Second Maccabees

Authorship: An unknown Jewish Greek or Greek-speaking Jew, abridging an earlier work by a certain Jason of Cyrene, and using a variety of sources.

Probable language(s) of composition: Second Maccabees was probably written in Greek. Early translations were made into Latin, Syriac, and Armenian.

Probable date(s) of composition: 1^st century BC, but after the publication of First Maccabees c. 90 BC, and after the publication of the multi-volume history by Jason of Cyrene. Second Maccabees claims to be an abridgement of Jason’s history. A date of 78-63 BC is reasonable. (Jonathan Goldstein) The New Jerome Biblical Commentary takes the opposite view, suggesting that Second Maccabees was the earlier work, dating to c. 124 BC.

Probable place(s) of composition: Antiochene and Alexandrian influence have been noted in the text, suggesting the possibility of the composition originating in one of those two locations. Jerusalem has also been suggested. The letters attached to the bulk of the work seem to have originated from Palestine, and directed toward Jews in Egypt.

Further information about composition: The bulk of the material seems to be exactly as purported: an abridgement of Jason’s work; and as such is more or less a unity within itself. However, many scholars have suggested that the two letters connected with the book are additions, and not part of the original composition.

Any peculiarities of canonical status: Second Maccabees is not considered canonical in the Jewish faith, a decision which seems to date from about the time of Josephus, and no copy of the text has been found at Qumran. It is numbered among the deuterocanonical books of Scripture by Roman Catholicism, and by Eastern Orthodoxy. It is listed as part of the Apocrypha, the "other books" read in churches, but not considered doctrinally valid by the Anglican tradition. Protestantism rejects both First and Second Maccabees as non canonical, especially Second Maccabees for its supposed support for Roman doctrines of Purgatory and prayers for the dead. However, both books tend to be more highly regarded by Protestants than most of the rest of the Apocrypha because of their immense historical value.

Dependencies and influences upon work: As previously stated, the work claims to be an abridgement of an earlier five volume history written by one Jason of Cyrene. As previously noted, the two letters attached seem to many scholars to come from a separate source. Jason seems to have access to several sources from which he produced his history, including a Judas tradition, and a Seleucid chronicle as well as access to the Temple Archives. Jonathan Goldstein, in his Anchor Bible Commentaries on First and Second Maccabees suggests a more elaborate scheme for determining the use of sources, but his views have not gained scholarly consensus.

Genre of work: Second Maccabees is a work of history. Although its tone is more religious than First Maccabees, this does not invalidate its legitimate historical content. There is not complete agreement between the two books, and the time frames covered by the two books do not completely dovetail. However, Second Maccabees sets the stage, both politically and religiously, for the military conflicts recounted in both books. Second Maccabees also devotes space to martyrology, which is absent from First Maccabees.

Content: The book begins with two letters written from Palestinian Jews to their religious counterparts in Egypt, explaining their deliverance, and suggesting the observance of the Feast of Tabernacles. The material contains a reference to a much earlier event involving Nehemiah and the relighting of the sacred fire. The remainder of the book outlines the political and religious maneuverings beginning in the early days of the 2^nd century BC, continuing through the persecutions of the Jews, and outlining the early victories of Judas Maccabeus, culminating with Judas’ defeat of the Greek general Nicanor, and the recovery and rededication of the Temple.

OUTLINE

1. First Letter — 1:1-9
2. Second Letter — 1:10-2:18
3. Author’s Preface — 2:19-32
4. The Episode concerning Heliodorus — 3:1-40

1. Introduction — 1-7
2. Heliodorus attempts to violate the Temple — 8-23
3. Divine Intervention — 24-34
4. The Repentance of Heliodorus — 35-40
22. Information concerning Hellenist contenders for the High Priesthood — 4:1-50

VI. The Rebellion of Jason and the Atrocities of Antiochus IV — 5:1-27

1. The rebellion and ultimate demise of Jason — 1-10

1. The attack of Antiochus — 11-26
2. First mention of Judas, who escapes from Jerusalem — 27

VII. The Imposition of the Foreign Cult and the Persecution — 6:1-7:42

1. The desecration of the Temple and the anti-Jewish decrees — 6:1-9
2. The beginnings of persecution — 10-17
3. The martyrdom of Eleazar — 18-31
4. The martyrdom of the mother with her seven sons — 7:1-42

VIII. The Military Revolt of Judas — 8:1-11:38

1. The first victories — 8:1-3

Interpolation — the quasi repentance and death of Antiochus IV 9:1-29

2. The recovery of the Temple and the Festival of Purification — 10:1-8
3. The defeat of Gorgias and the Idumaeans — 10:9-23
4. The defeat of Timotheus — 10:24-38
5. The defeat of Lysias — 11:1-12
6. The ending of the persecution — 11:13-38

IX. Local Wars — 12:1-45

24. The Episode with Antiochus V and Lysias — 13:1-26
1. The dishonoring and death of Menelaus — 1-8
2. Judas foils the attack of Antiochus — 9-16
3. Judas defeats Antiochus — 17-23a
4. Antiochus and Lysias sue for peace — 23b-26

XI. The Episodes during the reign of Demetrius I — 14:1-15:36

1. The intrigues of Alcimus — 14:1-13
2. The installation of Nicanor as governor — 14:14-22
3. The early relationship of Judas and Nicanor — 14:23-30
4. Nicanor denounces the Temple — 14:31-36
5. The suicide/martyrdom of Razis — 14:37-46
6. Nicanor challenges Judas and the Jews — 15:1-19
7. Judas defeats Nicanor in battle — 15:20-36

Internet links:

Judas Maccabeus, with links to other sites

The Persecution, the Revolt, and Chanukah.

Later uses and influences: The influence that the story of the Maccabees has had on art, music and literature is too immense to explore in detail here. Some examples are given. Josephus used many of the same histories and sources as did the writers of First and Second Maccabees, although his use of the First Maccabees source seems primary. G. F. Handel used the story of Judas as the theme for his oratorio Judas Maccabeus, and its historical sequal Alexander Balus. The New England Tragedies of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow contain references to the story of the Maccabees, as does his Judas Maccabeus (obviously).

Sources used: Sources used included:

Notes and commentary in the New Oxford Annotated Bible (RSV)

Notes and commentary in the New Oxford Annotated Biblle (NRSV)

The New Jerome Biblical Commentary

The Anchor Bible Commentaries for both First and Second Maccabees, by Jonathan Goldstein

Author of this page: The Rev’d. David A. Zampino, Sr.