Chapter One

The first letter of the Palestinian Jews to the Egyptian Jews (1–9). The second letter of the same kind (10–36).

2 Maccabees 1:1. To the Jewish brothers in Egypt — greetings; the Jewish brothers in Jerusalem and throughout the land of Judea wish you good peace. The letter of the Palestinian Jews to the Egyptian Jews begins with a greeting expressed both in the Greek form (chairein) and in the Hebrew form (eirenen agathen — good peace!).

2 Maccabees 1:2. May God show you favor and remember his covenant with his faithful servants: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob! “May God show you favor” — this is further defined by the following expression “may he remember his covenant with... Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,” that is, with regard to their descendants.

2 Maccabees 1:3. May he give you all a heart to honor him and to do his will with all your heart and a willing soul! “May he give... a heart to honor him” — that is, “a heart that honors him,” devoted to him. — “His will” — ta thelemata autou — Slavonic: his desire, as expressed in his commandments. — “With all your heart” — kardia megale — Slavonic: with a great heart.

2 Maccabees 1:4. May he open your heart to his law and his commandments and grant you peace! “To his law and his commandments” — en to nomo autou — Slavonic: in his law, that is, in the realm of his law, in the days of its fulfillment.

2 Maccabees 1:5. May he hear your prayers and be merciful to you, and may he not forsake you in the time of affliction! “In the time of affliction” — en kairo ponero, Slavonic: in an evil time, in a time of misfortune.

2 Maccabees 1:6. Even now we are here praying for you. “Even now...” — kai nyn (cf. v. 9), and now, that is, in accordance with the wishes just expressed.

2 Maccabees 1:7. In the reign of Demetrius, in the one hundred and sixty-ninth year, we Jews wrote to you in the distress and trouble that came upon us in those years, when Jason and his confederates defected from the holy land and the kingdom. 2 Macc 1:7-8. A communication that the grief and misfortune that had befallen the Jews under Demetrius (in the year 169 of the Seleucid era — 144–143 BC), about which they had previously written, had now ceased. Here Demetrius II Nicator is meant, who came to the throne after the deaths of Alexander Balas and Ptolemy Philometor in the year 167 of the Seleucid era (see commentary on 1 Maccabees 11:15–19). — “From the holy land” — he hagia ge Zech 2:12 — Judea is so called as the place of God’s special presence and the manifestations of his power. — “And the kingdom,” that is, equally holy, God’s: such a designation is applied to the Old Testament people and their dwelling place only in this passage of the Old Testament. — By the “defection” or apostasy of Jason and his confederates from the holy land and kingdom, the author refers to the well-known act of Jason, when he decided to purchase the high priesthood from the Syrian king in exchange for money and permission to introduce pagan customs in Jerusalem.

2 Maccabees 1:8. They burned the gates and shed innocent blood. Then we prayed to the Lord and were heard, and we offered sacrifice and fine flour, and lit lamps, and set out the loaves of bread. “They (burned the gates)” — that is, the enemies of the Jews in general, the Syrians, especially Antiochus Epiphanes and his associates. — “The gates” — ton pylona, in the singular, but probably in a collective sense — the temple gates, or sacred gates (pylones hieroi), the burning of which is spoken of in 1 Macc 4:38 and 2 Macc 8:33. — “They shed innocent blood” corresponds to 1 Macc 1:37 and following; 2 Macc 5:13 and following. 26. This expression may also refer generally to the disastrous life of the people in those years of Jason’s defection from the holy land and kingdom, that is, not only under Antiochus Epiphanes but also under his successors. — “Sacrifice and fine flour” — thysian kai semidalen — corresponds to the Hebrew offering of animal and grain sacrifice. Semidalis (semidalis) — fine wheat flour, as the chief component of the bloodless grain offering, is often used by the LXX, as a representation of the whole, in the sense of the Hebrew term. — On the lighting of lamps and the setting out of bread — 1 Macc 4:50-51.

2 Maccabees 1:9. And now celebrate the feast of Tabernacles in the month of Chislev. “Celebrate the feast of Tabernacles in the month of Chislev” — that is, not the feast of Tabernacles proper, but the feast of the purification of the temple — after the pattern or rite of the feast of Tabernacles (cf. 10:6), celebrated in the month of Tishri. By calling the feast of the temple’s purification “the feast of Tabernacles in the month of Chislev,” the authors of the letter show that although the celebration of the temple’s purification immediately became an annual universal custom, the proper name of the feast — as the feast of the “purification of the temple” — was established not simultaneously with the institution of the feast but somewhat later.

2 Maccabees 1:10. In the one hundred and eighty-eighth year, those dwelling in Jerusalem and in Judea, and the elders and Judas — to Aristobulus, teacher of King Ptolemy, who is of the family of the anointed priests, and to the Jews dwelling in Egypt — greetings and good health. The first half of verse 2 Macc 1:10, containing the chronological date (“in the year 188” of the Seleucid era — 124 BC), — in the opinion of commentators, should be assigned to the first letter and not to the second that follows. In support of this one may point to the letters cited in chapter 11, where the date is actually placed at the end of the letter and not at the beginning (11:21, 33, and 38). 2 Macc 1:10-36 and following — the second letter of the Palestinian Jews to the Egyptian Jews has no definite date, but from its content one may conclude that it was composed not long after the death of Antiochus Epiphanes. Among the authors of the second letter are mentioned “the elders” — gerousia (1 Macc 12:6), that is, probably the later Sanhedrin, and Judas, undoubtedly Maccabeus, who stood at the head of his people at that time, as is evident from 2:14. He survived Antiochus Epiphanes by about four years. This is in agreement with the mention, among the addressees, of “Aristobulus, teacher of King Ptolemy,” the well-known Peripatetic philosopher during the reign of Ptolemy Philometor (ruled 180–145 BC). The title of this Aristobulus as didaskalos of King Ptolemy should not be taken in its strict literal sense. Aristobulus is so called only as the author of an allegorical commentary on the Pentateuch composed for Ptolemy — with the aim of acquainting the king with the laws and wisdom of the Jews. Aristobulus’s closeness to the king could have been greatly aided by the fact that he was “of the family of the anointed priests,” that is, a high priest, to whom this designation was especially applied (Lev 4:3), owing to the special rite of his anointing, distinguishing him from other priests. Such a position of Aristobulus makes it quite natural that a letter of such important ritual significance should have been addressed to him.

2 Maccabees 1:11. Delivered by God from great dangers, we solemnly thank him, as those who had been arrayed against the king, “As those who had been arrayed against the king” — hos an ... paratassomenoi — as such who were ready to fight, if it had been necessary. The Jews thus give thanks here for the fortunate avoidance of a battle that had seemed inevitable.

2 Maccabees 1:12–13. for he drove out those who had gathered against the holy city. For when the king advanced into Persia with an army that seemed invincible, they were cut down in the temple of Nanea by a deceit employed by the priests of Nanea. “In the temple of Nanea” — Nanaias, variant: Ananaias, Syriac: Nani, Latin: Naneae. This Nanea is considered identical with the deity mentioned by Strabo (XI, 532) as a national name of the Persians, and also with Anaitis or Anaia and Aneitis (Plutarch), venerated by the Medes, Armenians, and many inhabitants of Asia Minor, whom the ancients also called Artemis (of Tauris) and Tanais.

2 Maccabees 1:14. When Antiochus came to the place, as if intending to marry her, and his friends who were with him came to take the money as a dowry, “As a dowry” — eis phernes logon — Slavonic: “under the name of a bride-price,” in payment of a dowry.

2 Maccabees 1:15–17. and the priests of Nanea had presented them, and when Antiochus with a few attendants had entered the inner sanctuary — then the priests closed the temple as soon as Antiochus had entered, and opening a secret trapdoor in the ceiling, they began to throw stones, and struck down the leader and those with him, and having cut them to pieces and cut off their heads, they threw them out to those standing outside. Blessed in all things is our God, who delivered the ungodly. In the description of Antiochus’s death here, no small confusion is caused by the contradiction with 1 Macc 6:3 and following, and even with 2 Macc 9:1 and following. Some commentators tried to resolve this contradiction by taking the hegemon Antiochus to mean Antiochus III the Great; others — Antiochus VII Sidetes; neither interpretation has sufficient basis — at least, ancient historians say nothing about Antiochus Sidetes plundering temples. These same historians also give differing accounts of the circumstances of the death of Antiochus Epiphanes. According to Josephus and Justin, he was killed in battle with the Parthians and Persians; according to Appian, taken captive, Antiochus killed himself; according to still others, he was killed by his brother Demetrius, whom Arsaces had released. — Regarding Antiochus III the Great, some historians (Diodorus Siculus, Strabo, Justin) do indeed state that he perished in an attempt to plunder the Elymaean temple of Bel, along with his entire detachment, at the hands of the local inhabitants; but, on the other hand, this Antiochus was, as is known, well disposed toward the Jews, and therefore can hardly be the one meant in this passage. It is more probable that the author of the book here conflates different kings and similar events in their histories.

2 Maccabees 1:18. Therefore, intending to celebrate the purification of the temple on the twenty-fifth of Chislev, we thought it necessary to inform you, so that you also might celebrate the feast of Tabernacles and of the fire, just as Nehemiah, having built the temple and the altar, offered sacrifice. “Intending to celebrate the purification of the temple...” Here the intent is not the initial establishment of the celebration, but only the repetition of an already established custom of previous years in memory of the purification, and an invitation by the Palestinian Jews to the Egyptian Jews to introduce this custom among themselves as well, with the aim of closer mutual fellowship and a greater concentration of all Jewish hearts around their own sacred heritage. — “The feast of Tabernacles and of the fire, just as Nehemiah...” — agetai tes skenopegia kai tou pyros, hote Neemias... Instead of rendering the Greek hote with the Russian “just as,” it is more accurate here to preserve the exact meaning of hote — “when” (Slavonic: egda), and to understand the entire statement not in a comparative sense but in an explanatory relation to tou pyros — of the fire: “the feast of Tabernacles and of the fire (instituted in memory of) when Nehemiah... offered sacrifice,” etc. (having received heavenly fire anew). Regarding the combination of the celebration of the purification of the temple with the feast of fire, 1 Macc 4:52 and following says nothing. Probably such a combination was not established all at once. — “Nehemiah, having built the temple and the altar...” — Greek: oikodomesas to hieron... The building of the temple and the altar, actually completed by Zerubbabel, is here attributed to Nehemiah as well — evidently for his merits, which had as great a significance for the Jews and for Jerusalem as the work of Zerubbabel, and were as it were a continuation of that work.

2 Maccabees 1:19. For when our fathers were led away into Persia, the devout priests of that time took some of the fire from the altar and hid it secretly in the hollow of a dry cistern, and kept it safe there, so that the place was unknown to anyone. “When our fathers were led away into Persia” — eis ten persiken, that is, choran. By later usage, the lands beyond the Euphrates were often called Persia (see commentary on 1 Macc 3:31); this was reasonable also because the Jews in the Babylonian exile came under the rule of the Persians, and were released from captivity by the Persian king Cyrus.

2 Maccabees 1:20. After many years had passed, when it pleased God, Nehemiah, having been sent by the Persian king, dispatched the descendants of those priests who had hidden the fire to look for it. When they reported to us that they found no fire but only thick liquid, The Persian king who sent Nehemiah was Artaxerxes Longimanus, according to the book of Nehemiah itself (ch. 1). — “When they reported to us” — hemin, that is, to the Jews in Jerusalem. — “Thick liquid” — hydor pachy, that is, a thick substance resembling thick oil or honey (Jos. Gorion I, 21, 1), something perhaps like naphtha (see commentary on v. 36). — “(A great) fire was kindled” — pyra (he) — a hearth, combustible mass (cf. 7:5), a bonfire.

2 Maccabees 1:21–23. he ordered them to draw it up and bring it; and when the sacrifices had been prepared, Nehemiah ordered the priests to sprinkle the wood and the things laid upon it with that water. When this was done, and the time came when the sun shone out, which had been covered by clouds, a great fire blazed up so that everyone marveled. While the sacrifice was burning, the priests offered prayer — the priests and all the others; Jonathan led and the rest responded, as did Nehemiah. “Jonathan” (Jonathan), mentioned here and in Neh 12:11, is undoubtedly an error for the Hebrew Yochanan, as Josephus also names this high priest (Antiquities XI, 7, 1).

2 Maccabees 1:24. The prayer was this: “O Lord, Lord God, Creator of all things, fearful and strong, and just and merciful, the only King and benefactor, The doubled “O Lord, Lord” — in imitation of Ps 70:5 and following (Kyrie Kyrie; cf. Matt. 7:21; 25:11). The epithets that follow designate God as the almighty Creator and Ruler of the world: phoberos kai ischyros — denotes his omnipotence; dikaios kai eleemon — his attributes as Judge; ho monos basileus — the absolute nature of his dominion (analogous to monos dynastes in 1 Tim 6:15), and chrestos — his goodness as his chief attribute.

2 Maccabees 1:25. the only giver of all things, the only righteous, and almighty, and eternal, who deliver Israel from every evil, who chose our fathers and consecrated them! Ho monos choregon — the only “chorus-master” of all, as the Greeks called those who maintained and directed choirs entirely at their own expense. — Ho monos dikaios kai pantokrator kai aionios — expressions of the absolute, all-encompassing, and eternal nature of God. The following expressions in verse 25 describe the relationship of God, as the almighty and eternal Creator and Lord of all the world, to Israel: “who deliver Israel from every evil, who chose our fathers and consecrated them.” The original and Slavonic texts here express the second thought more precisely and significantly: poiein eklektous means much more than simply eklegein: not merely to choose, but to make chosen, to confer upon them the special status of his elect (“who made our fathers chosen”), through a special guidance and favor toward the chosen. — “Consecrated them” — Here is meant the external separation and isolation from impure paganism and the purification of the heart from pagan customs.

2 Maccabees 1:26. Accept this sacrifice for all your people Israel, and preserve and sanctify your portion; “All your people Israel” — that is, not only those dwelling in Jerusalem and Judea, but also those in the dispersion. — “Your portion” — meris autou — Deut. 32:9.

2 Maccabees 1:27. gather our dispersed ones, free those enslaved among the nations, look mercifully upon those humbled and despised, and let the nations know that you are our God; In the further petitions the hopes of the people are expressed: the gathering of the dispersed (“gather our dispersed” — he diaspora, abstractum pro concreto), the liberation of those enslaved among the nations, and a merciful look upon the humbled and despised. Within the concept of diaspora one should distinguish hoi douleuontes, that portion of the diaspora that was in pagan servitude, whereas it is also known that many other Jews of the dispersion in certain pagan countries even enjoyed the rights of citizenship.

2 Maccabees 1:28–29. punish those who oppress and wrong us with arrogance, and plant your people in your holy place, as Moses said. “As Moses said” — Exod 15:17: “Plant him on the mountain of your inheritance, in the place which you have made your dwelling...” (cf. 2 Sam 7:10; Jer 24:6).

2 Maccabees 1:30–31. The priests then sang hymns. When the sacrifice was consumed, Nehemiah ordered the remaining liquid to be poured over large stones. After the sacrifice was consumed, Nehemiah ordered “the remaining liquid to be poured over large stones” — both to use up the sacred liquid and to demonstrate its sacred and miraculous character to all. And indeed, what followed immediately dispelled any suspicion that this had been some ordinary combustible liquid such as naphtha or petroleum. The power of God immediately manifested itself, shining from the altar as a light that covered the flame of that liquid.

2 Maccabees 1:32–34. When this was done, a flame blazed up; but it was consumed by the light shining from the altar. When this event became known and was reported to the king of the Persians — that in the very place where the exiled priests had concealed the fire, there was water with which Nehemiah and those with him had consecrated the sacrifice — the king, after investigating the matter, enclosed the place and declared it sacred. “Enclosed the place and declared it sacred” — periphraxa... hieron epoiese (ton topon), Slavonic: “having enclosed it, the king declared (that place) holy” — he proclaimed that place sacred.

2 Maccabees 1:35–36. And to those toward whom the king was gracious, he distributed many gifts, which he himself had received. Those with Nehemiah called the place Nephthar, which means “purification”; but by many it is called Nephthai. 2 Macc 1:36. This verse has been called by commentators the crux interpretum (the interpreters’ cross). Instead of Nephthaei, one finds in various manuscripts Nepthai, Neptha, Latin: Nephi, Syriac: Nephti, while in others Nephtar is repeated (only with a different accent — instead of Nephtar in the first part of this verse). The word appears to be of Medo-Persian origin, to which the people gave a Semitic ending and subjected it to the laws of their own etymology. Perhaps at the root of it all is naphtha, mineral oil, petroleum, which the Greeks called Medeias elaion, “Median oil,” whose remarkable properties — burning even in water — evoked superstitious veneration among the ancients (remnants of this veneration still survive among our Caucasian fire-worshippers).