1 Maccabees - Bible Overview

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Bible Overview is a wonderful resource for anyone interested in Bible study. Each month we feature a book of the Bible (in order) by Bible scholar and lecturer, Mary Jane Chaignot.

This month we will begin our study of the Maccabees. 1 Maccabees covers the period of 175 BCE to 134 BCE. The first date is when Antiochus IV ascended to the throne and the second date marks the death of Simon, the high priest. We will be talking about events that happened in the second century, which took place in Judea located in the Syrian empire. 1 Maccabees begins by noting the death of Alexander the Great (323 BCE) and the division of his empire. At first, Judea was part of the Ptolemaic empire based in Egypt. But the Selucid Kings in Syria were never happy with that arrangement and after 100 years, they were able to wrest Palestine away from the Ptolemys. Though initially hailed as liberators, the Selucid family wasted no time in leaving their mark upon Judea. 1 Maccabees describes the response of one family to these events. If you want to read some of the history previous to this selection, you can find the earlier books in our archives.

The Bible Time-Line is another quick reference for locating individuals or specific books. We encourage readers to share their Bible study success stories on this site. Email us at overview@biblewise.com to be included on next month's site.

1 Maccabees

Politics wasn’t the only major development to have an impact on the people of Judea. The world was in the midst of a huge cultural shift, and Judea was in the crosshairs. Long before the arrival of Alexander the Great, Judea belonged to the Persian Empire. Judea’s rulers were appointed by Persia, but the real authority resided in the office of high priest. The holder of that office was determined by hereditary guidelines. This allowed the Jews to live in the Empire but also to be loyal to their traditions – namely, the Law of Moses and the temple. It seems that the Persians were quite solicitous in making allowances for Jewish traditions. These provisions would be continued through the time of Rome.

The influence of Greece, however, was something else. No doubt, people were aware of and trading with Greece long before Alexander, but the effects of his exploits cannot be understated. Alexander wanted to Hellenize (make people Greek in every way) the entire world – literally. He sent soldiers into colonies throughout the Middle East, inundating communities with the “Greek way of life,” including literature, athletics, city states, and philosophies. Descriptions of Palestine are found in Grecian writings from this period, so we know Judea was not exempt from being involved in this evolution.

When Judea was under Ptolemaic rule, a large Jewish settlement flourished in Alexandria – a center, known not only for its literature and learning but also for its commerce and trade. It was around this time that the Jewish Law was translated into Greek for the benefit of those Jews who were no longer familiar with Hebrew. (This translation would become known later on as the Septuagint.) Along with this new influence came a whole new class among the Jewish citizenry – successful businessmen adept at trading with outsiders. Sons of influential Jews were given positions in Egypt. Some were even designated as tax collectors for the Ptolemys. As the role of these men grew in importance, the corresponding role of the high priest diminished. And as these families grew more and more successful in their own right, the family of the high priest lost power and influence.

These trends can be encapsulated in one event that occurred in 240 BCE. At that time, the high priest (Onias II) decided to stop paying tribute to the Ptolemys. This came at a time when the Selucid king had triumphed over Egypt in some skirmishes. Scholars are not sure of Onias’ motives. Some think he hoped that the Selucids would rid the country of the Ptolemys; others think he might have been striving for Jewish independence. As it turned out, however, his nephew (Joseph), who hailed from a wealthy family that had been heavily involved in commerce with the Ptolemys, negotiated a successful settlement between Onias and the Ptolemys. From then on, Joseph was the Jewish representative in the Egyptian court and Onias, the high priest, was not.

This was the beginning of a power struggle that would see-saw back and forth for the next several generations within Judea. But during this same time, the Ptolemys and Selucids were also fighting each other. In 198 BCE, the Selucid King finally prevailed over Egypt and acquired Palestine. He did not, however, continue his campaign into Egypt. After pledging his daughter and making a treaty with Ptolemy V, Antiochus (the Selucid King) turned his attention toward Rome. Accompanied by Hannibal, he invaded Greece in 192 BCE. They were defeated first on land, then at sea. That battle was over in 190 BCE. The Romans imposed a heavy tax on Antiochus III, who soon fell further and further behind in his payments. In 187 BCE, Antiochus III was assassinated while robbing a temple in his own territory hoping to steal enough money to pay his tribute to Rome.

Palace intrigue would prevail for the next 12 years, but finally Antiochus IV would ascend to the throne in 175 BCE. Antiochus IV was fully committed to the further Hellenization of the area. Since the reigning high priest resisted this direction, he was summarily ousted. With the position of high priest open, Antiochus tried to kill two birds with one stone. He offered the office to the highest bidder, expecting to be able to install a high priest who was committed to Hellenizing the region while gaining enough cash to help pay the Roman tribute that he had inherited from his father. He was not disappointed. Menelaus got the position and traditional Jews were outraged. Antiochus IV lost no time in making things difficult for those Jews.

Nonetheless, the biggest prize was still Egypt. Antiochus IV had hoped that his daughter would remain loyal to him, but she did not. She was the one who encouraged the Ptolemys to make an alliance with Rome. That held them in good stead. While they were under attack in 168 BCE by the Selucids, the Ptolemys cried out to Rome, who quickly came to their defense because such an attack violated the conditions of the treaty they had made with Antiochus III. The Roman commander, Gaius, met Antiochus IV as he neared the Egyptian capital. In front of all his men, Gaius literally drew a circle around him in the sand. He would not allow Antiochus IV to move out of the circle until he had promised to leave Egypt alone.

Antiochus IV had no choice but to agree, but he was dreadfully humiliated in the process. On his way back home (through Palestine), he vented his spleen against observant Jews. A rumor had circulated that he had been killed by the Romans so observant Jews had moved against Menelaus. When Antiochus IV showed up, he literally attacked the city. He restored Menelaus and went after the temple, plundering its treasury. It didn’t take him long to figure out that much of Jewish unrest involved temple activities (traditionalists vs. Hellenizers), so he outlawed temple activities and established a military garrison next to the temple. He abolished Sabbath and Jewish holy days, and outlawed circumcision and all ceremonies involving ritual purification upon pain of death. In 167 BCE he installed a statue of Zeus in the temple and sacrificed Zeus’ animal of choice – a pig – upon the altar. Daniel 11 refers to this as the “abomination that makes desecration.” Observant Jews fled the city in droves; no one was left at the temple apart from the collaborators.

Antiochus was not content with the “capture” of Jerusalem, so his commanders moved into the countryside. It was in Modein that one of his commanders came to force people to offer sacrifices according to the new way. After setting up an altar, they tried to enlist Mattathias, an elderly priest and influential citizen, to be the first volunteer. When he refused, another Jew stepped forward. Mattathias was suddenly filled with a holy wrath and killed both the officer and the offending Jew. He invited those who agreed with him to follow him and they hid in the mountains and desert places. From there, they were able to ferret out “renegade” Jews, battle small bands of Antiochus’ troops, and destroy the false altars. Most think he was only in charge about a year before falling ill and dying. No doubt his death spurred others to carry on his vision, most notably his five sons.

The best of his sons was named Judas, called Maccabeus. Among their notable achievements was that they were able to persuade observant Jews that fighting on the Sabbath was permissible. Soon the Hasidim Jews joined forces with them. Together they formed an army and struck down lawless men. 1 Maccabees, then, is the story of how God used one family to thwart political oppressors. And, ultimately, the office of high priest would come from this family.

While this might sound like a wonderful success story, the fact remains that opposition to Maccabean rule was constantly present. The Qumran community was formed in reaction to the “wickedness” of Jonathan (the fifth son). His great sin was that he made alliances with other nations. Nor were all people happy that the high priest was suddenly appointed from another line. Tradition dies hard and up to this point, the high priests hailed from the Zadokite line. The unknown author of 1 Maccabees, however, did not share those concerns and penned this “history” to glorify this family. Indeed, he presents them as becoming high priests and effective rulers in the traditions of many Old Testament leaders. This author believed that all of Israel owed this family a huge debt of gratitude for its service and sacrifice.

For that reason, one must be cautious about believing all the historical facts as presented in the book. While the author might have presented a chronological account, he does not pretend to be unbiased. For him, the Maccabees were unsung heroes and nothing less. Though God is rarely mentioned, His presence is constantly felt – guiding and showing favor in the successes of this family. God raised them up at a time when Israel was in crisis -- the temple had been defiled; the honor of Jerusalem was at stake. The country needed a deliverer and they got one. There are many OT echoes in these stories.

One final point is about the many names used in the book. Mattathias had five sons. The middle son, Judas, was known as Maccabeus. Scholars debate the etymology of that word but seem to think it means “hammer” or “the hammerer.” Whenever scholars refer to this family, they call them the “Hasmoneans.” That word is never used in the story, but it seems to derive from the lineage of Mattathias. Some think it refers to Mattathias’ grandfather. In any event, the “Hasmonean” dynasty lasted over one hundred years – from 167 BCE to 63 BCE. At that point, the Romans terminated it and added Palestine to their expanding Empire.

Originally, this book was probably written in Hebrew and translated into “Biblical Greek;” it has been best preserved in the Septuagint. It had a deep influence, not only upon Jewish history, but also upon their theology. It some sense it was the forerunner of the messianic movement that would prevail until the destruction of the temple in 70 CE. The idea that God would appoint someone (or a family) to lead a revolution that would restore independence to Israel and drive the foreigners out of the land lasted throughout the Roman occupation. 1 Maccabees proved that God could bring victory despite overwhelming odds. It also provided a rationale for opposing the “renegades,” which would become a key factor in Paul’s work with Gentile Christians.

Scholars have long wondered why it wasn’t included in the canon. The most logical reason is that at some point Jewish leaders rebelled against the example of this family. Perhaps they were too political; perhaps some thought people were making messianic claims about Judas. Maybe it was because in later years Jews using similar tactics were dismally defeated by the Romans. In any event, it is not recognized as canonical by Protestants and Jews.

There are roughly five sections to this letter: 1:1-2:70 – History and Resistance of Mattathias; 3:1-9:22 – Exploits of Judas Maccabeus; 9:23-12:53 – Exploits of Jonathan; 13:1-15:41– The Story of Simon, the high priest; 16:1-64 – John Hyrcanus.


I – 1:1-2:30 – Historical and Resistance of Mattathias
1:1-10		Alexander and his Generals Alexander succeeded his father (Philip) in 336BCE The glorious exploits of Alexander the Great came to a screeching halt After conquering the known world, he fell ill and died – leaving no heir Alexander died in 323 BCE 1 Maccabees suggests he determined the division of his empire prior to his death In reality, it was messy and undecided until 305 BCE – 18-20 years later! The Ptolemys were given Egypt and Palestine The Selucids took Syria It was a time of “many evils”

1:11-15		Some Jews wanted to accept Greek ways Those who wanted to “Hellenize” were called apostates and renegades They opposed the Maccabees They departed from the Law of Moses and made a covenant with Greece (One of their great sins was that they bought the high priesthood) They were very influential and many Jews followed them They built a gymnasium and removed “the marks of circumcision”

1:16-19		Antiochus invades Egypt Antiochus made great gains in Egypt but was not able to conquer Alexandria Humiliated and frustrated, he took out his vengeance against Judea on the way back

1:20-24a		Antiochus robbed the temple He stole the valuables out of the temple in 169 BCE Some of this was payment by the high priest, but most think he needed to pay tribute to Rome for the mistakes of his father Author mentions multiple times that Antiochus acted “arrogantly”

1:24b-28		Lament Psalms People mourned deeply and the land “trembled”

1:29-35		The occupation of Jerusalem Two years later, Antiochus sent the chief tribute collector He acted friendly at first, then fell upon the city He plundered the city, killed Jews, and captured women and children They built a citadel overlooking the Temple They placed “Hellenizing” sympathizers in control

1:36-40		Lament psalm on the sanctuary Innocent blood was shed there; people fled out of the city Strangers took over; the sanctuary became desolate

1:41-64		Beginning of religious persecution Antiochus decreed that all should be Greeks All the Gentiles agreed; so did many Jews He outlawed the practice of the Jews; circumcision, purity laws were illegal Those who did not obey would be killed He required that people sacrifice to Zeus, town by town Many complied; some might have done so out of fear The true people of Israel had to flee for their lives On December 15, 167 BCE, Antiochus erected an altar to Zeus on the altar in the temple Forever this would be known as “the abomination of desolation” Books of the Law were destroyed Many cruel acts were committed Still, many in Israel stood firm and chose to die rather than profane the covenant Those who stayed were killed

2:1-70		Mattathias and his sons

		2:1-14 Family of Mattathias Mattathias was a priest who had five sons His middle son, Judas, was called Maccabeus (possibly means “hammer”) As a deeply pious man, he saw and lamented the blasphemies of Judah and Jerusalem He wept for the city and its people He and his sons engaged in traditional mourning 2:15-28 The precipitating event Mattathias lived in Modein The king’s officers came and chose Mattathias to be an example for all He wanted Mattathias to be the first to participate in pagan worship Mattathias soundly refused – with a loud lament! After his refusal, another Jew stepped forward offering to take his place Filled with righteous anger, Mattathias killed him and the king’s officer He also tore down the altar He asked for followers and they all fled to the hills, leaving everything behind They were all “zealous for the law” 2:29-41 The beginning of the revolution Many others who were seeking righteousness and worried about the response of Antiochus went to live in the wilderness Women, children, and livestock were taken along The king’s army followed them, taunting them to fight on the Sabbath When they refused, 1000 people were summarily slaughtered When Mattathias heard this, he proposed they needed to fight and defend themselves even if it was a Sabbath 2:42-48 The Hasideans Generally thought to be the forerunners of the Essenes and Pharisees, they joined Mattathias’ group These people were not political warriors but religious ones (Later they would break away because they were only interested in religious freedoms and had no use for politics per se) Together they broke down the pagan altars and chased out the “renegades” Suddenly, Judea was in the midst of a civil war 2:49-70 Mattathias’ last words His last words to his sons were to forego arrogance and to show “zeal for the Law” He reviewed OT characters who were faithful in spite of great odds He praised them highly His sons should emulate them – and uphold the law! (repeated at least four times) If they would never lack in trust, they would never lack in strength Simon (second son) would be their father (eventually high priest) Judas Maccabeus would be their leader Then he blessed them and closed his eyes

II -- 3:1-9:22 – Exploits of Judas Maccabeus

3:1-26		Judas was a good choice for leader Judas was very successful He was hailed as a leader using similes of a giant, lion, and a cub He was praised for punishing the Gentiles and the Hellenists In so doing, he was honoring his ancestors Twice, Gentile commanders came against him Twice, they were defeated despite all odds Judas’ motives were to glorify God; the Gentiles’ motives were to “make a name for themselves” Soon, Judas and his brothers began to be feared

3:27-4:61		Judas’ greatest achievements

		3:27-31 Response of Antiochus He gathered up a large army, then found he had little money to pay them He went to Persia to collect the revenues owed him 3:32-37 Lysias was commanded to destroy Jerusalem One half of Antiochus’ army went to Persia; the other half was led by Lysias His instructions were to destroy Jerusalem and redistribute the land (165 BCE) 3:38-4:35 Judas defeats Lysias Lysias picked three able leaders, armed them with 40,000 infantry and 7,000 cavalry to destroy Judah The Selucid army camped roughly 20 miles west of Jerusalem Judas sought to rouse the people – prayed, fasted, trusted God One of the king’s leaders planned a sneak attack at night But Judas heard of it and attacked the main camp while this division was gone Not only did he defeat them, but also scared the first leader off On their return they praised God and sang hymns Those Gentiles that had escaped reported back to Lysias Though disappointed, he gathered an even bigger force to return to Judah Judas, overwhelmed by sheer numbers, prayed out to God His men fought with “boldness” and were able to defeat a much larger army 4:36-61 Judas rededicates the temple While Lysias was once again regrouping, Judas and his men cleansed and rededicated the temple They dismantled the altar that had been profaned and built a brand new one Early in the morning on the 25th day of the ninth month they offered sacrifices It was three years since the temple had been desecrated They celebrated for eight days – instituting the “Feast of Lights” or “Hanukkah”

5:1-68		Battles with other nations Neighboring nations were outraged when they heard the temple had been rebuilt Then they began to take up where the Syrians had left off by killing the descendants of Jacob Judas responded in kind and many wars were fought At this point, he was the only one fighting to save the Jews from annihilation Many times he seemed to anticipate the Gentiles’ strategy and was able to defeat them Battles were won across the land because Judas’ motives were pious and right

6:1-17		Death of Antiochus His efforts to plunder Persia were thwarted and he left empty-handed Then he heard about the defeat of Lysias and the successes of Judas He was “deeply disappointed” and badly shaken He took to his bed and realized he was dying According to this author, he repented of his wrongdoings He appointed Philip to raise his young son (whom he had earlier placed in the hands of Lysias) According to scholars Antiochus died in 163 BCE, a year after the temple was rededicated

6:18-63		Judas attacks the citadel Taking advantage of the confusion following Antiochus’ death, Judas attacked the citadel in Jerusalem Some were able to escape and make their way back to Syria to get help They convinced Lysias the time was ripe to put an end to Judah once and for all The Syrians approached with elephants and a huge army The Jews fought bravely, but one of Judas’ brothers was killed Then the Jews fled All this occurred in a sabbatical year (meaning the land remained fallow) so the Jews had very little food/resources Lysias was about to inflict the death knell when he heard that Philip had returned to the capital and was supposed to take care of Antiochus’ son Lysias called off the siege of Jerusalem, tore down the walls, signed a peace treaty, and went back to Syria to fight against Philip

7:1-25		Installation of the new high priest In the meantime, Demetrius (the rightful heir to the Selucid throne and brother of Antiochus) escaped from being held hostage in Rome He returned to Syria, had Lysias and Antiochus’ son killed He, then, assumed the throne He had no peace agreement with Judah and did not intend to honor the work Lysias had done He appointed a new chief high priest, Alcimus, who was devoted to Hellenizing The followers of Alcimus accused Judas of plunder and aggressions During this time, the apostates and “renegades” gained in strength Demetrius hired Bacchides from Mesopotamia to help keep things under control He and Alcimus went out to the people promising peace While Judas and his men were very wary of him, the Hasideans trusted him As soon as they let down their guard, Bacchides killed 60 of the Hasideans This outraged almost everyone except the followers of Alcimus Bacchides fought and won several battles against Judas and his followers Thinking the tide had turned, he left Alcimus in charge and returned to Syria Now the battle was between the Jews – the Hellenizers against the “faithful” Things were not going that well for Alcimus so he appealed to the king for aid

7:26-50		Judas defeats Nicanor Demetrius sent Nicanor to Judah with instructions to “destroy the people” Nicanor tried to talk peaceful words, but this time no one believed him Several priests tried to placate him by offering sacrifices to the king He spat on them and promised to defile the temple if Judas was not handed over to him Soon both Judas and the priests were praying for the deliverance of Judah The battle was short; Nicanor was the first to fall and his army fled the area Judah enjoyed the plunder and a new feast day was born – the day of Nicanor No one was allowed to weep on that day

8:1-32		Treaty with the Romans With Nicanor dead, the Syrians once again gathered their forces Judas, therefore, sought an alliance with the Romans First the author heaps great praise upon the Roman way of life (probably because it wasn’t Greek) The Romans had won several battles against the Greeks and had “subdued” kings Instead of “kings,” the Romans had a senate body of 123 senators to govern In view of Judah’s problems with the Selucid kings, this seemed like a huge improvement So Judas sent emissaries to the senate to “establish friendship and peace” They promised collaboration and to fight common enemies Since Demetrius had escaped from Rome, Judas thought the Romans would readily join them The covenant was apparently agreed upon by both parties

9:1-22		The fall of Judas In the meantime, Demetrius sent Bacchides and Alcimus back again to “destroy the people” Judas’ troops were vastly outnumbered and many deserted at that Judas determined to die in battle rather than surrender It took all day for 22,000 Syrians to defeat 800 of Judas’ men When Judas died, his men fled into the countryside His remaining brothers were able to retrieve his body for burial All Israel mourned for him, calling him the “savior of Israel”

III -- 9:23-12:53 – Exploits of Jonathan

9:23-73		Continued battles with Bacchides With the demise of Judas, the “renegades” and Hellenizers regrouped Judah was once again in peril Judas’ followers were being betrayed right and left Finally, by acclaim, they chose Judas’ brother, Jonathan, to be their leader As soon as Bacchides heard this, he tried to find Jonathan and have him killed Jonathan and his men fled to the wilderness He sent his brother, John, to hide their belongings amongst an Arab clan Unfortunately, they killed John and stole their belongings Jonathan’s first task was to avenge his brother’s death Bacchides again went after Jonathan; a battle raged but he could not capture him Bacchides began to build fortifications in many Jewish cities Alcimus tried to remodel the temple in accordance with the new Hellenized laws Suddenly he suffered paralysis and loss of speech and soon died With Alcimus gone, Bacchides returned to Syria to consult with the king The land had peace for two years, and Jonathan had time to regroup Upon realizing this, the apostates and “renegades” pleaded with Bacchides to return to finish the job with Jonathan Eventually Bacchides came with another army Because Jonathan had had time to regroup, they were able to defeat them Bacchides was so angry with the apostates and “renegades” that he turned on them He thought they had set him up by enticing him to come When Jonathan heard this, he offered to make peace with Bacchides They agreed and Bacchides promised not to harm him again They mutually kept their word, and the country had peace for five years Jonathan acted as judge and punished many of the Hellenists

10:1-66		Revolt of Alexander Epiphanes Back in Syria politics once again heated up Alexander Epiphanes suddenly appeared, claiming to be the rightful heir of Antiochus Many who weren’t happy with Demetrius were delighted Feeling threatened, Demetrius tried to cozy up to Jonathan and offered him many concessions – including the ability to recruit troops Not to be outdone, Alexander offered Jonathan the position of high priest (Though the high priest office had been a political appointment for decades at this point, some of the Hasideans were very upset about this. It is thought that some broke away and established the Qumran community of the Essenes out of protest) Jonathan accepted this position and armed his troops With Jonathan being courted by both kings, many of the Hellenists fled the country Demetrius was alarmed at the advantage gained by Alexander so he sent a letter rescinding all taxation and granted Jews control of the citadel in Jerusalem Territories were restored; Jewish practices were reinstituted; and monies were sent from the royal treasury to help pay for temple costs and priests’ salaries (Sometimes, however, if something sounds too good to be true, it is) Jonathan refused the king’s offers (after remembering all the horrible things he had done) and sided with Alexander Shortly, the two kings met in battle and Demetrius was killed in defeat Alexander then sealed his friendship with Egypt through marriage Jonathan was invited to the ceremony and honored as a noble leader The king removed his garments and clothed him in purple The king refused to listen to any complaints against Jonathan The Hellenizers left Israel Jonathan returned to Jerusalem in peace and very happy

10:67-89		The defeat of Apollonius Around 147 BCE, the son of Demetrius came into the land wanting to reclaim his father’s throne He appointed Apollonius as governor of Palestine Needless to say, Apollonius and Jonathan were soon at odds By this time, however, Jonathan’s troops were well trained and well armed They routed the Syrians for which Alexander promoted Jonathan to an even higher rank

11:1-19		Ptolemy invades Syria Unhappy with Alexander’s successes, the king of Egypt began to move into Syria He conned many communities, fortifying cities as he went All along he was communicating with Demetrius and trying to set up an agreement with him Finally he took his daughter away from Alexander and gave her to Demetrius By this time, Demetrius had gained in popularity and strength Alexander marched against him but was turned back He fled to Arabia for safety but was killed by his Arab host Within days, Ptolemy also died, leaving Demetrius as the lone ruler (145 BCE)

11:20-37		Jonathan’s diplomatic policies With Demetrius in power, the Hellenizers began making accusations against Jonathan The king invited him to a council at which point Jonathan lavished him with gifts and praise It was effective; the king, like his predecessors, honored Jonathan and confirmed his office of high priest Jonathan was then able to get some of the concessions offered by Demetrius, including religious liberty and no taxation

11:38-74		Politics, politics, politics With the land quiet and peaceful, Demetrius dismissed many of his troops They revolted against him for doing this (suddenly they had no jobs) One of his supporters, Trypho (who had changed loyalties back and forth between the kings), decided to support Alexander’s young son With things in turmoil in Syria again, Jonathan asked that troops be removed from the citadel in Jerusalem In return he promised to help the king save his throne The king asked for his help and Jonathan sent 3,000 fighting men They were successful in fighting for the king In so doing, the Gentiles were very fearful of them The king, however, did not keep his side of the agreement Then to make matters worse, Trypho installed the young son of Alexander as king with the support of all the troops that Demetrius had dismissed Demetrius was routed Alexander’s son confirmed Jonathan as high priest and promoted Simon as governor With the Syrian army now an ally, Jonathan became a stronger force in his land

12:1-23		Alliances with Rome and Sparta The fact that Jonathan started making treaties with Rome and Sparta shows his international stature These were typical political alliances of the times

12:24-38		Jonathan and Simon continue to have successes Another skirmish with troops loyal to Demetrius ended favorably for Jonathan He continued to use his time building fortifications throughout the land

12:39-53		Trypho’s betrayal Nothing is forever, however After supporting Alexander’s son to be king, Trypho changed his mind He wanted the position for himself and feared Jonathan might stand in his way They met in battle; upon seeing that he was greatly outnumbered, Trypho charmed Jonathan into believing it was all a misunderstanding He got Jonathan to send his troops home so they could have discussions on peace Jonathan fell for it and dismissed most of his troops He and a few troops went to the city of Ptolemais for the supposed peace talks When they entered the city, the gates were closed; Jonathan was captured and his men were slaughtered Trypho tried to eliminate the rest of Jonathan’s army, but this he was unable to do Instead, the troops made it back to Jerusalem where they mourned Jonathan deeply

IV -- 13:1-15:41 – The Story of Simon, the high priest

13:1-30		Simon is appointed leader of Judah After the capture of Jonathan, his brother, Simon, encouraged and inspired the people The people immediately proclaimed him leader and professed their loyalty to him Trypho tried to ransom Jonathan for money and the right to hold two of his sons as hostages The hostages would insure the king that Jonathan would not attack him again After much deliberation, Simon sent the money, but Trypho did not release Jonathan Trypho tried to invade Judah, but was not successful He finally left the area when a big snow fell On his way back, he killed Jonathan Simon retrieved his brother’s bones and gave him a proper burial in Modein There, he built a great memorial in honor of his family (The structures endured well into the fourth century)

13:31-14:49		The accomplishments of Simon When Trypho returned home, he killed the young king Antiochus and took over the throne He imposed a heavy tax upon all of Judah Simon built up fortifications throughout the land and asked Demetrius for tax relief Demetrius responded favorably and extended his hand in peace By the end of Simon’s first year in office, the land was at peace and taxes were cancelled In addition, Demetrius appointed Simon as high priest While Trypho and Demetrius were preoccupied with each other, Simon went about reclaiming the Hellenized cities Those in the citadel in Jerusalem begged to make peace with him as well Simon, however, expelled them all from Jerusalem and cleansed the area In 140 BCE Demetrius went to the Parthians asking for their help in attacking Trypho Instead the Parthians removed him from power, though they treated him well Meanwhile, Simon “had rest all the days of his life” He did away with all the apostates and “renegades” A hymn describes this period in idyllic terms Since Judea was now independent, Gentile nations started coming to them Sparta and Rome asked to renew their treaties with him Simon was granted official honors among the people The people were very grateful for all that Simon’s family had done for them This was a time of peace and prosperity for the Jews By acclaim, they all agreed to ratify Simon as high priest forever and ever Simon accepted their offer and agreed to be high priest, commander, and protector of all

15:1-14		Demetrius’ son wars against Trypho Demetrius’ son first sent a letter to Simon asking for his support He pledged to continue all the benefits promised by his predecessors He, then, set out to attack Trypho whose troops were so weary that many had deserted

15:15-24		Rome offers their support to the Jews Rome sent a letter confirming their alliance with Judah They continued to honor Simon and decreed that all nations should refrain from seeking Israel’s harm or making war against them

15:25-36		Antiochus betrays Simon Antiochus had Trypho trapped, but could not defeat him Wanting to help, Simon sent troops, equipment, and cash Antiochus refused to receive them and put Simon on notice that he intended to take back all the cities Simon had cleansed Antiochus sent his emissary to deliver the news to Simon Upon seeing the wealth in the city and the splendor of Simon, the emissary was amazed He reported back to Antiochus who then became very angry Meanwhile Trypho escaped by ship Antiochus pursued him but sent a commander to encamp against Judah and to make war on the people The commander was quite successful and killed many Jews

V -- 16:1-64 – John Hyrcanus
		Simon’s son, John, was the one who informed him of what was happening Simon called his sons together and told them the battle was now theirs to fight John marched against the commander and was able to break their ranks Meanwhile, one of Simon’s sons-in-law, Ptolemy, coveted the office of high priest He invited his father-in-law and several sons to a banquet When they were drunk, Ptolemy and his men rose up and killed them In so doing, he committed an act of great treachery Ptolemy wrote to the king asking for recognition and troops But word got out to Simon’s son, John, who was able to seize the men John, then, became high priest “The works that he did are written in the annals of his high priesthood” He succeeded his father as high priest and was also the political and military ruler

Thus ends the story of the Maccabees. Maccabees II covers some of the same ground only from a different perspective. But this story leaves us hanging. The outcome of Ptolemy is left unknown; yet the Maccabean dynasty is intact and strong. Why it ends here is anybody’s guess, but the author has truly shown how one family made a huge difference at a critical point in history. God raised up this family and they served Him well. Many refer to them as Saviors for the time.

Bibliography

Bartlett, John R. “The First and Second Books of the Maccabees.” The Cambridge Bible Commentary. London, Great Britain: Cambridge University Press. 1973.

deSilva, David. Introducing the Apocrypha. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic. 2002.

Fischel, H.A. The First Book of Maccabees. New York, New York: Schocken Books. 1948.

Harrington, Daniel J. The Maccabean Revolt. Wilmington, Delaware: Michael Glazier. 1988.

Harrington, Daniel J. Invitation to the Apocrypha. Grand Rapids, MI: William B Eerdmans. 1999.

Meeks, Wayne, ed. The Harper Collins Study Bible. San Francisco, CA: HarperCollins Publishers. 1993.

Mills, Watson and Richard Wilson, Eds. “Deuterocanonicals/Apocrypha.” Mercer Commentary on the Bible. Macon, GA: Mercer University Press. 1995.