1 maccabees 4:45 - and there came into their mind a good counsel, that they should pull it down, lest it should be a reproach to them, because the Gentiles had defiled it: and they pulled down the altar,
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What does "1 maccabees 4:45" mean?
This verse from 1 Maccabees 4:45 describes a specific action taken by the Jewish people after they recaptured the Temple in Jerusalem from the Seleucid Greeks. Let's break it down:
"and there came into their mind a good counsel": This indicates that the Jews, after careful consideration, reached a consensus on a course of action.
"that they should pull it down": The subject of "it" is the altar of burnt offering in the Temple. They decided to dismantle it.
"lest it should be a reproach to them, because the Gentiles had defiled it": This is the key reason for their decision. The altar had been desecrated or polluted by the Gentiles (specifically, the Seleucid Greeks under Antiochus IV Epiphanes). This defilement made the altar ritually impure and unfit for proper worship. They feared that keeping it in its defiled state would be a source of shame and dishonor to them in the eyes of God and the Jewish community.
"and they pulled down the altar": This is the action taken. They followed through with their decision and demolished the defiled altar.
In essence, the verse conveys the following:
The victorious Jewish people, upon regaining control of the Temple, made the difficult decision to tear down the existing altar. They did so because it had been profaned by the Gentiles, and they believed it was better to remove it altogether than to continue with a defiled altar. This demonstrates their commitment to restoring the purity and sanctity of the Temple for proper worship of God according to Jewish law.
Context and Significance:
This event is significant because it highlights the religious zeal and determination of the Maccabees to restore Jewish worship after the Seleucid persecution. The removal of the defiled altar was a necessary step in the process of rededicating the Temple, which is celebrated during the festival of Hanukkah. This act reflects their commitment to upholding Jewish religious law and their rejection of pagan practices imposed by the Seleucids.
1 maccabees 4:45 - and there came into their mind a good counsel, that they should pull it down, lest it should be a reproach to them, because the Gentiles had defiled it: and they pulled down the altar,
What does "1 maccabees 4:45" mean?
This verse from 1 Maccabees 4:45 describes a specific action taken by the Jewish people after they recaptured the Temple in Jerusalem from the Seleucid Greeks. Let's break it down:
"and there came into their mind a good counsel": This indicates that the Jews, after careful consideration, reached a consensus on a course of action.
"that they should pull it down": The subject of "it" is the altar of burnt offering in the Temple. They decided to dismantle it.
"lest it should be a reproach to them, because the Gentiles had defiled it": This is the key reason for their decision. The altar had been desecrated or polluted by the Gentiles (specifically, the Seleucid Greeks under Antiochus IV Epiphanes). This defilement made the altar ritually impure and unfit for proper worship. They feared that keeping it in its defiled state would be a source of shame and dishonor to them in the eyes of God and the Jewish community.
"and they pulled down the altar": This is the action taken. They followed through with their decision and demolished the defiled altar.
In essence, the verse conveys the following:
The victorious Jewish people, upon regaining control of the Temple, made the difficult decision to tear down the existing altar. They did so because it had been profaned by the Gentiles, and they believed it was better to remove it altogether than to continue with a defiled altar. This demonstrates their commitment to restoring the purity and sanctity of the Temple for proper worship of God according to Jewish law.
Context and Significance:
This event is significant because it highlights the religious zeal and determination of the Maccabees to restore Jewish worship after the Seleucid persecution. The removal of the defiled altar was a necessary step in the process of rededicating the Temple, which is celebrated during the festival of Hanukkah. This act reflects their commitment to upholding Jewish religious law and their rejection of pagan practices imposed by the Seleucids.