The Maccabees

Maccabees was written in Hebrew by an unknown Palestinian Jew. Its author was apparently a member of the SADDUCEES during the reign of ALEXANDER JANNAEUS, a grandson of the third of the Maccabee leaders, SIMON MACCABEUS, with whose death the account closes. The book is one of the finest examples of historical writings. The author also displays his Sadducean bias by his approval not only of the restoration of Jewish religious worship, for which purpose the Maccabean movement began, but also of the movement toward political independence which had cost the early Maccabees a certain measure of religious support.YAHWEH is clearly on the side of the Maccabee brothers, This is reflected only in their unwavering reverence for the MOSAIC LAW, and ultimately by their complete success.The first chapter begins with a prefatory account of the conquests of ALEXANDER THE GREAT, and then traces the rise of a so-called Hellenizing party in Judaea that welcome pagan practices. The second chapter traces the rebellion of Mattahias, his death, and the accession to leadership of his son Judas Maccabeus. Included is an account of the massacre of a large band of pro-Maccabee ASSUDEABS who refused to defend themselves against the Syrians on the SABBATH, an event that led Mattathias to decree that henceforth defensive warfare would be permitted on the Sabbath. Chapters three and four deal with the rise to prominence of Judas Maccabeus, his early victories over the Seleucids, and rededication of the TEMPLE three years after it had been desecrated by Seleucid officials. The emphasis in chapter five and six shifts to Judas' political aims, as he sends expeditions to protect outlying Jewish settlements from hostile pagan neighbors, and seeks to eliminate the last remnants of Seleucid power in JERUSALEM.In chapter seven, Judas regroups his forces. And in chapter eight, he concludes a limited mutual defense treaty with Rome. The demise of Judas at the hands of a greatly superior Seleucid force brother Jonathan, the movement is virtually ended.The Second book of Maccabees was written in Greek by an unknown Alexandrian Jew shortly before 63 B.E. It is not a sequel to the first but a parallel account of the period from 175 B.E. The author may have been a PHARISEE who, having read the recently written Saducean account, attempted to retell the story in Pharasaic terms. The author seems to have devoted his energies largely to polemical purpose, and favorable referenc to the Romans. It would appear that all of the period's martyrs were confirmed Pharisees, and that virtually all of thesupporters of Judas were ADDIDEANS, the group of puous Jews from which the Pharisaic party evolved. The author appears to be extravagantly fond of the lurid and sensational, with detailed descriptions of macassacre, disease, and torture abounding, defeating the purpose of the book.The book does supply considerable material that is lacking in the first, particularly through its quotation at length of numerous official documents - some of which may be authentic - and through its more detailed account of the years before the rise of Judas, it does give a valuable insight into the differences between the two main camps of Jewish thoughts during the first century.An unusual feature in Jewish writings is the idea that the blood of the martyrs has expiatory power. Through their suffering and death, individuals and the Jewish nation can be cleansed and renewed. It was an important influence on the lives of martyrs.Born of the idealistic struggles of Mattathias and his five sons, the dynasty rose thought the successes of Judas and Jonathan to the wise statesmanship of Simon, only to be corrupted in its next generation through its own remarkable success. The keynote of Hasmonaean history is irony; the family that rose against petty despotism, itself degenerated into petty despotism; and having risen in opposition to Hellenism, it came to embody Hellenistic ideals and practice. The final forty years of the Hasmonaeans appear as little more than an epilogue instructive of the power of power to corrupt incorruptibility.Since the days of Judas Maccabeus, HANULLAH has been celebrated by lighting candles for eight days as a reminder of the miracle of the cruse of oil which burned for eight days instead of one. This is celebrated on the 25th day of the month of Kislev and lasts for eight days. Hanullah means "dedication," because of the rededication of the Temple.MASADA, a mesam thirteen hundred feet above the western shore of the DEAD SEA, was a fortress. The site was first fortified by JONATHAN THE HIGH PRIEST, and was rebuilt and extended by HEROD THE GREAT, who built a three-level palace for himself, along with a wall which completely enclosed the twenty acres of open land. Thirty-seven towers, storehouses, huge cisterns that were kept supplied by the occasional rains that fell on the area, barracks, and arsenals were also constructed in order to provide Herod with impregnable protection against the Jews he ruled. After his death, the Romans garrisoned it, but it was taken from them by the Zealots when the JEWISH REVOLT began in A.D. 66. The Roman governor brought the Tenth Legion to lay siege to the fortress. They built a new wall completely enclosing the existing fortress. He then constructed a ramp made of earth and stone, leading to the summit, on which a siege tower was erected, and battered a hole in the defenses. When the Jews built a second wall of earth and timber to seal off the breach, the Romans set fire to it and prepared to bring the siege to an end. Seeing that their fight had been lost, the survivors, by that time numbering only 960, decided that they would rather die by their own hands than be taken prisoner. Each man took it upon himself to kill his own family. Two women and five children survived to tell the Romans the story what had taken place. Today MASADA is a national shrine of Israel. It's become a banner, "Masada shall not fall again."