The Maccabees - (166-129 BCE)

Jewish Virtual Library ^ | 2003 | Mitchell Baird

[veronica]

COMING SOON TO A THEATER NEAR YOU: MEL GIBSON'S TAKE ON HANUKKAH

"The Passion of the Christ" filmmaker told WABC radio's Sean Hannity in an interview broadcast yesterday that he may make a film about the Jewish rebellion against the Syrian Greeks in 165 B.C.

Hanukkah commemorates the victory by the rebels known as the Maccabees who recaptured the Holy Temple in Jerusalem."

[billorites]

"COMING SOON TO A THEATER NEAR YOU: MEL GIBSON'S TAKE ON HANUKKAH"

Just in time for Christmas!

[mel]

btt for later reading

[McGavin999]

If Mel takes this on it's going to be a fabulous movie and it will be true to history.

[veronica]

I hope so. His approach to the Old Testament would be interesting to see.

[eddiespaghetti]

If Mel takes this on it's going to be a fabulous movie and it will be true to history.

Wow! The actors portraying the Judeans will be speaking Aramaic, and those playing the Syrians will be speaking in Greek! That will be fun.

Pity that Raymond Massie is no longer alive -- he'd make a great Matityahu (Matthias).

Who plays Judah Maccabee? The Rock, maybe? (I dunno).

[ArrogantBustard]

The Books of Machabees are an excellent read, even for our (misguided) Protestant brethren who reject them as Scripture.

[twigs]

No, we're not misguided in the least. We look at the books as history but do not accept them as inspired.

[KantianBurke]

"By the end of the war, Simon was the only one of the five sons of Mattathias to survive"

I vaguely remember being taught that one of the son's was crushed to death by an elephant. Anyone know how all the sons passd away?

[ArrogantBustard]

Like I said ...

"We look at the books as history but do not accept them as inspired."

It's (still) a (more or less) free country. You're free to "not accept them as inspired", and I'm free to consider that mistaken and misguided.

But Scripture or not, they make great reading; far better than most political/historical thriller novels. Well written history (as opposed to the dreck foisted off on teenagers in high school) tends to be like that ...

[ArrogantBustard]

BTW, those interested in "classical" choral music might want to listen to G.F. Handel's oratorio Judas Maccabeus.

[Nachum]

This makes perfect sense to me. Especially if you consider a number of the bloody films that Gibson has been a part of. LOL, the higher the body count and blood, the more he likes it.

Why stop at Chanukah Mel? Why not look at the last 48 hours of the destruction of the second temple? Lot's of blood there. Matter of fact, we could look at Sampson's last 48 hours with the Philistines.

Here is a partial list of ideas for Mel-

-The 48 hours during and shortly after Haman is revealed to king Achasverosh (There's a really good war at the end) (Purim)
-The 48 hours leading up to the destruction of Sodom (a big atom bomb like destruction of a city)
The destruction of Jericho (the walls come crashing down)
-The Israelites' war with Amalek (oohh, some really good hand to hand sword and spear fighting- lots of blood)
-The city of Schem is ransacked by the bothers of Dinah (some great and bloody fighting)
-The taking of Canaan by the Israelites in war

Well, I am sure that FReepers can come up with excellent ideas for his production company. Hmmm, the Patriot meets the bible. I like it.

[Havoc]

Nothing misguided in following the direction of Paul and others. Paul was pretty strong worded about scripture, as was Christ, as was Israelite scripture of the OT. Maccabees was not part of the old covenent scripture. It wasn't for the self same reason that a false prophet could not stand - anything not in line with what was already known was rejected. The Israelites would stone a false prophet. And Paul said 'Let any man coming to you with another Gospel than was preached be accursed.' Guess if you can talk people into believing false scripture is the real thing, some believe they are neither worthy of death in Gods eyes or of God's curse in Paul's. That is the hieght of either stupidity or self deception. And considering the father of it...

[missyme]

I think an interesting movie would be on the start of the Christian Church as told by the Apostle Paul. It would be interesting to see how they took Judiasm out of the story of Jesus to create another religion...

[Guvmint_Cheese]

I thought two of them were assasinated.

[Guvmint_Cheese]

Or perhaps even "assassinated."

[ArrogantBustard]

Maccabees was not part of the old covenent scripture.

Machabees is part of the Septuagint. The Catholic Church and the Orthodox Churches consider the Septuagint to be Scripture. They have done so for far longer than whatever church you belong to (I've never got that straight) has existed. You can reject them, if you like, but I consider you misguided to do so.

That, sirrah, is my only and final word on this subject.

[ArrogantBustard]

The Acts of the Apostles would make a great film (or films). I'm not sure one could do it justice in only one. There's certainly plenty of character development goin on there.

[missyme]

Exactly! Maybe a television Mini-Series..