Antiochus IV gave himself the name “Epiphanes.” He saw himself as the visible manifestation of Zeus -the most high god. But on the road from Syria to his most prized conquest Egypt, there was trouble stirring. The Jewish priests of Jerusalem squabbled and skirmished about who was the rightful high priest. Antiochus had little patience. He sent in the army. After a brutal suppression, he outlawed Jewish worship and practice. He intentionally desecrated the temple and erected an idol of Zeus within, forcing the Jews to worship it.
An old priest named Mattathias would have none of that. He and his sons began open rebellion against the Greeks, refusing to be threatened by death. After two surprising victories, they eventually marched into Jerusalem to reconsecrate the defiled temple. If you didn't already know, this is what is remembered during the Hanukkah feast. According to Josephus, Mattathias' son Judas also assumed the title of high priest and after Judas' death, his younger brother Simon became ruler and high priest (cf. 1 Macc 13:41-42).
For the first time in 400 years, the yoke of foreign occupation was cast off, and Jews could rule themselves again. Unprecedented in Judaism, Simon was both king and priest. I'll repeat that: Simon was both king and priest. It was unheard of in the Jewish world because kingship was to be from the line of David, a descendent of Judah. The priesthood was only permitted from the line of Levi. But Simon and Judas' messianic heroism inaugurated a new age of restoration. The priesthood was reinstated by casting off political oppression. Intercession with God was now free and unhindered. That is, if the political status quo was maintained.
Of course it wasn't. Two hundred years later, once again under foreign oppression, two brothers approached their rabbi with the same messianic/political hopes in mind. “May we sit at your right and left hand when you come into your kingdom?” As N.T. Wright says, they were attempting to secure their cabinet positions in the government as they supposed Jesus would shortly become king. Jesus says, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you... even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Mk 10:42-45).”
It was priesthood over politics. Sacrifice first, political implications second. He became king in a way, no other person could even have imagined. He became priest (outside of Levi) in a way no one had remembered (cf. Ps 110:4, Heb 7:1-28). There were so many Jewish rebellions and messianic contenders hoping to bring the kingdom back to rightful Jewish rule. The rebellion of Zedekiah, the Maccabeus (as I described above), the rebellion of Theudas and later –during the census– Judas the Galilean (Acts 5:36-37), and of course the Zealots of A.D. 70 and the final rebellion of Simon Bar Kokhba (A.D. 135). They all sought to reinstate Jewish worship and true priesthood by casting off political oppression. Jesus of Nazareth was the only one who did it the other way around. Reinstating the kingdom that was lost... by starting with the work of a priest.
Priesthood over politics. Something that his followers (like James and John) still struggle with.
An old priest named Mattathias would have none of that. He and his sons began open rebellion against the Greeks, refusing to be threatened by death. After two surprising victories, they eventually marched into Jerusalem to reconsecrate the defiled temple. If you didn't already know, this is what is remembered during the Hanukkah feast. According to Josephus, Mattathias' son Judas also assumed the title of high priest and after Judas' death, his younger brother Simon became ruler and high priest (cf. 1 Macc 13:41-42).
For the first time in 400 years, the yoke of foreign occupation was cast off, and Jews could rule themselves again. Unprecedented in Judaism, Simon was both king and priest. I'll repeat that: Simon was both king and priest. It was unheard of in the Jewish world because kingship was to be from the line of David, a descendent of Judah. The priesthood was only permitted from the line of Levi. But Simon and Judas' messianic heroism inaugurated a new age of restoration. The priesthood was reinstated by casting off political oppression. Intercession with God was now free and unhindered. That is, if the political status quo was maintained.
Of course it wasn't. Two hundred years later, once again under foreign oppression, two brothers approached their rabbi with the same messianic/political hopes in mind. “May we sit at your right and left hand when you come into your kingdom?” As N.T. Wright says, they were attempting to secure their cabinet positions in the government as they supposed Jesus would shortly become king. Jesus says, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you... even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Mk 10:42-45).”
It was priesthood over politics. Sacrifice first, political implications second. He became king in a way, no other person could even have imagined. He became priest (outside of Levi) in a way no one had remembered (cf. Ps 110:4, Heb 7:1-28). There were so many Jewish rebellions and messianic contenders hoping to bring the kingdom back to rightful Jewish rule. The rebellion of Zedekiah, the Maccabeus (as I described above), the rebellion of Theudas and later –during the census– Judas the Galilean (Acts 5:36-37), and of course the Zealots of A.D. 70 and the final rebellion of Simon Bar Kokhba (A.D. 135). They all sought to reinstate Jewish worship and true priesthood by casting off political oppression. Jesus of Nazareth was the only one who did it the other way around. Reinstating the kingdom that was lost... by starting with the work of a priest.
Priesthood over politics. Something that his followers (like James and John) still struggle with.
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