Judaism Outlawed

Synopsis     2Maccabees 5:22-6:11     4/1/2021 

King Antiochus sacked Jerusalem. And he stole all the wealth from both the city and the temple. Afterward, he left Philip, Andronicus and Menelaus behind to harass the Jews. 

Not long after this, the king sent Apollonius with a large army. Apollonius led his army into Jerusalem. Once there, he pretended not to threaten the Jews. However, he deliberately waited for the sabbath day to launch an attack. On that day, he massacred all the Jews who refused to flee or fight. He knew that faithful Jews would not defend themselves on the sabbath.  

But Judas Maccabeus and his family heard about the destruction in Jerusalem. So, they escaped to the mountains. In order to avoid contact with the invaders, they lived like wild animals eating only what they could find.  

Meanwhile, the king’s men trampled the temple. Specifically, the temple was defiled by unclean sacrifices and debauchery. 

After this, King Antiochus altogether outlawed traditional Jewish worship in Jerusalem. 

Not long after the first proclamation, the regional governors outlawed Judaism throughout Seleucid Empire.  

Judaism Outlawed 

The empire outlawed the practice of Judaism. 

Persecution 

The persecution that comes from the Synthetic Community has two effects. First, it sorts faithful followers from unfaithful followers.  

And second, it manifests God’s power by contrasting it in the face of humankinds’ envy and hatred.  

“We are afflicted in every way, but not constrained; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our body.” 2Cor 4:8-10