1 Maccabees

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[This book is in Orthodox and Catholic Bibles] A foreign empire suppresses the practice of Judaism. A Jewish priest named Mattathias Maccabees leads a rebellion.

CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16

RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, Memorize, Chronology

 

The Book of Judith is recognized as Deuterocanonical Scripture by the Orthodox and Catholic Churches

 

 

SUMMARY

Title

The First Book of Maccabees is named for the family of principle characters.

Author

The author was probably a Jewish person living in Palestine.

Date

The historical timeframe of the First Book of Maccabees is 165–135 BC.

It was most likely written around 100 BC.

See our study of The Chronology of the Deuterocanonical Books.

Purpose

Antiochus IV Epiphanes was king of the Seleucid Empire in Greece from 175 to 164 BC. He suppressed the practice of Judaism.

The First Book of Maccabees tells the story of the revolt initiated by the Jewish priest Mattathias Maccabees and carried on by his five sons and grandson.

The family name “Maccabees” means “hammer.” And hammer is exactly what they did to the Greeks.

The three generations of the Maccabee family constitute the focus of 1 Maccabees.

It portrays the Maccabee family as bringing about Israel’s salvation. It emphasizes their military and political exploits as well as their religious observance.

It portrays them as instruments of the LORD God for bringing about Jewish independence.

 

OUTLINE

INTRODUCTION

1 Maccabees 1:1-9. Alexander the Great

PERSECUTION

1 Maccabees 1:10-15. The rise of Antiochus IV Epiphanes

1 Maccabees 1:16-19. Antiochus captures Egypt

1 Maccabees 1:20-40. Antiochus persecutes the Jewish people

1 Maccabees 1:41-64. Antiochus makes Judaism illegal

REBELLION

1 Maccabees 2:1-14. Introducing Mattathias

1 Maccabees 2:15-48. They refuse to commit apostasy

1 Maccabees 2:49-70. Mattathias passes away

JUDAS MACCABEES TAKES OVER

1 Maccabees 3:1-9. Judas Maccabees takes over the rebellion

1 Maccabees 3:10-26. Victory over Apollonius and Seron

1 Maccabees 3:27-60. Antiochus puts Lysias in charge of his army

1 Maccabees 4:1-26. Victory over Gorgias

1 Maccabees 4:27-35. Victory over Lysias

1 Maccabees 4:36-61. Purification of the Temple

1 Maccabees 5:1-8. The Gentiles want to exterminate the tribe of Judah

1 Maccabees 5:9-20. Judas Maccabees plans a rescue

1 Maccabees 5:21-23. They rescue Galilee

1 Maccabees 5:24-45. They rescue Gilead

1 Maccabees 5:46-54. They conquer Ephron

1 Maccabees 5:55-68. Joseph and Azariah are driven by pride

1 Maccabees 6:1-16. Antiochus IV Epiphanies passes away

1 Maccabees 6:17-27. Judas Maccabees attacks the citadel

1 Maccabees 6:28-55. The enemy strikes back

1 Maccabees 6:56-63. The enemy offers a peace treaty

1 Macabees 7:1-25. King Demetrius attacks Judas Maccabees

1 Maccabees 7:26-50. Judas Maccabees defeats King Demetrius

1 Maccabees 8:1-16. They hear about the Roman Empire

1 Maccabees 8:17-22. They enact a treaty with the Roman Empire

1 Maccabees 8:23-32. The terms of the treaty

1 Maccabees 9:1-10. The enemy invades Judah

1 Maccabees 9:11-22. The death of Judas Maccabees

JONATHAN TAKES OVER

1 Maccabees 9:23-27. The forces of evil grow stronger

1 Maccabees 9:28-73. Jonathan Maccabees becomes the new leader

1 Maccabees 10:1-14. Alexander takes the city of Ptolemais

1 Maccabees 10:15-50. Jonathan Maccabees sides with Alexander

1 Maccabees 10:51-66. Treaty of Ptolemy and Alexander

1 Maccabees 10:67-89. Victory over Appollonius

1 Maccabees 11:1-19. King Ptolemy of Egypt tries to take Alexander’s kingdom

1 Maccabees 11:20-40. Jonathan Maccabees supplicates King Demetrius

1 Maccabees 11:41-62. Jonathan Maccabees assists King Demetrius

1 Maccabees 11:63-74. King Demetrius attacks Jonathan Maccabees

1 Maccabees 12:1-23. Jonathan Maccabees makes an alliance with the Roman Empire

1 Maccabees 12:24-38. Demetrius attacks again

1 Maccabees 12:39-53. Trypho captures Jonathan Maccabees

SIMON MACCABEES TAKES OVER

1 Maccabees 13:1-11. Simon Maccabees becomes the leader

1 Maccabees 13:12-24. Trypho demands to be paid a ransom

1 Maccabees 13:25-30. Jonathan Maccabees is buried

1 Maccabees 13:31-42. Simon Maccabees makes a pact with King Demetrius

1 Maccabees 13:43-53. Simon Maccabees captures Gazara

1 Maccabees 14:1-3. Demetrius is finally captured

1 Maccabees 14:4-15. Summarizing the achievements of Simon Maccabees

1 Maccabees 14:16-24. Simon Maccabees makes an alliance with Rome and Sparta

1 Maccabees 14:25-49. Simon Maccabees is honored

1 Maccabees 15:1-14. King Antiochus VII grants freedom to the Jewish people

1 Maccabees 15:15-24. The Roman Empire protects the Jewish people

1 Maccabees 15:25-36. King Antiochus VII attacks the city of Dor

1 Maccabees 15:37-41. Cendebaeus invades Judea

1 Maccabees 16:1-10. Simon Maccabees names John Hyrcanus as the new leader

1 Maccabees 16:11-24. Ptolemy murders Simon Macabees

 

MEMORIZE

Here are some great verses to memorize:

1 Maccabees 2:27. And Mattathias cried out in the city with a loud voice, saying, Whosoever is zealous for the law, and maintains the covenant, let him come forth after me.

1 Maccabees 2:62. And be not afraid of the words of a sinful man; for his glory shall be dung and worms.

1 Maccabees 3:18. And Judas said, It is an easy thing for many to be shut up in the hands of a few; and with heaven it is all one, to save by many or by few:

1 Maccabees 3:19. for victory in battle stands not in the multitude of an army; but strength is from heaven.

SEE ALSO:

Great verses to memorize from the entire Bible

 

1 MACCABEES

CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16

RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, Memorize, Chronology

Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bible and the World Messianic Edition. These translations have no copyright restrictions. They are in the Public Domain.