Day 31

If First Maccabees was Braveheart…then Second Maccabees is Braveheart + Monty Python + Gladiator. This book pulls out all the stops. It basically tells the same story as 1 Maccabees with a few additions and embellishments. Some of the characters change, but the basic structure remains: action packed warfare.

The interesting thing here, though, is that the author of 2 Maccabees is up front about this. They essentially say: “I’m here to tell a good story. If I failed, well, it’s probably you. Not me.” No other book of the Bible has made such an admission so far. I kinda appreciated that. Here it was: direct and unabashed.

I had the same struggle with this book as with the first. What edification should I partake of here? Or is this book supposed to be a balm to an oppressed people? Here they are, winning the day with gruesome glory. I guess that’s a solid reason for such a text.

I looked again for Hanukkah. Nope. No miracle. It must be outlined in rabbinic literature and that’s outside of my scope here. But it gets a passing mention a few times in 2 Maccabees.

Anyway, I enjoyed this text. I hate to say I enjoyed it far more than the first one, but read beware. This text is pretty graphic in its depictions of war. So, it’s weird for me to like it. I don’t watch war movies, read war novels or histories, or even admire reenactments. It’s just not for me. But the energy behind the text was captivating. Plus…there’s that one scene with Razis…

One Word for Maccabees: Over-the-top

Parts of the Text That Stayed With Me

1. 2 Macc 1, Celebrate the Purification. Also known as Hanukkah. Two reminders here with none of the frills we know about today. This book is interesting in that it pretty much starts off with prefaces.
2. 2 Macc 2:19-32, Preface Now Intro. I’m someone that never likes books that have a preface, then a prologue, then the introduction. Second Maccabees has that, but they’re all pretty interesting. We get a summary of what we’re about to read…spoilers. The author speaks directly to the reader several times in this text.
3. 2 Macc 6:3, Dramatic Language. “…harsh and utterly grievous was the onslaught of evil.” I loved this line. The author talks about telling a compelling story in the Intro section and they do.
4. 2 Macc 6:12 Author Speaks to Us. The author chimes in to remind us not to be depressed. That’s very kind of you.
5. 2 Macc 7, Seven Brothers & Mother. My jaw dropped this entire chapter with the martyrdom of an entire family. It was detailed, gruesome, but I admire the resolve of each person.
6. 2 Macc 12:39-45, Redemption. In what is an interesting twist, Judas Maccabeus offers a rite of atonement for the fallen on the battlefield.
7. 2 Macc 14:37-26, Monty Python? Sooooo….Razis. Surrounded by troops, he falls on his sword…and misses. Impaled partially by his sword, he jumps off the castle wall, only to land in an empty safe space. Now really angry…with a sword stuck in him and battered from jumping off a wall, he jumps onto a rock, disembowels himself, throws his innards at the crowd…and finally dies. What. The. !@#$.

This post is part of a lager series where I read the entirety of Hebrew & Christian scriptures in 45 days. Take a look a the original post for more info, as well as links to other reflections on this journey.