First Maccabees tells of the Jews' resistance against the Greek king Antiochus IV, who tried to impose pagan culture and religion on them. It is a deuterocanonical book.
AuthorJewish author from Jerusalem
DateEvents of 175-134 BC; written around 100 BC
AudienceThe Jewish people
🎯 Learning objective
Understand the message of 1 Maccabees, its historical setting and its place in the history of salvation.
🏛️ Historical context
After Alexander the Great, Judea fell under the Seleucid kings. Antiochus IV profaned the temple (167 BC) and banned the Law. Mattathias and his sons, the Maccabees, led the revolt.
🔙 Background
Some Jews had become Hellenized and abandoned the covenant. Persecution forces a choice between faithfulness to God and apostasy.
🧭 Structure of the book
Chapters 1-2: persecution and Mattathias' revolt
Chapters 3-9: Judas Maccabeus and the cleansing of the temple
Chapters 9-16: Jonathan and Simon
⭐ Key events and teachings
1Antiochus IV profanes the temple (ch. 1)
2Mattathias refuses to sacrifice to idols (ch. 2)
3Victories of Judas Maccabeus (ch. 3-4)
4Cleansing and rededication of the temple, origin of Hanukkah (ch. 4)
5The rule of Jonathan and Simon (ch. 9-16)
🏷️ Main themes
Faithfulness under persecutionReligious freedomTempleZeal for God
📖 Verses to memorize
1 Maccabees 2:19-20Then Mathathias answered, and said with a loud voice: Although all nations obey king Antiochus, so as to depart every man from the service of the law of his fathers, and consent to his commandments: I and my sons, and my brethren will obey the law of our fathers.
1 Maccabees 2:61And thus consider, through all generations: that none that trust in him, fail in strength.
1 Maccabees 3:19For the success of war is not in the multitude of the army, but strength cometh from heaven.
1 Maccabees 4:36Then Judas, and his brethren said: Behold our enemies are discomfited: let us go up now to cleanse the holy places, and to repair them.
1 Maccabees 4:59And Judas, and his brethren, and all the church of Israel decreed, that the day of the dedication of the altar should be kept in its season from year to year for eight days, from the five and twentieth day of the month of Casleu, with joy and gladness.
💭 For reflection
What cultural pressures draw me away from faith today?
What is the feast of Dedication that Jesus celebrates (Jn 10:22)?
It narrates the resistance of the Jews, led by Mattathias and his sons, the Maccabees, against King Antiochus IV, who wanted to impose pagan customs on them. It tells of the purification of the Temple, the origin of Hanukkah.