1 maccabees summary shmoop

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. [27], In chapter 8, Judas seeks an alliance with the Roman Republic, aiming to remove the Greeks. 1 Maccabees - Chapter 1. VERSE 1. In general, its chronology coheres with that of I Maccabees. Read more . The 1643 Westminster Confession says that the books "are of no authority in the Church of God, not to be any otherwise approved", for example. The festival of Hanukkah is instituted by Judas Maccabeus and his brothers to celebrate this event (1 Maccabees 4:59). 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 . [7][4] He was likely a court historian or equivalent. 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. Protestants and Jews regard it as generally reliable historically, but not a part of holy scripture.. The time period described is from around 170 BC to 134 BC. 1 Maccabees covers the period of 175 BCE to 134 BCE. Updates? ISBN links support NWE through referral fees. It was included in standard printed Christian Bibles in the deuterocanon section. Compare 1 Maccabees 10:65. And he fought many battles, and won many strongholds, and killed the kings of the earth. 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). He may well have played some part in it himself in his youth. [29] Jewish historian Uriel Rappaport[he] asserts that "the majority of scholars today accept the authenticity of this document". 2 Maccabees - Chapter 4. That is, each nation should abandon its religious customs. INTRODUCING MATTATHIAS. The contest which he describes is a struggle, not simply between Jew and Gentile, but between those who would uphold the law and those, Jews or Gentiles, who would destroy it. It describes the promulgation of decrees forbidding traditional Jewish practices by King Antiochus IV Epiphanes and the formation of a rebellion against him by Mattathias of the Hasmonean family and his five sons. 1 Kings. And king Antiochus wrote to his whole kingdom, that all should be one people. [13] The word "Maccabees" in plural, however, does not appear to have been used until centuries after the Maccabean Revolt. The book is not part of the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh) and is not considered canonical by Protestant denominations nor in any of the major branches of Judaism. VERSE 23. The history of the Maccabee family given in these books ends with the death of Simon and the succession of his son, John Hyrcanus. [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. He claims to have used and condensed a five-volume work by someone called Jason of Cyrene (which no longer exists) and appears to have introduced theological reflections onto the events as he went. He shows intimate and detailed geographical knowledge of the Judea, Galilee, and their environs, but is inaccurate in his information about foreign countries. Luckily, when a skateboard courier called Y.T. (He had previously become king of Greece.) 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). This book also tells us more about atonement beyond the grave by asserting the existence of purgatory (12:38ff). The setting of the book is about a century after the conquest of Judea by the Greeks under Alexander the Great, when the country was part of the Greek Seleucid Empire. he spoke words in subtlety. Matthew 24:15. 1 Maccabees. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. That is, about 168 BC. (He had previously become king of Greece.) 1:9). One is that it was simply "too new," dealing with a period several centuries after the traditional end of Jewish prophecy. 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. It was probably written sometime in the second century bc, in other words very shortly after the events it described. 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. 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. Experts date the original Hebrew text sometime in the late second century B.C.E. 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. Scholarly estimates for the date of authorship include: Roman Missal, Lectionary, Revised Edition approved for use in the dioceses of England and Wales, Scotland, Ireland, published by Collins, Geoffrey Chapman and Veritas, 1981, 1982, volumes 2 and 3, The Revolt of the Maccabees: The True Story Behind Hanukkah, "The date of the first Book of Maccabees", "MACCABEES, THE - JewishEncyclopedia.com", "The Original Language of 1 Maccabees: A Reexamination,", "1 Maccabees, the first book of Maccabees", Session IV Celebrated on the eighth day of April, 1546 under Pope Paul III, The First Book of Machabees Liber I Machaborum, Erran Baron Cohen Presents: Songs in the Key of Hanukkah, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1_Maccabees&oldid=1141777926, Articles containing Ancient Greek (to 1453)-language text, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, 3:1 to 9:22, under the leadership of Judas Maccabeus, 9:23 to 12:53, under the leadership of Jonathan, Chapters 1316, under the leadership of Simon. VERSE 41. THE FIRST BOOK OF MACCABEES. In the year 142 BCE, after more than 500 years of subjugation, the Jews were again masters of their own fate. 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. He achieves semi-independence from the Seleucid Empire and gains recognition of his rulership from the Roman Senate in 139. for the second, on the basis of the information given in the first letter they refer to (2 Mace. The books had separate authors. After successfully invading the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, Antiochus IV captures Jerusalem and removes the sacred objects from the Temple in Jerusalem, slaughtering many Jews. His son, Ptolemy III Euergetes, extended his empire into Persia. Not only the leaders, but also circumcised infants and their mothers are killed as a warning to others. The book also comes across as dismissive of martyrdom and passive approaches to resistance, seeing such gestures as futile and pointless. The setting of the book is about a century after the conquest of Judea by the Greeks under Alexander the Great, when the country was part of the Greek . After the destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem in 70 C.E., Judaism regrouped under the leadership of the rabbis. VERSE 38. Others, like Mattathias, fought to remain faithful to the Law. hanged their babes about their necks. 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. First and Second Maccabees help us to realize that God watches over his own, and they show that Israel always wins victory over its enemies when it stays true to the Covenant. The rebellion began under the leadership of the Jewish priest Mattathias after Antiochus sought to stamp out Judaism by forbidding all Jewish practices and desecrating the temple (167 bc). 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. Compare 1 Maccabees 10:65. ALEXANDER THE GREAT. It includes such fundamental texts as that which states that God created all thingsex nihilo, out of nothing, not out of things which existed (7:28), and those which make it clear that the sacrifice of martyrs is a voluntary form of atonement which placates Gods anger (7:36, 8:5). The book covers the whole of the revolt, from 175 to 134 BC, highlighting how the salvation of the Jewish people in this crisis came through Mattathias' family, particularly his sons, Judas Maccabeus, Jonathan Apphus, and Simon Thassi, and Simon's son, John Hyrcanus. This history includes battles with Antiochus IV and his son. 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. in accordance with New World Encyclopedia standards. First Maccabees or 1 Maccabees is most famous as the source of the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. 4:59). The history presented is very accurate, comparing favorably to pagan historians such as Livy or Tacitus. All this shows that these inspired books are well worth prayerful reading, particularly the second, which provides us with many edifying examples especially the humility which leads its protagonists to trust in God, their fortitude in defending their faith, their patience in dealing with obstacles to observance of the Law, and their deep piety, as shown in their prayer for their dead comrades. There is one complete loss of a thousand Jews (men, women, and children) to Antiochus when the Jewish defenders refuse to fight on the Sabbath. 1 Maccabees A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary. [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. VERSE 57. 2 Simon now had the effrontery to name this benefactor of the city, this protector of his . As a part of the revolt, the Temple was freed from . many in Israel were fully resolved. He then imposes a tax and establishes a fortress in Jerusalem. 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). When war broke out between these two brothers the Romans intervened, took Jerusalem and brought the monarchy to an end. VERSE 58. More recent English language versions of the Bible which contain 1 Maccabees include the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV), Good News Translation (GNT), New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE). Because of the accuracy of the historical account, if a later date is accepted, then the author must have had access to first-hand reports of the events. [33], Proposed alliances with Rome and with Areus of Sparta are covered in 1 Maccabees 12:123. [20], The Jerusalem Bible divides the book into five sections:[24], The setting of the book is about a century and a half after the conquest of Judea by the Greeks under Alexander the Great, after Alexander's empire had been divided so that Judea had become part of the Greek Seleucid Empire. the hundred and thirty and seventh year. The later Jewish historian Josephus most likely used some form of this text in writing his account of the Maccabean revolt. The book of Tobit tells the story of Tobit and his family, who are living as exiles from Israel after the Assyrian conquest. 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. (1 Maccabees 2.62-64). And after these things he fell sick, and perceived that he should die. 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. And if you like what you see, check out our complete Online Course about the first five books of the Bible, a.k.a. The kingdom began to decline under Ptolemy IV Philopator, who was a bad administrator and led a dissolute life. However, after successfully invading the Ptolemaic kingdom of Egypt, Antiochus IV enters Jerusalem and removes the sacred objects from the Temple. VERSE 1. Other texts lay stress on the intercession of the saints and the value of prayers for the dead (12:43-46), which are the basis of the dogma of the communion of saints. 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 . This suggests that in antiquity, IV Maccabees, dealing almost exclusively with martyrdom, may have been the most highly regarded. VERSE 59. 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 is even more important from the doctrinal point of view. 1 Maccabees is the most extensive source of information on events in Judea from 175 to 135. saves his butt from a delivery-gone-bonkers, he decides to play nice with . 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. [20] The book is not written in colloquial "common" Koine Greek of the 2nd century BC, but rather a more archaic style of Greek consciously imitative of the style of older scriptures. 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). Antiochus captures Egypt. These include four laments and three hymns of praise. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. His severest condemnation goes, not to the Seleucid politicians, but to the lawless apostates among his own people, adversaries of Judas and his brothers, who are models of faith and loyalty. 62 Do not fear the words of sinners, for their splendour will turn into dung and worms. 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. And they shed innocent blood on every side of the sanctuary, and defiled the sanctuary. 1:10 And there came out of them a wicked root Antiochus surnamed Epiphanes, son of Antiochus the The writer compares their virtues and their exploits with those of Israel's ancient . It is considered one of the most accurate accounts of Jewish history for the period which it covers. Related to this is the issue that including 1 Maccabees in the canon may have given legitimacy to other texts in the Septuagint that were more problematic for the rabbis. This page was last edited on 26 February 2023, at 19:13. VERSE 56. 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 author is unknown. The doctrine expressed in the book is the customary belief of Israel, without the new developments which appear in 2Maccabees and Daniel. Pride goes before destruction, and an arrogant spirit before a fall. In general, its chronology coheres with that of I Maccabees. 1:8 And his servants bare rule every one in his place. He bans the observance of the sabbath and the offering of sacrifices at the Temple. As generally reliable historically, but not a part of holy scripture was a administrator... Are covered in 1 Maccabees covers the period of 175 BCE to 134 BCE and! Protector of his as exiles from Israel after the events it described IV Philopator, who was bad. In standard printed Christian Bibles in the second century BC, in other words very shortly after the Assyrian.! Rule every one in his youth Hanukkah is instituted by Judas Maccabeus and his family, was. Traditional end of Jewish history for the period which it covers received from contributors Antiochus wrote his! At 19:13 in general, its chronology coheres with that of I Maccabees, like Mattathias, fought to faithful... 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