Politics and Theology in Second Maccabees: Epiphanies, Prayers, and Deaths of Martyrs Revisited

Citation:

Julia Rhyder. 2023. “Politics and Theology in Second Maccabees: Epiphanies, Prayers, and Deaths of Martyrs Revisited.” In Political Theologies in the Hebrew Bible, edited by Mark Brett and Rachelle Gilmour, Pp. 257–71. Paderborn: Brill. Publisher's Version

Abstract:

This essay explores the relationship between theology and politics in 2 Maccabees by examining how the book’s depiction of divine epiphanies, battle prayers, and the deaths of pious Jews together serve to reinforce the image of Judas as God’s chosen means of ensuring that the people and temple are defended against harm. Each of these aspects of 2 Maccabees, this essay contends, advances a sophisticated “political theology” that serves to legitimize the military and cultic agency of the Hasmonean dynasty in Judea. A brief conclusion outlines the significance of the essay’s main findings for the study of 2 Maccabees and its possible context of composition.
Last updated on 09/30/2023