2 Maccabees

Summary:

Two introductory letters and a prologue identify the book as a summary of a (now lost) 5-volume history by Jason of Cyrene. Its basic story is similar to 1 Maccabees, but with significant differences. This historical epitome (specifically, pathetic history) outlines the events surrounding the Maccabean revolt against the Seleucids between 187 and 161 BC, considerably dramatizing the story as compared to 1 Maccabees. The book is full of miracles and long, grizzly stories about martyrs. Nearly every victory of the Maccabeans is attributed to God, who at times sends horse-mounted angels to lead the Jews in battle. Emotional descriptions of Jewish persecutions, such as the gruesome deaths of Eleazar and a mother and her seven sons, express faith in the resurrection.

Sources:

Jason of Cyrene's 5-volume history, which is no longer preserved

Canonical Status:

Among the Deuterocanonical books of Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox, and Russian Orthodox Churches

Among the Old Testament Apocrypha of Protestants

Found in the Greek Septuagint

Not in the Hebrew Bible

Author:

An anonymous Jew of the diaspora who was influenced by Greek rhetoric and style

Date:

The first introductory letter: 124 BC

The second introductory letter: c. 163 BC

The epitome: between 2^nd century BC and 1^st century AD

Final form: It is unknown when the letters and epitome where joined

Original Language:

Written in Greek with Egyptian influences to Jews in Ptolemaic Egypt

Notes prepared by David Arnold
(Senior Religion Major)

for the
Wesley Center for Applied Theology
at Northwest Nazarene University

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