It describes the refusal of mattathias to perform pagan religious rites, the ensuing. Unlike the second book of maccabees, there is no doctrine of individual immortality except in the survival of ones name and fame, nor does the book express any messianic expectation, though. The author tells how a number of jews, who had fallen in battle, were found with idolatrous amulets, forbidden by the law, and how judas maccabeus took up a collection and sent the money to jerusalem to have a sacrifice offered for their sin. This is unfortunate since it is that their bibles have been edited and are missing books. Books of maccabees encyclopedia of the bible bible gateway. Maccabees, books of, 35 international standard bible. Purgatory is an extrabiblical teaching developed beyond what jesus and the apostles presented in the bible. It is further argued that, because evangelicals dont accept this book as canonical, it doesnt impede what is stated in these passages. When the battle over purgatory was waged, catholic apologists zeroed in on the second book of maccabees, wherein we meet soldiers who make an offering for. But this book tells of sufferings and triumphs on the part of loyal jews comparable to those of the. This concept stems partly from ancient grecoroman mythology whereby there is the long held view that heaven, hell and purgatory are places within the physical realm. Books of the maccabees paperback april 9, 2014 by king james bible author, douay rheims author 4. The books of the maccabees biblical literature britannica.
These books include within them the earliest references to the story of hanukkah and the rededication of the temple, in addition to the famous story of the mother and her seven sons. Why the maccabees arent in the bible my jewish learning. In his book, a biblical defense of catholicism ms word version, 2001 dave armstrong has a section entitled scriptural evidence for purgatory. While the idea of a middle ground may find historical support in other places or seem sensible to many, the fact is that it is not supported by the biblethe very book that. Some people have seen this story as biblical justification for the teaching on purgatory. The roman catholic and eastern orthodox both hold the books of maccabees as sacred, inspired scripture. Contrary to the opinions of some misinformed scholars, many of them protestants, purgatory is a doctrine that is far older than christianity.
There is some justification for the title since illustrations are largely drawn from 2 maccabees 6 and 7. The name 3 maccabees, though occurring in the oldest manuscripts and vss, is quite unsuitable, because the book refers to events which antedate the maccabean age by about half a century, and also to events in which the maccabees took no part. It goes back to judaism and is mentioned in the second book of maccabees 2 mac. The council ignored the fact that the jewish scribes never recognized the apocryphal books as inspired or part of the hebrew scriptures. And with this article i would like to argue this using scripture, the early church and the catechism. Like other rulers before him, antiochus underestimated the will and strength of his jewish. He then quotes luther responding there is no proof of purgatory in any portion of sacred scripture, for the book of maccabees not being in the canon, is of weight with the faithful, but avails nothing with the obstinate 249. The first and second books of maccabees contain the most detailed accounts of the battles of judah maccabee and his brothers for the liberation of judea from foreign domination. Jews refer to the maccabees, but the family is more commonly known as the hasmoneans.
I maccabees presents a historical account of political, military, and diplomatic events from the time of judaeas relationship with antiochus iv epiphanes of syria reigned 175164163 bc to the death 54 bc of simon maccabeus, high priest in jerusalem. The original hebrew is lost and the most important surviving version is the greek translation contained in the septuagint. Roman catholics will often claim that purgatory is affirmed even before the time of the new testament in the jewish apocryphal book of 2 maccabees. In the third sitting of the council, julian, after mutual congratulations, showed that the principal points of dispute between the greeks and latins were in the doctrine a on the procession of the holy ghost, b on azymes in the eucharist, c on purgatory, and d on the. Recently i was having a discussion with a roman catholic about purgatory and he brought up an interesting verse from the scriptures which he claims is evidence of purgatory 2 maccabees 3946. Some people do not accept maccabees as book of the bible. The catholic church has this massive doctrine of purgatory, invented in the middle ages. Lessons from the holy maccabees catholic world report.
Nor is purgatory a late invention of the church, as many protestants claim. The author of the first book of maccabees regarded the maccabean revolt as a rising of pious jews against the seleucid king who had tried to eradicate their religion and against the jews who supported him. First of all, a careful reading of the text reveals the sin of these men to be carrying small amulets or sacred tokens of the idols of jamnia under their tunics as they were going in to battle. The first mention of purgatory in the bible is in 2 maccabees 12. Purgatory and praying for the dead franciscan media. The second book has a more theological slant, advancing several.
The church used to even sell indulgences to shorten your time in purgatory by a fixed number of days. Even more problematic is the fact that scholars believe that the first book of maccabees was indeed written originally in hebrew, therefore meeting the language criterion for inclusionand yet it is absent from the biblical canon. The first book, although written from a biased perspective, does not directly mention god or divine intervention. Evidence for belief is purgatory goes back to judaism herself with the maccabees. This doctrine is based on books that dont belong in the bible. With scripture lets begin in the old testament book of maccabees. Purgatory 101 by james akin suppose a friend or coworker comes to you and says. The book is held as canonical scripture by the catholic, orthodox. Contrary to roman catholic dogma, the apocrypha should not be considered authentic scripture, so finding the doctrine of purgatory there would not grant it biblical authority. The author of the second book of maccabees presented the conflict as a struggle between judaism and hellenism, concepts which he coined.
After a brief preface summarizing alexanders conquests, death, and successors, the author begins his story with antiochus epiphanes invasion of egypt and subsequent. Backed into a corner, the council of trent added the apocryphal books to its canon of scripture. The books of the maccabees are books concerned with the maccabees, the leaders of the jewish rebellion against the seleucid dynasty and related subjects the term mostly refers to two deuterocanonical books contained in various canons of the bible. First maccabees written circa 4104 bce and describing the period of 1665 bce is devoted to presenting the maccabean dynasty, from mattathias through his son judah, to jonathan and simon who became high priests and gained political independence. Book of daniel, although included within the canon, is to a large extent written in aramaic. The book of maccabees teaches purgatory sure foundation baptist church. The book 2 maccabees taken out after protestant reformation but still in catholic bible speaks of purgatory therefore, be aware.
Rome now declares there is scriptural support for purgatory in the apocryphal book of second maccabees. The orthodox response to the latin doctrine of purgatory. As such, it lacks biblical authority and is to be rejected. See all 6 formats and editions hide other formats and editions. The family of mattathias became known as the maccabees, from the hebrew word for hammer, because they were said to strike hammer blows against their enemies. Third, the catholic teaching regarding purgatory comes from 2 maccabees 12.
Catholic bible 101 purgatory catholicbible101 is the website that explains catholic teachings in plain, easy to understand english. Traditionally the name has come to be extended to the brothers of judas, his. The belief is that people first enter purgatory upon death at least in some cases and that the actions of believers on earth can help a person move to. The name maccabee, probably meaning hammer, is actually applied in the books of maccabees to only one man, judas, third son of the priest mattathias and first leader of the revolt against the seleucid kings who persecuted the jews 1 mc 2. The orthodox response to the latin doctrine of purgatory given at the pseudosynod of ferraraflorence. First book of maccabees, pt 1 of 3, new american bible. Indeed, it can rightly be said that the concept of purgatory is more than 2,000 years old and finds it roots in judaism, especially. Use highlighting, underlining, and take notes while you study the bible. The maccabee the holy spirit, purgatory and the holy ghost the maccabee 10 simple reasons why christianity should practice male circumcision the first book of the maccabees. But it is a nonsequitur to conclude from this teaching that ii maccabees could not be referring to a type of purgatory. However, it is only the catholics that developed the concept of purgatory. Jerome all thought this was a description of purgatory. The book of 2 maccabees consists of a greek synopsis of a fivevolume history of the maccabean revolt written by jason of cyrene.