2 maccabees 12:43 - And when he had made a collection man by man to the sum of two thousand drachmas of silver, he sent to Jerusalem to offer a sacrifice for sin, doing therein right well and honorably, in that he took thought for a resurrection.
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What does "2 maccabees 12:43" mean?
This verse from 2 Maccabees 12:43 refers to a specific incident in the Maccabean Wars. Here's a breakdown of its meaning:
"And when he had made a collection man by man to the sum of two thousand drachmas of silver..."
Judas Maccabeus, the leader of the Jewish revolt against the Seleucid Empire, collected money from his soldiers.
"Man by man" implies that each soldier contributed individually, highlighting a collective effort and shared belief.
Two thousand drachmas was a significant sum of money. A drachma was roughly equivalent to a day's wage.
"...he sent to Jerusalem to offer a sacrifice for sin..."
Judas sent the money to Jerusalem, which was the center of Jewish worship.
The money was to be used to purchase a sacrifice at the Temple.
The purpose of the sacrifice was to atone for the sins of the soldiers who had died in battle.
"...doing therein right well and honorably, in that he took thought for a resurrection."
This is the most important part of the verse and the key to understanding its significance.
The author of 2 Maccabees praises Judas' actions as being righteous and honorable.
The reason for this praise is that Judas believed in the resurrection of the dead.
The assumption is that the soldiers who had died in battle had committed sins. By offering a sacrifice for their sins, Judas believed that they could be cleansed and participate in the resurrection.
In essence, the verse means:
Judas Maccabeus collected money from his soldiers and sent it to Jerusalem to pay for a sacrifice for the sins of soldiers who had died in battle. This act was motivated by Judas' belief in the resurrection of the dead. He believed that by atoning for the sins of the dead soldiers, they would be worthy of participating in the resurrection.
Significance of the Verse
Belief in Resurrection: This verse is one of the clearest affirmations of belief in the resurrection of the dead in the Old Testament or Deuterocanonical books. It shows that some Jews in the 2nd century BCE held this belief.
Atonement for the Dead: The verse also indicates that it was considered possible to atone for the sins of the dead, thus improving their prospects in the afterlife.
Theological Implications: This passage is the most direct biblical support for the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox practice of praying for the dead and offering masses for their souls. Some Protestant denominations reject this practice, in part because they do not consider 2 Maccabees to be canonical scripture.
Context is important: The book of 2 Maccabees is not universally accepted as canonical scripture. It is part of the Deuterocanonical or Apocryphal books, which are included in the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Bibles, but not in most Protestant Bibles.
2 maccabees 12:43 - And when he had made a collection man by man to the sum of two thousand drachmas of silver, he sent to Jerusalem to offer a sacrifice for sin, doing therein right well and honorably, in that he took thought for a resurrection.
What does "2 maccabees 12:43" mean?
This verse from 2 Maccabees 12:43 refers to a specific incident in the Maccabean Wars. Here's a breakdown of its meaning:
"And when he had made a collection man by man to the sum of two thousand drachmas of silver..."
Judas Maccabeus, the leader of the Jewish revolt against the Seleucid Empire, collected money from his soldiers.
"Man by man" implies that each soldier contributed individually, highlighting a collective effort and shared belief.
Two thousand drachmas was a significant sum of money. A drachma was roughly equivalent to a day's wage.
"...he sent to Jerusalem to offer a sacrifice for sin..."
Judas sent the money to Jerusalem, which was the center of Jewish worship.
The money was to be used to purchase a sacrifice at the Temple.
The purpose of the sacrifice was to atone for the sins of the soldiers who had died in battle.
"...doing therein right well and honorably, in that he took thought for a resurrection."
This is the most important part of the verse and the key to understanding its significance.
The author of 2 Maccabees praises Judas' actions as being righteous and honorable.
The reason for this praise is that Judas believed in the resurrection of the dead.
The assumption is that the soldiers who had died in battle had committed sins. By offering a sacrifice for their sins, Judas believed that they could be cleansed and participate in the resurrection.
In essence, the verse means:
Judas Maccabeus collected money from his soldiers and sent it to Jerusalem to pay for a sacrifice for the sins of soldiers who had died in battle. This act was motivated by Judas' belief in the resurrection of the dead. He believed that by atoning for the sins of the dead soldiers, they would be worthy of participating in the resurrection.
Significance of the Verse
Belief in Resurrection: This verse is one of the clearest affirmations of belief in the resurrection of the dead in the Old Testament or Deuterocanonical books. It shows that some Jews in the 2nd century BCE held this belief.
Atonement for the Dead: The verse also indicates that it was considered possible to atone for the sins of the dead, thus improving their prospects in the afterlife.
Theological Implications: This passage is the most direct biblical support for the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox practice of praying for the dead and offering masses for their souls. Some Protestant denominations reject this practice, in part because they do not consider 2 Maccabees to be canonical scripture.
Context is important: The book of 2 Maccabees is not universally accepted as canonical scripture. It is part of the Deuterocanonical or Apocryphal books, which are included in the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Bibles, but not in most Protestant Bibles.