Maccabees 1

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Maccabees (12)
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Major Sources

• 1 Maccabees
• 2 Maccabees
• Josephus
• Antiquities 12 and 13
• Wars 1
• Megillat Taanit
• 4 Maccabees, etc.
• Qumran
• Rabbinic

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Initial Comparison

• 1 Maccabees
• Hebrew
• Original
• Covers 175-135 BCE
• Hasmonean Dynasty

• 2 Maccabees
• Greek
• Abridgement (Jason)
• Covers 180-161 BCE
• Judas and Temple

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Brief Outline 1 Maccabees

• The historical context chapter 1
• The revolt of Mattathias chapter 2
• Judas the Maccabee 31-922
• Jonathan 923-1253
• Simon 131-1617
• John 1618-24

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Brief Outline 2 Maccabees

• Letters to Egyptian Jews 11-218
• Preface 219-32
• Protection of temple chapter 3
• Punishment of Jerusalem 4-7
• Deliverance and dedication 81-109
• Victories of Judas 1010-1326
• Defeat of Nicanor 141-1536
• Epilogue 1537-39

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General Chronology

• 200 BCE Seleucids take Palestine
• 223-187 Antiochus III
• 187-175 Seleucus IV
• 175-163 Antiochus IV
• 168 Suppression of Jewish Worship
• 162 Demetrius I succeeds Antiochus V
• 150-145 Alexander Balas
• 145 Demetrius II begins reign

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Hasmonean Leaders

• 167 Mattathias, priest in Modein
• 166-160 Judas Maccabaeus
• 160-142 Jonathan, high priest
• 142-135 Simon, high priest
• 134-104 John Hyrcanus, high priest and king
• 102-76 Alexander Jannaeus

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Reasons for Persecution

• Israels sins
• 2 Maccabees 517-20 612-16
• Gentile arrogance
• 1 Maccabees 121
• Character of Antiochus
• cf Polybius 26.1
• Goal of conversion of Jews
• Tacitus Histories 5.8

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It aint over 'til its over

• Rededication of temple? 1 Macc 434-59 (164
  BCE)
• Defeat of Nicanor and control of Jerusalem? 2
  Macc (161 BCE, Judas)
• Establishment of Hasmonean dynasty? 1 Macc (134
  BCE, John Hyrcanus)

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Sources in 2 Maccabees

• 11-10a Palestinian Jews to Egyptian Jews about
  Hanukkah
• 110b-218 Judas to Egyptian Jews
• 919-27 Antiochus IV to Jews
• 1116-21 Lysias to Jews
• 1122-26 Antiochus V to Lysias
• 1127-33 Antiochus IV to Jewish gerousia
• 1134-38 Roman ambassadors to Jewish people

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Sources in 1 Maccabees (1)

• 823-32 Treaty with Rome
• 1018-20 Alexander Balas to Jonathan
• 1025-45 Demetrius I to Jonathan
• 1130-37 Demetrius II to Jonathan
• 1157 Antiochus VI to Jonathan
• 126-18 Jonathan to Spartans

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Sources in 1 Maccabees (2)

• 1220-23 King Areus of Sparta to high priest
  Onias
• 1336-40 Demetrius II to Simon
• 1420-23 Spartans to Simon
• 152-9 Antiochus VI to Simon
• 1516-24 Circular letter from Roman consuls

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Map of the Kingdoms
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(No Transcript)
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Miscellaneous

• Resurrection of the dead and Prayer for the dead
• 2 Macc 7-8 1239-45
• Creatio ex nihil(o)
• 2 Macc 728
• High priestly succession and Qumran