Commentaria in II Machabaeorum
Chapter 7. Synopsis of the Chapter
The seven Maccabee brothers, their most worthy mother exhorting, most steadfastly overcome the torments of Antiochus, and win the crown of martyrdom.
1. It came to pass also that seven brethren, together with their mother, were apprehended, and compelled by the king to eat swine’s flesh against the law, being tormented with whips and scourges. 2. But one of them, who was the eldest, said thus: What wouldst thou ask, or learn of us? we are ready to die rather than to transgress the laws of God received from our fathers. 3. Then the king being angry, commanded pans and caldrons to be made hot: which forthwith being heated, 4. He commanded to cut out the tongue of him that had spoken first: and the skin of his head being drawn off, to chop off also the extreme parts of his hands and feet, the rest of his brethren, and his mother looking on. 5. And when he was now maimed in all parts, he commanded him, being yet alive, to be brought to the fire, and to be fried in the frying-pan: and while he was suffering therein long torments, the rest, together with the mother, exhorted one another to die manfully, 6. Saying: The Lord God will look upon the truth, and will take pleasure in us, as Moses declared in the profession of the canticle: And in his servants he will take pleasure. 7. So when the first was dead in this manner, they brought the next to make him a mocking-stock: and when they had pulled off the skin of his head with the hair, they asked him if he would eat, before he were punished throughout every member of his body. 8. But he answering in his own language, said: I will not do it. Wherefore he also, in the next place, underwent the torments of the first: 9. And being at the last gasp, he said thus: Thou indeed, O most wicked man, destroyest us out of this present life: but the King of the world will raise us up, who die for his laws, in the resurrection of eternal life. 10. After him the third was made a mocking-stock, and when he was required he quickly put forth his tongue, and courageously stretched out his hands: 11. And said with confidence: These I have from heaven, but for the laws of God I now despise them, because I hope to receive them again from him: 12. So that the king and they that were with him wondered at the young man’s courage, because he esteemed the pains as nothing. 13. And when he was also dead, they tormented the fourth in the like manner. 14. And when he was now ready to die, he spoke thus: It is better, being put to death by men, to look for hope from God, to be raised up again by him: for, as to thee, thou shalt have no resurrection unto life. 15. And when they had brought the fifth, they tormented him. But he looking upon the king, 16. Said: Thou having power among men, though thou art corruptible, doest what thou wilt: but think not that our nation is forsaken of God. 17. But stay patiently a little, and thou shalt see the great power of him, how he will torment thee and thy seed. 18. After him they brought the sixth, and he being ready to die, said: Be not deceived without cause: for we suffer these things for ourselves, having sinned against our God, and things worthy of admiration are done in our regard: 19. But think not thou that thou shalt escape unpunished, for that thou hast attempted to fight against God. 20. Now the mother was to be admired above measure, and worthy to be remembered by good men, who beheld her seven sons slain in the space of one day, and bore it with a good courage, for the hope that she had in God: 21. And she bravely exhorted every one of them in her own language, being filled with wisdom: and joining a man’s heart to a woman’s thought, 22. She said to them: I know not how you were formed in my womb: for I neither gave you breath, nor soul, nor life, neither did I frame the limbs of every one of you. 23. But the Creator of the world, that formed the nativity of man, and that found out the origin of all, he will restore to you again in his mercy, both breath and life, as now you despise yourselves for the sake of his laws. 24. Now Antiochus, thinking himself despised, and despising the voice of the upbraider, when the youngest was yet alive, did not only exhort him by words, but also assured him with an oath, that he would make him a rich and a happy man, and, if he turned from the laws of his fathers, that he would take him for a friend, and furnish him with necessaries. 25. But when the young man was not moved with these things, the king called the mother, and counselled her to deal with the young man to save his life. 26. And when he had exhorted her with many words, she promised that she would counsel her son. 27. So bending herself towards him, mocking the cruel tyrant, she said in her own language: My son, have pity upon me, that bore thee nine months in my womb, and gave thee suck three years, and nourished thee, and brought thee up to this age. 28. I beseech thee, my son, look upon heaven and earth, and all that is in them: and consider that God made them out of nothing, and mankind also: 29. So thou shalt not fear this tormentor, but being made a worthy partner with thy brethren, receive death, that in that mercy I may receive thee again with thy brethren. 30. While she was yet speaking these words, the young man said: Whom do you stay for? I will not obey the commandment of the king, but the commandment of the law, which was given us by Moses. 31. But thou, that hast been the author of all mischief against the Hebrews, shalt not escape the hand of God. 32. For we suffer thus for our sins. 33. And if the Lord our God be angry with us a little while for our correction and chastisement, yet he will be reconciled again to his servants. 34. But thou, O wicked and of all men most flagitious, be not lifted up without cause with vain hopes, whilst thou art raging against his servants: 35. For thou hast not yet escaped the judgment of almighty God, who beholdeth all things. 36. For my brethren, having now undergone a short pain, are under the covenant of eternal life: but thou, by the judgment of God, shalt receive just punishment for thy pride. 37. But I, as my brethren, offer up my life and body for the laws of our fathers, beseeching God that he would speedily be merciful to our nation, and that thou by torments and stripes mayest confess that he alone is God. 38. But in me and my brethren the wrath of the Almighty, which hath been justly brought upon all our nation, shall cease. 39. Then the king being enraged with anger, handled him more cruelly than the rest, taking it grievously that he was mocked. 40. So this man died undefiled, wholly trusting in the Lord. 41. And last of all after the sons, the mother also was consumed. 42. But now enough hath been said of the sacrifices, and of the excessive cruelties.
This history happened one year before the pontificate of Mathathias and Judas Maccabeus, and the wars with Antiochus Epiphanes, namely in the year 145 of the Greeks, which was the ninth of Antiochus Epiphanes, the 13th of Ptolemy Philometor, the 386th of the city of Rome, and 160 before the birth of Christ. So Salianus and others.
1. IT CAME TO PASS ALSO THAT SEVEN BRETHREN, TOGETHER WITH THEIR MOTHER, WERE APPREHENDED, AND COMPELLED BY THE KING (Antiochus Epiphanes) TO EAT SWINE’S FLESH AGAINST THE LAW.—In the old Greek edition of Josephus (for in the modern they are not extant) the names of these seven brothers are assigned thus. The first was called Maccabeus, the second Aber, the third Machir, the fourth Judas, the fifth Achas, the sixth Areth, the seventh Jacob, and the mother Maccabea, from whom all the sons were called Maccabees, says St. Thomas, though Serarius thinks they were so called from the first brother, whose name was Maccabeus; Scaliger from the strength and fortitude of mind, as Judas Maccabeus was named from the same; it is truer that she was called Salome, as I shall say at verse 20. They were all, says Josephus, of illustrious birth, of most comely body; but more beautiful in mind, mostly or all unmarried. They suffered at Antioch, for thither Antiochus Epiphanes had returned; where afterwards under St. Peter the first disciples of Christ were called Christians. Whence St. Augustine, Sermon [On the Maccabees]: “the basilica of the Maccabees is also celebrated in Antioch. In that city, namely, which is called by the name of the persecuting king himself. For they endured Antiochus the impious persecuting king, and the memory of their martyrdom is celebrated in Antioch, so that the name of the persecutor and the memory of the crowner sound together. This basilica is held by Christians, and was built by Christians.”
Moreover St. Chrysostom teaches of what age these seven brothers were, in the homily On the Maccabees: “Christ,” he says, “setting forth the contest, [chose] not young men trained for combats, not athletes, but boys in their first youth, and with them the old man Eleazar, and at the same time an aged woman, the mother of seven youths,”
That noble and memorable contest was told, which seven boys born of one mother waged, yet in their deeds were men.
The tyrant had ordered the tongue to be cut out of one of the youths.
And St. Ambrose, in the book On Jacob and the Happy Life, chapter 11: “It is allowed,” he says, “to mock the tyrant who, while he cunningly thought to begin with the old man, chose the master who would make his disciples stronger; whose boyish age, as it were, he provoked to guilt by rewards, and sought to frighten into fear by terrors. But they, not unworthy of so great a leader, answer: Why do you despise or circumscribe us as boys? But our faith is sound, our discipline strong. Try, contend, subject to what punishments you please childish bowels; you will not find childish hearts.” And presently: “Whom old age overcame, boyhood, the rival of old age, shall surpass.”