Instead, we have an early, pre-Christian, Greek translation full of Hebrew idioms. VERSE 5. This was a village twenty miles northwest of Jerusalem. The victors had apparitions from heaven. 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. It promotes commitment to Gods covenant as the path to prosperity, and the doctrine of the resurrection of the body. VERSE 56. That is, a gymnasium. 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 (1Mc 2:4, 66; 2Mc 8:5, 16; 10:1, 16). We will be talking about events that happened in the second century, which took place in Judea located in the Syrian empire. The people, in turn, must worship the Lord alone and observe exactly the precepts of the law given to them. 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). 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. (Das erste Buch der Maccaber [Kurzgefasstes exegetisches Handbuch zu In 285 he abdicated in favor of his son Ptolemy II, who became involved in a struggle with the Seleucid kings. 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. The Greek text is extant in two of the three oldest codices of the Greek Septuagint: the Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Alexandrinus. 15:11). Omissions? There are seven poetic sections in the book that imitate the style of classical Hebrew poetry: four laments (1:2528, 3640; 2:713; 3:45), and three hymns of praise of our fathers (2:5164), of Judas (3:39), and of Simon (14:415). In an effort to enforce unity, he attempts to suppress the public observance of Jewish religious laws. 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. As the Bible says, "On the eighth day, God created Shmoop and saw that it was good." Or something like that. Every bridegroom took up lamentation, she that sat in the marriage chamber was in heaviness. Not only the leaders, but also circumcised infants and their mothers are killed as a warning to others. (2) 1 Maccabees 1:11-16:24: History of the Jews from 175 to 135 BC. Matthew 24:15. The doctrine expressed in the book reflects traditional Jewish teaching, without later doctrines found, for example, in 2 Maccabees. [1], The author of 1 Maccabees is anonymous and unknown. Below is the article summary. Aristobulus I, the son of John Hyrcanus, was the first to add the title of king to that of chief priest. The narrative is primarily prose text, but is interrupted by seven poetic sections, which imitate classical Hebrew poetry. In February 135, however, he is assassinated at the instigation of his son-in-law Ptolemy. And he called his servants, which were honorable, which had been brought up with him from his youth, and he divided to them his kingdom, while he was yet alive. 1 and 2 Maccabees reflect on this question in slightly different ways. II Maccabees focuses on the Jews' revolt against Antiochus and concludes with the defeat of the Syrian general Nicanor in 161 bce by Judas Maccabeus, the hero of the work. Antiochus captures Egypt. [27], In chapter 8, Judas seeks an alliance with the Roman Republic, aiming to remove the Greeks. Simon, who was called Thassi; II Maccabees focuses on the Jews revolt against Antiochus and concludes with the defeat of the Syrian general Nicanor in 161 bce by Judas Maccabeus, the hero of the work. 1 Maccabees follows this story until the death of Simon (the third son of Mattathias to rule over Israel) at the hands of the some Egyptian Greeks (from about 175-134 bc). Finally, he desecrates the Temple by setting up an "abomination of desolation" there, apparently either a pagan idol or a bust of himself. The second book is even more important from the doctrinal point of view. Her sanctuary was laid waste like a wilderness, her feasts were turned into mourning, her Sabbaths into reproach, her honor into contempt. 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). 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. He then calls forth the people to holy war against the Gentiles and their Jewish collaborators. [63], The Jewish historian Josephus of the 1st century AD almost certainly read 1 Maccabees. Omissions? From Alexander to Antiochus. What did it mean to be Jewish in a predominantly Greek culture? In either case, only the Greek text has survived, and this only through its inclusion in the Christian canon. As noted above, if ancient manuscripts of the hypothesized original Hebrew version existed, they have been lost. [22], The narrative is primarily prose text, but is interrupted by seven poetic sections, which imitate classical Hebrew poetry. They are in the Public Domain. Protestants and Jews regard it as generally reliable historically, but not a part of holy scripture. Chapter 14 also features a long panegyric praising Simon as a worthy leader.[10]. It is a deuterocanonical work in Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox tradition, and apocryphal in Protestant tradition. VERSE 4. and he gathered together an exceedingly strong army, and ruled over countries and nations and principalities, and they became tributary to him. The author is unknown. 2He fought many battles, conquered strongholds, and put to death the kings of the earth. 1 Maccabees 1:54. In general, its chronology coheres with that of I Maccabees. many in Israel were fully resolved. hanged their babes about their necks. 1 and 2 Maccabees are stories that reflect on oppression and resistance. In Hebrew, the first letters of this four word slogan form the acronym MKBY. Some Protestants include the book as biblical apocrypha, material useful for background and edification but that is not canonical. 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. Simon is succeeded by his son, John, referred to by Josephus as John Hyrcanus. However, after successfully invading the Ptolemaic kingdom of Egypt, Antiochus IV enters Jerusalem and removes the sacred objects from the Temple. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). 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). And if you like what you see, check out our complete Online Course about the first five books of the Bible, a.k.a. After Judass death, the war continued intermittently under his brothers Jonathan and Simon. And they built the city of David with a great and strong wall, with strong towers, and it became to them a citadel. And wherever was found with any a book of the covenant, and if any consented to the law, the kings sentence delivered him to death. In Chapter 2, there is a line from a dying Mattathias who tells his sons to always listen to Simon and that "he shall be your father", seemingly praising him even over Judas. [This chapter is in Orthodox and Catholic Bibles] Alexander the Great. VERSE 59. This is alluded to in two other passages: Daniel 9:27. They establish a gymnasium, where men socialized in the nude. The First Book of Maccabees, originally written in Hebrew during the last part of thesecond century b.c.e.,1 can be read, among other things, as the story of the 1 CarlL.W. [7][4] He was likely a court historian or equivalent. [30], After the death of Judas and a period of lawlessness,[31] he is succeeded by his brother Jonathan Apphus, whose battles with the Greek general Bacchides are recounted in chapter 9. 1 Maccabees covers the period of 175 BCE to 134 BCE. 1 Maccabees is the most extensive source of information on events in Judea from 175 to 135. 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. Unlike the Second Book of Maccabees, there is no doctrine of individual immortality except in the survival of ones name and fame, nor does the book express any messianic expectation, though messianic images are applied historically to the days of Simon (1Mc 14:417). 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]. VERSE 57. Many observant Jews flee from the capital, but others readily accept Antiochus' policies. 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. were recognized by the Fathers as inspired, there is an interim stage where souls are purified. But he also wants to show that Gods purpose in permitting persecution is to discipline the Jews in order that he may not take vengeance on us afterwards when our sins have reached their height (6:12-17). The Second Book of the Maccabees. To keep the Law of Moses would mean being put to death. He also confirms alliances with both Rome and Sparta (1 Macc. INTRODUCING MATTATHIAS. 2 Maccabees falls more into theological history, in other words the attempt to reflect on Gods role in the events described. It tells the story of how the Greek ruler Antiochus IV Epiphanes attempted to suppress Temple worship and to destroy the practice of Jewish law. While Judas is eventually killed in battle, the Maccabees eventually achieve autonomy and then independence for Judea under the leadership of the Hasmonean family. He may also have consulted it for Book 1 of The Jewish War. The doctrine expressed in the book is the customary belief of Israel, without the new developments which appear in 2Maccabees and Daniel. 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.). A Greek version of the text was printed for the first time in 15141517 in the Complutensian Polyglot Bible. 2 He fought many battles, captured fortresses, and put the kings of the earth to death. Elephants were an important part of the army of Antiochus. It frequently imitates biblical phraseology and directly cites biblical precedents. John R. Bartlett argues for somewhere between 11090 BCE. The Maccabees formed the Hasmonean dynasty. And they shed innocent blood on every side of the sanctuary, and defiled the sanctuary. It is probably a Greek translation of a Hebrew account of Israel's independence struggle between 174 and 134 bc.Similarly little is known about the author of 2 Maccabees, although it is clear that he was not the same person as the author of 1 Maccabees. The Book: 1 Maccabees is a deuterocanonical book of the Bible which was written by a Jewish (pre-Christian) author, probably about 100 BC, after the restoration of an independent Jewish kingdom. (He had previously become king of Greece.) Corrections? he spoke words in subtlety. 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. VERSE 38. Chapter 6 reports the last days of Antiochus Epiphanes and the accession of his young son Antiochus V Eupator to the throne. More wars involving Judas and his brothers Simon and Jonathan are reported in chapters 5, 6 and 7. Though initially hailed as liberators, the Selucid family wasted no time in leaving their mark upon Judea. Rabbinic Judaism generally disapproved of the rule of the Hasmonean dynasty, but the book is openly pro-Hasmonean, one of several factors for a lack of enthusiasm for the book within later Judaism. in accordance with New World Encyclopedia standards. 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