![]() 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.Here are quick summaries of the 66 books of the Bible: 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 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. In true Deuteronomic tradition, the author insists on fidelity to the law as the expression of Israel’s love for God. Unlike the Second Book of Maccabees, there is no doctrine of individual immortality except in the survival of one’s name and fame, nor does the book express any messianic expectation, though messianic images are applied historically to “the days of Simon” ( 1 Mc 14:4– 17). The rededication of the Jerusalem Temple described in 4:36– 59 (see 2 Mc 10:1– 8) is the origin of the Jewish feast of Hanukkah. The people, in turn, must worship the Lord alone and observe exactly the precepts of the law given to them. The people of Israel have been specially chosen by the one true God as covenant-partner, and they alone are privileged to know and worship God, their eternal benefactor and unfailing source of help. The doctrine expressed in the book is the customary belief of Israel, without the new developments which appear in 2 Maccabees and Daniel. There are seven poetic sections in the book that imitate the style of classical Hebrew poetry: four laments ( 1:25– 28, 36– 40 2:7– 13 3:45), and three hymns of praise of “our fathers” ( 2:51– 64), of Judas ( 3:3– 9), and of Simon ( 14:4– 15). The writer compares their virtues and their exploits with those of Israel’s ancient heroes, the Judges, Samuel, and David. ![]() His purpose in writing is to record the deliverance of Israel that God worked through the family of Mattathias ( 5:62)-especially through his three sons, Judas, Jonathan, and Simon, and his grandson, John Hyrcanus. He may well have played some part in it himself in his youth. He was familiar with the traditions and sacred books of his people and had access to much reliable information on their recent history (from 175 to 134 B.C.). The author, probably a Palestinian Jew, is unknown. Instead, we have an early, pre-Christian, Greek translation full of Hebrew idioms. The vigorous reaction to this attempt established for a time the religious and political independence of the Jews.įirst Maccabees was written about 100 B.C., in Hebrew, but the original has not come down to us. The two Books of Maccabees contain independent accounts of events (in part identical) that accompanied the attempted suppression of Judaism in Palestine in the second century B.C. Traditionally the name has come to be extended to the brothers of Judas, his supporters, and even to other Jewish heroes of the period, such as the seven brothers ( 2 Mc 7). 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).
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