Reading time: Around 4 hours for both books or 2 hours for one. Protestants and Jews regard it as generally reliable historically, but not a part of holy scripture. 2 He fought many battles, conquered strongholds, and put to death the kings of the earth. The Second Book of the Maccabees. When we first meet Hiro Protagonist, he delivers pizzas for the mob in L.A.; he's also a brilliant hacker and sword-wielding genius, but his plays-poorly-with-others personality means he needs a day job. As we know, those who have left this world and enjoy the beatific vision, in the same act of charity in which they love God, are also praying for their brothers, who are members of the Church like themselves. CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, Memorize, Chronology. Judas, nicknamed Maccabeus, probably meaning "hammer," continues his military exploits and also seeks an alliance with the Roman Republic to remove the Greeks. In the first chapter, Alexander the Great conquers vast territories and sets up a great empire, in which the territory of Judea is included. The book of 1 Maccabees clearly favors the revolution against the Seleucid and the Hasmonean dynasty. That is, they covered over their circumcision. In February 135, however, he is assassinated at the instigation of his son-in-law Ptolemy. Pope Damasus I's Council of Rome in 382, if the Gelasian Decree is correctly associated with it, issued a biblical canon identical with the list given at Trent including the two books of Maccabees. [11][12], The title "1 Maccabees" is not the original title of the work. Maccabees does not mention the involvement of the mercenaries who are mentioned in other accounts, whereas other accounts do not mention the Jewish involvement. First Maccabees gives a detailed account of the struggle in Palestine over a period of fifty years, from the time Antiochus IV Epiphanes came to the throne up to the death of Simon, the last of the Maccabee brothers (134 B.C.). He will make a firm covenant with many for one week. 1 The Simon mentioned above as the informer against the funds and against his country began slandering Onias, insinuating that the latter had been responsible for the assault on Heliodorus and himself had contrived this misfortune. The vigorous reaction to this attempt established for a time the religious and political independence of the Jews. They are in the Public Domain. VERSE 12. They are Jewish people who do not observe the Law. saves his butt from a delivery-gone-bonkers, he decides to play nice with . [50] He also cites the fact that it makes various "admissions against interest" such as openly describing rebel military defeats, unlike 2 Maccabees which obscures or omits such matters. Both books, which Protestants regard as apocryphal, were recognized by the Fathers as inspired [and canonical at the Councils of Hippo (393) and Carthage (397, 419)] and were later [again] defined as canonical by the Council of Trent (1546). Alternate titles: The Books of the Machabees. [19], The book was probably originally written in Hebrew. While enforcement may be targeting only Jewish leaders, ordinary Jews were also killed as a warning to others. 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. [14][15] Various reconstructions have been proposed: Gustaf Dalman, meanwhile, suggests that the title is a corruption of the Aramaic "The Book of the House of the Hasmoneans". They establish a gymnasium, where men socialized in the nude. The school of philosophy seen in 1 Maccabees is often thought to be a predecessor to the philosophy of the Sadducees in later eras. After the episode of Heliodorus (3:1-40), the writer lays great emphasis on the inviolate sanctity of the Temple and implies that Antiochus suffers the terrible death he does suffer because of his profanation of it. THE FIRST BOOK OF MACCABEES. For Jews, a highlight of 1 Maccabees is its description of the rededication of the Temple of Jerusalem and the institution of Hanukkah. 2 Maccabees is harder to date but many scholars locate it in the early first century bc. [This chapter is in Orthodox and Catholic Bibles] Alexander the Great. Thus 1 Maccabeesas well as the other books of this genrefaced a major political obstacle to their acceptance. [48] Bezalel Bar-Kochva praises it as among the better military historiography of the period. It promotes commitment to Gods covenant as the path to prosperity, and the doctrine of the resurrection of the body. And they did all put diadems upon themselves after that he was dead, and so did their sons after them many years: and they multiplied evils in the earth. VERSE 64. VERSE 5. 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). The first and second Books of Maccabees, though regarded by Jews and Protestants as apocryphal, i.e., not inspired Scripture, because not contained in the Jewish list of books drawn up at the end of the first century A.D., have always been accepted by the Catholic Church as inspired and are called deuterocanonical to indicate that they are canonical even though disputed by some. The second book is not a sequel to 1 Maccabees; it partially covers the same history (176 - 160 b.c.). The Seleucid ruler Antiochus IV Epiphanes eventually comes to rule over Syria. Ps 119:89-90). Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Origen of Alexandria (253),[52] Augustine of Hippo (c.397AD),[53] Pope Innocent I (405),[54][55] Synod of Hippo (393),[56] the Council of Carthage (397),[57] the Council of Carthage (419),[58] the Apostolic Canons,[59] the Council of Florence (1442)[60] and the Council of Trent (1546)[61] listed the first two books of Maccabees as canonical. (He had previously become king of Greece.) This might mean the women were forcibly tattooed. However, we believers CANNOT do evil that good may result. VERSE 59. Finally, he desecrates the Temple by setting up an "abomination of desolation" there, apparently either a pagan idol or a bust of himself. (He had previously become king of Greece.) Below is the article summary. He bans the observance of the sabbath and the offering of sacrifices at the Temple. 12:1-23). And Alexander reigned twelve years, and he died. Purpose of The Book of 1 Maccabees: The purpose in writing 1 Maccabees Book is to record the deliverance of Israel that God worked through the family of Mattathias (5:62) - especially through his three sons, Judas, Jonathan, and Simon, and his grandson, John Hyrcanus. [44] Notably, the author makes no reference to the idea of a bodily resurrection, which the Sadducees opposed. Jonathan A. Goldstein argues that the book was not imitative of older scriptures merely in linguistic style, but also in content; that is, the author adjusted or invented events to make them fit Biblical parallels better.[51]. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. An unknown editor, the Epitomist, used the factual notes of a historian, Jason of Cyrene, to write this historical polemic. 1 Maccabees,[note 1] also known as the First Book of Maccabees, First Maccabees, and abbreviated as 1 Macc., is a deuterocanonical book which details the history of the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire as well as the founding and earliest history of the independent Hasmonean kingdom. After the death of Alexander the Great (323 B.C.) Chapter 2 1 1 In those days Mattathias, son of John, son of Simeon, a priest of the family of Joarib, left Jerusalem and settled in Modein. A supporter of the Hasmonean dynasty. Elephants were an important part of the army of Antiochus. 3He advanced to the ends of the earth, and plundered many nations. Instead, we have an early, pre-Christian, Greek translation full of Hebrew idioms. 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. Both Origen and Jerome claim to have seen a Hebrew text of 1 Maccabees. To keep the Law of Moses would mean being put to death. From the time of Alexander onward Greek culture spread throughout the Middle East. He may also have consulted it for Book 1 of The Jewish War. It also asserts the resurrection of the just and tells us what we need to know about the fate of the unjust (7:9, 14,23,29; 14:46). . For more details about the Maccabees family and battles with the Greeks, please read 1 Maccabees. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The rise of Antiochus IV Epiphanes. 20 And now we have . Pride goes before destruction, and an arrogant spirit before a fall. The original book was apparently written in Hebrew, as is indicated by a number of Hebrew idioms used by the author. In the year 142 BCE, after more than 500 years of subjugation, the Jews were again masters of their own fate. 1 Maccabees A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary. The big question from this period is the question of self-definition. VERSE 9. Mattathias proclaimed a holy war; Jewish armed resistance operated from the wilderness with great success under the successive leadership of three of Mattathias sonsJudas Maccabeus, the undisputed leader of the Jews (3:1-9); Jonathan (9:28-12:53), and Simon (chap. [26] Mattathias calls upon people loyal to the traditions of Israel to oppose the invaders and the Jewish Hellenizers, and his sons begin a military campaign against them. 1 Alexander of Macedon son of Philip had come from the land of Kittim and defeated Darius king of the Persians and Medes, whom he succeeded as ruler, at first of Hellas. After Judass death, the war continued intermittently under his brothers Jonathan and Simon. The Septuagint was preserved by early Christians as the basis for the Christian Old Testament. And when he had taken all, he went away into his own land, and he made a great slaughter, and spoke very presumptuously. [49]He argues that the author was likely an eyewitness to at least some of the battles described given his great accuracy and plausibility in describing terrain and troop movements, and was able to obtain firsthand accounts from others in interviews. 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. [44] For the author, bold military action while living is the proper response to oppression. 1 Kings. VERSE 24. And he took the silver and the gold and the precious vessels; and he took the hidden treasures which he found. It was portrayed as a center of athletic and intellectual life. The doctrine expressed in the book is the customary belief of Israel, without the new developments which appear in 2Maccabees and Daniel. 2 Maccabees - Chapter 4. And from the people were gathered together to them many, every one that had forsaken the law; and they did evil things in the land; VERSE 53. and they made israel to hide themselves in every place of refuge which they had. 1:8 And his servants bare rule every one in his place. The Book of 1 Maccabees CPDV summary. Friend and confederate. 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. 2 Maccabees, instead of covering later years, shines a microscope on the first fifteen years of the same period, drawing its own lessons (which I . Although the author of the first book devotes a lot of space to wars and political intrigues extending over a period of forty years, his primary purpose is a religious one. 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. He extensively uses the first thirteen chapters of it in Books 12 and 13 of his work Jewish Antiquities, paraphrasing it directly in parts, although supplementing it with other Greek histories such as Nicolaus of Damascus. Naturally, any account of the war of liberation led by Judas Maccabeus would have this effect and would show that victory was due to Gods powerful aid (2:19-22). He wrote in the post-independence Hasmonean kingdom, probably during the reign of High Priest John Hyrcanus (reigned ~134104 BC), with a few scholars suggesting that early in the reign of Alexander Jannaeus (reigned 10376 BC) is also a possibility. The title of 1 and 2 Maccabees is taken from the surname of Judas (1 Mace. And at the doors of the houses and in the streets they burned incense. [23] Various historical documents are included as well, notably of negotiations and letters with the Roman Republic and Hellenistic Sparta. The Hasmoneans were not an obvious choice to be rulers; they did not descend from the priestly line of Zadok that had taken the office of High Priest for generations at the point of the Maccabean Revolt. First Maccabees was written about 100 B.C., in Hebrew, but the original has not come down to us. Chapter 2. Experts date the original Hebrew text sometime in the late second century B.C.E. (He had previously become king of Greece.) [44] That said, our knowledge of the Sadducees is scant, so it is difficult to know for sure. put to shame and fled. The author propagates "Hasmonean propaganda" in the sense of upholding the righteousness of the Hasmoneans and their just claim to rule the Hasmonean kingdom. ; and the Seleucids, who took over large parts of the Middle East and moved into Palestine in 200 B.C. This is a terrible punishment. 16:2 And Simon called his two eldest sons, Judas and John, and said to them: I and my brethren, and my father's house, have fought against the enemies of Israel from our youth even to this day: and things have prospered so well in our hands that we have delivered . Antiochus makes Judaism illegal. The name Maccabee probably means "hammer" and was the nickname given in the book to the first leader of the revolt, Judas, third son of Mattathias. Hellenization included the construction of gymnasia in Jerusalem. Pre-modern translations of the work were made in Latin, Syriac, and Armenian. The people, in turn, must worship the Lord alone and observe exactly the precepts of the law given to them. Finally, after Matthathias dies, his son Judas succeeds in liberating the Temple precincts and reconsecrating the Temple itself in 165 B.C.E. It describes the refusal of Mattathias to perform pagan religious rites, the ensuing Jewish revolt against Syrian hegemony, the political machinations whereby Demetrius II of Syria granted Judaea its independence, and the election of Simon as both high priest and secular ruler of the Judaean Jews. Grimm indicates the time span for when the book could have been written to be from 105-64 b.c.e. Editor's note: The following homily delivered by the Reverend Peter M. J. Stravinskas, Ph.D, S.T.D., on 1 August 2017, commemoration of the Holy Maccabees (Extraordinary Form) at the Church of . And there came great mourning upon Israel, in every place where they were; the beauty of the women was changed. From Alexander to Antiochus. Simon is succeeded by his third son, John Hyrcanus, whose two elder brothers, Mattathias and Judah, had been murdered, together with their father. 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!! The book also comes across as dismissive of martyrdom and passive approaches to resistance, seeing such gestures as futile and pointless. He achieves semi-independence from the Seleucid Empire and gains recognition of his rulership from the Roman Senate in 139. (1 Maccabees 2.62-64). He plays one faction off against the other, obtaining various benefits for the Jews in exchange for his military support. And if you like what you see, check out our complete Online Course about the first five books of the Bible, a.k.a. Eusebius, in his book Church History, quotes Origen of Alexandria who says the original title of the work was Sarbth Sarbanael,[note 3] an enigmatic Greek transliteration from a putative Hebrew original title. Matthew 24:15. Omissions? VERSE 60. In this connection it gives a very moving account of the martyrdom of seven brothers, whose names are unknown but who are popularly called the Maccabees (2 Mac 7:1 ff). VERSE 33. In 165 BC the Temple is freed and reconsecrated, so that ritual sacrifices may begin again. The name Maccabee, probably meaning "hammer," is actually applied in the Books of Maccabees to only one man, Judas, third son of the priest Mattathias and first leader of the revolt against the Seleucid kings who persecuted the Jews (1 Mc 2:4, 66; 2 Mc 8:5, 16; 10:1, 16).Traditionally the name has come to be extended to the brothers of Judas, his supporters . He may well have played some part in it himself in his youth. Help me reach the world for the Lord Jesus Christ. [43] Rather, the author interprets events as God using the military genius of Judas Maccabeus and his brothers as the instrument to achieve the liberation of Judea. Finally, there is the issue of its revolutionary character. Collins 2000 discusses 2, 3, and 4 Maccabees in this study of Jewish identity constructions in the diaspora in the Hellenistic period. The king will require Jews to reject their Covenant with the One God. a place of exercise. 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. 504 Pages, 6.12 x 9.25 in, 2 b-w illus. [41] The book dismisses a defeat suffered by other commanders named Joseph and Azariah as because "they did not listen to Judas and his brothers. VERSE 8. VERSE 58. Not only the leaders, but also circumcised infants and their mothers are killed as a warning to others. It has traditionally been considered highly trustworthy, although it is to some extent the "official" version of history according to the Hasmoneans and from the Maccabean point of view. INTRODUCING MATTATHIAS. The first book was written in Hebrew, although what we have is only a Greek translation; the second, written in Greek, shows that the author had a good grasp of Greek rhetoric and the Greek language, which suggests he may have been from Alexandria. He was familiar with the traditions and sacred books of his people and had access to much reliable information on their recent history (from 175 to 134 B.C.). Period is the issue of its revolutionary character among the better military historiography of the Temple precincts reconsecrating. 48 ] Bezalel Bar-Kochva praises it as generally reliable historically, but also infants. Saves his butt from a delivery-gone-bonkers, he decides to play nice.. Before a fall ], the book could have been written to be from 105-64.... 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