2 Maccabees 14

1 After three years was Judas informed, that Demetrius the son of Seleucus, having entered by the haven of Tripolis with a great power and navy, 2 Had taken the country, and killed Antiochus, and Lysias his protector. 3 Now one Alcimus, who had been high priest, and had defiled himself wilfully in the times of their mingling with the Gentiles, seeing that by no means he could save himself, nor have any more access to the holy altar, 4 Came to king Demetrius in the hundred and one and fiftieth year, presenting unto him a crown of gold, and a palm, and also of the boughs which were used solemnly in the temple: and so that day he held his peace. 5 Howbeit having gotten opportunity to further his foolish enterprize, and being called into counsel by Demetrius, and asked how the Jews stood affected, and what they intended, he answered thereunto: 6 Those of the Jews that he called Assideans, whose captain is Judas Maccabeus, nourish war and are seditious, and will not let the rest be in peace. 7 Therefore I, being deprived of mine ancestors' honour, I mean the high priesthood, am now come hither: 8 First, verily for the unfeigned care I have of things pertaining to the king; and secondly, even for that I intend the good of mine own countrymen: for all our nation is in no small misery through the unadvised dealing of them aforersaid. 9 Wherefore, O king, seeing knowest all these things, be careful for the country, and our nation, which is pressed on every side, according to the clemency that thou readily shewest unto all. 10 For as long as Judas liveth, it is not possible that the state should be quiet. 11 This was no sooner spoken of him, but others of the king's friends, being maliciously set against Judas, did more incense Demetrius. 12 And forthwith calling Nicanor, who had been master of the elephants, and making him governor over Judea, he sent him forth, 13 Commanding him to slay Judas, and to scatter them that were with him, and to make Alcimus high priest of the great temple. 14 Then the heathen, that had fled out of Judea from Judas, came to Nicanor by flocks, thinking the harm and calamities ot the Jews to be their welfare. 15 Now when the Jews heard of Nicanor's coming, and that the heathen were up against them, they cast earth upon their heads, and made supplication to him that had established his people for ever, and who always helpeth his portion with manifestation of his presence. 16 So at the commandment of the captain they removed straightways from thence, and came near unto them at the town of Dessau. 17 Now Simon, Judas' brother, had joined battle with Nicanor, but was somewhat discomfited through the sudden silence of his enemies. 18 Nevertheless Nicanor, hearing of the manliness of them that were with Judas, and the courageousness that they had to fight for their country, durst not try the matter by the sword. 19 Wherefore he sent Posidonius, and Theodotus, and Mattathias, to make peace. 20 So when they had taken long advisement thereupon, and the captain had made the multitude acquainted therewith, and it appeared that they were all of one mind, they consented to the covenants, 21 And appointed a day to meet in together by themselves: and when the day came, and stools were set for either of them, 22 Ludas placed armed men ready in convenient places, lest some treachery should be suddenly practised by the enemies: so they made a peaceable conference. 23 Now Nicanor abode in Jerusalem, and did no hurt, but sent away the people that came flocking unto him. 24 And he would not willingly have Judas out of his sight: for he love the man from his heart 25 He prayed him also to take a wife, and to beget children: so he married, was quiet, and took part of this life. 26 But Alcimus, perceiving the love that was betwixt them, and considering the covenants that were made, came to Demetrius, and told him that Nicanor was not well affected toward the state; for that he had ordained Judas, a traitor to his realm, to be the king's successor. 27 Then the king being in a rage, and provoked with the accusations of the most wicked man, wrote to Nicanor, signifying that he was much displeased with the covenants, and commanding him that he should send Maccabeus prisoner in all haste unto Antioch. 28 When this came to Nicanor's hearing, he was much confounded in himself, and took it grievously that he should make void the articles which were agreed upon, the man being in no fault. 29 But because there was no dealing against the king, he watched his time to accomplish this thing by policy. 30 Notwithstanding, when Maccabeus saw that Nicanor began to be churlish unto him, and that he entreated him more roughly than he was wont, perceiving that such sour behaviour came not of good, he gathered together not a few of his men, and withdrew himself from Nicanor. 31 But the other, knowing that he was notably prevented by Judas' policy, came into the great and holy temple, and commanded the priests, that were offering their usual sacrifices, to deliver him the man. 32 And when they sware that they could not tell where the man was whom he sought, 33 He stretched out his right hand toward the temple, and made an oath in this manner: If ye will not deliver me Judas as a prisoner, I will lay this temple of God even with the ground, and I will break down the altar, and erect a notable temple unto Bacchus. 34 After these words he departed. Then the priests lifted up their hands toward heaven, and besought him that was ever a defender of their nation, saying in this manner; 35 Thou, O Lord of all things, who hast need of nothing, wast pleased that the temple of thine habitation should be among us: 36 Therefore now, O holy Lord of all holiness, keep this house ever undefiled, which lately was cleansed, and stop every unrighteous mouth. 37 Now was there accused unto Nicanor one Razis, one of the elders of Jerusalem, a lover of his countrymen, and a man of very good report, who for his kindness was called a father of the Jews. 38 For in the former times, when they mingled not themselves with the Gentiles, he had been accused of Judaism, and did boldly jeopard his body and life with all vehemency for the religion of the Jews. 39 So Nicanor, willing to declare the hate that he bare unto the Jews, sent above five hundred men of war to take him: 40 For he thought by taking him to do the Jews much hurt. 41 Now when the multitude would have taken the tower, and violently broken into the outer door, and bade that fire should be brought to burn it, he being ready to be taken on every side fell upon his sword; 42 Choosing rather to die manfully, than to come into the hands of the wicked, to be abused otherwise than beseemed his noble birth: 43 But missing his stroke through haste, the multitude also rushing within the doors, he ran boldly up to the wall, and cast himself down manfully among the thickest of them. 44 But they quickly giving back, and a space being made, he fell down into the midst of the void place. 45 Nevertheless, while there was yet breath within him, being inflamed with anger, he rose up; and though his blood gushed out like spouts of water, and his wounds were grievous, yet he ran through the midst of the throng; and standing upon a steep rock, 46 When as his blood was now quite gone, he plucked out his bowels, and taking them in both his hands, he cast them upon the throng, and calling upon the Lord of life and spirit to restore him those again, he thus died.

Commentaries

Rabanus Mauruson 2 Maccabees 14:13AD 856

When Nicanor came into Judea, he first pretended that he wished to have a covenant of peace with the Jews; afterwards, once his hostility was revealed, he showed himself to be a most wicked man rather than a faithful friend. But, overthrown by divine power, he paid the penalty for the blasphemies uttered against God and for his stubbornness; all of which are contained in the narrative of the former book, although certain things that were there omitted because of the haste of the narrator are found inserted in this account. As for the allegorical meaning, it has been explained there on this same matter according to the measure of my small talent, and it does not seem worth the effort to repeat it.

Source: Commentary on 2 Maccabees

Rabanus Mauruson 2 Maccabees 14:3AD 856

What is said, that he sent to the king ankle bones together with a golden crown, and that Alcimus offered the palm, shows that he promised to him royal dignity and victory over enemies, together with the worship of the temple, by bearing these as a sign of his gifts. For such objects are said to be offertory vessels, made in the manner of towers, with which they used to make offerings on the principal feast days; a likeness of which is still found in certain places. The Assideans, moreover, are said to be those Jews who were always devoted to divine worship, called Assideans from their application, as if "the tireless ones"; such were Judas and his helpers in the worship of God and the observance of his law. Others, however, claim that the Assideans are so named from purity, as if "pure Jews," because they kept themselves from idolatry and from the rites of the Gentiles. Demetrius, having heard the report of Alcimus and the others who were enemies of the Jews and supported the accusation, immediately sent Nicanor, the chief officer and commander of the elephants, into Judea,

Source: Commentary on 2 Maccabees

Rabanus Mauruson 2 Maccabees 14:37AD 856

Some people read this and, finding written there that Razias, inflicting death on himself with his own hand, chose to die nobly rather than be subject to sinners and to be treated with unworthy wrongs contrary to his native dignity, I have judged it useful to insert into this work of ours certain passages from the words of the venerable Father Augustine, so that readers of sound mind might understand what they ought to do in such matters, and not perhaps, being of a simpler disposition, believe that when necessity presses, it is in some way better to inflict death upon oneself by one's own act than to fall alive into the hands of sinners. Now the aforementioned Father reports, in his first book On the City of God, where he discussed at length whether it is ever permitted for someone to kill himself, speaking as follows: "Many have killed themselves lest they fall into the hands of their enemies. We do not merely ask whether this has been done, but whether it ought to have been done. Sound reason must indeed be preferred to examples; and the examples that agree with sound reason are to be followed, especially those which are all the more worthy of imitation the more they excel in reverence. The patriarchs did not do this, nor the prophets, nor the apostles, because the Lord Christ himself, when he warned them that if they suffered persecution they should flee from city to city, could have warned them to lay hands upon themselves, so as not to fall into the hands of their persecutors. But since he did not command or counsel this way of departing from this life to those whose departure he promised to prepare eternal dwellings, whatever examples the nations that do not know God may set in opposition, it is clear that this is not permitted to those who worship the one true God. It remains that we understand, concerning the human being, what was said: 'You shall not kill.' Therefore neither another person nor yourself; for whoever kills himself kills nothing other than a human being. Certain exceptions indeed have been made by that same divine authority regarding when it is not permitted to kill a human being. But, apart from those whom God commands to be killed, whether by a law given in general or by a specific command addressed to a particular person for a particular time, it is not the person who kills who is himself the author of the killing, but the one who owes the ministry of obedience to the One who commands, just as the sword is an instrument in the hand of the one who uses it. And therefore those who have waged wars under God's authority, or who, bearing the person of public power in accordance with his laws, that is, under the rule of the most just reason, have punished evildoers with death, have by no means acted against the commandment, 'You shall not kill.' Abraham not only is not accused of the crime of cruelty, but is even praised for his devotion, because he was willing to kill his son, not wickedly, but obediently. And it is rightly asked whether what Jephthah did in killing his daughter, who came out to meet her father, is to be regarded as done by God's command, since he had said that he had vowed to offer in sacrifice to God whatever should first come out to meet him when he returned victorious from battle (Judges 11). Nor is Samson excused in any other way, who destroyed himself together with his enemies by the collapse of the house, except that the Spirit, who worked miracles through him, had secretly commanded this. Therefore, with these exceptions, that is, those whom either a generally just law or God himself, the very fountain of justice, commands to be put to death, whoever kills a human being, whether himself or any other person, is bound by the guilt of murder; and whoever has perpetrated this upon himself may perhaps be admired for greatness of spirit, but is not to be praised for soundness of wisdom. Indeed, if you examine the matter more carefully by reason, even that so-called greatness of spirit is not rightly named, when someone, being unable to endure either certain hardships or the sins of others, kills himself. Rather, a weak mind is revealed, which cannot bear either the harsh bondage of its own body or the foolish opinion of the crowd; and the greater spirit should be said to belong to the one who can endure a life full of troubles rather than flee from it, and who can despise human judgment, especially popular judgment, which is often wrapped in the darkness of error, in comparison with the light and purity of conscience."

Source: Commentary on 2 Maccabees