4 MaccabeesChapter 4

4 Maccabees Chapter 4: Meaning

A traitor helps a wicked king attack Jerusalem, and Antiochus begins forcing Jews to break their law.

Summary

This chapter tells the story of how trouble came to Jerusalem. A man named Simon was jealous of the high priest Onias, who was a good and respected leader. Simon failed to hurt Onias's reputation, so he went to a foreign military commander named Apollonius and lied about the temple treasury, claiming the money there belonged to the king, not God.

Apollonius believed Simon and marched to Jerusalem with soldiers to take the money. The people were outraged. When Apollonius reached the temple, something amazing happened: angels on horseback appeared from heaven, and the soldiers were struck with terror. Apollonius fell down half-dead and begged the Hebrews to pray for him. The high priest Onias prayed, and Apollonius was spared. He left and reported what had happened to the king.

After that, a new king named Antiochus Epiphanes took power. He removed the good high priest Onias and replaced him with Onias's brother Jason, who paid Antiochus a large amount of money for the position. Jason then began changing the Jewish way of life, encouraging Greek customs and even building a gymnasium near the temple.

Antiochus later attacked Jerusalem and made a decree: anyone living by Jewish law would be put to death. Even mothers who circumcised their babies were thrown from cliffs. When threats and punishments didn't stop the people, Antiochus tried to force every Jew to eat food that was forbidden by their law.

Historical Context

This chapter describes real events from around 175 BC. Antiochus IV, who called himself Epiphanes (meaning 'the glorious one'), was a Syrian Greek king who ruled over the Jewish homeland. He saw the Jewish religion as a threat to his power and wanted to force Greek culture on everyone.

The high priesthood at this time had become corrupt, people were buying the position rather than earning it through faith and service. This weakened Jewish leadership and made it easier for Antiochus to take control. His attacks on Jewish practice were the beginning of the Maccabean crisis that this whole book is about.