Mattathias unleashes the Holy War
1 In those days Mattathias, son of Simon, a priest of the family of
Yoarib, left Jerusalem and went to settle in Modein.
2 He had five sons: John, known as Gaddi,
3 Simon called Thassi,
4 Judas called Macca beus,
5 Elea zar called Avaran, and Jonathan called Apphus.
6 Mattathias saw the blasphemies com mitted in Judah and Jerusalem,
7 so he said: ¡°Alas! Was I born just to witness the ruin of my people
and the destruction of the holy city? Shall I sit by while she is in the
hands of her enemies and her sanctuary in the power of foreigners?
8 Her temple has become like a dishonored man,
9 the precious ob jects that were her glory have been carried off as
booty, her babies have been murdered in the squares, and her young men
killed by the sword of the enemy.
10 What nation has not received part of her treasures and taken
possession of her spoils?
11 She has been stripped of all her adorn ments and from the freedom
that was hers, she has gone into slavery.
12 Our beautiful sanctuary that was our pride has been laid waste and
profaned by pagans.
13 What is there to live for?¡±
14 Mattathias and his sons tore their clothes, put on sackcloth and went
into deep mourning.
15 In the meantime, the king¡¯s representatives, who were forcing the
Jews to give up their religion came to Modein to organize a sacred
gathering.
16 While many Israelites went to them, Mattathias and his sons drew
apart.
17 The representatives of the king ad dressed Mattathias, and said to
him: ¡°You are one of the leaders of this city, an important and
well-known man, and your many children and relatives follow you.
18 Come now and be the first to fulfill the king¡¯s order, as the men of
Judah have already done, and the survivors in Jeru salem as well. You
and your sons will be named Friends of the King and the king will send
you gold, silver and many other gifts.¡±
19 But Mattathias answered in a loud voice: ¡°Even if all the nations
included in the kingdom should abandon the religion of their ancestors
and submit to the order of King An tio chus,
20 I, my sons and my family will remain faithful to the Covenant of our
ancestors.
21 May God preserve us from abandoning the Law and its precepts.
22 We will not obey the orders of the king nor turn aside from our
religion either to the right or to the left.¡±
23 When he finished speaking these words, a Jew came forward in the
sight of everyone to offer incense on the altar that was built in Modein
according to the king¡¯s decree.
24 When Matta thias saw him, he was fired with zeal, his heart was
stirred, and giving vent to his righteous anger, he threw himself on the
Jew and cut the man¡¯s throat on the altar.
25 At the same time, he killed the king¡¯s representative who was forcing
the people to offer sacrifice, and then tore down the altar.
26 In doing this he showed his zeal for the Law, as Phi nehas had done
with Zimri, son of Salu.
27 Mattathias then began to proclaim loudly in the city: ¡°Everyone who
is zealous for the Law and supports the Covenant, come out and follow
me!¡±
28 Immediately he and his sons fled to the mountains and left behind all
they had in the city.
29 Many Jews who looked for jus tice and wanted to be faithful to the
Law went into the desert;
30 they took with them their children, wives and livestock because life
had become unbearable for them.
31 Then the king¡¯s representatives and the authority in
the city of David, in Jerusalem, were informed that some men had
disobeyed the king¡¯s order and had gone to hide in the caves in the
desert.
32 A strong force of the king pursued and overtook them. They surrounded
them and prepared themselves for an attack. It was the day of the
Sabbath.
33 And they said to the Jews: ¡°Enough of this! Come out and obey the
king¡¯s order if you wish to save your lives.¡±
34 But they answered: ¡°We will neither come out nor obey the king¡¯s
order to violate the day of the Sabbath.¡±
35 So they attacked them at once,
36 but the Jews did not defend them-selves, nor did they try to close
the entrance of their place of refuge.
37 They said: ¡°We shall die with a clear conscience but heaven and earth
will remember that we were murdered.¡±
38 The king¡¯s men attacked them on that Sabbath, and they all died ¨C
men, women and children ¨C a total of more than a thousand, not counting
the livestock.
39 When Mattathias and his friends came to know what happened, they went
into deep mourning.
40 They said to one another: ¡°We cannot do as our brothers and sisters
have done; we shall fight against the pagans to defend our life and our
customs; otherwise, they will quickly destroy us.¡±
41 On that day, they resolved to defend themselves against anyone who
attacked them on the day of the Sabbath, and not let themselves be
killed, as had happened with their people in the hiding place.
42 At that time, a group of Hasi deans (the Devout), valiant Israelites
who devoted themselves sincerely to the Law, joined them.
43 All those who wanted to escape from oppression joined them, and in
this way they grew strong.
44 They succeeded in forming an army; then they began to pour their
anger and indignation onto the sinners and renegades. These men had to
flee to other lands for safety.
45 Mattathias and his friends made expeditions during which they
destroyed the altars,
46 imposed by force the rite of circumcision on the children they found
uncir cumcised,
47 and pursued all the arrogant. The undertaking prospered in their
hands.
48 They defended the Law against foreigners and their kings, and subdued
the renegades.
Mattathias¡¯ death
49 When Mattathias neared his death, he said to his sons: ¡°Now the
insolent and the violent are in power; it is a time of upheaval in which
God releases his anger.
50 So, my sons, be zealous for the Law and risk your lives defending the
Covenant of our ancestors.
51 Remember the deeds our ancestors fulfilled in their time, that you
too may have fame and glory.
52 Remember Abraham who proved himself faithful in the hour of trial,
and how God held him to be a righteous man.
53 Joseph, at the time of his misfortune observed the commandment of God
and so became the lord of Egypt.
54 Phinehas, our ancestors, because of his great zeal received the
priesthood for himself and for his sons forever.
55 Jos hua became head of Israel because he carried out God¡¯s command.
56 Caleb received his inheritance in this land because he had proclaimed
the truth before the assembly.
57 And David was given a lasting kingdom because of his devotion.
58 Elijah because of his zeal for the Law was taken up into heaven.
59 Hananiah, Azariah and Mi shael were saved from the flames because of
their faith.
60 Daniel was rescued from the lion¡¯s mouth because of his
righteousness.
61 Consider, then, that in any generation those who trust in God are
never defeated.
62 Do not fear the threats of an impious man, for his glory shall end in
dung and worms.
63 Today he is exalted, but tomorrow he shall perish; he shall return to
dust from where he came, and nothing shall remain of his plans.
64 Have courage, my sons, and remain steadfast in the Law for in this
you will receive glory.
65 I know that among you, Simon is a man of sound judgment; listen to
him and he shall take your father¡¯s place.
66 Judas Maccabeus has been valiant from his youth: let him be your gen
eral and conduct the war against foreigners.
67 Now, call all those who fulfill the Law to join you and defend our
people.
68 Retaliate against the pagans and fulfill the ordinance of the Law.¡±
69 Mattathias blessed them and then went to join his fathers.
70 He died in the year one hun dred and forty-six and they buried him in
the tomb of his fathers at Modein; and all Israel mourned him deeply.
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Comments 1 Maccabees, Chapter 2
• 2.1 The entire book will deal with the war un der the leadership of
the Maccabean family, name ly, Mattathias¡¯ sons. Here we have the story
of the rebellion of Mattathias, the priest who suddenly becomes the
leader of the persecuted.
I, my sons and my family will remain faithful to the Covenant. Their
motive is religious and national at the same time: Mattathias risks
everything against a totalitarian power. Once again, God shows his
kindness toward his people, by making the needed leader emerge, a man
who, like Moses, sides totally with the peo ple, when he could have
easily obtained the favor of the powerful.
• 29. Two opposite attitudes on the part of believers are seen in this
text.
Some decide only on the basis of God¡¯s Law, or rather, the
interpretation of the Sabbath law; it was forbidden to fight on that day
dedicated to God. They let themselves be killed heroically. Others use
their heads and their consciences and choose to defend themselves.
The book does not condemn anyone. However, it becomes obvious that
believers cannot act only by looking at books and the past. We always
find ourselves in new situations which demand new reflection: ¡°We were
not made for the Sabbath¡± (Mk 2:27). In verse 42, we hear of the Hasi
deans. This movement for spiritual renewal, from which the Pharisees and
the Essenes will later emerge, existed before Mattathias¡¯ rebellion.
They joined him, but later they separated when Mattathias¡¯ sons, the
Maccabees, got lost in politics.