Chapter 15: The Revolt of the
Maccabees
UNDERSTANDING THE SCRIPTURES
1. The Maccabean Revolt (pp. 274–280)
ANTICIPATORY SET
Free write for two minutes recalling the Jews’ Egyptian persecution
under Pharaoh.
Share responses.
This lesson will explore a second great persecution of Jews in the Old
Testament.
1. The Maccabean Revolt (pp. 274–280)
BASIC QUESTIONS
What was Alexander the Great’s legacy?
Why was King Antiochus IV terrible for Israel?
What did the Maccabees accomplish?
KEY IDEAS
Alexander the Great’s conquest of the known world sparked
Hellenization—the spread of Greek culture—which threatened to destroy
the Jewish faith in Israel.
King Antiochus IV, who had desecrated the Temple in Jerusalem, sought
to Hellenize Israel, by terror if necessary.
The Maccabees launched a successful revolt against Antiochus and gained
an independent Israel.
1. The Maccabean Revolt (pp. 274–280)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
Who was Philip of Macedon?
He was the father of Alexander the Great. Philip united Greece into one
nation through a combination of war, diplomacy, and deceit.
What did Alexander the Great accomplish?
With lightening speed, he conquered the known world from Greece all the
way to India.
What was Hellenism?
Hellenism was the process by which lands conquered by Alexander the
Great adopted Greek culture, language, religion, learning, architecture, art,
and customs.
1. The Maccabean Revolt (pp. 274–280)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
How can a significant part of the history of the Jews be seen as a conflict between
two great powers?
Israel was caught between Assyria and Egypt, then Babylon and Egypt, then it was
conquered by the Egyptian Ptolemies, and then by the Persian Seleucids.
What is the significance of the names Epiphanes and Epimanes?
Epiphanes was the name King Antiochus IV took for himself, meaning god manifest (epiphany).
Epimanes is what many of his subjects called him, meaning out of his mind. They thought he
was out of his mind for believing himself to be a god and his debauched behavior.
What was King Antiochus’ dream?
He dreamt to Hellenize his empire completely, setting aside all local customs.
1. The Maccabean Revolt (pp. 274–280)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
What were the roles of the Jewish high priest under Antiochus, and how was
he chosen?
The high priest was both the religious and secular ruler of the Jews. Antiochus sold
this position to the highest bidder, so only rich, Hellenized Jews could fill this office.
What problem did Hellenization pose for the Jews?
All peoples, including the Jews, were expected to set aside the Law of Moses and
adopt the Greek religion.
How did Antiochus adapt the Temple to Greek worship?
He rededicated it to Zeus, seeing the God of the Israelites as a manifestation of the
Greeks’ highest god.
1. The Maccabean Revolt (pp. 274–280)
GUIDED EXERCISE
A think / pair / share using the following question:
According to the Catechism, no. 992, how is the hope of resurrection a
consequence of faith in God?
1. The Maccabean Revolt (pp. 274–280)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
What is Judaism?
The Jews began to call their religion Judaism to distinguish it from Hellenism.
What did King Antiochus insist from all Jews?
They had to take part in Greek sacrifices, which included eating pork and other
meat sacrificed to idols.
What happened to those who defied Antiochus’ edict?
They were tortured and killed.
1. The Maccabean Revolt (pp. 274–280)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
Why did Mattathias and his five sons retire to the countryside?
They began a seemingly hopeless resistance because they thought it was better to
die resisting than offend God.
Who was Judas Maccabeus?
He was the most talented soldier in the Maccabeus family.
What did the Maccabees accomplish by about 125 BC?
They had restored an independent Israel.
1. The Maccabean Revolt (pp. 274–280)
GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
Complete the following table to compare the persecution under Pharaoh
before the Exodus with the persecution under King Antiochus before the
Maccabean Revolt.
The Persecutions under Pharaoh and Antiochus
Pharaoh
Antiochus
1. The Maccabean Revolt (pp. 274–280)
The Persecutions under Pharaoh and Antiochus
Pharaoh
Antiochus
The Jews were slaves of the Egyptians.
The Jews were told to abandon their
All first born Jewish sons were ordered
religion and follow the Greek pagan
killed.
religion.
The Jews were given more and more
Those who obeyed were rewarded.
labor.
Those who disobeyed were tortured and
The Egyptians were punished with
murdered.
plagues, the death of every first born,
The Jews who rebelled actually
and the drowning of their army.
defeated the Seleucids and established a
Jewish nation.
1. The Maccabean Revolt (pp. 274–280)
GUIDED EXERCISE
Read 1 Maccabees 1:54–57.
Then, analyze the illustration “Holy Seven Maccabees” (p. 280).
Do a think / pair / share using the following question:
Why does this icon depict the Maccabees with rolled-up scrolls rather than
traditional martyrs’ crosses?
1. The Maccabean Revolt (pp. 274–280)
CLOSURE
Free write for five minutes comparing the pagan Emperor Cyrus and
King Antiochus with respect to their treatment of the Jews.
1. The Maccabean Revolt (pp. 274–280)
HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT
Study Questions 1–8 (p. 286)
Practical Exercise 1 (p. 286)
Workbook Questions 1–15
Read “What the Jews Believed” through “Judas Maccabeus and the Story
of Hanukkah” (pp. 281– 283)
1. The Maccabean Revolt (pp. 274–280)
ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT
Use the completed Graphic Organizer on page 278 to write a well-organized
paragraph comparing the Egyptian and Hellenistic persecutions of the
Chosen People.
2. What the Jews Believed (pp. 281–283)
ANTICIPATORY SET
Read aloud the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus (cf. Lk 16:19–31).
A mini-lecture on the immortality of the soul.
2. What the Jews Believed (pp. 281–283)
BASIC QUESTION
What new Jewish beliefs are found in the Books of Maccabees?
KEY IDEA
The Books of Maccabees show Jews believed “Israel” referred to not all
Jews but the faithful remnant; the saints who die will rise again to an eternal
reward; martyrdom is preferred to apostasy; God punished Israel to
discipline her; and it is good to pray for the dead.
2. What the Jews Believed (pp. 281–283)
FOCUS QUESTION
How does the new understanding of Israel foreshadow the Church?
The New Covenant extends God’s promise to all nations; therefore, every
person in the world who is faithful to God is a member of Israel, a spiritual
child of Abraham.
2. What the Jews Believed (pp. 281–283)
GUIDED EXERCISE
Choose a quote from the section “2. The saints who die...” (p. 281), and
write about how it reflects a belief in the resurrection of the body.
2. What the Jews Believed (pp. 281–283)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
According to the Books of Maccabees, what does Israel mean?
It refers to faithful Jews, which was often only a small minority of the
population.
What did St. Paul mean by children of the flesh and children of the
promise?
All Jews were children of the flesh of Abraham because they were his physical
descendants, but only those who were faithful to God were children of the
promise made with Abraham.
Why did the Maccabees prefer martyrdom to apostasy?
Apostasy can result in life and happiness for a brief span of years, but
martyrdom results in eternal reward.
2. What the Jews Believed (pp. 281–283)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
What did the seven sons’ mother mean when she told one of them the Creator
will “give life and breath back to you again”? After martyrdom, God would raise
him back to life. What was the purpose of the sufferings of Israel?
They needed discipline, not revenge. Punishment is for rebuke and discipline and
reconciliation with God.
Why was Judas Maccabeus afraid for some of his soldiers?
After their deaths in battle, he discovered they were wearing pagan amulets (good luck
charms). He was afraid God would punish them for this.
Why is it good and wise to pray for the dead according to 2 Maccabees?
It is holy and pious to make atonement for the dead so, when they rise, they might be
delivered of their sin.
What is the relationship between 2 Maccabees and Purgatory?
This book teaches the dead can be helped by prayers.
2. What the Jews Believed (pp. 281–283)
GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
Summarize five distinctive beliefs of the Jews.
What the Jews Believed
Belief
“Israel” is the faithful remnant.
The saints who die will rise again to an
eternal reward.
Martyrdom is preferable to apostasy.
God judges his people as a f ather judges
his children.
It is good and wise to pray for the dead.
Brief explanation
2. What the Jews Believed (pp. 281–283)
What the Jews Believed
Belief
“Israel” is the faithful remnant.
The saints who die will rise again to an
eternal reward.
Martyrdom is preferable to apostasy.
God judges his people as a father judges
his children.
It is good and wise to pray for the dead.
Brief explanation
Not all Jews are truly part of Israel, only
that portion which remains faithful to the
Covenant.
God will bring the faithful back to life as a
reward for their faithfulness.
Martyrdom will bring an eternal reward,
whereas apostasy, at best, can only impart a
temporary happiness.
God is angry only a little while “to rebuke
and discipline” his people.
Judas Maccabeus did well to offer
atonement for his superstitious dead
soldiers so they could be delivered from
their sin.
2. What the Jews Believed (pp. 281–283)
CLOSURE
Write a well-organized paragraph explaining five distinctive beliefs of the
Jews at the time of the Maccabees (cf. Graphic Organizer, p. 282).
2. What the Jews Believed (pp. 281–283)
HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT
Study Questions 9–13 (p. 286)
Practical Exercises 2–3 (p. 286)
Workbook Questions 16–22
2. What the Jews Believed (pp. 281–283)
ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT
A class discussion using the following question (cf. Anticipatory Set, p. 281):
Is the argument for the immortality of the soul from the nature of God a
satisfying and convincing argument?
The End