1 maccabees 12:7 - Even before this time were letters sent to Onias the high priest from Arius, who was reigning among you, to signify that you⌃ are our kindred, as the copy here underwritten shows.
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What does "1 maccabees 12:7" mean?
This verse from 1 Maccabees 12:7 refers to a historical correspondence between the Jewish people (represented by Onias the high priest) and the Spartans (represented by King Arius). Let's break it down:
"Even before this time were letters sent to Onias the high priest from Arius...": This indicates that there had been previous communication between Onias (the high priest in Jerusalem, the political and religious leader of the Jews at the time) and Arius (king of Sparta). The "before this time" suggests that the current communication is not the first.
"...who was reigning among you...": This phrase clarifies that Arius was the ruling monarch of Sparta. The term "among you" implies that the writer of 1 Maccabees assumes his audience knows about Arius and the Spartans.
"...to signify that you are our kindred...": This is the crucial part. Arius had sent letters claiming a familial or ancestral connection between the Spartans and the Jews. This assertion would have been significant because it implied a basis for mutual support and alliance.
"...as the copy here underwritten shows.": The author of 1 Maccabees includes the text of the letter later in the chapter (verses 20-23), which purports to show the alleged shared ancestry.
In essence, the verse claims that the Spartans, under King Arius, had previously asserted kinship with the Jews in a letter to Onias the high priest.
Why is this significant?
Political Alliance: The claim of kinship was likely a way to forge a political alliance. Both the Jews and Spartans were smaller entities facing pressure from larger empires (like the Seleucid Greeks in the case of the Jews). A shared sense of identity, however tenuous, could be used to justify mutual support.
Historical Claims: The historical accuracy of the claimed relationship is debated. It's possible the Spartans and Jews sought ways to legitimize an alliance by fabricating or exaggerating historical ties.
1 Maccabees' Purpose: The author of 1 Maccabees includes this correspondence to emphasize the legitimacy and strength of the Maccabean revolt against the Seleucid Greeks. It demonstrates that the Jews had allies and were not isolated.
In conclusion, 1 Maccabees 12:7 introduces a claim of kinship between the Jews and Spartans, a claim that was likely used to foster a political alliance and legitimize the Maccabean revolt. The veracity of the claimed connection is questionable but it reveals a common practice of creating shared identity to solidify international relations.
1 maccabees 12:7 - Even before this time were letters sent to Onias the high priest from Arius, who was reigning among you, to signify that you⌃ are our kindred, as the copy here underwritten shows.
What does "1 maccabees 12:7" mean?
This verse from 1 Maccabees 12:7 refers to a historical correspondence between the Jewish people (represented by Onias the high priest) and the Spartans (represented by King Arius). Let's break it down:
"Even before this time were letters sent to Onias the high priest from Arius...": This indicates that there had been previous communication between Onias (the high priest in Jerusalem, the political and religious leader of the Jews at the time) and Arius (king of Sparta). The "before this time" suggests that the current communication is not the first.
"...who was reigning among you...": This phrase clarifies that Arius was the ruling monarch of Sparta. The term "among you" implies that the writer of 1 Maccabees assumes his audience knows about Arius and the Spartans.
"...to signify that you are our kindred...": This is the crucial part. Arius had sent letters claiming a familial or ancestral connection between the Spartans and the Jews. This assertion would have been significant because it implied a basis for mutual support and alliance.
"...as the copy here underwritten shows.": The author of 1 Maccabees includes the text of the letter later in the chapter (verses 20-23), which purports to show the alleged shared ancestry.
In essence, the verse claims that the Spartans, under King Arius, had previously asserted kinship with the Jews in a letter to Onias the high priest.
Why is this significant?
Political Alliance: The claim of kinship was likely a way to forge a political alliance. Both the Jews and Spartans were smaller entities facing pressure from larger empires (like the Seleucid Greeks in the case of the Jews). A shared sense of identity, however tenuous, could be used to justify mutual support.
Historical Claims: The historical accuracy of the claimed relationship is debated. It's possible the Spartans and Jews sought ways to legitimize an alliance by fabricating or exaggerating historical ties.
1 Maccabees' Purpose: The author of 1 Maccabees includes this correspondence to emphasize the legitimacy and strength of the Maccabean revolt against the Seleucid Greeks. It demonstrates that the Jews had allies and were not isolated.
In conclusion, 1 Maccabees 12:7 introduces a claim of kinship between the Jews and Spartans, a claim that was likely used to foster a political alliance and legitimize the Maccabean revolt. The veracity of the claimed connection is questionable but it reveals a common practice of creating shared identity to solidify international relations.