2 maccabees 1:21 - he commanded them to draw out thereof and bring to him: and when the sacrifices had been offered on the altar, Nehemiah commanded the priests to sprinkle with the water both the wood and the things laid thereupon.
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What does "2 maccabees 1:21" mean?
Let's break down this verse from 2 Maccabees 1:21:
"He commanded them to draw out thereof and bring to him..." "He" refers to Nehemiah. "Thereof" refers to the water that Nehemiah instructed them to bring from the ditch.
"...and when the sacrifices had been offered on the altar, Nehemiah commanded the priests to sprinkle with the water both the wood and the things laid thereupon." The sacrifices had already been placed on the altar. Nehemiah then instructed the priests to sprinkle this water (the mysterious, thick liquid he found) on the wood fueling the altar fire and on the sacrificial offerings themselves.
Context and Significance:
To understand the significance, we need to know the context of this passage in 2 Maccabees 1. Here's the bigger picture:
The Context: The letter in 2 Maccabees 1 recounts a legend about Nehemiah rediscovering the sacred fire that had been hidden by the priests before the Babylonian exile (when the Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed). The fire had been hidden in a well. When Nehemiah sent for it, the priests found a thick liquid. Nehemiah instructed them to use it, believing it to be the divine fire.
The Significance:
Restoration and Renewal: This entire story emphasizes the restoration of proper Temple worship after a period of desecration and exile. The rediscovery and proper use of the sacred fire (or its symbolic equivalent) are central to this theme.
Purification and Sanctification: The sprinkling of the water on the wood and the sacrifices would be seen as a way to purify and sanctify the altar and the offerings. The water is viewed as something special, perhaps a divine gift.
Legitimizing the Rebuilt Temple: The account can be interpreted as validating the rededication and ongoing worship at the Second Temple (the one rebuilt after the Babylonian exile). It connects the practices of that temple back to the time of Nehemiah and, by extension, to the authority of the past.
Miraculous Element: The whole story has a miraculous tone. The "water" that is actually a thick liquid, the rediscovery of the hidden fire - all suggest divine intervention and blessing.
In short, Nehemiah's actions in this verse are part of a larger narrative about restoring the purity and legitimacy of Temple worship and re-establishing a connection with the divine fire and sacrifices of the past.
2 maccabees 1:21 - he commanded them to draw out thereof and bring to him: and when the sacrifices had been offered on the altar, Nehemiah commanded the priests to sprinkle with the water both the wood and the things laid thereupon.
What does "2 maccabees 1:21" mean?
Let's break down this verse from 2 Maccabees 1:21:
"He commanded them to draw out thereof and bring to him..." "He" refers to Nehemiah. "Thereof" refers to the water that Nehemiah instructed them to bring from the ditch.
"...and when the sacrifices had been offered on the altar, Nehemiah commanded the priests to sprinkle with the water both the wood and the things laid thereupon." The sacrifices had already been placed on the altar. Nehemiah then instructed the priests to sprinkle this water (the mysterious, thick liquid he found) on the wood fueling the altar fire and on the sacrificial offerings themselves.
Context and Significance:
To understand the significance, we need to know the context of this passage in 2 Maccabees 1. Here's the bigger picture:
The Context: The letter in 2 Maccabees 1 recounts a legend about Nehemiah rediscovering the sacred fire that had been hidden by the priests before the Babylonian exile (when the Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed). The fire had been hidden in a well. When Nehemiah sent for it, the priests found a thick liquid. Nehemiah instructed them to use it, believing it to be the divine fire.
The Significance:
Restoration and Renewal: This entire story emphasizes the restoration of proper Temple worship after a period of desecration and exile. The rediscovery and proper use of the sacred fire (or its symbolic equivalent) are central to this theme.
Purification and Sanctification: The sprinkling of the water on the wood and the sacrifices would be seen as a way to purify and sanctify the altar and the offerings. The water is viewed as something special, perhaps a divine gift.
Legitimizing the Rebuilt Temple: The account can be interpreted as validating the rededication and ongoing worship at the Second Temple (the one rebuilt after the Babylonian exile). It connects the practices of that temple back to the time of Nehemiah and, by extension, to the authority of the past.
Miraculous Element: The whole story has a miraculous tone. The "water" that is actually a thick liquid, the rediscovery of the hidden fire - all suggest divine intervention and blessing.
In short, Nehemiah's actions in this verse are part of a larger narrative about restoring the purity and legitimacy of Temple worship and re-establishing a connection with the divine fire and sacrifices of the past.