Student Bible (Hardback)

Chapter One

18 Antiochus was in despair and could find no relief from his pain, because God was punishing him as he deserved, so he wrote the following letter to the Jews:

19 "King Antiochus to the Jews, my most distinguished subjects. Warm greetings and best wishes for your health and prosperity.

20 "I hope that you and your families are in good health and that all goes well with you. My hope is in God, 21 and I remember with a deep sense of joy the respect and kindness that you have shown me.

"On my way home from Persia I fell violently ill, and so I thought it best to begin making plans for the general welfare of the people. 22 I have not given up hopes of getting well; in fact I am fully confident that I will recover. 23 But I recall that my father used to appoint a successor whenever he went on a military campaign east of the Euphrates. 24 He did this so that if something unexpected happened, or if some bad news came back, then his subjects would not be afraid, for they knew who had been left in command. 25 Also, I know how the rulers along the frontiers of my kingdom are constantly on the lookout for any opportunity that may come along. That is why I have appointed my son Antiochus to succeed me as king. I have frequently entrusted him to your care and recommended him to you when I went on my regular visits to the provinces east of the Euphrates. (He is receiving a copy of the letter which follows.) 26 Now I strongly urge each of you to keep in mind the good things that I have done for you, both individually and as a nation, and to continue in your good will toward me and my son. 27 I am confident that he will treat you with fairness and kindness, just as I have always done."

28 And so, this murderer, who had cursed God, suffered the same terrible agonies he had brought on others, and then died a miserable death in the mountains of a foreign land. 29 One of his close friends, Philip, took his body home; but, because he was afraid of Antiochus' son, he went on to King Ptolemy Philometor of Egypt.

The Rededication of the Temple

(1 Maccabees 4.36-61)

10 Judas Maccabeus and his followers, under the leadership of the Lord, recaptured the Temple and the city of Jerusalem. 2 They tore down the altars which foreigners had set up in the marketplace and destroyed the other places of worship that had been built. 3 They purified the Temple and built a new altar. Then, with new fire started by striking flint, they offered sacrifice for the first time in two years, burned incense, lighted the lamps, and set out the sacred loaves. 4 After they had done all this, they lay face down on the ground and prayed that the Lord would never again let such disasters strike them. They begged him to be merciful when he punished them for future sins and not hand them over any more to barbaric, pagan Gentiles. 5 They rededicated the Temple on the twenty-fifth day of the month of Kislev, the same day of the same month on which the Temple had been desecrated by the Gentiles. 6 The happy celebration lasted eight days, like the Festival of Shelters, and the people remembered how only a short time before, they had spent the Festival of Shelters wandering like wild animals in the mountains and living in caves. 7 But now, carrying green palm branches and sticks decorated with ivy, they paraded around, singing grateful praises to him who had brought about the purification of his own Temple. 8 Everyone agreed that the entire Jewish nation should celebrate this festival each year.

9.20 Form Letter?

On his deathbed, Antiochus Epiphanes determined to mend his ways and sent a friendly letter to the Jews. But how sincere was his changed mind? Some commentators think the letter was a form sent to all his subject kingdoms, since it asks them to "keep in mind the good things that I have done for you ... and ... continue in your good will toward me" (verse 26). It would be hard for a Jew to name any good thing Antiochus had done for Israel or to find any good will toward him in Jerusalem.

(Continues...)