From: 1 Maccabees 4:36-37, 52-59
Purification and Dedication of the Temple
[36] Then said Judas and his brothers, “Behold, our enemies are
crushed; let us go up to cleanse the sanctuary and dedicate it.”
[37] So all the army assembled and they went up to Mount Zion.
[52] Early in the morning on the twenty-fifth day of the ninth month,
which is the month of Chislev, in the one hundred and forty-eighth
year, [53] they rose and offered sacrifice, as the law directs, on the
new altar of burnt offering which they had built. [54] At the very
season and on the very day that the Gentiles had profaned it it was
dedicated with songs and harps and lutes and cymbals [55] All the
people fell on their faces and worshipped and blessed Heaven, who had
prospered them. [56] So they celebrated the dedication of the altar
for eight days, and offered burnt offerings with gladness; they
offered a sacrifice of deliverance and praise. [57] They decorated the
front of the temple with golden crowns and small shields; they
restored the gates and the chambers for the priests, and furnished
them with doors. [58] There was very great gladness among the people,
and the reproach of the Gentiles was removed. [59] Then Judas and his
brothers and all the assembly of Israel determined that every year at
that season the days of dedication of the altar should be observed
with gladness and joy for eight days, beginning with the twenty-fifth
day of the month of Chislev.
Commentary:
4:36—61. Now that the enemy threat has been removed, the Maccabees’
first priority is to cleanse the temple and reinstate religious
worship--which would put their relationship with God on a proper
footing, and which was what the war was all about.
The cleansing is entrusted to “blameless priests” as the Law laid down
(cf. Lev 22:3-9). The stones of the altar that Ezra consecrated in his
time (cf. Ezra 3:2-5) must be thrown into the Gehenna valley like
those from the pagan altars; so they seek a temporary solution until
such time as a prophet should come (v. 46; cf. 9:27; 14:41; Dan 3:38).
The building of a new altar in line with what Exodus 20:25 laid down
reminds us of the dedication of the temple by Solomon (cf. 1 Kings
8:1-66) and the dedication of the temple of Ezra-Nehemiah (cf. Ezra
5:1-6:22). In 2 Maccabees 10:1-8 these events are reported more
briefly, but mention is made there of how the fire for the sacrifices was made.
The importance acquired by the feast established to commemorate the
dedication of the temple can be seen from 2 Maccabees 1:9, 18; 2:16.
In Hebrew this festival is called "Hanukkah" and in Greek "Encenias"
because to mark it lamps or candles are lit in people’s houses (as is
the Jewish practice today) to symbolize the light of the Law. It was
on this feast that Jesus told the Jews that he was the Son of God (cf.
Jn 10:22-39).
Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text
taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries
made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of
Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock,
Co. Dublin, Ireland.