Font Size
2 Maccabees 2:21-23
New Catholic Bible
2 Maccabees 2:21-23
New Catholic Bible
21 and the heavenly apparitions[a] that were seen by those who showed their heroism in fighting bravely for the cause of Judaism. Despite being severely outnumbered, they seized the entire land and put to flight the barbarian hordes, 22 regaining possession of the temple renowned throughout the world and liberating the city and reestablishing the laws that were in danger of being abolished, as the Lord bestowed his mercy and favor on them. 23 All this, which has been set forth in detail by Jason of Cyrene in five volumes, we shall attempt to condense into a single book.[b]
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 2 Maccabees 2:21 Apparitions: authentic divine manifestations in contrast to Antiochus’s vain title of “god manifest” (Epiphanes). Judaism: first known usage of this term, which sums up in itself all that characterized the Jews as a nation and as a religion (see 2 Mac 8:1; 14:38) and is here used in contrast with Hellenism (see 2 Mac 4:13).
- 2 Maccabees 2:23 Cyrene possessed a flourishing Jewish colony that was, however, under the influence of the more important colony at Alexandria. Jason of Cyrene is not mentioned in any ancient sources, and no work of his is extant. The author of Second Maccabees may have had an actual source or he may have used the literary tradition of antiquity of resting one’s work on the authority of a purported source.
