The next few readings take us out of the Bible we know, but into an important historical time for our faith. After the return of Judah from exile (late 6th century BCE) the Greek city states gained strength. As with other times in Jewish history, much of the fate of Israel Palestine was determined by outside empires. In this case, the Greek civilization had been in conflict with Persia for some time. In 335 BCE, Alexander the Great, King of Macedon and general of the Greek forces, invaded Persia, eventually conquering it. At that point Greece ruled Judah along with the surrounding area.
Alexander tried to unify his giant empire through tolerance and the spread of Greek culture. He left his subject peoples free in most ways but wanted Greek culture to provide a common language. Assimilation was a threat to Jewish culture and faith, because it came with polytheism. In the Jewish community there were different responses. Regardless, it was a fairly humane occupation during Alexander's reign and immediately afterwards. Jews were free to worship God and life was manageable. Later rulers would be harsher, eventually leading to a Jewish revolution. Our readings today and the next couple of days come from the Book of Maccabees. This book (actually 4 books) was written in the second of third century BCE and tell the story of oppression and rebellion by Jewish leaders. Protestants generally do not consider these books as part of the Bible; Catholics and some Episcopalians do. The term for this book and several others is the Apocrypha. At the very least, it gives insight into history that is important for us. Our reading starts with Alexander the Great.
God bless,
Sam
1
Maccabees 1:1-15
After Alexander son of Philip, the
Macedonian, who came from the land of Kittim, had defeated King Darius of the
Persians and the Medes, he succeeded him as king. (He had previously become
king of Greece.) 2He fought many battles, conquered strongholds, and
put to death the kings of the earth. 3He advanced to the ends of the
earth, and plundered many nations. When the earth became quiet before him, he
was exalted, and his heart was lifted up. 4He gathered a very strong
army and ruled over countries, nations, and princes, and they became tributary
to him.
5 After this he fell sick and perceived
that he was dying. 6So he summoned his most honoured officers, who
had been brought up with him from youth, and divided his kingdom among them
while he was still alive. 7And after Alexander had reigned for
twelve years, he died. 8 Then his officers began to rule, each
in his own place. 9They all put on crowns after his death, and so
did their descendants after them for many years; and they caused many evils on
the earth.
10 From them came forth a sinful root,
Antiochus Epiphanes, son of King Antiochus; he had been a hostage in Rome. He
began to reign in the one hundred and thirty-seventh year of the kingdom of the
Greeks.
11 In those days certain renegades came
out from Israel and misled many, saying, ‘Let us go and make a covenant with
the Gentiles around us, for since we separated from them many disasters have
come upon us.’ 12This proposal pleased them, 13and some
of the people eagerly went to the king, who authorized them to observe the
ordinances of the Gentiles. 14So they built a gymnasium in
Jerusalem, according to Gentile custom, 15and removed the marks of
circumcision, and abandoned the holy covenant. They joined with the Gentiles
and sold themselves to do evil.
