Index

Back

Next

By the time that Antiochus IV became King in 175 BCE, trouble in Jerusalem had led the pious High Priest, Onias III, to go to Antioch to set matters right with the King, - but he arrived just before the new King, so waited a while. Back home in Jerusalem, his opponents saw their opportunity to act, little realising how the new King's behaviour would affect them. They sent Onias's brother, Jason, to Antiochus IV to bribe him with gold to appoint Jason as High Priest, and also promised to spend their own money to transform Jerusalem into a new-style Greek city. It worked! Jerusalem was Hellenised overnight, and acquired a large gymnasium close to the Temple, athletes trained in the nude, after undergoing surgery to reverse their circumcision; the 'epheboi' was established, - a club for the idle rich youngsters who swaggered around in flamboyant Greek dress, and the city was renamed 'Antioch in Judea'. The Law-keeping priests were dismayed, but at least Jason was from the 'right' family for his new appointment. The more liberal priests and the gentry were delighted with their success, but the Separatists were horrified. They now found themselves side-lined and powerless; many moved out to the country villages where their Law-keeping was intensified, and the apocalyptic prophetic groups continued to comment on the situation. They began to organise themselves into a group, known as the 'Hasidim', the 'Pious Ones'.

Events moved swiftly. Another 'bidder' for the High Priest's job went off to Antioch and offered a bigger bribe, - and the King agreed that Menelaus should have the job. He was not even a member of the Zadokite family! While still in Antioch Menelaus arranged the murder of the real High Priest, Onias, and then set off for Jerusalem. Jason ran!

Meanwhile Antiochus IV became ambitious to seize the throne of Egypt, during the minority of Ptolemy VI. He went to war and won, in 169, but a rumour reached Jerusalem that he was dead. Jason returned, captured Menelaus, and killed many of his unpopular friends, before Antiochus appeared, alive, well but furious with Jerusalem. His Syrian soldiers were sent out to loot, pillage and kill, the walls were destroyed again, and a huge fortress, the Citadel, was erected overlooking the Temple courtyards to house a permanent garrison of Syrian soldiers. Worst of all, Antiochus himself, a non-Jew, entered the Temple, found its wealth, and took it.

He went again to Egypt, in 168. He laid siege to Alexandria, and went on to Memphis to seize the crown, when he was 'stopped' by a decree delivered from the Senate in Rome. Antiochus had enough respect for Rome after his boyhood there as a hostage, to concede, but went away humiliated. He arrived again in Jerusalem on his return, and vented his uncontrolled anger there. He determined to wipe out all traces of the 'eccentric religion' of the Jews, and force them all to become 'Greek'. Murder and mayhem broke out. All Jews who kept the religious Law, who kept the Sabbath, who owned a copy of the Law, and who circumcised their babies - were killed, not only in Jerusalem, but anywhere in the surrounding countryside where the Syrian soldiers found them. Many were killed - for keeping God's Law. One village was wiped out because they were attacked on the Sabbath Day, and refused to fight back.

Finally Antiochus desecrated the Temple itself. In 167, it was rededicated to the Greek god, Zeus. A statue was erected to Zeus, with features resembling Antiochus himself, and then pigs were sacrificed on its altar! It was 'the abomination of desolation'.

The Hellenising priests were helpless. They had to conform, or die. They watched as the city was reorganised fully in the Greek manner, with a Royal Commissioner and a democratically elected 'Popular Assembly' as its government.

Those who could, escaped, and made for the hills, alongside many of the countryfolk. The religious 'shock waves' were unbelievable. Where was their God in this time of trouble? Why was He not 'saving' the loyal Jews who kept His Law faithfully? These were not 'sinners' to be punished! They were faithful martyrs, who did not deserve such treatment! Rather, they deserved to be rewarded, but how? and when? and where?

NEW RELIGIOUS THINKING BEGAN among the Pious Ones and other YHWH-loyalists, and focused for the first time on the question of life after death. Previously the Jews believed that YHWH's jurisdiction was over the heavens and the earth only, so when a dead person was buried, 'in the pit', or in 'Sheol', they went away to 'nothingness'. Now, however, the prophetic community remembered a statement in Second-Isaiah's fourth Servant Song,

(ch 53), in which the blameless Servant died, but was later 'justified', or 'rewarded' by God. Surely this applied to the loyal martyrs? The heart of this debate is in 2 Macc 6 & 7. and the first breakthrough is in 7.36, 'For our brothers, after enduring a brief suffering have drunk of everlasting life under God's covenant.'

The prophetic book of Daniel was written at this time, with its political message hidden in chs 1-6, as a code in an historical novel, and with apocalyptic visions in chs 7-12. The visions reflect Persian influence, describing God as the 'Ancient of Days', sending his archangel, Michael, forth into the world of men, below the realms of heaven. Michael was to fight Evil. The last vision, in 11 - 12.4, is the climax, declaring 'Many of those who sleep in the dust, (Sheol), shall awake, some to everlasting life.......'. Psalm 139 reflects this latest thinking in the OT, describing the impossibility of going any where beyond the presence of YHWH, even in Sheol itself! (v.8). All this was a shadowy beginning of a theology yet to develop, particularly among the Pious Ones, (who were the fore-runners of the later Pharisees).

Out in the hills, a rebel movement began, with the arrival of Mattathias's family from Modein, and the the Pious Ones who joined them. The story is in ! Macc 2. The fighting, wild, leader of the rebels was Mattathias's son, Judas, who earned the nickname, Maccabaeus, meaning 'the Hammerer'. They went on the offensive in the villages at first, forcefully circumcising any children they found, and killing all Hellenistic sympathisers. Eventually the Governor of Syria had to take note, in the absence of the King who had left for campaigns in the East. Lysias took action, before Judas and the rebels were strong enough to tackle Jerusalem. He attacked successfully, from the south, but was prevented from capitalising on his victory by news reaching him that Antiochus IV had died in the East. He made generous terms with Judas, and hurried back to Antioch to protect the new, young, boy-King.

Judas had permission to go to Jerusalem, and restore the Temple to its proper use, providing he made no reprisals against the priests who had co-operated with the Hellesisers.

In 164, the statue and the altar of Zeus were removed, and a new altar built; a great celebration of Rededication was held, on the 25^th Chislev, which has been celebrated ever since throughout the Jewish world, as Hanukkah.

The rebels had succeeded. Religious liberty had been regained!

The sons of Mattathias, however, were not satisfied with toleration towards the Hellenisers. Their objectives changed, and they went on the offensive, even though they lost the co-operation of the Pious Ones by so doing. They forcefully asserted the Jewish adherence to the Law, and spread out to support Jewish groups in nearby towns. Eventually Judas felt strong enough to tackle the Citadel fortress in Jerusalem, but this once again forced Lysias to attack, this time with elephants! (1 Macc 6). Lysias was besieging Jerusalem when, for a second time, bad news reached him forcing him to leave after again making peace very advantageously in favour of the Jews. At last the usurper High Priest, Menelaus, was deposed and executed, and a Zadokite priest, Alcimus, a moderate Hellenist appointed in his stead. Sadly, Alcimus executed sixty of the leading Hasideans, so the two groups remained widely divided. Judas attacked him,and he fled .... to the King. King Demetrius sent his Commander, Nicanor, to deal with Judas, but at the battle of Adasa, in161, Nicanor was killed. By 160, Judas was defeated and killed.

From 160 - 142, Mattathias's youngest son, Jonathan,took the lead. He was an astute politician and gradually gained one concession after another from a succession of weak Syrian kings. He restored the walls of Jerusalem, and repaired the Temple mount unhindered. In 152, he managed to gain the role of High Priest for himself, though he was no Zadokite. (possibly, this started an exodus of ultra-loyal priests to found a monastic community at Qumran, - of the Dead Sea scrolls' fame). Eventually he attempted to besiege the hated Citadel in Jerusalem, and also made overtures of friendship to Rome.

Mattathias's eldest son, Simon, was elected to succeed Jonathan. In 142 he declared Judea to be an independent state. In 140, the Assembly conferred on his family, hereditary honours. In 134, his son, John Hyrcanus, declared himself to be King of the Jews.