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From: 1 Maccabees 2:15-29
Mattathias Takes Action at Mode-in
[19] But Mattathias answered and said in a loud voice: “Even if all the nations
that live under the rule of the king obey him, and have chosen to do his
commandments, departing each one from the religion of his fathers, [20] yet I
and my sons and my brothers will live by the covenant of our fathers. [21] Far
be it from us to desert the law and the ordinances. [22] We will not obey the
king’s words by turning aside from our religion to the right hand or to the left.”
[23] When he had finished speaking these words, a Jew came forward in the
sight of all to offer sacrifice upon the altar in Modein, according to the king’s
command. [24] When Mattathias saw it, be burned with zeal and his heart was
stirred. He gave vent to righteous anger; he ran and killed him upon the altar.
[25] At the same time he killed the king’s officer who was forcing them to
sacrifice, and he tore down the altar. [26] Thus he burned with zeal for the law,
as Phinehas did against Zimri the son of Salu.
[27] Then Mattathias cried out in the city with a loud voice, saying: “Let every
one who is zealous for the law and supports the covenant come out with me!”
[28] And he and his sons fled to the hills and left all that they had in the city.
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Commentary:
2:15-28. Mattathias certainly behaves savagely but he has a special reason for
acting in this way: it helps to legitimate his leadership and that of his
descendants in the liberation of Israel. Due to his priestly background Mattathias
was a man of some status; what he did could influence others. Here, in a sense,
he represents the people. Not only does he not succumb to the temptation to
gain social and financial advantage by being untrue to his conscience and his
religion (cf. vv. 17-22); he shows signs of being a savior of his people. His action
is comparable to that of Phinehas (v. 26), that priest who, according to Numbers
25:6-15, ran a spear through an Israelite and a Midianite woman, thereby turning
God’s wrath back from the people. In reward for his action God gave Phinehas a
covenant of peace and promised him and his line a perpetual priesthood (cf. v.
54). Moreover, on that occasion God disposed that the Israelites should attack
the Midianites and defeat them. The memory of Phinehas endured in Jewish
tradition (cf. Ps 106:28-31; Sir 45:23). Although the sacred writer does not
expressly say so, the comparison with Phinehas gives us an inkling that
Mattathias is becoming someone who has a covenant with God and will be
a savior of the people.
Both Phinehas and Mattathias were motivated by zeal for the Lord and for his
Law (vv. 24, 26-27; Num 25:11). Although the way they expressed their zeal
was understandable only in that distant context (it would not he acceptable
today), their zeal for God and the things of God is still something to be imitated
(cf. Origen, “Commentarii in Epistulam ad Romanos”, 8, 1). Our Lord Jesus
Christ will also feel zealous for the house of God, the temple, and will perform
a symbolic act of violence against those who profaned it (cf. Jn 2:17; Ps 69:9).
It is this sort of zeal that leads a Christian to “holy intransigence”. “Be
uncompromising in doctrine and conduct. But be yielding in manner. A mace
of tempered steel, wrapped in quilted covering. Be uncompromising, but don’t
be obstinate” (St J. Escriva, “The Way”, 397).
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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.