Reviews on a General Survey of the History of the Canon of the New Testament by Westcott

Deuterocanonical book chronicling the Maccabean Revolt

2 Maccabees,^{[note 1]} besides known every bit the Second Book of Maccabees, 2nd Maccabees, and abbreviated as two Macc., is a deuterocanonical volume which recounts the persecution of Jews under King Antiochus IV Epiphanes and the Maccabean Revolt against him. It concludes with the defeat of the Seleucid Empire full general Nicanor in 161 BC by Judas Maccabeus, the leader of the Maccabees.

2 Maccabees was originally written in Koine Greek past an unknown diaspora Jew living in Hellenistic Egypt. It was likely written some time betwixt 150 and 120 BC. Together with the book 1 Maccabees, it is one of the most important sources on the Maccabean Defection. The piece of work is not a sequel to 1 Maccabees merely rather its ain independent rendition of the historical events of the Maccabean Defection. Information technology both starts and ends its history earlier than 1 Maccabees, starting with an incident with the Seleucid official Heliodorus attempting to tax the 2d Temple in 178 BC, and ending with the Battle of Adasa in 161 BC. Some scholars believe the book to be influenced by the Pharisaic tradition, with sections that include an endorsement of prayer for the dead and a resurrection of the dead.

The book, similar the other Books of the Maccabees, was included in the Septuagint, a prominent Greek collection of Jewish scripture. It was non promptly translated to Hebrew nor included in Masoretic Hebrew catechism, the Tanakh. While perchance read by Greek-speaking Jews in the two centuries after its creation, after Jews did not consider the work approved nor important. Early Christians did honor the work, and it was included every bit a deuterocanonical work of the Old Attestation. Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Oriental Orthodox Christians all the same consider the work deuterocanonical; Protestant Christians do non regard 2 Maccabees as canonical, although many include 2 Maccabees as part of the biblical apocrypha, noncanonical books useful for the purpose of edification.

[edit]

The author of 2 Maccabees is not identified, but he claims to be abridging a v-volume work by Jason of Cyrene.^{[1] [annotation 2]} This longer work is not preserved, and it is uncertain how much of the nowadays text of 2 Maccabees is copied from Jason'southward work. The author wrote in Greek, as at that place is no particular evidence of an earlier Hebrew version. A few sections of the book, such equally the Preface, Epilogue, and some reflections on morality are generally causeless to come from the author, not from Jason. Scholars disagree on both when Jason's work was written and when ii Maccabees was written. Many scholars argue that Jason'southward work was probable published by a contemporary of the Maccabean Revolt, around 160–140 BCE, although all that is known for sure is that it was earlier 2 Maccabees.^[two] Scholars suggest 2 Maccabees was composed at some point from 150–100 BC.^{[note iii]} The 70s BC is more often than not considered the latest the work could have come from, as the author does non appear familiar with Pompey defeating the Hasmonean kingdom and making Judea a Roman protectorate in 63 Advertising.^[two] The piece of work was possibly modified some after creation, but reached its final class in the Septuagint, the Greek Jewish scriptures. The Septuagint version also gave the work its championship of "2 Maccabees" to distinguish information technology from the other books of the Maccabees in it; the original title of the work, if whatever, is unknown.

The writer appears to exist an Egyptian Jew, perhaps writing from the capital in Alexandria, addressing other diaspora Jews.^{[6] [2]} The Greek mode of the writer is educated and erudite, and he is familiar with the forms of rhetoric and argument of the era. The beginning of the book includes two letters sent by Jews in Jerusalem to Jews of the diaspora in Hellenistic Arab republic of egypt concerning the feast day set up to celebrate the purification of the temple (Hanukkah) and the feast to celebrate the defeat of Nicanor. If the writer of the book inserted these letters, the volume would have to have been written after 188 SE (~124 BC), the date of the second letter. Some commentators concur that these messages were a subsequently addition, while others consider them the basis for the work.^{[note iv]}

Contents [edit]

Summary [edit]

2 Maccabees both starts and ends its history earlier than ane Maccabees does, instead covering the period from the loftier priest Onias Three and King Seleucus IV (180 BC) to the defeat of Nicanor in 161. The exact focus of the piece of work is debated. All concur that the work has a moralistic tenor, showing the triumph of Judaism, the supremacy of God, and the just penalization of villains. Some meet it every bit a paean to Judas Maccabeus personally, describing the groundwork of the Revolt to write a biography praising him; some encounter its focus as the Second Temple, showing its gradual corruption by Antiochus Iv and how it was saved and purified;^[eight] others run across the focus equally the city of Jerusalem and how information technology was saved; and others disagree with all of the to a higher place, seeing it as written strictly for literary and entertainment value.

The writer is interested in providing a theological interpretation of the events; in this book God's interventions direct the grade of events, punishing the wicked and restoring the Temple to his people. Some events appear to exist presented out of strict chronological society to make theological points, such equally the occasional "wink forwards" to a villain's later death. The numbers cited for sizes of armies may as well appear exaggerated, though non all of the manuscripts of this book agree.

After the introductory stories of the controversies at the Temple and the persecutions of Antiochus Four, the story switches to its narrative of the Revolt itself. Subsequently the expiry of Antiochus Four Epiphanes, the Feast of the Dedication of the Temple is instituted. The newly dedicated Temple is threatened past the Seleucid general Nicanor. After his expiry, the festivities for the dedication are concluded. A special day is dedicated to commemorate the Jewish victory in the month of Adar,^[ix] on the day before "Mordecai'due south 24-hour interval" (Purim).^[10] The work explicitly urges diaspora Jews to celebrate both Hanukkah and Nicanor's Solar day.

Structure [edit]

2 Maccabees consists of 15 chapters.

• 1:one–2:xviii: Ii letters to the Jews of Egypt.
• 2:19–32: Epitomist's preface.
• 3: Heliodorus attempts to taxation the Temple of Jerusalem's treasury, simply is repelled. (~178 BC)
• iv: High Priest Onias III of the Temple of Jerusalem is succeeded by his blood brother Jason; Jason is then succeeded past the corrupt Menelaus; Onias Three is murdered. (~175–170 BC)
• 5: Jason attempts to overthrow Menelaus. King Antiochus Iv Epiphanes returns from the second expedition of the Sixth Syrian War in Egypt, defeats Jason's supporters, sacks Jerusalem, loots the Temple treasury, and kills and enslaves local Jews as retribution for the perceived revolt. Jason is forced into exile. (168 BC)
• 6: The Temple is converted into syncretic Greek-Jewish worship site. Antiochus IV problems decrees forbidding traditional Jewish practices, such as circumcision, keeping kosher, and keeping the Sabbath. Eleazar the scribe is tortured and killed after refusing to consume pork. (168–167 BC)
• 7: Martyrdom of the woman and her seven sons after torture by Antiochus 4.
• 8: Start of the Maccabean Revolt. Judas Maccabeus defeats Nicanor, Gorgias, and Ptolemy son of Dorymenes at the Boxing of Emmaus. (~166–165 BC)
• ix:1–x:9: Antiochus Iv is stricken with affliction by God. He tardily repents and writes a alphabetic character attempting to brand peace before dying in Persia. Judas conquers Jerusalem, cleanses the Temple, and establishes the festival of Hanukkah. (~164 BC)
• 10:10–38: Lysias becomes regent. Governor Ptolemy Macron attempts to cement peace with the Jews, just is undermined by anti-Jewish nobles and commits suicide. The Maccabees campaign in outlying regions against Timothy of Ammon and others. (~163 BC)
• xi: Lysias leads a military expedition to Judea. Judas defeats him at the Boxing of Beth Zur. Four documents detailing negotiations with Lysias and the Roman Democracy. (~160s BC?)
• 12: More than accounts of the campaigns in outlying regions against Timothy, Gorgias, and others. (~163 BC)
• thirteen: Lysias orders the execution of unpopular Loftier Priest Menelaus. Judas harries Lysias's expedition with minor victories. Lysias leaves and returns to the uppercase of Antioch to face the usurper Philip. (~163–162 BC, likely virtually in time to the Battle of Beth Zechariah described in ane Maccabees)
• 14:1–fifteen:36: Demetrius I becomes King. Alcimus, who had replaced Menelaus as Loftier Priest, is affirmed by Demetrius I. Nicanor is appointed governor of Judea. Nicanor and Judas enter negotiations for peace, but are subverted by Alcimus, who complains to the king; Judas's arrest is ordered. Nicanor threatens to destroy the Temple. In a dream vision, Onias III and the prophet Jeremiah requite Judas a divine golden sword. At the Battle of Adasa, Judas defeats and kills Nicanor, preserving the sanctity of the Temple. The Day of Nicanor festival is established. (~161 BC)
• 15:37–39: Epitomist's epilogue.

Canonicity and theology [edit]

Rider on the Horse with golden armour, who appears in Chapter iii to fight Heliodorus, from Die Bibel in Bildern

The Catholic Church building, Eastern Orthodox Church, and Oriental Orthodox Churches regard ii Maccabees as canonical. Jews and Protestants do not.

Hellenistic Judaism [edit]

Greek-speaking Jews were the original audition addressed by the work. Both 1 and 2 Maccabees appear in nearly manuscripts of the Septuagint, the Greek version of the Jewish Scriptures.^{[11] [12]} Unlike most works in the Septuagint which were Greek translations of Hebrew originals, two Maccabees was a Greek work originally. While not a problem for Greek-speaking Hellenistic Jews nor Christians (whose scriptures were written in Greek), other Jews who kept to the Hebrew version of the Jewish Scriptures never included it. Hellenistic Judaism slowly waned equally many of its adherents either converted to Christianity or switched to other languages, and ii Maccabees thus did not become part of the Jewish canon. Josephus, the near famous Jewish writer of the starting time century whose work was preserved, does not appear to have read 2 Maccabees, for case; neither does Philo of Alexandria.^[thirteen] Neither book of the Maccabees were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls of the Essenes, a Jewish sect hostile to the Hasmoneans and their memory.^{[14] [xv]} Diverse works such equally Seder Olam Rabbah (a 2nd century AD work) point that the historic period of prophecy ended with Alexander the Corking, and 2 Maccabees, a work clearly written after, thus could non exist prophetic.^[16]

Traditionally, information technology was hypothesized that the author of two Maccabees might have been influenced by the Pharasaic tradition.^{[17] [18]} The Pharisees emphasized adherence to Jewish police force and disputed with the rulers of the Hasmonean kingdom. They criticized how the Hasmoneans took a dual role of both Master Priest and King, and demanded that they sacrifice one of the titles (usually the kingship, which was expected to exist held by one of the family unit lineage of King David). Hasmonean King Alexander Jannaeus is recorded as organizing a massacre of his political opponents, and many went into exile. The theory goes that 2 Maccabees praises Judas for saving the temple, but excludes mention of how his brothers and extended family later took the throne, and might take been written by a Pharisee from Judea writing in Egyptian exile. The piece of work'due south emphasis on adherence to the Law even on pain of martyrdom, keeping the Sabbath, and the promise of a future resurrection seem to fit with the Pharisees' ideology.^[6] Still, other scholars disagree that the author shows whatever signs of such inclinations, and belief in a hereafter resurrection of the dead was not limited to only Pharisees; scholars since the 1980s have tended to be skeptical of the proposed connection.^{[19] [20]}

The theology of the work is an update to the "Deuteronomist" history seen in older Jewish works. The classical Deuteronomist view had been that when State of israel is faithful and upholds the covenant, the Jews prosper; when Israel neglects the covenant, God withdraws his favor, and Israel suffers. The persecution of Antiochus IV stood in direct contradiction to this tradition: the most faithful Jews were the ones who suffered the most, while those who abandoned Jewish practices became wealthy and powerful. The author of 2 Maccabees attempts to make sense of this in several ways: he explains that the suffering was a swift and merciful corrective to fix the Jews back on the right path. While God had revoked his protection of the Temple in acrimony at the Hellenizing Loftier Priests, his wrath turns to mercy upon seeing the suffering of the martyrs. The work also takes pains to ensure that when setbacks occur, some sort of sin or fault was at fault. For those truly blameless, such as the martyrs, the author invokes life later death: that postal service-mortem rewards and punishments would accomplish what might have been lacking in the mortal world.^{[21] [22]} These references to the resurrection of the dead despite suffering and torture were part of a new current in Judaism also seen in the Volume of Daniel, a work the authors of 2 Maccabees were likely familiar with.^[23] This would testify especially influential amongst Roman-era Jews who converted to Christianity.^{[24] [25] [21]}

Roman-era Christianity [edit]

A Byzantine-style fresco at the Santa Maria Antiqua church in Rome, likely painted around 650 Advertizement. It depicts the woman and her seven sons (here named Solomne) and Eleazar, their instructor. The story of their martyrdom is the most famous part of ii Maccabees.^[26]

In the early Christian tradition, the Septuagint was used as the basis for the Christian Onetime Testament. The inclusion of two Maccabees in some copies of the Septuagint saw it a part of diverse early catechism lists and manuscripts, albeit sometimes as part of an appendix. The early manuscripts of the Septuagint were non compatible in their lists of books.^[27] The Codex Vaticanus lacks 1 and 2 Maccabees; the Codex Sinaiticus includes only one and 4 Maccabees; and merely the Codex Alexandrinus includes all of 1, 2, iii, and 4 Maccabees. Pope Damasus I's Council of Rome in 382, if the sixth century Gelasian Decree is a correct guide to its decision, issued a biblical canon which included both 1 and 2 Maccabees (only not three and 4).

Origen of Alexandria (A.D. 253),^[28] Pope Innocent I (405 Ad),^{[29] [30]} Synod of Hippo (393 Ad),^[31] the Council of Carthage (397 Advertisement),^[32] the Council of Carthage (419 AD),^[33] the Apostolic Canons,^[34] all seemed to think that 2 Maccabees was canonical, either by explicitly saying and so or citing it every bit scripture. Jerome and Augustine of Hippo (c. 397 Advertizing) had seemingly inconsistent positions: they straight excluded 2 Maccabees from canon, just did say that the book was useful; yet in other works, both cited 2 Maccabees every bit if information technology was scripture, or lists information technology among scriptural works.^{[35] [36]}

Theologically, the major aspects of ii Maccabees that resonated with Roman-era Christians and medieval Christians were its stories of martyrology and the resurrection of the expressionless in its stories of Eleazar and the woman with seven sons. Christians fabricated sermons and comparisons of Christian martyrs to the Maccabean martyrs, along with the promise of an eventual salvation; Eusebius compared the persecuted Christians of Lyon to the Maccabean martyrs, for example.^[37] Several churches were dedicated to the "Maccabean martyrs", and they are amongst the few pre-Christian figures to appear on the calendar of saints' days.^[26] A cult to the Maccabean martyrs flourished in Antioch, the erstwhile upper-case letter of the Seleucids; Augustine of Hippo establish it ironic and fitting that the city that named Antiochus IV now revered those he persecuted.^[38] The one awkward aspect was that the martyrs had died upholding Jewish Law in an era when many Christians felt that the Constabulary of Moses was non merely obsolete, but actively harmful. Christian authors mostly downplayed the Jewishness of the martyrs, treating them as proto-Christians instead.^{[39] [twoscore] [37]}

Controversy in the Reformation era [edit]

The Triumph of Judas Maccabeus, a 1630s work by Peter Paul Rubens. The scene depicted is from 2 Maccabees: Afterward a campaign in Idumea, some Jews savage against Gorgias's forces. According to the epitomist, these Jews died because they had idols on them; Judas makes a sin offering in recompense. This offering would become cited in the 1400s and 1500s as a defence force of Catholic doctrine on purgatory and indulgences.^[41]

2 Maccabees was in a position of being an official part of the canon, but equally a deuterocanonical piece of work and thus subtly lesser than the older scriptures during the early on 1500s. Josse van Clichtove, in his work The Veneration of Saints, cited 2 Maccabees every bit back up for the thought of dead saints interceding for the salvation of the living; in Affiliate 15, during a dream vision, both the before loftier priest Onias Iii and the prophet Jeremiah are said to pray for whole of the people.^{[42] [43]} He besides cited 2 Maccabees equally support for prayers for the dead, the reverse example of the living praying for the salvation of souls suffering in purgatory.

The book became controversial due to opposition from Martin Luther and other reformers during the Protestant Reformation of the 1500s. Luther had a very loftier stance of scripture, but precisely because of this, he wished for the canon to be strict. He would eventually demote the deuterocanonical works to "apocrypha"; still useful to read and part of the 1534 version of the Luther Bible, only set up aside in their own separate section and not accepted equally a audio ground for Christian doctrine.^{[44] [45]} Luther had several complaints. Ane was that it was an abridgment of some other work, rather than a single divinely inspired author.^[37] Another was a general preference for using the Hebrew Bible every bit the basis for the Old Testament, rather than the Latin Vulgate or the Greek Septuagint.^[37] Some other was with the prevailing Catholic interpretation and use of one story: that of Judas making a "sin offering" of silver after some of his troops were slain and found with idols, so that the dead might be delivered from their sin.^[46] This passage was used as an example of the efficacy of monetary indulgences paid to the Cosmic Church to complimentary souls from purgatory past some Catholic authors of the period.^[21] Luther disagreed with both indulgences and the concept of purgatory, and in his 1530 piece of work Disavowl of Purgatory, he denied that 2 Maccabees was a valid source to cite.^[42] Luther was reported as having said: "I am so great an enemy to the second book of the Maccabees, and to Esther, that I wish they had non come up to us at all, for they have also many heathen unnaturalities."^[47] The reformer Jean Calvin agreed with Luther's criticism of 2 Maccabees, and added his own criticism every bit well. Calvin propounded predestination, the doctrine that God has chosen the elect, and zip can change this. Thus, the arguments from Clichtove and other Catholics that cited ii Maccabees for the doctrine of the intercession of saints was doubtable to him: for Calvin, salvation was strictly God's option, and not a thing that expressionless saints could intervene on.^[48] Another issue Calvin and other Protestants raised was the cocky-effacing epilogue to two Maccabees, which Calvin took as an admission from the epitomist that he was non divinely inspired.^{[48] [49]}

In response to this, the Catholic Church went the reverse direction. While before Church Fathers had considered the deuterocanonical books useful simply lesser than the main scriptures, the Catholic Church now affirmed that 2 Maccabees (and other deuterocanonical works) were in fact fully reliable equally scripture at the Council of Trent in 1546.^{[50] [51] [42] [52]}

Mod status [edit]

2 Maccabees is withal used to endorse the doctrine of resurrection of the dead, intercession of saints, and prayers for the dead to be released from purgatory in the Catholic tradition.^[53] The Latin Church Lectionary makes utilise of texts from ii Maccabees 6 and seven, along with texts from 1 Maccabees i to 6, in the weekday readings for the 33rd week in Ordinary Time, in yr i of the two-year bicycle of readings, always in November, and as one of the options bachelor for readings during a Mass for the Dead.^[54]

The Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Churches consider the book canonical. As in antiquity, the most notable department remains the martyrs, who are historic as saints by a diversity of feast days. They are especially honored in Syriac Christianity, perhaps due to suffering persecution themselves; the mother of 7 sons is known equally Marth Shmouni in that tradition.^{[55] [56]}

In the Protestant tradition, the book remains non-canonical.^[57] Many Bibles stopped bothering to include the apocrypha, leading to a loss of relevance for ii Maccabees. Nonetheless, the book is treated at to the lowest degree somewhat respectfully. The twentieth century evangelical author James B. Hashemite kingdom of jordan, for instance, argues that while i Maccabees "was written to attempt and show the Maccabean usurpers as true heirs of David and as true High Priests" and is a "wicked book", a "far more than authentic motion-picture show of the situation is given in 2 Maccabees."^[58]

Article Vi of the Xxx-9 Articles of the Church building of England and the wider Anglican Communion defines 2 Maccabees as useful merely not the ground of doctrine.^[59]

The texts regarding the martyrdoms under Antiochus 4 in two Maccabees are held in high esteem by the Anabaptists, who faced persecution in their history.^[threescore]

Literary influence [edit]

A 1517 German language depiction of the crucified Jesus, the mother, and her 7 sons in the boiling cauldron.

The most influential part of 2 Maccabees was its stories of the martyrdom of Eleazar and the woman with vii sons; various works expanded the story to add more details such every bit the woman'due south name (variously called Hannah, Miriam, Shmouni, and other names) and their story. A prominent early example is the book of 4 Maccabees, written past a 1st-century Jewish writer who used 2 Maccabees as a direct source (equally well as the Book of Daniel). 4 Maccabees discusses in detail the martyrdoms described in 2 Maccabees, only provides a different interpretation of them. While 2 Maccabees attempts to arouse sympathy and emotions (desolation), 4 Maccabees was written past someone schooled in Stoic philosophy. As such, in its delineation, the martyred woman and Eleazar calmly hash out matters with their oppressors; they use reason and intellectual statement to stay calm and defy Antiochus IV. 4 Maccabees takes the idea of the resurrection of the dead even more straight than 2 Maccabees and Daniel: if God will revive those who endure for obeying God's law, and then it makes perfect sense to obey the greater ruler rather than the bottom ruler.^{[thirteen] [61]}

To a lesser degree, the book 3 Maccabees evinces familiarity with 2 Maccabees; while the setting is dissimilar (information technology is set fifty years before the Maccabean Defection in Arab republic of egypt, non Judea), Eleazar the scribe appears in information technology, and the depictions of turmoil and suffering amid Egyptian Jews are influenced by two Maccabees. The Christian Epistle to the Hebrews possibly makes a reference to 2 Maccabees also.^[62]

A after piece of work that direct expanded 2 Maccabees was the Yosippon of the tenth century, which includes a paraphrase of parts of the Latin translation of 2 Maccabees.^[63] Among Jews, there had been practically no interest in 2 Maccabees itself for a millennium;^[64] the Yosippon was a rare exception of medieval Jews rediscovering the piece of work.^[65] Much like in Christian works, the story of the mother and her seven sons was the nearly retold and influential.^[63]

Reliability equally history [edit]

2 Maccabees has traditionally been considered a somewhat bottom source on the history of the Maccabean Defection than 1 Maccabees by secular historians, especially in the 19th century. This is for a number of reasons: it wears its religious moralizing openly; information technology skips effectually in time and place at parts, rather than the chronological approach in one Maccabees; and it includes a number of implausible claims direct in contention with 1 Maccabees.^[xviii] In general, almost scholars go on to concur that one Maccabees is a superior source on the military history of the revolt: it was written by a Judean who names and describes locations accurately compared to the occasional geographic blunders of two Maccabees written by an Egyptian, includes far more details on maneuvers and tactics than the elementary depictions of boxing in 2 Maccabees, and its figures for elements such equally troop counts and casualties are considered more reliable than the wildly inflated numbers in 2 Maccabees. (For example, ii Maccabees implausibly claims that there were 35,000 Syrian casualties at the Battle of Adasa, a number likely far larger than the unabridged Seleucid force.^[66]) 2 Maccabees was besides written in a "pathetic" in the sense of pathos style, appealing to emotions and sentiment.^[67] Skeptical historians considered this a sign that the epitomist was not interested in historical accuracy much, merely merely telling a adept story.^[68]

In the 20th century, in that location was a renewed interest in rehabilitating ii Maccabees as a source on par with 1 Maccabees past scholars. In particular, at that place was a growing recognition that a politically slanted history, as 1 Maccabees is, could be but every bit biased and unreliable as the religiously slanted history that 2 Maccabees is.^[69] A deeply devout observer could notwithstanding be describing true events, admitting with a religious interpretation of them. By the 1930s, historians generally came to the conclusion that the historical documents nowadays in ii Maccabees - while seemingly out of chronological guild - were likely legitimate and matched what would exist expected of such Seleucid negotiations. Archaeological evidence supported many of the references made to Seleucid leadership, causing historians to call up that Jason and the epitomist must take had amend knowledge of internal Seleucid diplomacy than the author of i Maccabees.^[seventy] As an instance, 2 Maccabees appears to be more reliable and honest on the date of the expiry of Antiochus 4. Archaeological evidence supports the claim in 2 Maccabees he died before the cleansing of the Temple, while 1 Maccabees moves his death later to hide the fact that Lysias abandoned his campaign in Judea not due to the efforts of the Maccabees at the Boxing of Beth Zur, simply rather to respond to political turmoil resulting from Antiochus'southward death. 2 Maccabees writes that Antiochus's decrees were targeted against Judea and Samaria, which historians detect more likely than 1 Maccabees claim that he demanded religious standardization across the entire empire.^[71]

Fifty-fifty to the extent that two Maccabees is still distrusted equally history to a degree, the fact that it is a genuinely independent source is considered invaluable to historians. Many events in the Hellenistic and Roman periods take only passing mentions that they occurred; those that do have a detailed source often only have a single such detailed source, leaving it difficult to decide that author'due south biases or errors. For example, the Bang-up Revolt against the Romans in 64–73 Advertizing is only closely recorded by Josephus's The Jewish State of war. The Maccabean Defection having ii independent detailed contemporary histories is a rarity.

Notes [edit]

1. ^ Greek: Μακκαβαίων Β´, romanized: Makkabaíōn 2
2. ^ Since 2 Maccabees is largely an abridgment of some other'south piece of work, the person who wrote 2 Maccabees is oftentimes referred to equally "epitomist" or "epitomator" rather than "author".
3. ^ Scholarly estimates for the appointment of authorship include:
   • Daniel R. Schwartz argues for an "early" appointment of publication of around 150–140 BC.^[3]
   • Stuckenbruck & Gurtner argue for between 150–120 BC.^[iv]
   • Jonathan A. Goldstein argues for Jason of Cyrene's history published at some time during the reign of Alexander Jannaeus (103 to 76 BC), and the abridged 2 Maccabees with the introductory messages by 76 Ad.^[5]
   • John R. Bartlett argues for "almost anywhere in the last 150 years B.C."^[6]
4. ^ Few scholars believe the introductory messages to be authentic, merely some do propose that they were compiled by the same epitomist who made the rest of the piece of work. Some notable scholarly positions include: Benedikt Niese believed that the letters were integral to the work. Jonathan Goldstein considers the messages forgeries and later additions. Daniel R. Schwartz believes that they are a afterwards addition, and farther that the date was really 148 SE, not 188 SE, and was a reference not to the engagement of the alphabetic character, simply the date of the original cleansing of the Temple.^[7]

References [edit]

1. ^ two Maccabees 2:23
2. ^ ^{a b c} Duggan, Michael W. (2021). "two Maccabees". In Oegema, Gerbern S. (ed.). The Oxford Handbook of the Apocrypha. Oxford University Printing. doi:x.1093/oxfordhb/9780190689643.013.10. ISBN9780190689667.
3. ^ Schwartz 2008, p. eight–15.
4. ^ Stuckenbruck, Loren T.; Gurtner, Daniel M. (2019). T&T Clark Encyclopedia of Second Temple Judaism Volume 1. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN9780567658135 . Retrieved five January 2021.
5. ^ Goldstein 1983, p. 121–122.
6. ^ ^{a b c} Bartlett 1973, p. 215–219.
7. ^ Schwartz 2008, p. 519–525.
8. ^ Harrington 2009, p. 36‐38.
9. ^ 2 Maccabees 15:36
10. ^ Koller, A., Purim, accessed 17 January 2021
11. ^ Life later death: a history of the afterlife in the religions of the Due west (2004), Anchor Bible Reference Library, Alan F. Segal, p. 363
12. ^ Ellis, East. Earle (2003). The Sometime Attestation in early on Christianity : canon and interpretation in the calorie-free of modern research. Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock. pp. 34, 35. ISBN978-1592442560.
13. ^ ^{a b} Schwartz 2008, p. 86.
14. ^ Freedman, David Noel; Allen C. Myers; Astrid B. Beck, eds. (2000). Eerdmans lexicon of the Bible ([Nachdr.] ed.). Thou Rapids, Mich.: Eerdman. p. 426. ISBN978-0802824004.
15. ^ VanderKam, James C.; Flintstone, Peter (2004). The meaning of the Dead Sea scrolls : their significance for understanding the Bible, Judaism, Jesus, and Christianity (1st paperback ed.). San Francisco, CA: HarperSanFrancisco. p. 99. ISBN978-0060684655.
16. ^ Schwartz 2008, p. 58-61.
17. ^ Harris, Stephen L., Understanding the Bible. Palo Alto: Mayfield. 1985.
18. ^ ^{a b} Oesterley, William O. E. (1935). An Introduction to the Books of the Apocrypha. New York: The Macmillan Company. p. 315–326.
19. ^ Schwartz 2008, p. 168, 442.
20. ^ Bar-Kochva 1989, p. 571–572.
21. ^ ^{a b c} deSilva, David A. (2021). "Biblical Theology and the Apocrypha". In Oegema, Gerbern South. (ed.). The Oxford Handbook of the Apocrypha. Oxford University Printing. doi:10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190689643.013.2. ISBN9780190689667.
22. ^ Ehrman, Bart (2020). Heaven and Hell: A History of the Afterlife. Simon & Schuster. p. 142–146; 151–158. ISBN9781501136757.
23. ^ Goldstein 1983, p. 63–lxx.
24. ^ Akin, Jimmy, Defending the Deuterocanonicals
25. ^ Harrington 2009, p. 129–130.
26. ^ ^{a b} Berger, Albrecht (2012). "The Cult of the Maccabees in the Eastern Orthodox Church building". In Signori, Gabriela (ed.). Dying for the Faith, Killing for the Faith: Old-Testament Religion-Warriors (1 and 2 Maccabees) in Historical Perspective. Brill. p. 107–111; 116–119. ISBN978-90-04-21104-ix.
27. ^ Jr, Gleason Archer (2007). A survey of Old Testament introduction ([Rev. and expanded]. ed.). Chicago, IL: Moody Press. p. 81, 82. ISBN978-0802484345.
28. ^ Eusebius, of Caesarea. Ecclesiastical History Volume 6 Chapter 25:1–2. newadvent. Retrieved 12 October 2016.
29. ^ "Letter of Innocent I on the Canon of Scripture". www.bible-researcher.com.
30. ^ Westcott, Brooke Foss (2005). A full general survey of the history of the canon of the New Testament (6th ed.). Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock. p. 570. ISBN1597522392.
31. ^ "Canon XXIV. (Greek xxvii.)", The Canons of the 217 Blessed Fathers who assembled at Carthage, Christian Classics Ethereal Library
32. ^ B.F. Westcott, A General Survey of the History of the Canon of the New Attestation (5th ed. Edinburgh, 1881), pp. 440, 541–42.
33. ^ "Church building FATHERS: Council of Carthage (A.D. 419)". world wide web.newadvent.org.
34. ^ Council in Trullo. The Churchly Canons. Catechism 85. newadvent. Retrieved 12 October 2016.
35. ^ Augustine of Hippo. On Christian Doctrine Book II Affiliate 8:2. newadvent. Retrieved 12 Oct 2016.
36. ^ Schwartz 2008, p. 59.
37. ^ ^{a b c d} Signori, Gabriela (2012). "Introduction". Dying for the Faith, Killing for the Faith: Sometime-Testament Religion-Warriors (1 and 2 Maccabees) in Historical Perspective. Brill. p. 1–3. ISBN978-90-04-21104-9.
38. ^ Lapina, Elizabeth (2012). "The Maccabees and the Battle of Antioch". In Signori, Gabriela (ed.). Dying for the Organized religion, Killing for the Faith: Onetime-Attestation Faith-Warriors (1 and 2 Maccabees) in Historical Perspective. Brill. p. 147–148. ISBN978-90-04-21104-9.
39. ^ Joslyn-Siemiatkoski, Daniel (2009). Christian Memories of the Maccabean Martyrs. New York: Palgrave Mcmillan. p. 1–10. ISBN978-0-230-60279-iii.
40. ^ Schwartz 2008, p. 87-89.
41. ^ RKD Netherlands Institute for Art History: Peter Paul Rubens and studio of Peter Paul Rubens. See two Maccabees 12:39–45.
42. ^ ^{a b c} Pelikan, Jaroslav (1984) [1983]. Reformation of Church and Dogma (1300-1700). The Christian Tradition. Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press. p. 136–137; 261; 266; 276. ISBN0-226-65376-5.
43. ^ 2 Maccabees 15:12–xvi
44. ^ Hiers, Richard H. (2001). The Trinity Guide to the Bible (Pbk. ed.). Harrisburg, Penn.: Trinity Press International. p. 148. ISBN978-1563383403.
45. ^ McDonald, Lee Martin (2009). Forgotten scriptures: the choice and rejection of early religious writings (1st ed.). Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press. p. 81. ISBN978-0664233570.
46. ^ 2 Maccabees 12:39–45
47. ^ Luther, Martin (1893) [1566]. "Of God's Give-and-take: XXIV". The Table-Talk of Martin Luther. trans. William Hazlitt. Philadelphia: Lutheran Publication Society. LCC BR332.T4.
48. ^ ^{a b} Schwartz 2008, p. lx–61.
49. ^ Calvin, Jean (2008) [1559]. "Book 3, Chapter 5, Section eight–9". Institutes of the Christian Organized religion. Translated by Beveridge, Henry. Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers. p. 440–441. ISBN9781598561685.
50. ^ New Cosmic encyclopedia. Vol. 3. Washington, D.C: Cosmic University of America. 2003. pp. 20, 26, 390.
51. ^ Metzger, Bruce M. (March xiii, 1997). The Catechism of the New Testament: Its Origin, Evolution, and Significance. Oxford University Printing. p. 246. ISBN0-19-826954-4. Finally on 8 April 1546, by a vote of 24 to xv, with 16 abstensions, the Council issued a decree (De Canonicis Scripturis) in which, for the starting time time in the history of the Church, the question of the contents of the Bible was made an absolute article of faith and confirmed by an anathema.
52. ^ Canons and Decrees of the Council of Trent/Session 4/Canonical Scriptures. Translated by Buckley, Theodore Alois. 1851 [1546] – via Wikisource.  [ scan ]
53. ^ Ellis, P. F. (2003). "Maccabees, Books of". New Catholic Encyclopedia (Second ed.). Washington, DC: Thomson Gale.
54. ^ Roman Missal, Lectionary, Revised Edition canonical for employ in the dioceses of England and Wales, Scotland, Ireland, published past Collins, Geoffrey Chapman and Veritas, 1981, 1982, volumes 2 and 3
55. ^ St Shmouni and her 7 Sons – Martyrs – 1 August
56. ^ Synek, Eva; Murre-van den Berg, Heleen (2007). "Chapter 12: Syriac Christianity; Affiliate 21: Eastern Christian Hagiographical Traditions, Oriental Orthodox: Syriac Hagiography". In Perry, Kenneth (ed.). The Blackwell Companion to Eastern Christianity. Book Publishers. pp. 266, 444–445. ISBN9780631234234.
57. ^ Ramsay, William M. (i January 1994). Westminster Guide to the Books of the Bible. Westminster John Knox Press. p. 275. ISBN978-0-664-25380-vi. The Reformers countered past pointing out that 2 Maccabees was a volume of the Apocrypha; Protestants would accept as authoritative Old Attestation merely the catechism of the Hebrew scriptures. ... The Reformers did grant that the Apocrypha was valuable. ... these books, while useful "for betterment," were not authoritative for doctrine.
58. ^ Jordan, James B. (2007). The Handwriting on the Wall: A Commentary on the Book of Daniel. American Vision. p. 580.
59. ^ "Articles of Religion". The Church of England . Retrieved March five, 2022.
60. ^ deSilva, David A. (2018). Introducing the Apocrypha: Message, Context, and Significance. Baker Books. ISBN978-1-4934-1307-2.
61. ^ Goldstein 1983, p. 26.
62. ^ Schwartz 2008, p. 88. See Hebrews 11:35–36
63. ^ ^{a b} Joslyn-Siemiatkoski, Daniel (2012). "The Mother And Seven Sons in Late Antique And Medieval Ashkenazi Judaism: Narrative Transformations and Communal Identity". In Signori, Gabriela (ed.). Dying for the Faith, Killing for the Religion: Old-Attestation Faith-Warriors (1 and 2 Maccabees) in Historical Perspective. Brill. p. 129–134. ISBN978-90-04-21104-9.
64. ^ Stemberger, Günter (1992). "The Maccabees in Rabbinic Tradition". The Scriptures and the Scrolls: Studies in Honor of A.Southward. van der Woude on the Occasion of his 65th Birthday. East. J. Brill. p. 192–203.
65. ^ Schwartz 2008, p. 90.
66. ^ Bar-Kochva 1989, p. 360.
67. ^ Schwartz 2008, p. 78–80.
68. ^ Hongiman, Sylvie (2014). Tales of Loftier Priests and Taxes: The Books of the Maccabees and the Judean Rebellion against Antiochos IV. Oakland, California: University of California Press. ISBN9780520958180.
69. ^ Doran 2012, p. three; 519–520.
70. ^ Schwartz 2008, p. forty–44.
71. ^ Portier-Young, Anathea (2011). Apocalypse Against Empire: Theologies of Resistance in Early Judaism. Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. p. 191-192. ISBN9780802870834.

Bibliography [edit]

• Bar-Kochva, Bezalel (1989). Judas Maccabaeus: The Jewish Struggle Confronting the Seleucids. Cambridge University Press. ISBN0521323525.
• Bartlett, John R. (1973). The First and 2d Books of the Maccabees. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
• Doran, Robert (2012). Attridge, Harold W. (ed.). ii Maccabees: A Critical Commentary. Hermeneia. Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress Press. ISBN9780800660505.
• Harrington, Daniel J. (2009) [1988]. The Maccabean Revolt: Anatomy of a Biblical Revolution. Eugene, Oregon: Wipf and Stock. ISBN978-1-60899-113-6.
• Goldstein, Jonathan A. (1983). II Maccabees. The Anchor Bible Serial. Garden Metropolis, NY: Doubleday. ISBN0-385-04864-5.
• Schwartz, Daniel R. (2008). 2 Maccabees. Commentaries on Early Jewish Literature. Berlin: Walter De Gruyter. ISBN978-3-xi-019118-9.

Farther reading [edit]

• Borchardt, Francis. 2016. "Reading Help: ii Maccabees and the History of Jason of Cyrene Reconsidered." Periodical for the Written report of Judaism 47, no. 1: 71–87.
• Coetzer, Eugene. 2016. "Heroes and Villains in 2 Maccabees 8:1–36: A Rhetorical Analysis." One-time Testament Essays: 419–33.
• Doran, Robert. 1981. Temple Propaganda: The Purpose and Character of ii Maccabees. Cosmic Biblical Quarterly Monograph Series 12. Washington, DC: Catholic Biblical Clan.
• Habicht, C. 1976. "Royal Documents in II Maccabees." Harvard Studies in Classical Philology fourscore: 1–xviii.
• Janowitz, Naomi. 2017. The Family Romance of Martyrdom In Second Maccabees. New York: Routledge.
• Kosmin, P. 2016. "Indigenous Revolts in 2 Maccabees: The Persian Version." Classical Philology 111, no. ane: 32–53.
• Stewart, Tyler A. 2017. "Jewish Paideia: Greek Instruction in the Letter of Aristeas and 2 Maccabees." Journal for the Written report of Judaism 48, no. 2: 182–202.
• Trotter, Jonathan R. 2017. "2 Maccabees ten:ane–eight: Who Wrote It and Where Does It Belong?" Journal of Biblical Literature 136, no. 1: 117–30.

External links [edit]

shermanhouldlat.blogspot.com

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2_Maccabees

Share this post