In 140BCE, he was recognised by an assembly of the priests, leaders and elders as high priest, military commander and ruler of Israel. So these councils governed the people; the first was at Jerusalem, the second at Gadara, the third at Amathus, the fourth at Jericho, and the fifth at Sepphoris in Galilee.[15]. Frequent dynastic quarrels also contributed to the view among Jews of later generations of the latter Hasmoneans as degenerate. As the last remaining Hasmonean, Hyrcanus was too dangerous a rival for Herod. Furthermore, he made a bid for the loyalty of Jonathan, permitting him to recruit an army and to reclaim the hostages kept in the City of Acre. Biblical apocrypha - Wikipedia 2 Maccabees, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB 2:4), the third son of Mattathias, the hero of the war of Jewish independence against Syria. The governor of Coele-Syria, Apollonius Taos, used the opportunity to challenge Jonathan to battle, saying that the Jews might for once leave the mountains and venture out into the plain. During the Hasmonean period, the Sadducees and Pharisees functioned primarily as political parties. ), Ptolemy VI of Egypt (reigned 163 B.C.E. Jonathan and Simeon, now more experienced in guerilla warfare, thought it well to retreat farther, and accordingly fortified in the desert a place called Beth-hogla; there they were besieged several days by Bacchides. The feast day of these saints is 1 August in both the Eastern Orthodox Church (for which 1 August is also the first day of the Dormition Fast) and the Catholic Church. 1 Maccabees 2:49-50 - BibleGateway.com Jonathan and Simeon led a force of 10,000 men against Apollonius' forces in Jaffa, which was unprepared for the rapid attack and opened the gates in surrender to the Jewish forces. A large Seleucid army was sent to quash the revolt, but returned to Syria on the death of Antiochus IV. [10] The motives of Antiochus remain unclear: he may have been incensed at the overthrow of his appointee, Menelaus,[12] or encouraged by a group of radical Hellenizers among the Jews,[16] he may have been responding to an orthodox Jewish revolt that drew on the Temple and the Torah for its strength. When, in 50 B.C.E., it appeared as though Julius Caesar was interested in using Aristobulus and his family as his clients to take control of Judea against Hyrcanus and Antipater, who were beholden to Pompey, supporters of Pompey had Aristobulus poisoned in Rome, and executed Alexander in Antioch. At the time of the Protestant Reformation, Protestant leaders decided not to include these seven Greek books in the Old Testament (because they werent written in Hebrew like the rest of the Old Testament) while Catholic leaders decided to retain them since they were important to our Jewish ancestors. Pronounced: tah-NAKH, Origin: Hebrew, Hebrew Bible (an acronym for Torah, Neviim and Ketuvim, or the Torah, Prophets and Writings). They tell the story of the Maccabean Revolt, a Jewish uprising against the Seleucid Empire. rather than according to the books of the Bible. Antipater appointed his sons to positions of influence: Phasael became Governor of Jerusalem, and Herod Governor of Galilee. [10], When Diodotus Tryphon was about to enter Judea at Hadid, he was confronted by the new Jewish leader, Simeon, ready for battle. Josephus attests that Salome Alexandra was very favorably inclined toward the Pharisees and that their political influence grew tremendously under her reign, especially in the institution known as the Sanhedrin. They consolidated their power by centralizing authority in Jerusalem and combining the office of king and High Priest. Schrer, "Gesch." It's worth quoting three that describe the nature of . However, the Septuagint became the official version of the Bible for the nascent Christian Church. By this means he came into the possession of the throne, but died one year later after a painful illness in 103 B.C.E. From this it follows that, for the just man, supreme glory consists in being ready to give ones life, if necessary, to defend Gods intereststhe Law, which every Jew must strictly obey. 10 So he called all his friends and said to them, "Sleep departs from my eyes and I am downhearted with worry. [31] Those who sought the continuation of the war were led by Judah Maccabee. Alexander Balas contacted Jonathan with even more favorable terms, including official appointment as High Priest in Jerusalem, and despite a second letter from Demetrius promising prerogatives that were almost impossible to guarantee,[4] Jonathan declared allegiance to Alexander. [ c] He went up against Israel and came to Jerusalem with a strong force. It would be too new a book for serious consideration, since it had no history grounding it securely within tradition. A Brief History of the Apocrypha - Westminster Theological To the Jewish people, the biblical canon consists of the books found in the Tanach (Hebrew Bible). The Holy War: Judas Maccabeus (166-161 B.C.) 1 Maccabees - Wikipedia Jonathan was invited to Ptolemais for the ceremony, appearing with presents for both kings, and was permitted to sit between them as their equal; Balas even clothed him with his own royal garment and otherwise accorded him high honor. Although these are not said to be of the Maccabee family, they are referred to in Christianity as the Holy Maccabean Martyrs or the Holy Maccabees. From before the time of the Tridentine Calendar, the Holy Maccabees had a commemoration in the Roman Rite liturgy within the feast of Saint Peter in Chains. It was said that an idol of Olympian Zeus was placed on the altar of the Temple and that Israelites set up altars to Greek gods and sacrificed "unclean" animals on them. Herod received him with every mark of respect, assigning to him the first place at his table and the presidency of the state council, while awaiting an opportunity to get rid of him. Their circumstances were the result of their own failed revolt against the Romans. Aretas, bribed by Antipater, who also promised him the restitution of the Arabian towns taken by the Hasmoneans, readily espoused the cause of Hyrcanus and advanced toward Jerusalem with an army of fifty thousand. Students of Jewish history and Jewish literature recognize the value of these documents that took such pains to record details, events and personalities of a major period in Jewish history. While not considered as part of the canon in any Jewish community, the books are again being read and studied to help enrich our understanding and our celebration of Hanukkah. 13-16). Aristobulus' brothers were freed from prison by his widow; Alexander reigned from 103 to 76 B.C.E., and died during the siege of the fortress Ragaba. Josephus noted, Antigonus came to Caesar and accused Hyrcanus and Antipater, how they had driven him and his brethren entirely out of their native country and that as to the assistance they had sent [to Caesar] into Egypt, it was not done out of good-will to him, but out of the fear they were in from former quarrels, and in order to gain pardon for their friendship to [his enemy] Pompey. Flavius Josephus, the first century Jewish historian, carries the story forward; only he gives the surname Hasmoneus, which applies to the successors of the early Maccabees up to Aristobulus II. Unlike the Second Book of Maccabees, there is no doctrine of individual immortality except in the survival of ones name and fame, nor does the book express any messianic expectation, though messianic images are applied historically to the days of Simon (1Mc 14:417). The revolt itself involved many individual battles, in which the Maccabean forces gained infamy among the Syrian army for their use of guerrilla tactics. His sister, Mariamne was married to Herod, but fell victim to his notorious jealousy. Why do we read so much from the prophet Isaiah during Advent and Christmas. However one should note that the documents referring to those diplomatic events are questionable in authenticity. Perhaps they felt it unwise to promote a text that heralded the successful outcome of a Jewish revolt. Today these seven books are variously referred to as the apocryphal or deuterocanonical books and are usually placed between the Old and New Testaments. Judea was freed from Seleucid rule on the death of Antiochus in 129BCE.[16]. Jonathan then returned to Jerusalem, maintaining peace with the King of Egypt despite their support for different contenders for the Seleucid throne.[6]. Ample notes accompany each page, providing fresh insights by . One of his daughters was the ancestress of Josephus.[12]. Nine years later, 1 August became the feast of Saint Alphonsus Maria de' Liguori and the mention of the Maccabee martyrs was omitted from the General Roman Calendar, since in its 1969 revision it no longer admitted commemorations.[39]. The Sadducees, a priestly class in charge of the Temple, openly rejected the oral interpretations that the Pharisees, the proto-rabbinic class, openly promoted. 1:9). [28], In the narrative of I Maccabees, after Antiochus issued his decrees forbidding Jewish religious practice, a rural Jewish priest from Modiin, Mattathias the Hasmonean, sparked the revolt against the Seleucid Empire by refusing to worship the Greek gods. Maccabees | Encyclopedia.com This volume in the popular Ignatius Catholic Study Bible series leads readers through a penetrating study of the books of First and Second Maccabees using the text itself and the Church's own guidelines for understanding the Bible.. The Maccabean story is preserved in the books of the First and Second Maccabees, which describe in detail the re-dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem and the lighting of the menorah. 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. The Parthians split their army, and under Pacorus conquered the Levant from the Phoenician coast through Palestine: Antigonus roused the Parthians to invade Syria and Palestine, [and] the Jews eagerly rose in support of the scion of the Maccabean house, and drove out the hated Idumeans with their puppet Jewish king. -It wasn't until 930 CE that the first complete Hebrew Bible, called the Aleppo Codex, utilizing masoretic symbols and ordering . On the troubles caused by Jason and his revolt against the kingdom, i.e., the rule of the legitimate high priest, see 2 Mc 4:7-22. The Last Words of Mattathias. But he also wants to show that Gods purpose in permitting persecution is to discipline the Jews in order that he may not take vengeance on us afterwards when our sins have reached their height (6:12-17). "[19] In the conflict over the office of High Priest, traditionalists with Hebrew/Aramaic names like Onias contested with Hellenizers with Greek names like Jason and Menelaus. He may well have played some part in it himself in his youth. 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). He desired that his wife succeed him as head of the government, with his eldest of five sons, Aristobulus I, becoming only the high-priest. My Jewish Learning is a not-for-profit and relies on your help. The Maccabees were a priestly family, while the rabbis who may have determined the final form of the biblical canon at Jamnia were descended from the Pharisees. The kingdom began to decline under Ptolemy IV Philopator, who was a bad administrator and led a dissolute life. Aretas was ordered to withdraw his army from Judea, and while retreating suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Aristobulus. The title of four books, of which the first and second only are regarded by the Church as canonical; the third and fourth, as Protestants consider all four, are apocryphal. Herod was designated "King of the Jews" by the Roman Senate in 40 B.C.E. 2 He undertook many campaigns, gained possession of many fortresses, and put the local kings to death. After the victory, the Maccabees entered Jerusalem in triumph and religiously cleansed the Temple, reestablishing traditional Jewish worship there. The fate of the remaining male members of the family under Herod was not a happy one. Maccabees - New World Encyclopedia 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 . The three Ethiopian books of Meqabyan (quite distinct works from the other four books of Maccabees), which are canonical in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, also refer to the Maccabee martyrs. i. Simon conquered the port of Joppa, where the Gentile population were 'forcibly removed',[32] and the fortress of Gezer. What is the Catholic Bible? | GotQuestions.org It was there that the contents of the canon of the Hebrew Bible may have been discussed and formally accepted. The books outline the history of the Maccabees, Jewish leaders who led a rebellion of the Jews against the Seleucid Dynasty from 175 BC to 134 BC. Books of 3 Maccabees and 4 Maccabees are not directly related to the Maccabees. 20 After subduing Egypt, Antiochus returned in the one hundred and forty-third year. It ran from the evening of December 18 until sunset on December 25eight days. Jonathan in return lifted the siege of the Akra and left it in Seleucid hands. A Diaspora perspective with an emphasis on martyrdom, 2002-2023 My Jewish Learning. He was appealed to by the brothers, each endeavoring by gifts and promises to win him over to his side. 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). It would in fact be those who opposed the dynasty established by the Maccabees, the Pharisees, who enabled post-Biblical Judaism not only to survive but also to flourish after the Temple's destruction in 70C.E. The story of the Maccabees can be found in the Hebrew Bible in the deuterocanonical books of 1 Maccabees and 2 Maccabees. The major difference, however, was the continued adherence of the Pharisees to the laws and traditions of the Jewish people in the face of assimilation. In summary, the Catholic Bible is the version of the Bible promoted by the Roman Catholic Church and used by the majority of the world's Catholics. The name Maccabee was a personal epithet of Judah, and the later generations were not his descendants. The Firstand Second Books of Maccabees contain the most detailed accounts of the battles of Judah Maccabee and his brothers for the liberation of Judea from foreign domination. Antiochus was determined to impose hellenic religion and civilization in Palestine as elsewhere, and naturally this was anathema to the Jews, who at this time were quite faithful to the Covenant with Yahweh. The Maccabees founded the Hasmonean royal dynasty and established Jewish independence in the Land of Israel for about one hundred years, from 165 B.C.E. second canon) books" is that Jesus and the Apostles never quoted from these books of Scripture. Although these texts were written long after these periods, many scholars have said that they are a fairly reliable account of history during the Second Temple era. Indeed, although they matured during the Hasmonean or Maccabean period, their roots where in the experience of exile, when the Torah largely substituted for the Temple, and the synagogue as a place of study and later worship developed. [10][13] In turn, Menelaus then bribed Antiochus and was appointed High Priest in place of Jason. Judaea had to pay tribute to Rome and was placed under the supervision of the Roman governor of Syria. (The books of I & II Maccabees belong to the historical set, being written between 150 - 100 BC.) 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. Not all of the Bible is included . The Apocrypha books , which were never part of the original canon, had previously been included in the original King James version of 1611, but it was removed after the Puritan revolution. ), the Kitos War (115117), and Bar Kokhba's revolt, (132135). During her reign, her son Hyrcanus II held the office of high priest and was named her successor. Joppa was restored to the Hasmonean domain, Judea was granted freedom from all tribute and taxes to Rome, and the independence of the internal administration was guaranteed.[16]. 10 Common Catholic Church "Facts" Protestants Constantly Get - MSN [7] Demetrius was greatly incensed; he appeared with an army at Ptolemais and ordered Jonathan to come before him. The correlating Torah verse Exodus 15:11, The song of Moses and the Children of Israel by the Sea,[7] makes a reference to elim, with a mundane notion of natural forces, heavenly might, war and governmental powers. The Pharisees favored separation. Flavius Josephus, The War of the Jews, Book 1.1 2, The author of the First Book of Maccabees regarded the Maccabean revolt as a rising of pious Jews against the Seleucid king (who had tried to eradicate their religion) and against the Jews who supported him. Ptolemy IIs court at Alexandria was famed for its learning. However, as the Maccabees realized how successful they had been, many wanted to continue the revolt and conquer other lands with Jewish populations or to convert their peoples. Simon's eldest sons, Mattathias and Judah, were also murdered. These books include within them the earliest references to the story of Hanukkah and the rededication of the Temple, in addition to the famous story of the mother and her seven sons. Who Are "the Maccabees"? - Museum of the Bible From 63 to 40 B.C.E. David Briones Professor, Westminster Theological Seminary ABSTRACT: The Apocrypha is a collection of books written in the four centuries between the Old and New Testaments. 25-27). Antigonus was delivered to Antony and executed shortly thereafter. The biblical books of 1 Maccabees, 2 Maccabees, and 4 Maccabees describe the Maccabean revolt. - 145 B.C.E.) 50 Now, my children, show zeal for the law, and give your lives for the covenant of our fathers. And yet, these two books are missing from the Hebrew Bible. Regarding the dates in 1 and 2 Maccabees, see note on 1 Mc 1:10. . The Romans would certainly not look kindly upon the popularization of such a text, since it might very well reintroduce the concept of revolt to a population desperately trying to survive the devastating outcome of its own failed attempts. With the aid of the Romans, he eliminated Heliodorus and took control of . This morning Rev. The victorious Alexander Balas was given the further honor of marriage to Cleopatra Thea, daughter of his allies Ptolemy VI and Cleopatra II. Josephus first mentions them in connection with Jonathan, the successor of Judas Maccabeus ("Ant." Another theory to explain the omission of the first two Books of Maccabees is based on the dating of these documents. In 167 B.C.E., after Antiochus issued decrees in Judea forbidding Jewish religious practice, a rural Jewish priest from Modiin, Mattathias the Hasmonean, sparked the revolt against the Seleucid empire by refusing to worship the Greek gods and slaying the Hellenistic Jew who stepped forward to worship an idol. Explore Hanukkahs history, global traditions, food and more withMy Jewish Learnings All About Hanukkah email series. On his death in battle in 160BCE, Judah was succeeded as army commander by his younger brother, Jonathan, who was already High Priest. Independent Hasmonean rule lasted until 63BCE, when the Roman general Pompeius intervened in the Hasmonean civil war, making it a client kingdom of Rome. These books were better known among Greek speaking Jews in the Mediterranean world around the time of Jesus. (161/160 B.C.E.). He and his five sons fled to the wilderness of Judea. xiii. An effort to legitimize the Hasmonean dynasty. 2 Maccabees 4:7 Seleucus IV Philopator was killed in 175 B.C. Be that as it may, some of the debates surrounding these discussionswhenever and wherever they may have taken placedo appear in rabbinic literature, although we have no complete surviving record of these debates. In 147 B.C.E., Demetrius II Nicator, a son of Demetrius I Soter, claimed Balas' throne. Apollonius received reinforcements from Azotus and appeared in the plain in charge of 3,000 men including superior cavalry forces. [11], When Antiochus IV Epiphanes (ca. the government was in the hands of Hyrcanus II as High Priest and Ethnarch, although effective power was in the hands of his adviser Antipater the Idumaean. [11] Jonathan was buried by Simeon at Modin. The Parthian army crossed the Euphrates and Labienus was able to entice Mark Antony's Roman garrisons around Syria to rally to his cause. He was three-years-old at most but general Diodotus Tryphon used him to advance his own designs on the throne. From this point onwards, Antiochus pursued a zealous Hellenizing policy in the Seleucid satrapies of Coele Syria and Phoenicia. 49 Now the days drew near for Mattathias to die, and he said to his sons: "Arrogance and reproach have now become strong; it is a time of ruin and furious anger. Antiochus pillaged the Temple, attacked Jerusalem and "led captive the women and children"[14] (168 BCE). When the revolt began under the leadership of Mattathias, it was seen as a war for religious freedom to end the oppression of the Seleucids; however, as Maccabees realized how successful they had been many wanted to continue the revolt as a war of national self-determination. Jonathan became the official leader of his people, and officiated at the Feast of Tabernacles of 153 B.C.E. Herod fled into exile and sought the support of Mark Antony. Some Jews, mainly those of the urban upper class, notably the Tobiad family, wished to dispense with Jewish law and to adopt a Greek lifestyle. He and his five sons fled to the wilderness of Judah. 2023 United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. THE FIRST BOOK OF MACCABEES. 1 Maccabees, THE FIRST BOOK OF MACCABEES | USCCB Jonathan gladly accepted these terms, took up residence at Jerusalem in 153 B.C.E., and began fortifying the city. Like Judah in former years, Jonathan sought alliances with foreign peoples. Ptolemy himself was however among the casualties of the battle. 45 He dashed courageously up to it in the middle of the . 44 He gave up his life to save his people and win an everlasting name for himself. The Hasmonean bureaucracy was filled with men with Greek names, and the dynasty eventually became very Hellenised, to the annoyance of many of its more traditionally-minded Jewish subjects. When selecting a Bible, look for a Catholic edition. Size (HxW): Product Overview. From there he endeavored to clear the land of "the godless and the apostate."[3]. First Maccabees can be divided as follows: Copyright 2019-2023 USCCB, please review our Privacy Policy. Hyrcanus II had been held by the Partians since 40 B.C.E. wearing the High Priest's garments. While this civil war was going on the Roman general Marcus Aemilius Scaurus went to Syria to take possession, in the name of Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, of the kingdom of the Seleucids. x. Maccabees, two books included in the Septuagint [1] and placed as the last two books in the Old Testament [2] of the Vulgate; they are not included in the Hebrew Bible and are placed in the Apocrypha in Protestant Bibles. The author, probably a Palestinian Jew, is unknown. The most common objection Protestants make to the authenticity of these "Apocrypha" or "deuterocanonical (i.e. For four years, until 36 B.C.E., he lived amid the Babylonian Jews, who paid him every mark of respect. Shortly after, the Roman senate renewed its alliance with the Hasmonean kingdom and commanded its allies in the eastern Mediterranean to do so also. 1 Maccabees; 2 Maccabees; There is a great deal of overlap between the Apocrypha section of the 1611 King James Bible and the Catholic deuterocanon, but the two are distinct. Trypho, avoiding an engagement, demanded one hundred talents and Jonathan's two sons as hostages, in return for which he promised to liberate Jonathan. 1 and 2 Maccabees | Catholic Answers Antony also made a feast for Herod on the first day of his reign.[14]. The Maccabees (/mkbiz/), also spelled Machabees (Hebrew: , Makkabbm or , Maqabbm; Latin: Machabaei or Maccabaei; Ancient Greek: , Makkabaioi), were a group of Jewish rebel warriors who took control of Judea, which at the time was part of the Seleucid Empire. Multiple references to Hanukkah are also made in the Mishna (Bikkurim 1:6, Rosh HaShanah 1:3, Taanit 2:10, Megillah 3:4 and 3:6, Moed Katan 3:9, and Bava Kama 6:6), though specific laws are not described. 51-66; Josephus, "Ant." Antigonus, who was present, cut off Hyrcanus's ears to make him unsuitable for the high priesthood, while Phasael was put to death. Sep 19, 2022 Reading Time: 3 min The Books of Maccabees were written in the 2nd century BCE, during the time of the Hasmonean dynasty. 5, 9). 41). His son, Ptolemy III Euergetes, extended his empire into Persia.