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2 Maccabees
The Maccabean revolt told through persecution, resurrection hope and the temple's rededication—the book of the seven brothers and prayers for the dead.12 sources12 sources1. 2 Maccabees 1:1–2:182. 2 Maccabees 2:19–323. Toy4. 2 Maccabees 7:15. 2 Maccabees 7:96. 2 Maccabees 7:417. 2 Maccabees 6:18–318. 2 Maccabees 10:5–89. 2 Maccabees 1:910. John 10:2211. Moffatt12. 2 Maccabees 12:39–45
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At a glance
Summary
Resurrection hope and an offering for dead soldiers stand alongside accounts of persecution in 2 Maccabees. Seven brothers refuse the king's demand to eat pork and express hope of bodily resurrection; Judas later arranges an offering for fallen soldiers. The book recounts persecution, martyrdoms and Judas's wars, including the temple's rededication. Two letters precede the story, which ends at his victory over Nicanor. The writer says he has abridged Jason of Cyrene's five books. The narrative overlaps 1 Maccabees rather than continuing it.14 sources14 sources1. 2 Maccabees 1:1–2:182. 2 Maccabees 2:19–323. Toy4. 2 Maccabees 7:15. 2 Maccabees 7:96. 2 Maccabees 7:417. 2 Maccabees 6:18–3112. 2 Maccabees 12:39–4515. 2 Maccabees 2:2316. Moffatt8. 2 Maccabees 10:5–89. 2 Maccabees 1:910. John 10:2211. Moffatt
Contents
Letters and a hidden ark
2 Maccabees 1:1–2:32Letters urge Egyptian Jews to keep the festival. One reports Jeremiah hiding the ark; a preface explains the work of abridging Jason.11 sources11 sources1. 2 Maccabees 1:1–2:182. 2 Maccabees 2:19–323. Toy17. 2 Maccabees 2:4–818. Jeremiah 3:1615. 2 Maccabees 2:2316. Moffatt8. 2 Maccabees 10:5–89. 2 Maccabees 1:910. John 10:2211. Moffatt
The temple and the martyrs
2 Maccabees 3:1–7:42Heliodorus's episode and the high priests' story lead into persecution and martyrdom. Eleazar's death is followed by the deaths of seven brothers and their mother.7 sources7 sources1. 2 Maccabees 1:1–2:182. 2 Maccabees 2:19–323. Toy4. 2 Maccabees 7:15. 2 Maccabees 7:96. 2 Maccabees 7:417. 2 Maccabees 6:18–31
Judas fights and restores worship
2 Maccabees 8:1–15:39Judas's wars bring the temple's cleansing and an annual festival. Later, he collects an offering for dead soldiers; the book closes after victory over Nicanor.8 sources8 sources1. 2 Maccabees 1:1–2:182. 2 Maccabees 2:19–323. Toy8. 2 Maccabees 10:5–89. 2 Maccabees 1:910. John 10:2211. Moffatt12. 2 Maccabees 12:39–45
Stories
Seven brothers and their mother
2 Maccabees 7:1–42Seven brothers are tortured and killed after the king presses them to eat pork. They express hope of bodily resurrection. Their mother dies last; the chapter does not describe her death.4 sources4 sources4. 2 Maccabees 7:15. 2 Maccabees 7:96. 2 Maccabees 7:417. 2 Maccabees 6:18–31
Eight days of dedication
2 Maccabees 10:5–8The temple is cleansed on 25 Chislev. The people celebrate for eight days, like Tabernacles, recalling the feast spent in mountains and caves; they decree an annual observance.4 sources4 sources8. 2 Maccabees 10:5–89. 2 Maccabees 1:910. John 10:2211. Moffatt
Connections to the Bible
Echoes and allusions
- Hebrews 11:35 · 2 Maccabees 6:18–7:42medium confidence
Anglican commentator Ellicott links Hebrews' tortured faithful to these martyrs. Moffatt also reads an allusion, noting related Greek words for torture.5 sources5 sources19. Hebrews 11:3520. 2 Maccabees 6:1921. (ed.)22. Reid23. Moffatt
- Hebrews 11:3 · 2 Maccabees 7:28medium confidence
Critical scholar Moffatt compares the mother’s words about creation in 2 Maccabees with Hebrews on creation.7 sources7 sources19. Hebrews 11:3520. 2 Maccabees 6:1921. (ed.)22. Reid23. Moffatt24. 2 Maccabees 7:2825. Hebrews 11:3
Retellings
- 1 Maccabees 1:1–7:50 · 2 Maccabees 3:1–15:39
The narrative covers years also told in 1 Maccabees 1–7, ending before Judas's death.1 2 3
Background
- John 10:22 · 2 Maccabees 10:5–8medium confidence
Moffatt connects this temple festival with the dedication festival named in John.4 sources4 sources8. 2 Maccabees 10:5–89. 2 Maccabees 1:910. John 10:2211. Moffatt
Contrasts
- Jeremiah 3:16 · 2 Maccabees 2:4–8
The letter's hidden ark awaits God's gathering of the people; Jeremiah gives a contrasting picture of the ark's future importance.17 18
Where each church stands
2 Maccabees Full table →
Why some kept it, why others left it out
Latin church writers differed: Augustine counted Maccabees as canonical because of its martyrs; Jerome put it among church readings outside the canon. Trent listed 1–2 Maccabees in 1546. Article VI of the Church of England followed Jerome's distinction between moral instruction and doctrine. The Orthodox Synod of Jerusalem affirmed Maccabees as Scripture without numbering the books.5 sources5 sources35. Augustine36. Fremantle) 189337. Waterworth 184838. England 191939. Robertson) 1899
Kept
Early church: Latin
Augustine gave the martyrs' suffering for God's law as a reason the Church receives Maccabees as canonical.35
Left out
Protestant: Anglican
Article VI permits reading Maccabees for moral instruction, but follows Jerome in denying it authority to establish doctrine.38
Protestant: Reformed
Calvin appeals to Jerome against the book's doctrinal authority and reads its closing apology as incompatible with inspired speech.41
Misconceptions
Myth This book tells of the oil burning for eight days.
Actually: Its eight days recall a delayed Tabernacles celebration. The oil explanation appears in the Babylonian Talmud's Hanukkah account.6 sources6 sources44. Talmud45. 2 Maccabees 10:68. 2 Maccabees 10:5–89. 2 Maccabees 1:910. John 10:2211. Moffatt
Sources
45 sources from 43 works
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- 14II Maccabees, Sources↩
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James Moffatt, 2 Maccabees, notes, in R. H. Charles (ed.), APOT vol. 1 (Oxford 1913)
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Crawford Howell Toy, George A. Barton, Joseph Jacobs, Israel Abrahams, “Maccabees, Books of, Jewish Encyclopedia (1906)”, II Maccabees
John 10:22
22At that time the Feast of Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter,
James Moffatt, 2 Maccabees, notes, in R. H. Charles (ed.), APOT vol. 1 (Oxford 1913), note on 2 Macc 1:9
Jerome, Preface to the Books of Samuel and Kings (Prologus Galeatus), NPNF2 vol. 6, Preface to Samuel and Kings
Crawford Howell Toy, George A. Barton, Joseph Jacobs, Israel Abrahams, “Maccabees, Books of, Jewish Encyclopedia (1906)”, II Maccabees, Sources
James Moffatt, 2 Maccabees, introduction, in R. H. Charles (ed.), The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament in English, vol. 1 (Oxford 1913), p. 125 (introduction, sources)
Jeremiah 3:16
16“In those days, when you multiply and increase in the land,” declares the LORD, “they will no longer discuss the ark of the covenant of the LORD. It will never come to mind, and no one will remember it or miss it, nor will another one be made.
Hebrews 11:35
35Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused their release, so that they might gain a better resurrection.
Charles John Ellicott (ed.), Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers, Hebrews 11, Heb 11:35, note on 'Others were tortured'
George J. Reid, “Canon of the Old Testament, Catholic Encyclopedia vol. 3 (1908)”, New Testament use of the deuterocanonicals
James Moffatt, 2 Maccabees, notes, in R. H. Charles (ed.), APOT vol. 1 (Oxford 1913), note on 2 Macc 6:26
Hebrews 11:3
3By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.
Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (1571), Article VI, as printed in E. J. Bicknell, A Theological Introduction to the Thirty-Nine Articles (1919)
Council of Trent, Session IV (8 April 1546), Decree concerning the canonical Scriptures
Synod of Jerusalem (1672), Confession of Dositheus, Question III
Apostoliki Diakonia of the Church of Greece, online Old Testament (Septuagint text)
NRSV with Apocrypha, 'The Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books of the Old Testament' (To the Reader)
Russian Synodal Bible, as published by Azbuka Very (azbyka.ru): contents and chapter notes
The Longer Catechism of the Orthodox, Catholic, Eastern Church (St Philaret of Moscow), 'Examined and Approved by the Most Holy Governing Synod'; English as in Schaff, Creeds of Christendom vol. 2
R. W. Cowley, 'The Biblical Canon of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church Today', Ostkirchliche Studien 23 (1974) 318–323
Augustine, City of God book 18, NPNF1 vol. 2, tr. Marcus Dods, 18.36
Jerome (tr. W. H. Fremantle), Preface to Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and the Song of Songs (NPNF2 vol. 6), via Wikisource (1893)
Council of Trent (tr. J. Waterworth, 1848), Session IV, Decree concerning the canonical Scriptures, Hanover Historical Texts Project (1848)
Church of England, Articles of Religion (1571), as printed in E. J. Bicknell, A Theological Introduction to the Thirty-Nine Articles (1919), newscriptorium.com (1919), Article VI
Synod of Jerusalem (tr. J. N. W. B. Robertson), The Acts and Decrees of the Synod of Jerusalem (London 1899), archive.org OCR (1899), pp. 155-156, Question III
Edward Hanna, “Purgatory, Catholic Encyclopedia vol. 12 (1911)”, Old Testament
John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, tr. John Allen, vol. 1, Book III, chapter V, section 8
Jerome (tr. W. H. Fremantle), Preface to Samuel and Kings (NPNF2 vol. 6), via Wikisource (1893)
Westminster Assembly, Westminster Confession of Faith, chapter I (Orthodox Presbyterian Church edition) (1646), I.3
Babylonian Talmud, Shabbat 21b (William Davidson translation, Sefaria), Shabbat 21b