2 Maccabees

By Mary Jane Chaignot

2 Maccabees has a very distinctive point of view. All the events of the second century BCE are important only insofar as they involve the temple in Jerusalem. The major part of the book recounts three attacks on the temple. Each time God successfully defended it through either divine intervention or the exploits of Judas Maccabeus. It involved three separate kings: Seleucus IV, Antiochus IV, and Antiochus V. None of them were able to prevail despite having greater armies.

The author (unknown) begins and ends the book with personal statements. In the prologue, he claims to have condensed a much larger work written by Jason of Cyrene. He essentially summarized Jason's five-volume tome into this book. His goal was to both entertain as well as inform his audience. In the preface are two letters to Jews in Egypt. Their message is primarily one of encouragement for celebrating the feast of Hanukkah in commemoration of these events.

The only Maccabean of interest in this book is Judas, the middle son. The author assumes people know the background of this family because he doesn't repeat it. He only focuses on Judas and sees him as the instrument chosen by God to defend the temple. He has a secondary interest in Onias III, the legitimate high priest, who is contrasted with the scoundrels that succeeded him. Along the way, special mention is given to several notable Jews who witnessed to the Jewish way of life, often at the cost of their own lives. In an oblique way, the author suggests that their martyrdom helped atone for the many sins of the people, which then made it possible for Judas to restore the temple to its proper place in Jewish life.

The story opens with Seleucus IV on the throne and Onias as high priest. The date would be the years prior to 175 BCE. Jerusalem was enjoying a period of prosperity and peace since the high priest (Onias III) was very observant of the laws of the Torah. Other Jews, however, were still agitating for more Hellenization. Around this time, Simon (one of those Jews in favor of Hellenization) convinced Seleucus that great wealth was stored in the temple. He encouraged him to claim it as part of his empire. Seleucus' emissary, Heliodorus, was sent to rob the temple only to be rebuffed by divine intervention before he was able to enter the Holy Place. He was lucky to get out alive. The Jews reacted with great joy and were very heartened by God's deliverance.

When Antiochus IV took the throne (in 175 BCE), he immediately replaced Onias with his brother, Jason (not to be confused with Jason of Cyrene). Jason had offered good money for it and Antiochus IV was only too happy to oblige. Jason was also committed to further Hellenization of the area. He was unable to retain his office, however, and soon he was deposed by Menelaus, who offered the king even more money for the position. Unfortunately, Menelaus didn't really have the money he had promised to Antiochus, so he was forced to steal it – from the temple. Needless to say, this aroused much opposition and hostility among the faithful Jews.

So when Antiochus IV went on a campaign to Egypt and was reportedly killed in battle, those faithful Jews stormed the temple and ousted Menelaus. To their dismay, Antiochus had not been killed, and upon hearing about their insurrection, he attacked the city with a vengeance. (He had also been humiliated in Egypt and was already in bad temper.) This was also the time when he installed a statue of Zeus upon the altar of the temple and sacrificed swine to the pagan god. After this he forbade the practice of Judaism, torturing or killing any who might dare to defy his orders. One mother was forced to watch the killing of each of her seven sons. All the while she encouraged them to remain faithful and promised to be united with them in the afterlife. (This is one of the first clear references to resurrection.)

Reaction to this led to the Maccabean revolt, which is not recorded here. 2 Maccabees does highlight the fact, however, that eventually Judas was able to prevail against the Greeks, and he rededicated the temple in 164 BCE, instituting the festival of Hanukkah. The death of Antiochus IV is recorded in 163 BCE. Some sources say he died from a horrible wasting disease. This book uses that as a motivation for him to repent on his deathbed and to recant his unlawful prohibitions against Judaism. These were honored by his son, at least for a while.

But as history would have it, his son, Antiochus V, lost the throne to Demetrius, the brother of Antiochus IV. The power plays between them did not bode well for the nations under them. Eventually Demetrius sent Nicanor to attack the Jews. He tried but the battle was essentially a draw, so he thought diplomacy might be a better option. Each side made some concessions and things were going well until Demetrius found out about it. Demetrius was not interested in concessions and ordered him to destroy Judas and Jerusalem. Nicanor had little choice but to try and follow those orders. By this time, however, Judas had correctly read the change in Nicanor and had been able to inspire the people with the promise of God's presence. The Jews were emboldened and proved to be an irresistible army empowered as the people of God. When the battle was over, it was discovered that Nicanor had been killed, resulting in yet another festival to be celebrated annually. The book, then, ends on a note of victory.

It is likely that both Jason of Cyrene's work and 2 Maccabees were originally written in Greek. Since Jason's work is lost, however, there is no way of knowing how much the author followed it or if he added or left out significant events. Nor do we know if Jason's goal was to "entertain" his audience or if it was a more scholarly work. We do know that the book known as 2 Maccabees begins a few years before 175 BCE (the date that Antiochus IV took the throne) and ends in 161 BCE with the death of Nicanor (the year before the death of Judas Maccabeus). The letters in the preface claim to have been written in 124 BCE. But scholars are hesitant to put much stock in these dates. Jason could have written his tome by 160 BCE, but this author could have summarized it at any point in time.

There are roughly six sections to this letter: 1:1-2:32 – Letters and Prologue; 3:1-4:6 – God's Protection of the Temple; 4:7-50 – Accusations of Apostasy; 5:1-7:42 – God's Response and Punishment; 8:1-15:36 – God's Deliverance; 15:37-39 – Closing Thoughts.

I – 1:1-2:32 – Letters and Prologue

  • 1:1-9
    • A letter to the Jews in Egypt from the Jews in Jerusalem
    • This letter was probably written in 124 BCE
    • Its purpose was to encourage Jews to celebrate Hanukkah
    • It was sent to their Jewish kindred in Egypt
    • Jews fled to Egypt after the fall of Jerusalem (587 BCE)
    • Ptolemy deported many in 312 BCE
    • The greeting of the letter is followed by a prayer
    • It suggests that there is room for improvement in their practices and worship
    • They had been sent a previous letter in 143 BCE
    • That was still a time of persecution following the revolt of Jason (a high priest after Onias III)
    • They had offered prayers for them
    • In return, they should celebrate Hanukkah as they do the Feast of Tabernacles
  • 1:10-17
    • A letter to Aristobulus from the Jews in Jerusalem and Judea
    • Aristobulus was the adviser to King Ptolemy and a member of the high-priestly family
    • The letter purports to be from Judas Maccabeus
    • If so, then it had to have been written between 164 and 160 (his death) BCE
    • His report of the "death of the evil king" appears to be about Antiochus IV, but it was Antiochus III who was killed in the temple
    • He had hoped to marry the goddess to get her dowry
    • The priests of Nanaea (a Sumerian goddess of love) trapped him and killed him
    • His bones were tossed outside
    • This victory is attributed to God 
    • The point is that God brings justice upon those who act in a sacrilegious manner
  • 1:18-36
    • Fire consumed Nehemiah's sacrifice
    • The letter continues – they are about to celebrate Hanukkah
    • In support of this, several examples are given about miracles of fire 
    • The first occurs when Nehemiah offered sacrifices on altar
    • The priests had taken fire from the altar and hidden it for the length of time they were in exile
    • When Nehemiah was sent back by the Persians, he told the priests to bring the fire 
    • It was no longer "fire," but a thick liquid (a kind of petroleum)
    • They poured it over the sacrifices
    • After the sun shone on it, it burst into flames and everyone marveled
    • Needless to say, the priests led everyone in prayers
    • The prayers affirmed that God is the only God and very unique
    • They also prayed that God would punish their enemies
    • When the king of Persia heard what had happened, he declared the site to be sacred
    • Nehemiah called the liquid "naphthar" meaning "purification"
    • Most people call it naphtha
  • 2:1-18
    • Jeremiah hides the tent, ark, and altar
    • Jeremiah is the one who ordered the priests to hide the fire
    • This was in order that the law would not depart from their hearts
    • He also decreed that the Tent of Meeting and the Ark go with him
    • He hid them in a cave on Mount Nebo (where Moses saw the Promised Land)
    • He then sealed the entrance to the cave
    • Others tried to mark the cave, but could not find it
    • Jeremiah said God would show them the way when the time was right
    • When Solomon dedicated his first temple, fire came down from heaven
    • Solomon celebrated the feast for eight days
    • When Moses prayed to the Lord, fire came down from heaven
    • All these facts were well documented
    • Just like Nehemiah collected documents, so did Judas Maccabeus
    • If anyone wished to read them, they would be made available to them
    • The time has come to celebrate the rededication of the temple
    • Judas is writing to impress upon them the need to do so as well 
    • (This suggests that perhaps there was some controversy about celebrating Hanukkah early on)
  • 2:19-32
    • The prologue to this letter
    • 2 Maccabees is a summary of Jason's five-volume work
    • (Jason of Cyrene was a Hellenized Jew who wrote a five-volume history on the times of the Maccabees. This work no longer exists, but is the basis for 2 Maccabees.) 
    • This history includes battles with Antiochus IV and his son
    • The victors had apparitions from heaven
    • Though few in number, they were able to restore the temple because God was gracious to them
    • These Jews fought "manfully for Judaism" (This is the first mention of Judaism.)
    • Here, Judaism refers to a way of life and belief for which Jews would fight
    • The author has tried to summarize Jason's writings
    • He claims the task was difficult but worth it
    • He will highlight what was important and leave the specific details to others 
    • His goal is to make the reading memorable, pleasurable, and profitable

II -- 3:1-40 – God's Protection of the Temple

  • This section describes the internal tension within the priesthood
  • When Onias was high priest, there was peace and prosperity
  • (Onias was deposed in 175 BCE by the Seleucid king)
  • Simon, the brother of Menelaus, was the administrator of the city market
  • He had a dispute with Onias – and apparently lost
  • When he was unable to get his way, he went to Appolonius and told him about the great wealth that was being held in the temple, suggesting, of course, that the king might be able to gain control of it
  • (Appolonius was the governor of the region)
  • Appolonius sent this message to the king who sent Heliodorus to remove the treasures
  • (Heliodorus was the king's chief minister)
  • Heliodorus asked Onias if this was truly the case
  • Onias replied that there was a little money – widow's deposits and such
  • He also said Simon had greatly distorted the facts
  • Moreover, he said people trusted in the sanctity and inviolability of the temple
  • Such respect for a temple was expected throughout the known world
  • Heliodorus was unmoved and said whatever was there had to be removed to the king's treasury – and he set a date for doing so
  • People were outraged; priests prostrated themselves and prayed
  • The countenance of the high priest betrayed the anguish of his soul 
  • People prayed that God would deliver them and protect the temple from being defiled
  • At the moment when Heliodorus arrived at the temple, an apparition of a horseman with golden armor suddenly appeared
  • He attacked Heliodorus, along with two other "gloriously dressed" young men, who almost beat him to death
  • Now unconscious, Heliodorus was carried off on a stretcher
  • The people were filled with great joy because God had protected his own place
  • Heliodorus' friends begged
  • Onias to call upon the Lord on his behalf Onias prepared a sacrifice
  • The same young men reappeared to Heliodorus telling him his life had been spared because of Onias' intervention on his behalf
  • Then they vanished
  • Heliodorus offered sacrifice to the Lord and acknowledged His supreme power
  • He shared all this information with the king
  • The king asked if there was someone else he could send Heliodorus said he should send those whom he hated, for they would be beaten
  • In this way, the treasury was preserved

III -- 4:7-50 – Accusations of Apostasy

  • Simon, however, could not let things alone
  • He spread lies against Onias, saying he had attacked Heliodorus
  • Eventually his supporters murdered a few people
  • Onias then appealed to the king for help, knowing that peace would not be possible without the king's intervention
  • Unfortunately, when the king died, his successor (Antiochus Epiphanes IV) chose Onias' brother, Jason, to be high priest
  • Jason was the highest bidder for the post
  • This meant that hereditary would no longer be required for office
  • Instead, the new high priest would serve at the pleasure of the Syrian king
  • Jason immediately instituted a pro-Hellenization plan for Jerusalem
  • Jason revoked the special privileges of Jews, but they were not yet being punished for their beliefs
  • Nonetheless, Hellenism reached a high point under the auspices of Jason
  • The genuine priests no longer cared about their duties and soon neglected the temple and the sacrifices
  • They began to only care for Hellenistic things
  • Three years later (roughly 172 or 171 BCE), Menelaus outbid Jason for the office of high priest (but would never actually pay any of the money that he had promised)
  • As a result, Jason had to flee the city
  • An uprising in Tarsus and Mallus required the king's full attention
  • During his absence, Menelaus had someone kill Onias (who had been in exile)
  • The Jews protested dearly and Onias' killer was punished (Menelaus was not)
  • Menelaus would later be accused in further incidents
  • When all seemed lost, he managed to bribe friends of the king and gained his release
  • Those who had accused him were executed
  • In short, the "high priest" became the worst offender in plotting against his own countrymen

IV -- 5:1-7:42 – God's Response and Punishment

  • 5:1-27
    • Antiochus in Egypt
    • Around this time, Antiochus went against Egypt in battle
    • Rumors swirled regarding his death
    • Jason, therefore, gathered men and stormed Jerusalem, intent on deposing Menelaus
    • He was not successful and killed many "innocents" in the process
    • For this, he had to flee and would eventually die in exile
    • When Antiochus heard about the conflict, he returned from Egypt and attacked the city
    • About 40,000 men, women, and children were killed
    • Still angry, Antiochus entered the temple and stole all the sacred vessels
    • He left commanders behind to oppress Jerusalem
    • Apollonius waited until the Sabbath and then killed 22,000 men (who would not fight on the Sabbath)
    • At this point, Judas (called Maccabeus) and several others fled to the desert
  • 6:1-31
    • The suppression of Judaism
    • Antiochus continued his reign of terror
    • He dedicated the temple to Zeus and invited Gentiles into the temple
    • Jews were forced to participate in pagan feasts and processions
    • Some were killed for circumcising their infants; others were burned alive for keeping the Sabbath
    • A theological digression tries to make sense out of these events
    • This was God's way of inflicting retribution for their many sins
    • The day would come, however, when the enemy would be accountable to God
    • God may chastise His people, but He will never abandon them
    • The day of His mercy will soon be at hand
      • 6:18-31 
        • The martyrdom of Eleazar
        • Eleazar was one of the leading teachers of the law
        • He was asked to eat meat sacrificed to idols, but he refused
        • The officials offered to let him bring his own food and only pretend he was eating the sacrificial meat
        • This he also refused on the basis that he might lead others astray
        • He was taken off to be flogged and soon died of his injuries
        • Yet, he left behind a heroic example and glorious memory
  • 7:1-42
    • The story of seven brothers and their mother
    • All were arrested and forced to eat pork
    • One, speaking for all, refused outright saying they were ready to die rather than break the laws of their fathers
    • The king was outraged and mutilated him before burning him alive in front of his family
    • After the first, each one was taken, treated more brutally, and eventually put to death
    • The mother watched each of her sons suffer and die (though nobly)
    • She encouraged each of them as she was able
    • She recalled the theme of creation and re-creation, stating that God created all and they would be together again soon
    • The last one admitted they were suffering for their sins, but in the knowledge that God would soon punish Antiochus for his many sins in torturing God's people
    • Lastly, the mother was also put to death

V -- 8:1-15:36 – God's Deliverance

  • Everything up to this point has been the back story for the upcoming revolt of Judas Maccabeus
  • 8:1-36
    • The successes of Judas Maccabeus
    • Judas' army had grown to roughly 6,000 men
    • They prayed mightily that God would look upon them with favor
    • Under God's direction, their little army became invincible
    • Philip (the commissioner in Jerusalem) appealed to the king for assistance
    • The king sent 20,000 men led by Nicanor
    • Word of his advance reached the rebels; those who were "cowards" left
    • The rest prayed to the Lord to save them, recounting the many occasions God had helped their ancestors
    • At the least, his army was highly inspired
    • The Almighty was on their side; 9,000 enemy troops were killed and many more wounded
    • They were able to steal the army's money and distributed it to the people
    • Additional battles were fought, until Nicanor was completely humiliated
    • Even though he managed to escape, he lost his whole army
    • The Jews believed they won because they kept the laws the Lord had given them
  • 9:1-29
    • The last campaign of Antiochus
    • Upon hearing of Nicanor's defeat, Antiochus determined to go to Jerusalem
    • He vowed to "make it a graveyard for the Jews"
    • But, on the way, he was seized with a sudden illness, fell out of the chariot, and dislocated every bone in his body
    • His flesh began to decay so that others could not be near him for the stench
    • The man that had seemed so invincible was now reviled by all In his agony, he managed to repent and to "see things in their true light"
    • He promised to make Jerusalem a "free city"
    • Since his pains did not abate, he was forced to write all this in a letter
    • He determined that his son would continue this new policy
    • Then he died while still in foreign lands
  • 10:1-8
    • The purification of the temple (this actually happened the year before Antiochus died)
    • Judas Maccabeus and his men cleansed the temple
    • They destroyed the altar and built a new one
    • This all happened three years to the day after Antiochus defamed it
    • The joyful celebration lasted three days
    • They determined to commemorate this celebration annually and call it Hanukkah
  • 10:1-13:26
    • The reign of Eupator, the son of Antiochus IV
    • Since he was only nine when he ascended to the throne, Eupator appointed Lysias as governor-general
    • Battles continued between Judas Maccabeus and surrounding nations
    • The only times Judas lost was when his own men would succumb to bribery and betray him 
    • No one was able to withstand the Maccabeans because God was with them
    • After several losses, Lysias gathered an army of 80,000 to attack Jerusalem
    • He, too, however, did not reckon on the might of God
    • Judas and his men were able to rout the army despite the bigger odds
    • Lysias managed to escape, but most of his army was destroyed
    • Once he realized the Jews were invincible, he tried to make a treaty with them
    • In fact, he offered to represent them before the king
    • The king granted this request, putting his decree into writing
    • Jews were again granted permission to practice their mode of life and observe their laws; the temple was restored to them, and they would be allowed to manage their own affairs
    • (According to 1 Maccabees, this letter was dated March 12, 164 BCE and was written by Antiochus IV. Here it is ascribed to his son.) 
    • The Romans also sent a letter to the Jews agreeing to the terms of the contract
    • One would think that all would then be well, but the neighboring nations were not pleased and continued to harass the Jews on a variety of matters
    • The town of Joppa tricked some Jews and killed them by drowning Judas responded by destroying the harbor
    • Another town had similar plans, but Judas destroyed their harbor before they were able to put their plan into action
    • Many more battles were fought by Judas and his men
    • At one point Eupator and Lysias teamed up to advance on Judea
    • They were joined by Menelaus who was found out to have been the cause of much trouble 
    • The argument was so convincing that the king had him executed
    • Judas and his men prayed to the Lord for deliverance
    • Under the cover of darkness, they attacked first and were able to rout the army
    • The king tried several new strategies, but they were all rebuffed
    • Then word came that all was not well back at the capital and he had to return home, which he did
  • 14:1-15:36
    • Defeat of Nicanor
    • Three years passed before there was another serious engagement
    • By this time Demetrius (Antiochus' brother) was king Alcimus (the deposed high priest) told him that Judea would never have peace as long as Judas Maccabeus was alive 
    • As soon as rumor of this spread, other nations joined the furor Nicanor (the same Syrian general mentioned earlier) was dispatched to take care of the problem
    • After one small engagement, Nicanor thought negotiations seemed to be a better plan
    • Judas and his men eventually agreed to the terms
    • Judas and Nicanor met and discovered they liked each other
    • Alcimus was very upset and went back to the king complaining about Nicanor
    • Obviously, the king was furious with Nicanor and ordered him to arrest Judas
    • Nicanor was very upset about having to break his word, but did not want to defy the king
    • He began to look for an opportunity to fulfill his orders
    • Judas began to notice a change in Nicanor's attitude and went into hiding
    • Nicanor threatened the priests that if they did not surrender Judas, he would destroy the temple
    • The priests prayed mightily for the preservation of the temple's holiness
    • A member of the Jewish senate was chosen to be an example The man was able to kill himself rather than be captured and tortured
    • Nicanor's next plan was to attack Judas on the Sabbath
    • Judas decided to wage war
    • Again, he spoke inspiring words to his men
    • He was granted several visions and shared this with his men The result was that his men were fired up and went on the offensive
    • Though greatly outnumbered, Judas' men maintained their faith and prevailed
    • When the battle was over, they realized Nicanor had been killed
    • They established a festival to commemorate the event

VI -- 15:37-39 – Closing Thoughts

  • The author signs off saying he hopes readers will find his work "easy on the ears"
  • He does not make a claim for historicity
  • Rather he hopes that the style of the story will delight those who hear it

Are these events true? Many can be verified from other documents, though they might differ a bit chronologically. This book, however, does provide a better understanding of the events of the second century BCE. It was a time when Jews were much divided. Some were adamantly opposed to any form of Hellenization; others welcomed it openly. 2 Maccabees makes a strong claim that, despite this division, God was able to defend His temple and to be Israel's protector. Yet, the issue was not settled on the battlefield. The conflict would persist for centuries.

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.

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.

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