Commentary on 2 Maccabees

About the Second Book of Maccabees Chapter I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X XI XII XIII XIV XV Known as 2 Maccabees, the book itself declares itself to be a summary or summary of the five books of a certain Jason of Cyrene (II:24) - in their narrative “about the affairs of Judas Maccabee and his brothers...”, as well as “about the wars against Antiochus Epiphanes and against his son Eupator...”. Following this plan, the book is divided into 2 clearly demarcated parts, of which the 1st (III: 1-X: 9) tells about the events in Jerusalem under Seleucus IV and Antiochus Epiphanes, and the 2nd (X: 10-XV) about the events under his son Antiochus Eupator, ending with the death of Nicanor (in 151 BC Sel. - 161 BC. X.). This abbreviated summary of Jason of Cyrene is preceded by 2 letters of the Palestinian Jews to the Egyptians (I: 1-II: 19), and also 2 brief remarks by the author are inserted - one at the beginning (after letters, II: 20-33), and the other at the end (XV: 37-39) of the work. Since the initial events of the book (Chapter III) took place in the last or penultimate year of the reign of Seleucus IV, who died in 176 BC, it can be established with certainty that the 2nd book of Maccabees covers with its narrative a historical period of 15 years (176–161 BC). The question arises to what extent does this period in the presentation of the 2nd Maccabees book coincide with the presentation of the 1st, of which it is also included as a part - in what ways is it similar and in what ways does it present features and differences, in what ways does it complement the parallel story or in what ways is it itself supplemented by it? Compared to the 1st Book of Maccabees, which begins its story with Antiochus Epiphanes (1 Maccabees I: 10), the Second Book of Maccabees captures several earlier events (III: 1; IV: 6) and describes in more detail the disasters of the Jews that befell them with the apostasy of the high priest Jason (1 Mac. IV: 7-VII: 42 - 2 Mac I: 10-64). From Chapter VIII the story runs parallel to 1Mac III-VII ch. with some more or less significant and important differences and inaccuracies, which are explained partly in the more religious-didactic rather than strictly scientific historical purposes of the book, and partly in the inevitable oversights in abridged the original source and adapting it to these preconceived purposes. The personality and life of Jason of Cyrene is little known. From his homeland of Cyrene, one can only conclude that he was a Hellenistic Jew, and that his 5 books of history were written in Greek. Equally little information can be given about the abbreviator of his work - the writer of the 2nd Book of Maccabees. It seems only probable that he, also a Hellenist, was not familiar with the 1st Book of Maccabees, although he could collect materials for his history in Palestine, as shown by many popular Jewish traditions that found a place in his work. About the time of writing of the book, it is possible to partially conclude from I: 10 that it was written no earlier than 188 AD. Sat down. - 124 BC, but when exactly cannot be determined with accuracy, at least until the suppression of the Maccabean dynasty and the capture of Jerusalem by Pompey (63 BC). Thanks to its particularly touching and instructive narrative about the suffering for the faith of 7 brothers - the “Maccabees” with their mother and teacher, the book enjoyed great attention and respect from ancient church writers and preachers (Clim. Alex, Origen, Jerome, Augustine, etc.), although it was not considered canonical.