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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