclopedia contributors and the selfless volunteer contributors of the Wikimedia Foundation. Simon, who was called Thassi; Despite this, the book is not included as canon in the Tanakh. [note 2] All agree that the book was written before 63 BC, as the author shows great admiration toward Rome and does not know of the Roman general Pompey conquering Jerusalem and reducing the Hasmonean kingdom to a client state of the Roman Republic in that year. Thus did they in their might to Israel, to those that were found month by month in the cities. Pre-modern translations of the work were made in Latin, Syriac, and Armenian. CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, Memorize, Chronology. 2 Simon now had the effrontery to name this benefactor of the city, this protector of his . While he clearly portrays a divine providence behind the history he presents, the narrator refrains from the miracle stories and other legends found in 2 Maccabees, which deals with much of the same material. 1 Maccabees describes the response of one family to these events. 1 In those days Mattathias, son of John, son of Simeon, a priest of the family of Joarib, left Jerusalem and settled in Modein. And Alexander reigned twelve years, and he died. He also confirms alliances with both Rome and Sparta (1 Macc. 1 Maccabees 1:54. The author is anonymous, but he probably wrote in the newly independent Hasmonean kingdom after the success of the Maccabean Revolt in the late 2nd century BC. Antipathy toward the Seleucid-friendly Hellenizing Jews is unsurprising, as they were enemies in war, but 1 Maccabees extends criticism to internal Jewish opponents of the Hasmoneans as well. Talk about how this story might have inspired the Jews of Jesus day in the light of their oppression by the Romans. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Mattathias and His Sons. The Second Book of the Maccabees. 3 He advanced to the ends of the earth, gathering plunder from many . Here are 8 handy tips to get your book club up and running. And the inhabitants of Jerusalem fled because of them; and she became a habitation of strangers, and she became strange to those who were born in her, and her children forsook her. Attempts to discredit the work as essentially fiction have been discounted even by strongly critical scholars today. The other Jews then reason that, when attacked, they must fight even on the holy day. In 168 BC, he desecrates the Temple by setting up an "abomination of desolation" (establishing rites of pagan observance in the Temple, or sacrificing an unclean animal on the altar in the Holy of Holies). As far as the dates of composition are concerned, these can be taken as approximately 100 B.C. While Judas is eventually killed in battle, the Maccabees eventually achieve autonomy and then independence for Judea under the leadership of the Hasmonean family. According to the first book of Maccabees, one of the Hellenistic kings defiled the temple, forbade circumcision, and even set up altars to his gods. the Torah. After Jesus redeemed mankind by dying on the cross, the just of the Old Testament were enabled to enter heaven, and thus the ancient people of God became the new Israel, which is the Church. [This chapter is in Orthodox and Catholic Bibles] Alexander the Great. 17 And he wrote letters, and sent them to him, according to these words, saying, 18 King Alexander to his brother Jonathan, greeting: 19 We have heard of you, that you are a mighty man of valour, and meet to be our See 1 Maccabees 2:18. This was a village twenty miles northwest of Jerusalem. Reading time: Around 4 hours for both books or 2 hours for one. Among other effects, this discouraged the Jewish rite of circumcision even further, which had already been officially forbidden; a man's state could not be concealed in the gymnasium, where men trained and socialized in the nude. VERSE 59. From this it follows that, for the just man, supreme glory consists in being ready to give ones life, if necessary, to defend Gods intereststhe Law, which every Jew must strictly obey. In the town of Modein, the priest Mattathias finds the situation intolerable. And after these things he fell sick, and perceived that he should die. In general, its chronology coheres with that of I Maccabees. . And when he had taken all, he went away into his own land, and he made a great slaughter, and spoke very presumptuously. It frequently imitates biblical phraseology and directly cites biblical precedents. Buy Also Available At: . This usage of "Maccabees" as a group-term may have originated in Greek, as no usage of it in Hebrew to refer to the rebels survives from any era earlier than the 19th century.[10]. VERSE 29. VERSE 23. 2 Chronicles. They will not sin in order to save their lives. It was probably written sometime in the second century bc, in other words very shortly after the events it described. Friend. Hardcover; 9780300159936; Published: Tuesday, 26 Apr 2022; $85.00. Given its exactness of dates, places and documents and its enthusiasm for the Jewish cause, 1 Maccabees must have been written by a Palestinian Jew who witnessed the events he describes; the author of 2 Maccabees was more likely an Alexandrian Jew and a Pharisee, given what he has to say about resurrection. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Alternatively, Maccabee also might have been derived from the battle cry of the revolt, Mi Kamocha B'elim, YHWH ("Who is like you among the heavenly powers, YHWH!! Judas victory over Nicanor ensures the liberation of the Jewish people and guarantees the proper worship of the true God. Read more . 1.12.70 The rise of Antiochus IV Epiphanes and subsequent crisis3.19.22 The leadership of Judas Maccabeus in the revolt against the Greeks9.2312.53 The leadership of Jonathan (Judas brother)13.116.24 The leadership and subsequent assignation of Simon (also a brother of Judas), 1.12.32 Letters from Jews in Jerusalem to those in Egypt3.16.31 The conquest of Jerusalem by Antiochus IV Epiphanes7.1-42 The torture and murder of seven brothers and their mother8.19.29 The victory of Judas Maccabeus over the Greeks10.1-38 The purification of the Temple11.115.39 Ongoing conflict and the eventual victory of Judas. The rise of Antiochus IV Epiphanes. VERSE 38. 3 And they laid hands on them, and put them in hold unto the next day: for it was now eventide. [9][10] The author appears to be very familiar with Judea and its geography, but appears less well-informed about the wider Hellenistic world. This is a terrible punishment. VERSE 64. 1 and 2 Maccabees are set during the reign of the Seleucid Greek empire (the part of the Greek empire that found its roots in Syria). Elephants were an important part of the army of Antiochus. On the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate; and even to the full end, and that determined, wrath will be poured out on the desolate. [28] Verses 2332 record an agreement between Rome and the nation of the Jews, whereby each party would act as a willing ally of the other and refuse to supply their enemies in time of war, specific warning being given to Demetrius I Soter that this pact would be activated against him if requested by the Jews. Antiochus forbids both circumcision and possession of Jewish scriptures on pain of death. However, 1 Maccabees also insists that there were many Jews who sought out or welcomed the introduction of Greek culture. Alternate titles: The Books of the Machabees. The later Jewish historian Josephus most likely used some form of this text in writing his account of the Maccabean revolt. As a part of the revolt, the Temple was freed from the control of the Greek empire and rededicated (an act that is still commemorated yearly in the festival of Hanukkah). (He had previously become king of Greece.) Aristobulus I, the son of John Hyrcanus, was the first to add the title of king to that of chief priest. [32] Ultimately the relationship between Jonathan and Demetrius breaks down: Maccabees' opinion is that Demetrius "broke his word about all that he had promised; he became estranged from Jonathan and did not repay the favors that Jonathan had done him, but treated him very harshly". 2nd century bc) Priestly family of Jews who organized a successful rebellion against Antiochus IV Epiphanes in Palestine and reconsecrated the defiled Temple of Jerusalem. In the first chapter, Alexander the Great conquers vast territories and sets up a great empire, in which the territory of Judea is included. He bans the observance of the sabbath and the offering of sacrifices at the Temple. Ptolemy supposedly threatened the Jews with loss of citizenship after Palestinian Jews refused to permit him to enter the sanctuary of the Temple of Jerusalem. Registered charity 232759. It tells how the Greek ruler Antiochus IV Epiphanes attempted to suppress the practice of basic Jewish religious law, resulting in the Hasmonean revolt against Seleucid rule. Judas's brother Simon Thassi is declared High Priest by will of the Jewish people. 2 He undertook many campaigns, gained possession of many fortresses, and put the local kings to death. Many Christians base their moral decisions on outcomes. Series: The Anchor Yale Bible Commentaries. VERSE 22. and the table of the show bread, and the cups to pour withal, and the bowls, and the golden censers, and the veil, and the crowns, and the adorning of gold which was on the face of the temple, and he scaled it all off. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Second Maccabees includes a different edition of the first seven chapters of 1 Maccabees and was written at a later date, likely in Alexandria, Egypt. Collins 2000 discusses 2, 3, and 4 Maccabees in this study of Jewish identity constructions in the diaspora in the Hellenistic period. And they got possession of the strong cities in the land of Egypt; and he took the spoils of Egypt. The First Book of Maccabees (I Maccabees) is historical work extant in Greek, covering the period of 40 years from the accession of Antiochus Epiphanes (175 B.C.E.) Antiochus persecutes the Jewish people. 1 Maccabees is the most extensive source of information on events in Judea from 175 to 135. After Judass death, the war continued intermittently under his brothers Jonathan and Simon. The origin of the word maccabee is unclear; it may derive from the Hebrew word maqqabi (= hammer)a reference to Judas physical strength and exploits. Its name in the Septuagint and in the writings of the Church Fathers (Eusebius and Clement) is , i.e . ISBN links support NWE through referral fees. It also uses anachronistic terms at times to make explicit parallels between the exploits of the Hasmoneans and earlier Jewish heroes; for example, it refers to the coastal region of Palestine as the land of the Philistines, despite the Philistines no longer being a relevant cultural grouping in the era. The First Book of Macabbees is recognized as Deuterocanonical Scripture by the Orthodox and Catholic Churches. And the women that had circumcised their children they put to death according to the commandment. Omissions? One of the most notable and unusual aspects of the book of 1 Maccabees by absence is the lack of any direct mention of God. Journey through the Bible, one book at a time, with the 2nd edition of our Books of the Bible journal. As a surname it was also applied to his brothers and, by extension, to the seven martyred brothers (2 Macc.7). British and Foreign Bible Society operates in England, Wales, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.We also work with a network of local Bible Societies around the world. It possibly was written during the reign of the Roman emperor Caligula (3741 ce). Antiochus captures Egypt. Maccabees does not mention the involvement of the mercenaries who are mentioned in other accounts, whereas other accounts do not mention the Jewish involvement. The historical integrity of the book, which was compiled from official written sources, oral tradition, and eyewitness reporting, is attested to by the absence of almost all of the conventions of the Hellenistic rhetorical school of historiography and by its uncritical use by the later Jewish historian Flavius Josephus. He reports the calamities the Jewish people experience on account of their sins, while also stressing the role played by God in his providence, who watches over them as he promised he would (cf. Many observant Jews flee from the capital, but others readily accept Antiochus' policies. The rededication of the Jerusalem Temple described in 4:3659 (see 2Mc 10:18) is the origin of the Jewish feast of Hanukkah. However, we believers CANNOT do evil that good may result. "[45][46] Even if "heaven" is merely shorthand for "God in heaven", 1 Maccabees is remarkably secular in its depiction of the conflict. And the kingdom was well ordered in the sight of Antiochus, and he thought to reign over Egypt, that he might reign over the two kingdoms. The Maccabees formed the Hasmonean dynasty. There is a faithful remnant. It was included in standard printed Christian Bibles in the deuterocanon section. VERSE 2. INTRODUCING MATTATHIAS. View all posts by todd. 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