Dr Simon Reads...

  2 Maccabees 11-15 One Last Round Of Bloodshed   Welcome to the final instalment of An Atheist Explores Sacred Texts (Apocrypha version). In this series I work my way chapter-by-chapter through the Old Testament Apocrypha, commenting on it from the point of view of the text as literature and mythology.   For more detail, see the introductory post http://bit.ly/3aEJ6Q5 For the online KJV I use, see here http://bit.ly/2m0zVUP   2 Maccabees 11 “ Not long after the, Lysias the king's protector and cousin, who also managed the affairs, took sore displeasure for the things that were done. ”   Last time, the Maccabees had rousted the Seleucid forces, retaken Jerusalem and invented Hannukah by rededicating the Temple. Now Antiochus’ cousin Lysias wants to take a crack at them, and gathers a force of ten thousand foot soldiers, “ thousands of horse ” and 80 elephants.   However, the Jews still have God on their side, and are once again joined by an angelic saviour figure, i

  2 Maccabees 6-10 Gruesome Tortures Aplenty.   Welcome to the next instalment of An Atheist Explores Sacred Texts (Apocrypha version). In this series I work my way chapter-by-chapter through the Old Testament Apocrypha, commenting on it from the point of view of the text as literature and mythology.   For more detail, see the introductory post http://bit.ly/3aEJ6Q5 For the online KJV I use, see here http://bit.ly/2m0zVUP   2 Maccabees 6 “ For the temple was filled with riot and revelling by the Gentiles, who dallied with harlots, and had to do with women within the circuit of the holy places, and besides that brought in things that were not lawful. ” I thought at the end of the last chapter that the “Abomination” of Antioches Epiphanes was somewhat different in 2 nd Maccabees, but this chapter lays out all the sacrileges in remorseless detail. Antioches sends “ an old man of Athens ” to compel the Jews to abandon their religion, converting the Temple into one for Ju

  2 Maccabees  1-5 Hat-Wearing Priests with Frisbees.   Welcome to the next instalment of An Atheist Explores Sacred Texts (Apocrypha version). In this series I work my way chapter-by-chapter through the Old Testament Apocrypha, commenting on it from the point of view of the text as literature and mythology.   For more detail, see the introductory post http://bit.ly/3aEJ6Q5 For the online KJV I use, see here http://bit.ly/2m0zVUP   2 Maccabees 1 “ What time as Demetrius reigned, in the hundred threescore and ninth year, we the Jews wrote unto you in the extremity of trouble that came upon us in those years, from the time that Jason and his company revolted from the holy land and kingdom”.   Okay, I’m officially lost already. This chapter is a letter from the Jews of Jerusalem to the Jews of Egypt, laced with blessings and prayers, but also giving some historical detail that I’m currently having trouble lining up with 1 Maccabees.   In the 169 th year when Demetrius r

  1 Maccabees  11-16 Hail King Simon! Plus, A Bit of a “Red Wedding” Thing. Twice.   Welcome to the next instalment of An Atheist Explores Sacred Texts (Apocrypha version). In this series I work my way chapter-by-chapter through the Old Testament Apocrypha, commenting on it from the point of view of the text as literature and mythology.   For more detail, see the introductory post http://bit.ly/3aEJ6Q5 For the online KJV I use, see here http://bit.ly/2m0zVUP And now: 1 Maccabees 11 “ And the king of Egypt gathered together a great host, like the sand that lieth upon the sea shore, and many ships, and went about through deceit to get Alexander's kingdom, and join it to his own. ” Last time I suggested that the truce between the Ptolemys and the Seleucids wouldn’t last. It doesn’t even last a chapter before Ptolemy is plotting against Alexander. He takes his armies through Spain, but also, confusingly, through Israel as well, where he meets with Jonathon. I can only