HarperCollins Study Bible

by Harold W. Attridge

  4.15–26 A much-shortened version of 2 Macc 4.7–6.11.

  4.15 Antiochus IV Epiphanes (175–164 BCE), the brother, not the son, of Seleucus IV. Both were sons of Antiochus III.

  4.16 Jason, the Jewish high priest ca. 175–172 BCE.

  4.20 The gymnasium, a place where the Greek way of life, in addition to physical training, was imparted to young men. The gymnasium was not actually built on the citadel but under it (2 Macc 4.12).

  4.22 On Ptolemy VI Philometor (180–145 BCE), see 1 Macc 1.16–19. People of Jerusalem suggests that the events described in 4 Maccabees took place in Jerusalem, although the city is not mentioned again until 18.5. Later Jewish and Christian traditions placed the tombs of the martyrs in Antioch.

  4.24–26 The author emphasizes the extent to which Jews would go to continue observing their law.

  4.26 Defiling foods, esp. pork. See 5.2.

  4 MACCABEES 5

  Antiochus’s Encounter with Eleazar

  1The tyrant Antiochus, sitting in state with his counselors on a certain high place, and with his armed soldiers standing around him, 2ordered the guards to seize each and every Hebrew and to compel them to eat pork and food sacrificed to idols. 3If any were not willing to eat defiling food, they were to be broken on the wheel and killed. 4When many persons had been rounded up, one man, Eleazar by name, leader of the flock, was broughta before the king. He was a man of priestly family, learned in the law, advanced in age, and known to many in the tyrant’s court because of his philosophy.b

  5When Antiochus saw him he said, 6“Before I begin to torture you, old man, I would advise you to save yourself by eating pork, 7for I respect your age and your gray hairs. Although you have had them for so long a time, it does not seem to me that you are a philosopher when you observe the religion of the Jews. 8When nature has granted it to us, why should you abhor eating the very excellent meat of this animal? 9It is senseless not to enjoy delicious things that are not shameful, and wrong to spurn the gifts of nature. 10It seems to me that you will do something even more senseless if, by holding a vain opinion concerning the truth, you continue to despise me to your own hurt. 11Will you not awaken from your foolish philosophy, dispel your futile reasonings, adopt a mind appropriate to your years, philosophize according to the truth of what is beneficial, 12and have compassion on your old age by honoring my humane advice? 13For consider this: if there is some power watching over this religion of yours, it will excuse you from any transgression that arises out of compulsion.”

  14When the tyrant urged him in this fashion to eat meat unlawfully, Eleazar asked to have a word. 15When he had received permission to speak, he began to address the people as follows: 16“We, O Antiochus, who have been persuaded to govern our lives by the divine law, think that there is no compulsion more powerful than our obedience to the law. 17Therefore we consider that we should not transgress it in any respect. 18Even if, as you suppose, our law were not truly divine and we had wrongly held it to be divine, not even so would it be right for us to invalidate our reputation for piety. 19Therefore do not suppose that it would be a petty sin if we were to eat defiling food; 20to transgress the law in matters either small or great is of equal seriousness, 21for in either case the law is equally despised. 22You scoff at our philosophy as though living by it were irrational, 23but it teaches us self-control, so that we master all pleasures and desires, and it also trains us in courage, so that we endure any suffering willingly; 24it instructs us in justice, so that in all our dealings we act impartially,c and it teaches us piety, so that with proper reverence we worship the only living God.

  25“Therefore we do not eat defiling food; for since we believe that the law was established by God, we know that in the nature of things the Creator of the world in giving us the law has shown sympathy toward us. 26He has permitted us to eat what will be most suitable for our lives,d but he has forbidden us to eat meats that would be contrary to this. 27It would be tyrannical for you to compel us not only to transgress the law, but also to eat in such a way that you may deride us for eating defiling foods, which are most hateful to us. 28But you shall have no such occasion to laugh at me, 29nor will I transgress the sacred oaths of my ancestors concerning the keeping of the law, 30not even if you gouge out my eyes and burn my entrails. 31I am not so old and cowardly as not to be young in reason on behalf of piety. 32Therefore get your torture wheels ready and fan the fire more vehemently! 33I do not so pity my old age as to break the ancestral law by my own act. 34I will not play false to you, O law that trained me, nor will I renounce you, beloved self-control. 35I will not put you to shame, philosophical reason, nor will I reject you, honored priesthood and knowledge of the law. 36You, O king,e shall not defile the honorable mouth of my old age, nor my long life lived lawfully. 37My ancestors will receive me as pure, as one who does not fear your violence even to death. 38You may tyrannize the ungodly, but you shall not dominate my religious principles, either by words or through deeds.”

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  a Or was the first of the flock to be brought

  b Other ancient authorities read his advanced age

  c Or so that we hold in balance all our habitual inclinations

  d Or souls

  e Gk lacks O king

  5.1–7.23 The source of the story of the death of Eleazar is 2 Macc 6.18–31. The story has been significantly expanded in 4 Maccabees, especially by means of speeches by Eleazar and Antiochus.

  5.1–38 The emphasis in the encounter between Antiochus and Eleazar is on two speeches, one by Antiochus (vv. 5–13) and the other by Eleazar (vv. 14–38). Antiochus’s speech is meant to exemplify arguments used to persuade Jews to forgo observance of the law and assimilate to the Greek way of life. Eleazar’s speech is meant to demonstrate why Jews should continue to observe the law strictly and not assimilate.

  5.1 Tyrant, for the Greeks a ruler unlimited by either law or a constitution, usually with a negative connotation.

  5.2 During the Maccabean period and later, the refusal to eat pork became a touchstone to Jews for observance of the law in a hostile environment and as important as not eating food sacrificed to idols.

  5.4 Eleazar, in Hebrew “God has helped.”

  5.5–13 Antiochus tries to persuade Eleazar to eat pork first on the basis of philosophical arguments (vv. 8–12) and then by claiming that compulsion is a legitimate excuse for transgressing a law (v. 13). Antiochus’s philosophical arguments are based on the Stoic precept of “living according to nature.”

  5.7 The Greek word threskeia usually means religious cult or practice, but here it means something more general, i.e., religion. For a similar usage, see Wis 14.18, 27.

  5.13 The idea of God watching over human beings is a Greek philosophical concept frequently found also in the works of Jewish writers (2 Macc 7.35; 9.5; 3 Macc 2.21; Philo, Against Flaccus 121). The same argument that compulsion is an excuse is found in 8.14, 25.

  5.14–38 Eleazar’s speech emphasizes not only his absolute commitment to observance of the law but also that this commitment is a rational one and in accordance with nature. Eleazar uses Stoic viewpoints to refute Antiochus’s Stoic arguments.

  5.20–21 The author seems to espouse the Stoic position that all transgressions are of equal seriousness. A similar position is found in Philo (Allegories on the Laws 3.241).

  5.23–24 Self-control, courage, justice, three of the four cardinal virtues. Eleazar substitutes piety (Greek eusebeia), i.e., proper reverence toward God, for the usual fourth, rational judgment (Greek phronesis; see 1.2–4, 18; 15.10). The substitution of piety for one of the cardinal virtues is also found in Xenophon (Memorabilia 4.6), Josephus (Against Apion 2.170), and Philo (On the Cherubim 96).

  5.26 Eleazar claims that eating certain foods and refraining from eating others has its basis in what is suitable for our lives (lit. souls; see text note d). A similar approach to the purity regulations is found in the Letter of Aristeas (128–71) and often in Philo’s interpreta
tions. See Lev 11.1–23.

  5.37 My ancestors will receive me. See 13.17; 17.12, which indicate the immortality of the martyrs more clearly.

  4 MACCABEES 6

  Martyrdom of Eleazar

  1When Eleazar in this manner had made eloquent response to the exhortations of the tyrant, the guards who were standing by dragged him violently to the instruments of torture. 2First they stripped the old man, though he remained adorned with the gracefulness of his piety. 3After they had tied his arms on each side they flogged him, 4while a herald who faced him cried out, “Obey the king’s commands!” 5But the courageous and noble man, like a true Eleazar, was unmoved, as though being tortured in a dream; 6yet while the old man’s eyes were raised to heaven, his flesh was being torn by scourges, his blood flowing, and his sides were being cut to pieces. 7Although he fell to the ground because his body could not endure the agonies, he kept his reason upright and unswerving. 8One of the cruel guards rushed at him and began to kick him in the side to make him get up again after he fell. 9But he bore the pains and scorned the punishment and endured the tortures. 10Like a noble athlete the old man, while being beaten, was victorious over his torturers; 11in fact, with his face bathed in sweat, and gasping heavily for breath, he amazed even his torturers by his courageous spirit.

  12At that point, partly out of pity for his old age, 13partly out of sympathy from their acquaintance with him, partly out of admiration for his endurance, some of the king’s retinue came to him and said, 14“Eleazar, why are you so irrationally destroying yourself through these evil things? 15We will set before you some cooked meat; save yourself by pretending to eat pork.”

  16But Eleazar, as though more bitterly tormented by this counsel, cried out: 17“Never may we, the children of Abraham,a think so basely that out of cowardice we feign a role unbecoming to us! 18For it would be irrational if having lived in accordance with truth up to old age and having maintained in accordance with law the reputation of such a life, we should now change our course 19and ourselves become a pattern of impiety to the young by setting them an example in the eating of defiling food. 20It would be shameful if we should survive for a little while and during that time be a laughingstock to all for our cowardice, 21and be despised by the tyrant as unmanly by not contending even to death for our divine law. 22Therefore, O children of Abraham, die nobly for your religion! 23And you, guards of the tyrant, why do you delay?”

  24When they saw that he was so courageous in the face of the afflictions, and that he had not been changed by their compassion, the guards brought him to the fire. 25There they burned him with maliciously contrived instruments, threw him down, and poured stinking liquids into his nostrils. 26When he was now burned to his very bones and about to expire, he lifted up his eyes to God and said, 27“You know, O God, that though I might have saved myself, I am dying in burning torments for the sake of the law. 28Be merciful to your people, and let our punishment suffice for them. 29Make my blood their purification, and take my life in exchange for theirs.” 30After he said this, the holy man died nobly in his tortures; even in the tortures of death he resisted, by virtue of reason, for the sake of the law.

  31Admittedly, then, devout reason is sovereign over the emotions. 32For if the emotions had prevailed over reason, we would have testified to their domination. 33But now that reason has conquered the emotions, we properly attribute to it the power to govern. 34It is right for us to acknowledge the dominance of reason when it masters even external agonies. It would be ridiculous to deny it.b 35I have proved not only that reason has mastered agonies, but also that it masters pleasures and in no respect yields to them.

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  a Or O children of Abraham

  b Syr: Meaning of Gk uncertain

  6.1–35 This account of Eleazar’s death is marked by its graphic description of Eleazar’s tortures and his speeches (vv. 16–23, 27–29) during the tortures. Cf. 2 Macc 6.28–29.

  6.5 A true Eleazar, a worthy successor to his namesake Eleazar, the third and most prominent son of Aaron, who became high priest at Aaron’s death (Num 20.25–28).

  6.10 A noble athlete, an image also used in 9.8; 11.20–21; 14.5; 15.29; 16.16; 17.11–16 about the seven brothers and their mother, was also popular in Christian martyrdom literature.

  6.16–23 In reply to the suggestion that he pretend to eat pork, Eleazar emphasizes that it would be irrational for him (v. 18), after a long life of observing the law, now to eat defiled food and thus give an example of impiety to the young and become a laughingstock to all (vv. 19–20) because of his cowardice.

  6.27–29 Eleazar’s final speech emphasizes the significance of his death for the sake of the law. The notion that the martyr’s death was a vicarious atonement is found especially in 17.22 (see also 12.17; 17.10, 21–22; Introduction).

  6.31–35 The author again emphasizes that devout reason is sovereign over the emotions. This emphasis is further developed in 7.1–23. See also 13.1–5, which closely parallels this passage.

  4 MACCABEES 7

  An Encomium on Eleazar

  1For like a most skillful pilot, the reason of our father Eleazar steered the ship of religion over the sea of the emotions, 2and though buffeted by the stormings of the tyrant and overwhelmed by the mighty waves of tortures, 3in no way did he turn the rudder of religion until he sailed into the haven of immortal victory. 4No city besieged with many ingenious war machines has ever held out as did that most holy man. Although his sacred life was consumed by tortures and racks, he conquered the besiegers with the shield of his devout reason. 5For in setting his mind firm like a jutting cliff, our father Eleazar broke the maddening waves of the emotions. 6O priest, worthy of the priesthood, you neither defiled your sacred teeth nor profaned your stomach, which had room only for reverence and purity, by eating defiling foods. 7O man in harmony with the law and philosopher of divine life! 8Such should be those who are administrators of the law, shielding it with their own blood and noble sweat in sufferings even to death. 9You, father, strengthened our loyalty to the law through your glorious endurance, and you did not abandon the holiness that you praised, but by your deeds you made your words of divinea philosophy credible. 10O aged man, more powerful than tortures; O elder, fiercer than fire; O supreme king over the passions, Eleazar! 11For just as our father Aaron, armed with the censer, ran through the multitude of the people and conquered the fieryb angel, 12so the descendant of Aaron, Eleazar, though being consumed by the fire, remained unmoved in his reason. 13Most amazing, indeed, though he was an old man, his body no longer tense and firm,c his muscles flabby, his sinews feeble, he became young again 14in spirit through reason; and by reason like that of Isaac he rendered the many-headed rack ineffective. 15O man of blessed age and of venerable gray hair and of law-abiding life, whom the faithful seal of death has perfected!

  16If, therefore, because of piety an aged man despised tortures even to death, most certainly devout reason is governor of the emotions. 17Some perhaps might say, “Not all have full command of their emotions, because not all have prudent reason.” 18But as many as attend to religion with a whole heart, these alone are able to control the passions of the flesh, 19since they believe that they, like our patriarchs Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, do not die to God, but live to God. 20No contradiction therefore arises when some persons appear to be dominated by their emotions because of the weakness of their reason. 21What person who lives as a philosopher by the whole rule of philosophy, and trusts in God, 22and knows that it is blessed to endure any suffering for the sake of virtue, would not be able to overcome the emotions through godliness? 23For only the wise and courageous are masters of their emotions.

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  a Other ancient authorities lack divine

  b Other ancient authorities lack fiery

  c Gk the tautness of the body already loosed

  7.1–23 In this encomium the author lavishes praise on Eleazar as an example of how devout reason
can dominate the emotions only through observance of Mosaic law.

  7.1–3 The metaphor of the pilot and the ship is common in Greek literature and recurs in 13.6–7; 15.31–32. See 1 Pet 3.20.

  7.7–10 Eleazar’s ability to control his emotions is linked to his loyalty to the law.

  7.11 Aaron averted a plague (Num 16.46–50). In Wis 18.22 the plague is connected to an “avenger” similar to the angel in this verse.

  7.14 An allusion to Gen 22.1–19. See note on 13.12.

  7.16–23 Not everyone can dominate emotions with reason, but only those who attend to religion (v. 18) and live as philosophers by the whole rule of philosophy (v. 21), i.e., the law.

  7.19 See 16.25; Ex 3.6; Mk 12.26; Rom 6.10; 14.8; Gal 2.19.

  4 MACCABEES 8

  Seven Brothers Defy the Tyrant

  1For this is why even the very young, by following a philosophy in accordance with devout reason, have prevailed over the most painful instruments of torture. 2For when the tyrant was conspicuously defeated in his first attempt, being unable to compel an aged man to eat defiling foods, then in violent rage he commanded that others of the Hebrew captives be brought, and that any who ate defiling food would be freed after eating, but if any were to refuse, they would be tortured even more cruelly.

  3When the tyrant had given these orders, seven brothers—handsome, modest, noble, and accomplished in every way—were brought before him along with their aged mother. 4When the tyrant saw them, grouped about their mother as though a chorus, he was pleased with them. And struck by their appearance and nobility, he smiled at them, and summoned them nearer and said, 5“Young men, with favorable feelings I admire each and every one of you, and greatly respect the beauty and the number of such brothers. Not only do I advise you not to display the same madness as that of the old man who has just been tortured, but I also exhort you to yield to me and enjoy my friendship. 6Just as I am able to punish those who disobey my orders, so I can be a benefactor to those who obey me. 7Trust me, then, and you will have positions of authority in my government if you will renounce the ancestral tradition of your national life. 8Enjoy your youth by adopting the Greek way of life and by changing your manner of living. 9But if by disobedience you rouse my anger, you will compel me to destroy each and every one of you with dreadful punishments through tortures. 10Therefore take pity on yourselves. Even I, your enemy, have compassion for your youth and handsome appearance. 11Will you not consider this, that if you disobey, nothing remains for you but to die on the rack?”