Глава III

Heliodorus's attempt to rob the church (2 Mac. 3:1–40). 2 Mac. 3:1 While they were still living in the holy city in perfect peace, and the laws were being carefully observed, according to the piety and aversion from evil of the high priest, Onias, “According to piety and aversion from evil” - δια την ... μισοπονηρίαν, glory. more precisely, “for the sake of piety and hatred of wickedness...” Μισοπονρία is not only aversion from evil, but also its persecution in others, its eradication. This is what is learned here by Onias (III with this name, son of Simon, see 1 Mac XII: 5–18). 2 Mac.3:2-3 it happened that the kings themselves honored this place and glorified the sanctuary with excellent gifts, so that Seleucus, king of Asia, gave from his income for all the costs required for the sacrificial service. “This place”, i.e. St. site of the church (cf. II: 18). Among the kings who honored the Judean sanctuary, especially Ptolemy II Philadelphus, and Ptolemy III Euergetes are known (Jos. Fl. Arch. XII, 24 et d. 15; etc. App. II, 5), Antiochus the Great “and Seleucus”, as one whose patronage, as the king of Asia in the Judean shrine, was especially important (cf. 1 Mac X: 40). Seleucus - IV with this name, nicknamed Philopator, son and successor of Antiochus the Great, kings. 187–176 BC. Regarding Asia, when designating the Seleucid kingdom, see 1 Mac VIII: 6. 2Mac.3:4 But one Simon from the tribe of Benjamin, who had been appointed trustee of the church, got into a dispute with the high priest about breaking the laws in the city. “Simon... appointed trustee of the church...” - προστάτης τού ιερού. In the immediate definition of the essence of this title, the opinions of interpreters differ. Some are considered advocatus templi; others - overseer of the church treasury and commander of the church guard (στρατηγός τού ιερού, Acts IV: 1); third - for praepositus templi in rebus politicis, the person who had supervision over the church property and income and the integrity of the church; fourth - they saw here a simple title, given for some important merits to the church, and giving the person bearing it significant influence and respect among the citizens of Jerusalem; Of all these opinions, the last one has the greatest probability. 2Mac.3:5 And since he could not prevail against Onias, he went to Apollonius, the son of Thraseus, who at that time was the commander of Cole-Syria and Phenicia, Apollonius, son of Thraseus - is hardly identical with the mentioned V: 24 and 1 Mac I: 29 - the head of taxes of the same name, whom Flavius ​​calls Σαμαρείας στρατηγός (see to 1 Mac III: 10); or rather, he is identical with that Apollonius, whom Polyvius (XXXI, 21, 3) mentions as an influential person under Seleucus, whose son, Apollonius, was the governor in Coele-Syria, see 1 Mac X: 69. 2Mac.3:6-7 and declared to him that the Jerusalem treasury was filled with countless riches, as well as countless amounts of money had been accumulated, and there was no need for them to offer sacrifices, but all this could be turned into the power of the king. Apollonius, having seen the king, announced to him about the said treasures, and he, having appointed Iliodorus, who was placed in charge of state affairs, sent him and gave the order to take out the mentioned treasures. Iliodor is designated as being placed over state affairs (ό επί των πραγμάτων), as the ruler of state affairs (cf. 1 Mac III: 32), this Iliodor is the same one who later killed his royal master (τις τών περί τήν αυλήν, App. Syr. 2Mak.3:8 Iliodor immediately set off on the road, under the pretext of surveying the cities of Cole-Syria and Phenicia, but in fact in order to fulfill the will of the king. The concealment of the actual purpose of the journey was done by Iliodor, of course, so that the Jews could not hide or take measures in advance to protect their treasures. Josephus Flavius ​​explains the innumerability of these treasures, despite repeated plunders (except for Antiochus Epiphanes - also by Pompey and Crassus, etc.) by the fact that the Jews sent their offerings here from all over the world of that time, from Europe and Asia. 2Mac.3:9-11 Having arrived in Jerusalem and being warmly received by the high priest of the city, he informed him of the instructions given and announced what he had come for, moreover asking: is all this really so? Although the high priest showed that this was the property of widows and orphans entrusted for safekeeping, and part of Hyrcanus, the son of Tobias, a very famous husband, and not as the wicked Simon slandered, and that there were only four hundred talents of silver and two hundred gold; Hyrcanus, son of Tobias... Some consider him one and the same person as Hyrcanus, mentioned by Josephus (Arch. XII, 4, 2, etc.), whom Tobias’ son Joseph produced in an unlawful relationship with his niece, and who, like his father, by cunning and cunning managed to gain favor at court and acquired enormous wealth in this way. But if so, then it must be said that Hyrcanus was the grandson, and not the son of Tobias, contrary to the designation used, which, however, may generally indicate a close, related relationship between Tobias and Hyrcanus. - “A very famous husband” - σφόδρα ανδρός έν ᾿υπεροχή κειμένου, by his position and wealth. - “Four hundred talents of silver and two hundred gold” - given the uncertainty of the indication, which talents are meant here - Jewish or Syrian, half less than Jewish, it is difficult to judge the exact amount of the indicated amount, which is perhaps half the nominal amount. Taking into account that a significant part of it was private, and not church property, given only to the church for safekeeping, it turns out that the church sum itself was much less - not only nominal, but also actual, in a significant part belonging to Hyrcanus. Considering the Jewish talent of silver is about 3,000 rubles, and gold - about 30,000 rubles, we get in the entire indicated amount of talents - more than 1,000,000 silver and up to 6,000,000 gold. 2Mac.3:12-15 But those who rely on the holiness of the place, on the respect and inviolability of the church, revered throughout the entire universe, should not be offended. But Iliodor, having the royal order, decisively said that this should be taken to the royal treasury. Having appointed a day, he entered to make an inspection of it, and there was no small commotion throughout the whole city. The priests in sacred robes, prostrating themselves before the altar, cried out to heaven, so that He who gave the law regarding the property entrusted to the sanctuary would preserve it intact to those who entrusted it. “The law concerning the entrusted property...” is found in Ex. XXII: 7 et d. 2Mac 3:16-18 Anyone who looked at the face of the high priest was overcome with trepidation; for his look and the changed color of his face revealed his spiritual confusion. He was seized by horror and trembling of his body, from which the sorrow of his heart was obvious to those watching. Some families ran out of their houses for public prayer, because the sacred place was about to experience desecration; “For the sacred place was destined to experience reproach...”, δια τό μέλλειν είς καταφρόνησιν έρχεσθαι τόν τόπον ..., glor.: “Neither did you want bring the place into reproach,” – vin. with undefined: - due to the fact that the sacred place was preparing to be desecrated. 2Mac 3:19 The women, having girded their breasts with sackcloth, walked in crowds through the streets; solitary maidens, some ran to the gates, others to the walls, and others looked from the windows, “They walked through the streets in crowds...”, κατά τάς οδούς επλήθυνον, more precisely, the famous: “on the way they multiplied,” i.e. they gathered in masses. 2Mac 3:20-21 Still stretching out their hands to heaven, they prayed. It was touching how the crowds of people threw themselves on their faces, and the greatly embarrassed high priest stood waiting. “It was touching how the crowds of people threw themselves on their faces...” more precisely: “how touching was the mixed fall of so many…”, that is, the simultaneous prostration of a multitude of people, representing a mixture of all kinds of ages, states and positions, “and the greatly embarrassed high priest stood waiting.” Slav. the text continues this thought differently, in the close connection and relation of the subject in relation to the predicate without the mediating “how”: - “touchingly be... the fall, and the great aspiration of the distressed bishop...” (Greek: έλεείν δ᾿ήν ..... πρόπτωσιν, την τε τού μεγάλως διαγωνιώτος αρχιερέως προσδοκίαν ). In Russian - more precisely, this turn of phrase should be expressed like this: “the combined prostration of the entire multitude of people and the expectation of a completely confused high priest was touching...” In διαγωνιώντος - in itself there is already a strengthening - something much more than a simple αγωνιώντας; but here it is further intensified through the addition of μεγάλως, denoting the complete confusion of the high priest. 2Mac.3:22-24 They besought the Almighty God to preserve intact what was entrusted to those who had entrusted it. And Iliodor fulfilled what was expected. When he and the armed men entered the treasury, the Lord of the fathers and the Lord of all power showed a great sign: all who dared to enter with him, being struck by the fear of the power of God, came into exhaustion and horror, The very “sign” revealed by the Lord is described in v. 25, but here (in v. 24) only the consequence of the sign is given. Therefore, the Greek text (like the Slavic) has a conjunction after the word “sign”: ώστε (“like”), “so”, completely incorrectly replaced in the Russian translation by a colon. 2Mac 3:25-30 For a horse appeared to them with a terrible rider, covered with a beautiful covering: rushing quickly, he struck Heliodorus with his front hooves, and the one sitting on him seemed to have a golden armor. Two other young men appeared to him, blooming with strength, beautiful in appearance, splendidly dressed, who, standing on both sides, continuously scourged him, inflicting many wounds on him. When he suddenly fell to the ground and was enveloped in great darkness, they lifted him up and laid him on a stretcher. The one who, with a large retinue and bodyguards, had just entered the said treasury, was carried out as helpless, having clearly recognized the omnipotence of God. By divine power he was cast down speechless and deprived of all hope and salvation. They blessed the Lord, who glorified His dwelling; and the church, which shortly before was filled with fear and confusion, was filled with joy and joy by the appearance of the Lord Almighty. “By the appearance of the Lord Almighty...”, that is, in the described sign, in which His Angels could be active. – It is curious that evidence of this “sign” was also preserved by Polyvius (in the 16th book of his history), who could have heard about it from Demetrius I (son of Seleucus IV), with whom he was in close relations. 2 Mac.3:31–40 Soon some of Heliodorus’s relatives came and begged Onias to call on the Most High and grant life to him who was already lying at his last breath. The high priest, fearing that the king might think that the Jews had committed some kind of malice against Iliodor, made a sacrifice for his salvation. When the high priest brought the propitiatory sacrifice, the same young men again appeared to Iliodor, adorned with the same clothes, and, presenting themselves, said to him: give great thanks to the high priest Onias, for for him the Lord gave you life; You, punished by Him, proclaim to everyone the great power of God. And having said this, they became invisible. Iliodor, having made a sacrifice to the Lord, and promising many vows to the One who saved his life, and thanking Onia, returned with the soldiers to the king and testified before everyone about the deeds of the great God, which he saw with his own eyes. When the king asked Iliodor who would be able to send him to Jerusalem again, he answered: if you have any enemy and opponent to your rule, then send him there and you will meet him punished, if only he remains alive, for in this place the power of God truly abides: He Himself, who dwells in heaven, is the guardian and protector of that place and strikes and kills those who come with evil intentions. This is what happened to Iliodor, and this is how the church treasury was saved.