Hebrews 11:35 to 2 Maccabees 7:7
Hebrews 11:35 to 2 Maccabees 7:7
While Judges is not directly quoted as authoritative Scripture, events that are recorded in the Book of Judges are cited in the Book of Hebrews. We read the following: “And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets” (Hebrews 11:32 KJV). Gideon, Barak, Samson, and Jephthah are all featured in stories in the Book of Judges. The writer to the Hebrews used them as illustrations of faith. All of the other illustrations in this portion of the Book of Hebrews, which used by the writer, were taken from characters which are found in the pages of Old Testament Scripture. These include such people as Abraham, Noah, Moses and Jacob. Placing these characters from the Book of Judges alongside the characters in the canonical books clearly testifies to the status of Judges.
Three verses later, as part of his further illustrations of faith (see 11:39), in Hebrews 11:35 (“Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection”), the same Epistle writer references 2 Maccabees 7:7 (the Maccabean Martyrs: a woman and her seven sons, discussed at length below). Thus, 2 Maccabees meets the exact same standard as the Book of Judges (in fact, once again, the KJV actually cross references 11:35 to 2 Maccabees 7:7 but does not do so for 11:32 and Judges), and it, too, can claim that “All of the other illustrations in this portion of the Book of Hebrews, which used by the writer, were taken from characters which are found in the pages of Old Testament Scripture. …. Placing these characters from the Book of [2 Maccabees] alongside the characters in the canonical books clearly testifies to the status of [2 Maccabees].”
The story of the woman and her seven sons is the only instance in Scripture/Apocrypha that fits all three parts of the Hebrews 11:35 description (Particularly the “that they might obtain a better resurrection” piece. Recall that much of the Protestant Old Testament does not explicitly mention resurrection, whereas 2 Maccabees 7:9 does: “And when he was at the last gasp, he said, Thou like a fury takest us out of this present life, but the King of the world shall raise us up, who have died for his laws, unto everlasting life”), plus, there are Greek words connecting the description in 2 Maccabees to Hebrews (one of which is never used in the Bible except in these two places). That the author of Hebrews is referring to 2 Maccabees 7 is acknowledged by the KJV (1611), Barnes’ Notes (1843), the NIB (1998), etc.—so, this has always been acknowledged, at least by some. My personal stacks of over 100 Protestant Bible commentaries are roughly divided: one-third pass over Hebrews 11:35 without comment, one-third acknowledge it as referencing 2 Maccabees without discussing any canon implications, and one-third break the sentence into pieces so that they can point to individuals in the Protestant Bible who meet the individual sub-clauses but not all three. (Such was Kruger’s approach in Hebrews For You.)
But this is not only a question of whether one accepts the reference as being to 2 Maccabees. Consider what would be left of references to the Old Testament if one employs a fair and consistent standard that does not accept this as a reference (even though it is the only thing that fits all the pieces; there are no other candidates that do; there are specific unique linguistic connections that link the New Testament verse to the “Old Testament” verse, etc.). E.g., compare it with the citations and quotations of authentic Scripture—in fact, the most inarguable of Old Testament Scripture, the Pentateuch.
| Pentateuch Reference (from Stewart) | Contrarian Analysis |
| Genesis: Jesus cites the creation account of humanity in Genesis (Genesis 1:27): He answered, “Have you not read that the one who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’”? (Matthew 19:4-5 NRSV) | Jesus does not name the Book of Genesis or the author/prophet, nor does he say that it is taken from Scripture. (Recall from Sidebar 4 that Stewart gave us his three formulae for identifying Scripture: “have you not read” is not one of them.) So he could be referring to Genesis without indicating that it is Scripture, or referring to some other non-Scriptural book that makes the same point. |
| Exodus: The Apostle Paul quoted the Book of Exodus (Exodus 20:12): Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother– this is the first commandment with a promise: so that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth. (Ephesians 6:1-3 NRSV) | Not only does Paul not name a specific book or author, but he also does not actually state that this is even to be found in any book at all. Yet, we see a claim that it is a “quote” when it is merely a possible allusion and nothing more. |
| Leviticus: After healing a man with leprosy, Jesus told the person to go and show himself to the priest. This is according to the command written in the Law of Moses in the Book of Leviticus (Leviticus 14:2-32): Then Jesus said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” (Matthew 8:4 NRSV) | This is also a reference to a command, not a citation to a book and not a quote. It never says that it is to be found in a book. In addition, it does not even tell us exactly what the command was, so there is no way to prove that the command mentioned was, indeed, the command given in Leviticus. |
| Numbers: The faithfulness of Moses (Numbers 12:7) is cited in the Book of Hebrews: Moses was certainly faithful in God’s house, but only as a servant. His work was an illustration of the truths God would reveal later. (Hebrews 3:5 NLT) | This is only a vague reference to an aspect of Moses’ history and character—an aspect that might be found (explicitly or implicitly) in other books, not just Numbers. It is, therefore, not proven that Paul meant the description given in the book of Numbers. |
| Deuteronomy: … Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 6:13: Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! for it is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’” (Matthew 4:10 NRSV) | That somewhat similar language can be found in Deuteronomy could be as accidental as Hebrews 11:35 using language from 2 Maccabees. |
A standard of proof that denies that Hebrews 11:35 is a reference to 2 Maccabees 7:7 makes proving anything nearly impossible.[1]
Moreover, while not noted by the KJV, Hebrews 11:38 (they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth) is also often seen as a reference to those who fled Antiochus (including Mattathias and his sons). They are described in 1 Maccabees 1:53 (And drove the Israelites into secret places, even wheresoever they could flee for succour) and 2:28-31 (28So he and his sons fled into the mountains, and left all that ever they had in the city. 29Then many that sought after justice and judgment went down into the wilderness, to dwell there: 30Both they, and their children, and their wives; and their cattle; because afflictions increased sore upon them. 31Now when it was told the king’s servants, and the host that was at Jerusalem, in the city of David, that certain men, who had broken the king’s commandment, were gone down into the secret places in the wilderness), as well as 2 Maccabees 5:27, 6:11, and 10:6.
In fact, the entire chapter of Hebrews 11 seems to be modeled after the list of Israel’s heroes in 1 Maccabees 2:51-61.
Let’s not forget that the New Testament book making these allusions to the Maccabees (per the KJV) is the Epistle to the Hebrews: “one of the most Jewish writings we possess. … “cribb’d, cabin’d, and confin’d” within the narrow precincts of Jewish thought…” and “The Bible which he used and from which he constantly quotes, is the Greek translation known as the Septuagint (LXX), and not the original Hebrew text, with which he does not seem to have been acquainted.” Both 1 and 2 Maccabees were, of course, part of the Septuagint.[2]
[1] Some details about 2 Maccabees for later reference: no names are known for the mother with seven sons, neither in Scripture nor in history up until the time of Christ. They are usually labeled the Maccabean Martyrs, but that is only because they are mentioned in the Book 2 Maccabees, which is only known as that because Judas Maccabeus appears in it. The Books of the Maccabees are just Books that mention Maccabeus, and the “2” is an identifier—the Book is not a sequel and has nothing to do with 1 Maccabees. In fact, it might have been written earlier than 1 Maccabees. The Martyrs also appear in 4 Maccabees, a Book written after Christ that copied 2 Maccabees; further references to the Martyrs appear in the Josippon and Talmud, and are discussed below.
[2] See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1_Maccabees and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2_Maccabees
