MAASMAS (Μαασμᾶς, AV Masman), 1 Es 88%,— Corresponds to SHEMAIAH, Ezr 8". But the text is corrupt, Σαμαίας the Gr. equivalent of Shemaiah being inserted later in the verse.
MAATH (Madé@).—An ancestor of Jesus, Lk 335, MAAZ (γυφῷ, Mads).—A Jewish family name, 1 Ch Qn,
MAAZIAH (πριν, Ὑπ|0}}}}}.-- τ ὴθ name of a priestly family which constituted the 24th course, Neh 10% (B Nadecd, A Μααζειά), 1 Ch 9418 (B Maagai).
MACALON (ol ἐκ Μακαλῶν), 1 Es 5°.—The same as MICHMASH ; cf. Ezr 2” (Mayuas). The second syllable is perhaps due to reading M as AA.
MACCABAUS (Makxa§8aios):—The surname of Judas, the third son of Mattathias (1 Mac 2* 3! ete., 2 Mac 5” etc.). See next article.
MACCABEES, THE (οἱ MaxxaSaior).—
i. THe NATIONAL RISING UNDER MATTATHIAS. In B.C. 175 Antiochus Iv. (Epiphanes) began to reign over Syria. It was the ill-starred attempt of this monarch to Hellenize the Jews by force that caused the Maccabean revolt. At the time of his accession to the throne the Greek influences which everywhere followed in the wake of the zonquests ot Alexander the Great were fast pene- trating the life of Palestine ; the more aristocratic
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section of the population were, in particular, affected by them. The advance of Hellenism was, indeed, partially checkmated by the organized resistance of the Hasidwans (Heb. Hésidim=the ‘pious’), who were the champions of the law. But only partially. The leader of the Hellenistic faction in Judea was Joshua, a younger brother of the noble-minded high priest Onias m1. He Grecized his own name into Jason, and apparently imagined that the name Jahweh might similarly be converted into Zeus. At ἈΞ ΘΙ ΚΤΗ ΤΣ bargained with Epiphanes that the priesthood should be transferred from Onias to himself, and that he should be authorized to start an active pagan pro- paganda in Judea, A i ies be was accordingly uilt at Jerusalem, and Greek sports were prac- tised quite close to the temple; even the priests forsook the altar to jon in the games (2 Mac 4-34), After holding office for three years (174-171), Jason was supplanted by Menelaus, a Hellenistic Ben- jamite, who became a complete renegade from Judaism, and obtained the help of Syrian troops against the unyielding Jason. An unfounded rumour that Antiochus had died in Egypt led Jason to attack Jerusalem, and Menelaus had to secure himself in the fortress. The Syrian despot viewed these disturbances as a Jewish rebellion (2 Mac 5"), and his arrival at Jerus. in 170 was signalized not only by the flight of Jason, but also by the profanation and robbery of the temple, oa by the slaughter of many of the inhabitants. At this time Philip the Phrygian, a man of low morale, seems to have been appointed governor of Jerus. so as to assist Menelaus in the task of reducing the Jewish people to a proper degree of subserviency to the king.
Two years later, the Holy City was laid waste by Antiochus’ general Apollonius, and Syrian soldiers were placed in the Acra, a stronghold overlooking the temple. The tyrant next gave orders that Jewish rites should cease and heathen customs be observed, under pain of death. An idol altar (‘the abomination of desolation’ [see art. ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION], Dn 957) was set up in the temple, and sacrifices offered to Jupiter ; copies of the law were searched for and destroyed ; women with the babes they had circumcised were hurled headlong from the city wall. But Antiochus had overshot the mark. itherto under the Ptolemies as well as the Seleucid religious freedom had been ex- pressly guaranteed to the Jews, and, before the province could be completely Hellenized, the stolid conservatism with which they clung to the observ- ances of the Mosaic law required to be overcome. Experience showed that it could not be overcome. The extreme measures of Antiochus alienated many whose sympathies were largely with the Greek party. In consequence of his avowed intention to extirpate the Jewish religion the whole situation in Palestine was changed, and an invincible spirit of earnest religious patriotism was evoked. Many saved their lives by acquiescing in the kings measures, but others chose rather to die. It soon became clear that nothing would induce Israel to abandon her ancestral worship, and the moral force of her leaders enabled her to withstand the oppressive cruelty of the Syrians, and to achieve what might well have been considered impossible.
The ruthless policy of Epiphanes, adopted at the instigation of some apostate Jews who assured him that the whole country could be Hellenized, speedily brought matters to a crisis. Every village in Palestine was required to set up its heathen altar, and imperial ofhcers were told off to see that
| heathen sacrifices were duly offered by all the citizens. A brave stand was made by Mattathias, | an aged priest whom the persecution had driven to live at Modin, a little country town between Joppa
MACCABEES, THE
and Jerusalem. When ordered to offer the first heathen sacrifice, he refused; and when a base Jew was about to do the unholy deed, Mattathias slew both him and the king’s commissioner(Apelles), and pulled down the altar. Calling on all the faith- ful to follow him, he then with his five sons—John, Simon, Judas, Eleazar, and Jonathan—fled into the mountains and raised the standard of rebellion. Many who shared his feelings took refuge in the wilderness, but were pursued by the Syrian officers, who bade them yield or die. Rather than profane the Sabbath by fighting, 1000 fugitives allowed themselves to slaughtered. But after this, to avoid extermination, Mattathias and his friends resolved to defend themselves from attack even upon the Sabbath. Approving of this spirited policy, a large army of Jews who loved their country and their religion now came forward in their support, and openly began to put down heathenism throughout the land. Mattathias died in B.c. 166 after Dlessing his sons and solemnly charging them to be zealous for the law, and to give their lives for the covenant of their fathers. The leadership he be- queathed to Judas, who was (? even then, ef. 1 Mac 2°, or only afterwards) surnamed Maccabaeus, and whose followers consequently came to be known as the Maccabees.