The first book, although written from a biased perspective, does not directly mention god or divine intervention. All the events of the second century bce are important only insofar as they involve the temple in jerusalem. 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. The second book of maccabees explains that the mitzvah of celebrating eight days of hanukkah was actually invented as a substitute for celebrating the eight days of sukkot. Apocrypha 2ndmaccabees of the king james bible 1611. The second book of maccabees all chapters the bible youtube. It was this title which gave the title to the other books of the apocrypha bearing the same name. It tells how the greek ruler antiochus iv epiphanes attempted to suppress the jewish religion, resulting in the maccabean revolt from 175 to 4 bce. I maccabees presents a historical account of political, military, and diplomatic events from the time of judaeas relationship with antiochus iv epiphanes of syria reigned 175164163 bc to the death 54 bc of simon maccabeus, high priest in jerusalem. The second book of maccabees all chapters the bible. Maccabees, second book of ii maccabees, known in greek as. Use highlighting, underlining, and take notes while you study the bible. It tells the story of how the greek ruler antiochus.
Maccabees, also spelled machabees, flourished 2nd century bce, palestine, priestly family of jews who organized a successful rebellion against the seleucid ruler antiochus iv and reconsecrated the defiled temple of jerusalem historical context of the maccabees. In general, its chronology coheres with that of i maccabees. The book of 4 maccabees is a philosophic discourse extoling the supremacy of pious reason over passion. Home ibhayibheli old testament 2nd book of maccabees. The 2nd book of the maccabees apocrypha hopefully this will allow those who cannot see well to gain understanding of the gospel. The same things are reported in the records and in the memoirs of nehemiah, and also that he founded a library and collected the books about the kings and.
Unlike 1 maccabees, 2 maccabees was written in koine greek, probably in alexandria, egypt, c. It describes the refusal of mattathias to perform pagan religious rites, the ensuing jewish revolt. The author tells us that he is summarizing a 5volume work by jason of cyrene 2. First maccabees written circa 4104 bce and describing the period of 1665 bce is devoted to presenting the maccabean dynasty, from mattathias through his son judah, to jonathan and simon who became high priests and gained political independence. It is an open question whether the poet paraphrases so little of the books of maccabees because he lacks the sources to do otherwise. As a surname it was also applied to his brothers and, by extension. However, second maccabees seeks to explain to diaspora jews and greeks alike that the maccabean revolt was not the result of an inevitable clash of two cultureshellenism and judaismor of two peoples, hellenes and jews. A reading from the second book of maccabees judas the ruler of israel, then took up a collection among all his soldiers, amounting to two thousand silver drachmas, which he sent to jerusalem to provide for an expiatory sacrifice.
The reality is, however, that purgatory is not even found in the apocryphal books, nor would it be a biblical teaching even if it was. English bible according to the catholic and orthodox canons. The major part of the book recounts three attacks on the temple. Why the maccabees arent in the bible my jewish learning. This work coheres with 1 maccabees, but it is written as a theological interpretation of the maccabean revolt. The second book of maccabees was written in koine greek, most likely around 100 bc. The first and 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. In contrast to first maccabees, the book of second maccabees is a summary of a history written originally in greek for diaspora hellenistic jews living in the greekspeaking area in egypt. After the prologue, the first section of 4 maccabees sets forth the philosophical thesis, and the second section illustrates the points made using examples drawn from the maccabees principally, the martyrdom of eleazer and the maccabean.
The book of enoch messianic prophecy edition timecapsule to the last generation. This book, written for jews who lived outside the land of israel, was composed around 120 bce about 300 years after the first chanukah. A series of books relating events centering around judas maccabeus and other heroes in the jewish struggle for religious and political freedom. Ii maccabees focuses on the jews revolt against antiochus and concludes with the defeat of the syrian general nicanor in 161 bc by judas maccabeus, the hero of the work. 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. Jan 02, 2020 the book of 4 maccabees is a philosophic discourse extoling the supremacy of pious reason over passion. Second book of maccabees 7 robbins library digital projects. Ukuze abazalwane, amajuda, abangekho kulo lonke elasegibhithe. The name maccabee was a title of honour given to judas, a son of mattathias and the hero of the jewish wars of independence, 168.
Roman catholics often claim that the ancient jewish historical book of 2 maccabees which they wrongly consider to be scripture teaches purgatory. It is an abridgment of a larger work of five books written by a jason of cyrene who is otherwise unknown see 2. It tells the story of how the greek ruler antiochus iv epiphanes attempted to suppress temple worship and to destroy the practice of jewish law. Ii maccabees, chapter 1 1 the jewish brethren in jerusalem and those in the land of judea, to their jewish brethren in egypt, greeting, and good peace. If, as torrey eb, iii, 2862 holds, we have in 1 maccabees the account of one who had witnessed the whole maccabean struggle from its beginning, the book having been completed soon after the middle of the 2nd century bc, it may then be assumed that the writer.
In addition to outlining the historical events, 2 maccabees discusses several doctrinal issues, including prayers and sacrifices for the dead. Removed from the bible by the protestant church in the 1800s by king james may 23, 2017 paperback. One concerning theological teaching from 2 maccabees is the concept of praying on behalf of the dead 2 maccabees 12. The books of the maccabees biblical literature britannica. The second book of maccabees explains that the mitzvah of celebrating eight days of hanukkah was actually invented as. Traditionally the name has come to be extended to the brothers of judas, his supporters. The original hebrew is lost and the most important surviving version is the greek translation contained in the septuagint. The setting of 1st and 2nd maccabees is about a century and a half after the conquest of judea by the greeks under alexander the great. The title of 1 and 2 maccabees is taken from the surname of judas 1 mace. The author of first maccabees, who wrote for judeans, sought to promote the legitimacy of the hasmonean priesthood and its political rule.
The book also presupposes jewish independence, which did not become a reality until the reign of john hyrcanus 5104 b. Removed from the bible by the protestant church in the 1800s. The book is held as canonical scripture by the catholic, orthodox, and oriental orthodox. Second maccabees entire book alluded to in hebrews 11. The third book of the maccabees iii maccabees, chapter 1 1 when philopator learned from those who returned that the regions which he had controlled had been seized by antiochus, he gave orders to all his forces, both infantry and cavalry, took with him his sister arsinoe, and marched out to the region near raphia, where antiochuss supporters. The wisdom of solomon and 1st and 2nd book of maccabees. The books of the maccabees, four books, none of which is in the hebrew bible but all of which appear in some manuscripts of the septuagint. Commentaries translations form additional physical format. Jan 02, 2020 the book of 2 maccabees consists of a greek synopsis of a fivevolume history of the maccabean revolt written by jason of cyrene.
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