However, 1 Maccabees also insists that there were many Jews who sought out or welcomed the introduction of Greek culture. 1 Maccabees is best known for its account of the recapture of Jerusalem in the year 164 BC and rededication of the Second Temple: the origin behind the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. This article abides by terms of the Creative Commons CC-by-sa 3.0 License (CC-by-sa), which may be used and disseminated with proper attribution. 1 a After Alexander the Macedonian, Philip's son, who came from the land of Kittim, * had defeated Darius, king of the Persians and Medes, he became king in his place, having first ruled in Greece. When Simon died he was succeeded by his son John Hyrcanus, who became the founder of the Hasmonean dynasty. After a short introduction the book describes the Jewish uprising against Antiochus, whose persecution led to the desecration of the Temple. Luckily, when a skateboard courier called Y.T. The title of 1 and 2 Maccabees is taken from the surname of Judas (1 Mace. Uriel Rappaport calls it emblematic of Hasmonean politics in general: that the Hasmonean state was an explicitly Jewish one that sought to separate itself from polytheism, yet was pragmatic and sought allies where they could be found.[9]. It purports to be a historical account of the repression and miraculous salvation of Egyptian Jewry during the reign (221205 bce) of Ptolemy IV Philopator. 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. Ps 119:89-90). 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 . 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. 2 Samuel. VERSE 2. [23] Various historical documents are included as well, notably of negotiations and letters with the Roman Republic and Hellenistic Sparta. First Maccabees (written circa 134-104 BCE and describing the period of 166-135 BCE) is devoted to presenting the Maccabean dynasty, from Mattathias through his son Judah, to Jonathan and Simon who became high priests and gained political independence.. First Maccabees was written in Hebrew (though it is only preserved today in Greek) for a Judean audience in a Biblical style that emphasizes . The revolt is also known by the name Maccabee, after the most renowned of Mattathias's sons . the hundred and forty and fifth year. After Judass death, the war continued intermittently under his brothers Jonathan and Simon. 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. Throughout the early Christian period, IV Maccabees was wrongly attributed to Josephus. From the time of Alexander onward Greek culture spread throughout the Middle East. For some more Biblical back history about the Exile and return of the Jews from Babylonian Exile, please read 2 Kings (Chapter 20:12-18), 2 Kings (Chapter 25), Jeremiah, Ezra, and Nehemiah. VERSE 52. The Maccabees then ruled over Israel, first as High Priests and then as High Priests and Princes of Israel. He plays one faction off against the other, obtaining various benefits for the Jews in exchange for his military support. The author exhibits a personal interest in the events, but presents them as accurately as possible given his own commitment to the Maccabean dynasty as instituted by God. He also requires Jewish leaders to sacrifice to idols. Hope for life beyond death enabled the people of God to commit their lives fully to the God who had called them, even when this seemed of no benefit in worldly terms. 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.). Corrections? VERSE 33. Mattathias's son Judas Maccabeus (Judah Maccabee) takes over the revolt and the rebels as a group are called the Maccabees; the book chronicles in detail the successes and setbacks of the rebellion. The Book of 1 Maccabees CPDV summary. . This might mean the women were forcibly tattooed. And there came exceedingly great wrath upon Israel. That is, they covered over their circumcision. Although 1 Maccabees was originally written in Hebrew (some you can tell from the sentence structure) it exists now only in Greek. The history presented is very accurate, comparing favorably to pagan historians such as Livy or Tacitus. 1:9). 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. He bans the observance of the sabbath and the offering of sacrifices at the Temple. They will not sin in order to save their lives. Modin. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). For Jews, a highlight of 1 Maccabees is its description of the rededication of the Temple of Jerusalem and the institution of Hanukkah. 1:10 And there came out of them a wicked root Antiochus surnamed Epiphanes, son of Antiochus the VERSE 39. VERSE 2. 1 Maccabees, 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.It describes the promulgation of decrees forbidding traditional Jewish practices by King Antiochus IV . VERSE 29. 2 He fought many battles, conquered strongholds, and slaughtered the kings of the earth. 6 summary 1 john chapter 5 usccb irregulars chapter 5 1 mangakakalot com family affair vol 1 chapter 5 w mangairo com 1 maccabees chapter 5 usccb chapter 5 determining income and calculating rent 5 1 hard times book the first sowing chapters 5 8 summary ch 5 where s all my stuff the witcher gamefaqs jane eyre volume 1 chapter 5 shmoop chapter . Reading time: Around 4 hours for both books or 2 hours for one. 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). Finally, there is the issue of its revolutionary character. First Maccabees covers the efforts of the Jewish people to regain their freedom following the desecration of the temple by Antiochus IV Epiphanes. Updates? First Maccabees or 1 Maccabees is most famous as the source of the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. In 285 he abdicated in favor of his son Ptolemy II, who became involved in a struggle with the Seleucid kings. Unlike most of the Books of the Maccabees, 1 Maccabees was written in Hebrew and translated into Greek as part of the . With the advent of the printing press that obviated the need for scribes to manually and repeatedly copy such works, 1 Maccabees became more widely available. [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. That said, the author is still proud of forging alliances with others, citing negotiations with the Roman Republic and Sparta. [19], The book was probably originally written in Hebrew. More. 1 Maccabees. . While Judas is eventually killed in battle, the Maccabees eventually achieve autonomy and then independence for Judea under the leadership of the Hasmonean family. VERSE 1. Mattathias and His Sons. The book's author is unknown, but is assumed to have been a devout Jew from the Holy Land who may have even taken part in the events described in the book, or at least knew older people who participated in them. Their faith in the resurrection, which they explicitly assert (v. 11), gives them the courage to undergo terrible sufferings to keep the holy Law of God, sufferings in which they are also supported by their mothers faith. [44] Notably, the author makes no reference to the idea of a bodily resurrection, which the Sadducees opposed. If the consequences are good, they say is OK to do anything that is necessary. He achieves semi-independence from the Seleucid Empire and gains recognition of his rulership from the Roman Senate in 139. When war broke out between these two brothers the Romans intervened, took Jerusalem and brought the monarchy to an end. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. And he took the spoils of the city, and set it on fire, and pulled down the houses thereof and the walls thereof on every side. 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. Omissions? Maccabees does not mention the involvement of the mercenaries who are mentioned in other accounts, whereas other accounts do not mention the Jewish involvement. According to the text, some Jewish men even engaged in foreskin restoration in order to pass as fully Greek. He also forbids circumcision and possession of Jewish scriptures, imposing the death penalty for those who disobey. [29] Jewish historian Uriel Rappaport[he] asserts that "the majority of scholars today accept the authenticity of this document". He interprets the Maccabean victory not as a miraculous intervention by God, but rather as God's using the instrument of the military genius of the Maccabees to achieve his divine ends. Were there any parts of the book that you particularly liked or which inspired you? Acts 4 (King James Version) 1 And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them, 2 Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead. By the end of the war, Simon was the only one of the five sons of Mattathias to survive and he ushered in an 80-year period of Jewish . On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The second book is not a sequel to 1 Maccabees; it partially covers the same history (176 - 160 b.c.). Alexander the Great. Chapter 6 reports the last days of Antiochus Epiphanes and the accession of his young son Antiochus V Eupator to the throne. From Alexander to Antiochus. And it was the chief propaganda instrument of those non-practicing Jews who were trying to introduce Gentile customs into Israel. VERSE 27. 1 Maccabees covers this entire 40-year period. And the land was moved for the inhabitants thereof, and all the house of Jacob was clothed with shame. VERSE 51. [5] The entire work is generally considered to be a unity composed by a single author on both philological and thematic grounds, although there are occasional short passages sometimes contested as potentially being added at a later date. It aims at bringing out even more strongly the religious lessons of the time, and the story is written more like a sermon than a history. And they shed innocent blood on every side of the sanctuary, and defiled the sanctuary. "[45][46] Even if "heaven" is merely shorthand for "God in heaven", 1 Maccabees is remarkably secular in its depiction of the conflict. [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 24. The doctrine expressed in the book reflects traditional Jewish teaching, without later doctrines found, for example, in 2 Maccabees. [7][4] He was likely a court historian or equivalent. His son, Ptolemy III Euergetes, extended his empire into Persia. 3 He advanced to the ends of the earth, gathering plunder from many . 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. [ 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 . This work no longer exists, but is the basis for 2 Maccabees.) [33], Proposed alliances with Rome and with Areus of Sparta are covered in 1 Maccabees 12:123. 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. The history of the Maccabee family given in these books ends with the death of Simon and the succession of his son, John Hyrcanus. He may well have played some part in it himself in his youth. "[42][43] All of this makes clear that God has specifically chosen a new dynasty to rule Judea, the Hasmoneans. The book 2 Maccabees, preserved right next to 1 Maccabees in the Septuagint, provides a striking contrast in theology, and the works are often compared. 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. 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). It later became a title given to the rebels as a whole around the 3rd-5th century AD, hence the Septuagint naming the works as books of the Maccabees. 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). 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. 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. And he took the silver and the gold and the precious vessels; and he took the hidden treasures which he found. VERSE 34. 2 Maccabees recaps some of the story (until the events of 161 bc) and adds in details about Gods intervention into the events reports. It was probably written sometime in the second century bc, in other words very shortly after the events it described. I Maccabees is the only contemporary source for the civil wars in Judaea, and the only surviving one for Judaean-Syrian relations after the reign of Antiochus IV. [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]. [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". Jonathan's capture in 143 BC, having been double-crossed by Diodotus Tryphon, is recorded in 1 Maccabees 12:48. Maccabees , (fl. In true Deuteronomic tradition, the author insists on fidelity to the law as the expression of Israels love for God. And when he had taken all, he went away into his own land, and he made a great slaughter, and spoke very presumptuously. The first two books only are part of canonical scripture in the Septuagint and the Vulgate (hence are canonical to Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy) and are included in the Protestant Apocrypha. The Second Book of the Maccabees. 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. VERSE 46. and pollute the sanctuary and those who were holy; VERSE 47. that they should build altars, and temples, and shrines for idols, and should sacrifice swines flesh and unclean beasts: VERSE 48. and that they should leave their sons uncircumcised, that they should make their souls abominable with all manner of uncleanness and profanation; VERSE 49. so that they might forget the law, and change all the ordinances. While enforcement may be targeting only Jewish leaders, ordinary Jews were also killed as a warning to others. This suggests that in antiquity, IV Maccabees, dealing almost exclusively with martyrdom, may have been the most highly regarded. (Jason of Cyrene was a Hellenized Jew who wrote a five-volume history on the times of the Maccabees. 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 . in accordance with New World Encyclopedia standards. 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. It possibly was written during the reign of the Roman emperor Caligula (3741 ce). the hundred and forty and third year. These heroes of the faith will not forsake the One God. The Maccabees formed the Hasmonean dynasty. (He had previously become king of Greece.) Antiochus then tries to suppress public observance of Jewish laws, in an attempt to secure control over the Jews. 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. In the middle of the week he will cause the sacrifice and the offering to cease. Though initially hailed as liberators, the Selucid family wasted no time in leaving their mark upon Judea. VERSE 40. However, the original has been lost and the version which comes down to us is the Septuagint. This history includes battles with Antiochus IV and his son. When Mattathias died, the revolt was led by his son Judas, or Judah Maccabee, as he is often called. It promotes commitment to Gods covenant as the path to prosperity, and the doctrine of the resurrection of the body. 1 Maccabees is a deuterocanonical book written by a Jewish author and included in the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox canons of the Bible. 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