1 MACCABEES
1 MACCABEES
1 Maccabees is a historical book telling the story of the Maccabean revolt.
1 Maccabees is only very rarely quoted or referenced by the Church Fathers in the era of early Christianity. … As 1 Maccabees has very little to say about the martyrs, it correspondingly was not cited or read.[1]
“Not read”—what scientific method was used to prove that, exactly?
But I do know how to check how well it was cited: compare it to something similar. As mentioned many times already, John Barton, in his book The Spirit and the Letter: Studies in the Biblical Canon (p. 23-24), notes that “historical books, for example, never seem to have been in the least controversial, yet neither Jews nor Christians ever used them much in their writings … in much the same position as Acts for early Christian writers: undoubtedly authoritative, scarcely ever used…” And if we compare 1 Maccabees to other historical Books (via www.biblindex.org/citation_biblique/search), we see that it does, indeed, rank near the bottom—but not at the very bottom by any fair metric:
| Book | Verses | Cites | Rate |
| Ruth | 85 | 201 | 2.36 |
| Ezra | 280 | 592 | 2.11 |
| 1 Chronicles | 943 | 787 | 0.83 |
| 1 Maccabees | 922 | 596 | 0.65 |
| Nehemiah | 405 | 256 | 0.63 |
| Esther | 272 | 143 | 0.53 |
In addition, the citations were of comparably early dating: Tertullian ca. 200 and Hippolytus, Origen, Julius Africanus, and Cyprian by 250 AD. Clement of Alexandria (198 AD) mentioned the Book of the Maccabees and appears to cite 1 Maccabees 2:59-60—but for some reason, that is not noted at Biblindex (which would seem to be a mistake).[2] Once he is included, that list of Fathers is basically all the usual suspects; in fact, Nehemiah is cited by the exact same list of Fathers. Nehemiah was cited 43 times, 1 Maccabees 66 times. Among their citations to 1 Maccabees, I found Origen,[3] Hippolytus,[4] and Cyprian[5] all referring to it as Scripture.
Even the claim that “As 1 Maccabees has very little to say about the martyrs, it correspondingly was not cited” does not hold up well. Many Fathers (including Tertullian, Chrysostom, and Ambrose) cite the heroes of 1 Maccabees; it is just that they do so as exemplars who remain faithful to God in their own way (as “living martyrs,” so to speak, totally devoted to God).
I will go into more detail on the citation evidence below. But other evidence for the acceptance of 1 Maccabees includes the fact that it was read as part of the liturgy in the early Churches.[6]
As for the Bible, the original KJV gives us just one cross-reference, already discussed above, and no quotations. But recall that Don Stewart says:
All Old Testament books are quoted as authoritative works by the New Testament writers with four exceptions: Ezra/Nehemiah, Esther, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon. However, the absence of any quotations of these books does not speak against their canonicity.[7]
Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther are three of the six little-cited historical books in the chart above—and they have zero references using Stewart’s standards.
For KJV cross-references, Esther has zero; 1 Maccabees has one; Nehemiah has two; and Ruth has four—however, those last six are references to things that are mentioned in the Books, not the Books. E.g., Ruth’s all relate to the mention of the woman Ruth in the genealogy of Jesus given at the beginning of the Book of Matthew. (Which is probably why the Stewart’s analysis of mentions of Old Testament Books does not even note Matthew’s mention of Ruth; instead, he focuses entirely on the possibility that Ruth was attached to Judges.)[8] Nehemiah’s cross-references are to the pool at Shiloh (Nehemiah discusses the reconstruction of it at 3:15, and in John 9:7, Jesus tells the formerly blind man to go wash in it), and Nehemiah 9:19 mentions God’s manifestation as the pillar of cloud in Exodus 13:22, which 1 Corinthians 10:1 also mentions.
Meanwhile, as discussed above, the exact same reasoning that supports the inclusion of Esther (a possible mention of Purim in John 5:1) supports including 1 Maccabees to a far greater degree. The Gospel of John clearly references Hanukkah by one of its names, and according to the KJV notes, that is a reference to 1 Maccabees 4:59,[9] whereas Purim is never named, and there is no cross reference between John 5:1 to Esther 9:28.
The possibility that John 5:1 is a reference to Purim is minor compared to the importance of Hanukkah in John 9-10. The Apologetics Study Bible includes an essay (“Does the New Testament Misquote the Old Testament?”) by Paul Copan, past president of the Evangelical Philosophical Society, that discusses how the Evangelists understood the fulfillment of Prophecy:
… “fulfill” (pleroo) in the NT is used to portray Jesus as bringing to full fruition OT events or experiences (the exodus, covenant), personages (Jonah, Solomon, David), and institutions (temple, priesthood, sacrifices, holy days). … a theological point is being made … fulfillment of the OT generally refers to the broader idea of perfectly embodying, typifying, epitomizing, or reaching a climax. … NT writers (and Jesus) interpreted the OT in a Christocentric a manner: Jesus is the embodiment or completer of foreshadowed OT historical events, images, and personages. While fulfillment includes literal predictions of Christ and the new covenant, it goes far beyond to a richer theological embodiment of what the OT foreshadowed. [Emphasis added.]
First, John 9:5 (As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world) is Jesus saying that He is the true light of the world. He has fulfilled the holy days of Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights: He is the true Menorah.
Second, Antiochus was called “Epiphanes” (epiphany) because he claimed that he was “God Manifest” on Earth. Jesus, thus, declares Himself to be the true Epiphany at the Festival celebrating the victory over Antiochus.
Third, multiple verses in 1 Maccabees were expressly awaiting fulfillment, and were then fulfilled by Jesus—for example, the rededication of the altar in 4:46 and the expectation of the arrival of a faithful prophet in 14:41. These are express declarations that the actions of the Maccabees are just “temporary fixes,” and that the true prophet is coming: Jesus.
But let’s also look at it in reverse. John’s Gospel is 21 chapters long, with almost 10% of it dedicated to this allusion—not a small amount of effort was involved in making his point.
David Limbaugh’s The Emmaus Code provides an Appendix listing all the Messianic Prophecies of the Old Testament and their New Testament Fulfillment. Of the 120 Prophecies he lists, only one is fulfilled by John Chapter 9: Proverbs 30:4 (“…what is his [the Creator’s] name, and what is his son’s name, if thou canst tell?”), which he labels “Declared to be the Son of God” and says is fulfilled by “Matt. 3:17; Mark 14:61- 62; Luke 1:35; John 3:13; 9:35-38; 11:21; Rom. 1:2-4; 10:6-9; 2 Pet. 1:17.”
I 100% agree that Proverbs 30:4 is fulfilled by John 9:35-38: “35Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? 36He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? 37And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee. 38And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.”
But I believe that is almost coincidental. John’s purpose when writing the long story spanning two chapters was not to show “only” the fulfillment of a Prophecy fulfilled in eight other passages of Scripture, including two others elsewhere in his own Gospel. John went to great lengths to show that Jesus is the true Light of the World, the true God Manifest, and the one the Jews were expecting when they rededicated the Temple.
Furthermore, many in the early Church considered Antiochus as one of the “types” for the Antichrist (E.g., Jerome: “Antiochus… is to be regarded as a type of the Antichrist, and those things which happened to him in a preliminary way are to be completely fulfilled in the case of the Antichrist”).[10] That conception would seem to add even more depth to what is going on in this scene, as Jesus counters the type of the Antichrist—which, then, of course, leads to seeing Judas Maccabee as a type of Christ, since he countered the type of the Antichrist.
As also discussed above, another possible reference is not noted by the KJV: Hebrews 11:38 (“they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth”) is 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 succor”), 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”), and 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.
In addition to this Biblical evidence that the Jews accepted 1 Maccabees, Jerome obtained Hebrew texts of 1 Maccabees, presumably from Jews, and translated them into Latin.[11]
1 Maccabees was cited by the Fathers 596 times per www.biblindex.org/citation_biblique/search. But the references come in floods, followed by droughts. When a historian (e.g., Eusebius) is summarizing that particular era of history, he can write 30 sentences, each a citation to a verse or collection of verses in 1 Maccabees. But those who never explained that bit of history in their works may make only a single reference to 1 Maccabees in their entire corpus of writings—or even zero. Bear in mind, that would be any allusion at all; it need not be a quotation, or even a mention, of the Maccabees.
Accordingly, 1 Maccabees is mentioned a lot by the historians but not by anyone else. And that is to be expected: compare to 1 Chronicles, with 787 total references, of which 290 references are by Theodoret, and 174 are by Eusebius (who account for a large majority of references to both Books). Whereas, Athanasius never once in his whole life cited to 1 Chronicles, even though it was certainly canon to him.[12]
By my count, the Books are mentioned by essentially the same number of Fathers (19) who are in the database,[13] with nearly two-thirds of each such list consisting of 12 Fathers who appear on both lists. Nearly all the other seven on each list only mentioned one of the books in only one work (which means there is a lot of randomness involved in why they make the mentions—and also in how we come to still have a copy of that work).
Looking at it by era, the references to 1 Chronicles from the very early Church came from Clement of Alexandria but not Tertullian; for 1 Maccabees, it is Clement and Tertullian.
Neither book gets much action until the Church historians start writing:
References by 300 AD: 1 Chronicles 90, 1 Maccabees 73.[14]
References by 350 AD: 1 Chronicles 267, 1 Maccabees 471.
References by 400 AD: 1 Chronicles 424. 1 Maccabees 503.
After that, the database results include only one single Father who is writing entirely after 400, which is Theodoret, whose totals are 1 Chronicles 290 and 1 Maccabees 41. In the database as a whole, the citations are 1 Chronicles 787 and 1 Maccabees 596; but without Theodoret (which seems like a more coherent data set given the gap between his late date and all the other data[15]), it would be 1 Maccabees = 555 to 1 Chronicles = 497.[16]
The claim that no one read or cited to 1 Maccabees is a classic case of judging by the standard of perfection—and not a true comparable. 1 Maccabees was cited barely 1% as many times as was Psalms, but so was 1 Chronicles, and that is the relevant point.
The other aspect to consider is that many citations to a historical Book are as history, not Scripture. But the nature of references to 1 Maccabees and 1 Chronicles is such that we can review them all relatively easily because so many of them come in floods.
On the following pages, I have included what I found by looking into every citation to both of them, in one chart, sometimes using Latin names from the database. Finds of mine that are not in the database are in italics.
The way I see it, the citation evidence is basically the same—roughly the same numbers of Fathers, works, citations, mentions as Scripture, manner of use, context in which it is used, etc. The vast majority are just allusions to events detailed in the Books. But be your own judge.
| 1 Maccabees | Notes on 1 Maccabees | Year | 1 Chronicles | Notes on 1 Chronicles |
| Justin Martyr | no citations to 1 Maccabees | 155 AD | Justin Martyr | Justin said “And you are aware that David said, ‘The gods of the nations are demons.'” This might (?) be a reference to 1 Chronicles 16:26: For all the gods of the people are idols: but the LORD made the heavens. |
| Clement of Alexandria | cited 1 Maccabees, but it is mistakenly not included in biblindex database. Stromata 1, 21 Jeremiah and Ambacum [Habakkuk] were still prophesying in the time of Zedekiah. In the fifth year of his reign Ezekiel prophesied at Babylon; after him Nahum, then Daniel. After him, again, Haggai and Zechariah prophesied in the time of Darius the First for two years; and then the angel among the twelve. After Haggai and Zechariah, Nehemiah, the chief cup-bearer of Artaxerxes, the son of Acheli the Israelite, built the city of Jerusalem and restored the temple. During the captivity lived Esther and Mordecai [Malachi], whose book is still extant, as also that of the Maccabees. [The rest of the quote is noted above] https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/02091.htm | 198 AD | Clement of Alexandria | 2 cites, both appear to be just a mention of the reigns of a king whose name appears in 1 Chronicles (Amasias) https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/02101.htm |
| Tertullian | 2 cites; both in Against the Jews, 4: Cited 1 Maccabees 1:38 to prove that the doctrine of the Sabbath had been superseded: Nor is it doubtful that they wrought servile work, when, in obedience to God’s precept, they drove the preys of war. For in the times of the Maccabees, too, they did bravely in fighting on the Sabbaths…” https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0308.htm | 198 AD | Tertullian | no cites to 1 Chronicles, per the database. |
| Hippolytus | 46 cites to 1 Maccabees in 2 works, one on Daniel and one on the Antichrist. Cited with Daniel and other Scripture without qualification, and used as part of the typology analysis portraying Antiochus as the type of the Antichrist, etc. | 220 AD | Hippolytus | 13 cites to 1 Chronicles, in 3 works, 2 unavailable online but 1 is in the same work as the references to 1 Maccabees. It seems to relate to counting the ten kings (“By the toes of the feet he meant, mystically, the ten kings that rise out of that kingdom”) and is an allusion to 1 Chronicles 3:15 (And the sons of Josiah were, the firstborn Johanan, the second Jehoiakim, the third Zedekiah, the fourth Shallum.) |
| Julius Africanus | 8 cites in his Chronography, of which we only have fragments. I could not find online the fragments that cite to 1 Macabees | 221 AD | Julius Africanus | 4 cites in the Chronography, none of which I could find in what is available online. |
| Origen | 8 cites in 3 works, including Against Celsus 8, 46: What need is there to quote all the princes and private persons in Scripture history who fared well or ill according as they obeyed or despised the words of the prophets? … And the books of the Maccabees relate what punishments were inflicted upon those who dared to profane the Jewish service in the temple at Jerusalem. https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/04168.htm; In addition his list claims the Jews give the Books Maccabees some sort of status. | 245 AD | Origene | 48 cites in several works, including Commentary on John book 6, where he also calls 1 Chronicles “Scripture” https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/101506.htm |
| Cyprian | 10 cites. Treatise 12 (Ad Quirinum), Book 3, quotes several sections of 1 Maccabees as “Holy Scripture” (see sections 4, 15, 53, but not 17, which is a cite to 2 Macc: https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/050712c.htm); as does Letter 54, 3: Holy Scripture meets and warns us, saying, … 1 Maccabbees 2:62-63. https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/050654.htm. Several other letters make allusions to events in 1 Maccabees | 248 AD | Cyprian | |
| Pamphilius Caesariensis | no citations to 1 Maccabees | 280 AD | Pamphilius Caesariensis | 2 cites to 1 Chronicles in 1 work, both apparently allusions, to 1 Chron 21:7 (And God was displeased with this thing; therefore he smote Israel.) and 21:30 (But David could not go before it to enquire of God: for he was afraid because of the sword of the angel of the LORD.) I found the book online, but not the allusions, which may be obscure. |
| Victorinus | 3 cites, from his the Creation of the World, 7th day : cited 1 Maccabees 2:31 to confirm the doctrine that the Sabbath obligations have been superseded. https://ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf07.vi.i.html | 304 AD | Victorinus | no cites to 1 Chronicles, per the database. |
| Lactantius | no citations to 1 Maccabees | 304 AD | Lactantius | 1 cite to 1 Chronicles, an allusion to the fact that Solomon follwed David (1 Chronicles 29:28: And he died in a good old age, full of days, riches, and honour: and Solomon his son reigned in his stead.) https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/07014.htm Ch. 13. |
| Athanasius | Letter 3 Section 5 makes 3 allusions to actions (prayers when facing attacks, etc.) described in 1 Maccabees, but no one is named. https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/2806003.htm | 329 AD | Athanasius | Never once cited 1 Chronicles, even though he lists it as canon. |
| Eusebius | 394 cites, in many works, many of them double counted (as is the case for his cites to 1 Chronicles as well, so at least it is apples to apples even if not numerically correct). In his Chronicle, a history of the world, Eusebius states that “I thought it would be appropriate to write down everything in brief, especially the beneficial and important things, and further to put adjacent to [these accounts] the history of the Hebrew patriarchs as revealed in the Bible.” He seems to place the Books of the Maccabees in the Bible category. In his Preparation of the Gospel, he cites the Book of Maccabees as proof of prophetic interpretation, saying that “Psalm lxxviii., was fulfilled in the time of Antiochus… It is therefore to that time, and to Antiochus’ successors who emulated his deeds, that Asaph’s prophecies in Psalm lxxviii. refer. And the Book of those called Maccabees confirms what I say, which has this passage: “And to Jakeimon and Bacchides there came a (c) deputation of scribes asking for justice.” And it proceeds to say: “And he sware to them saying, We will not bring evil on yourselves and your friends. And they believed him. And he took of them sixty men and slew them in one day, according to the word of Asaph, which he wrote, They gave the dead bodies of thy servants to be meat for the birds of the air, and the flesh of thy saints to the beasts of the land, their (d) blood have they poured out like water on every side of Jerusalem, and there was no man to bury them.” https://www.ccel.org/ccel/pearse/morefathers/files/eusebius_de_12_book10.htm Chapter 1. In addition he cites Origen’s list as “When expounding the first Psalm he gives a catalog of the Sacred Scriptures of the Old Testament as follows…And outside of these there are the Maccabees, which are entitled Sarbeth Sabanaiel,” which implies some sort of status for 1 Maccabees. | 339 AD | Eusebius | 174 cites, in many works, many of them double counted; in his Preparation of the Gospel he calls 1 Chronicles one of the Hebrew Oracles (as he also calls the Book of Wisdom (and asserts that it is Divine prophecy fulfilled by Christ)). |
| Didymus Alexandrinus | cited 1 Maccabees, but it is mistakenly not included in biblindex database. On the Holy Spirit 27-28: … we find the Holy Spirit performing the office of intercessor with the Father, as when … And the Savior… pours consolation into those hearts that need it, as in Maccabees, he strengthened those of the people who were brought low.” [Per Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, not available online] | 350 AD | Didymus Alexandrinus | 13 cites to 1 Chronicles, date range of 350-398 AD, which I could not find online. |
| Cyril of Jerusalem | Lecture XIV, 25: Elias went as into heaven [used 1 Maccabees 2:58 to confirm the doctrine that the ascension was possible] https://ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf207.ii.xviii.html | 350 AD | Cyril of Jerusalem | no cites to 1 Chronicles, per the database. |
| Hilary | no citations to 1 Maccabees, which he did not list as canon | 353 AD | Hilary | 11 cites to 1 Chronicles in 2 works, Commentary on Matthew (353 AD) and Tractates on Psalms (360-367 AD), none available online. |
| Lucifer of Caligari | On not Sparing those who Commit Offences Against God, 15: Introduces 1 Maccabees 2:49-68 as “the Holy Scripture says” per Gary G. Michuta in The Case of the Deuterocanon. Not available online | 361 AD | Lucifer of Caligari | not in the database |
| Ambrosiaster | “Would be Ambrose” – a work that was once mistakenly thought to be a work of Ambrose but it was actually written by some unknown person (as early as 363 AD, which is actually before the writings of Ambrose). He makes 3 cites to 1 Maccabees, one inexplicable (that the Jews were named for Judas Maccabeus, p. 290) and the others as proof to confirm the doctrine that the Sabbath could be broken for necessity (p. 185). https://archive.org/details/ambrosiaster-questions-and-answers-on-the-old-and-new-testaments/page/310/mode/2up | 363 AD | Ambros-iaster | cited 1 Chronicles 20 times, 16 of them in the same work as 1 Maccabees. As with 1 Maccabees, the book is clearly providing Scriptural proofs, but never actually says that 1 Chronicles is Scripture. it just uses it as such. |
| Basil | Made 1 citation in a work I could not find. Homiliae in Psalmos, 363 AD, p.225. | 363 AD | Basil | Cited 6 times in one homily (unavailable) and one letter: section 3 makes an allusion to the events of 1 Chronicles 11:1 and 11:3 without mentioning the book. https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/3202236.htm |
| Epiphanius | His Panarion (30, 25, 9) makes 1 cite to 1 Maccabees, but only as history to use linguistics to prove the ethnicity of Alexander the Great. Not available online. | 377 AD | Epiphanius | 13 cites to 1 Chronicles, 1 in the Panarion mentions 1 Chronicles as canonical Scripture |
| Gregory of Nyssa | 1 possible allusion in his Answer to Eunomius’ Second Book, “Noah was a righteous man, says the Scripture, Abraham was faithful,” (https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/2902.htm); see 1 Maccabees 2:52: “Was not Abraham found faithful in temptation, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness?” | 379 AD | Gregory of Nyssa | 7 cites in 4 works, none available online. |
| Gregory of Nazianzus | 2 cites to 1 Maccabees in one Oration, not available online. | 380 AD | Gregory of Nazianzus | 5 cites to 1 Chronicles, in 3 Orations. None available online. |
| Apostolic Constitutions | At least 3 cites. Used to confirm the doctrine that God accepts gifts and sacrifices from the righteous: Book 7, Section 2, Chapter 37: Thou who hast fulfilled Thy promises made by the prophets, and … didst accept of the gifts of the righteous in their generations. In the first place Thou did respect the sacrifice of … of Mattathias and his sons in their zeal… https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/07157.htm. It’s canon list accepts 1 Maccabees. | 380 AD | Apostolic Constitutions | not in the database |
| Ambrose | 24 cites. Letter XL, 33 it is the voice of a Saint which says: “Wherefore was I made to see the misery of my people?” (1 Maccabees 2:7) https://ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf210.v.ix.html. In “On the Duties of the Clergy,” he also makes 20 cites to 1 Maccabees in a two chapter exposition on martyrs and their virtues. | 397 AD | Ambrose | 43 cites in many works, although 21 come in one commentary on Psalm 12. Only a handful were available online, and they are only allusions without mention of the book 1 Chronicles. E.g., On The Holy Spirit, Book 3, Chapter 17, Section 120 makes an allusion to 1 Chronicles 22:9: (Behold, a son shall be born to thee, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies round about: for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness unto Israel in his days), but as we can see it is also a full citation to John Chapter 9 and an allusion (not recorded in the database) to the fulfillment of 1 Maccabees: “In this passage too He was walking, as we read, in Solomon’s porch on the day of the dedication, that is, Christ was walking in the breast of the wise and prudent, to dedicate his good affection to Himself.” |
| John Chrysostom | 7 cites, including Homily on Romans 19, cited to confirm he doctrine that God did not abandon the Jews: “He brought you [the Jews] back again to your former freedom… and there were prophets again, and the gift of the Spirit. Or rather, even in the season of your captivity you were not deserted, but even there were Daniel, and Ezekiel, and in Egypt Jeremiah, and in the desert Moses. After this you reverted to your former vice again, and wast a reveller [2 Maccabees 14:33], therein, and changed your manner of life to the Grecian in the time of Antiochus the impious [1 Maccabees 4:54]. But even then for a three years and a little over only were ye given up to Antiochus, and then by the Maccabees ye raised those bright trophies again. https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/210219.htm | 407 AD | John Chrysostom | 3 cites to 1 Chronicles in 2 works, neither available online. |
| Jerome | Cited to 1 Maccabees 41 times, 1 allusion in a letter and then 40 times in his commentary on Daniel, where (as noted above) he cites Antiochus as a type of the Antichrist. | 417 AD | Jerome | Never once cited 1 Chronicles, even though he lists it as canon. |
| Sulpitius Severus | Sacred History 2, 20-26 (Ch 1, 1:) I address myself to give a condensed account of those things which are set forth in the sacred Scriptures from the beginning of the world … At that time, Matthathias, the son of John, was high-priest. … (1 Maccabees 2:1) https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/35052.htm | 420 AD | Sulpitius Severus | not in the database |
| Theodoret | 40 cites in 4 works, including Commentaries on Daniel, Ezekiel, and Paul’s Epistles. Not available online. | 423 AD | Theodoret | 290 cites, in many works, many of them double counted, as with Eusebius. None are available online, but one is a book I own (Commentary on Jeremiah). Six allusions, all to 1:29 and 1:32, which are just the names in the genealogy down from Adam. |
| Augustine | Contra Gaudentium, 1, 31, 38 [The Books of the Maccabees] will not have been received by the Church in vain if they are read or listened to calmly, and especially those parts that deal with the Maccabees themselves who, for the sake of God’s Law, were true martyrs and suffered terrible and humiliating things. Not available online. In addition his canon list accepts 1 Maccabees. | 430 AD | Augustine | not in the database |
| Anonymous | 3 cites in 2 books by unknown authors, one is a book on Ezra from the third century, and the other is a fourth century work that appears to be heretical (“Christian borderline,” per database). Not available online. |
For your reference, here is a summary chart, looking just at 1 Maccabees and the 24 Fathers we have citations from:
| Father | Year | Citation Evidence |
| Clement Alexandria | 198 | Cited with Scripture without Qualification |
| Tertullian | 198 | Cited to confirm doctrine |
| Hippolytus | 220 | Cited with Scripture w/o Qualification, typology |
| Julius Africanus | 221 | 8 citations |
| Origen | 245 | Scripture |
| Cyprian | 248 | Holy Scripture |
| Victorinus | 304 | Cited to confirm doctrine |
| Athanasius | 329 | 3 allusions |
| Eusebius | 339 | “Bible” category, proof of prophetic interpretation |
| Didymus | 350 | Cited to confirm doctrine |
| Cyril of Jerusalem | 350 | Cited to confirm doctrine |
| Lucifer of Caligari | 361 | Holy Scripture |
| Ambrosiaster | 363 | Cited to confirm doctrine |
| Basil | 363 | 1 cite |
| Epiphanius | 377 | 1 cite |
| Gregory of Nyssa | 379 | 1 allusion |
| Gregory Nazianzus | 380 | 2 cites |
| Apostolic Const. | 380 | Cited to confirm doctrine |
| Ambrose | 397 | Voice of a saint |
| John Chrysostom | 407 | Cited to confirm doctrine |
| Jerome | 417 | Used for typology |
| Sulpitius Severus | 420 | Sacred Scripture |
| Theodoret | 423 | 40 cites |
| Augustine | 430 | Received by the Church |
AGGREGATE CHART
The following is a chronological chart of the summary citation evidence from the Fathers, plus all canon lists and Councils and codices (which are in ALL CAPS, in BOLD IF A COUNCIL, and in ITALICS IF A CODEX). The symbol “*” denotes a Father who created a list as well as cited 1 Maccabees in his works.
| FATHER/LIST/BOOK | Year | 1 MACC CANONICAL? |
| MELITO OF SARDIS | 170 | NOT CANON (FOR JEWS?) |
| MURATORIAN CANON | 170 | UNKNOWN |
| Clement of Alexandria* | 198 | Cited with Scripture w/o Qualification |
| Tertullian | 198 | Cited to confirm doctrine |
| CLEMENT ALEXANDRIA | 203 | UNKNOWN |
| ORIGEN (JEWISH LIST) | 220 | “OUTSIDE OF THESE” (?) |
| Hippolytus | 220 | Cited w/o Qualification, typology |
| Julius Africanus | 221 | 8 citations |
| Origen* | 245 | Scripture |
| ORIGEN (LETTER) | 248 | N/A |
| Cyprian | 248 | Holy Scripture |
| ORIGEN (CITATIONS) | 250 | CANON |
| Victorinus | 304 | Cited to confirm doctrine |
| EUSEBIUS (APPROVAL) | 324 | “OUTSIDE OF THESE” |
| Athanasius* | 329 | 3 allusions |
| Eusebius* | 339 | “Bible” category, prophetic interpretation |
| CLAROMONTANUS | 349 | CANON |
| CODEX VATICANUS | 350 | NOT CANON? |
| CODEX SINAITICUS | 350 | CANON |
| CYRIL OF JERUSALEM | 350 | NOT CANON |
| ST CATHERINE’S SYRIAC | 350 | CANON |
| Didymus | 350 | Cited to confirm doctrine |
| Cyril of Jerusalem* | 350 | Cited to confirm doctrine |
| CHELTENHAM LIST | 360 | CANON |
| Lucifer of Caligari | 361 | Holy Scripture |
| Ambrosiaster | 363 | Cited to confirm doctrine |
| Basil | 363 | 1 cite |
| ATHANASIUS | 367 | VERSION 3.1 |
| HILARY OF POITIERS | 367 | NOT CANON |
| Epiphanius* | 377 | 1 cite |
| Gregory of Nyssa | 379 | 1 allusion |
| GREGORY NAZIANZUS | 380 | NOT CANON |
| AMPHILOCHIUS ICONIUM | 380 | NOT CANON |
| APOSTOLIC CANONS | 380 | CANON |
| Gregory of Nazianzus* | 380 | 2 cites |
| Apostolic Constitutions* | 380 | Cited to confirm doctrine |
| EPIPHANIUS PAN. 8.6.1-4 | 385 | NOT CANON FOR JEWS |
| EPIPHANIUS PAN. 76.22.5 ( | 385 | NOT CANON |
| JEROME (HELMETED) | 390 | NOT CANON |
| EPIPHANIUS DE MENS. 4-5 | 392 | NOT CANON FOR JEWS |
| THE COUNCIL OF HIPPO – 70 BISHOPS | 393 | CANON |
| AUGUSTINE | 397 | CANON |
| COUNCIL CARTHAGE – 44-48 BISHOPS | 397 | CANON |
| Ambrose | 397 | Voice of a saint |
| JEROME (SOLOMON) | 398 | VERSION 3.2 |
| RUFINUS | 400 | VERSION 3.3 |
| JEROME (TOBIT/JUDITH) | 404 | N/A |
| POPE INNOCENT I | 405 | CANON |
| John Chrysostom | 407 | Cited to confirm doctrine |
| Jerome* | 417 | Used for typology |
| COUNCIL CARTHAGE – 217 BISHOPS | 419 | CANON |
| Sulpitius Severus | 420 | Sacred Scripture |
| Theodoret | 423 | 40 cites |
| Augustine* | 430 | Received by the Church |
| CODEX ALEXANDRINUS | 450 | CANON |
| CODEX EPHRAEMI R. | 450 | UNKNOWN |
CANON LISTS
The following is a chronological chart of just the canon lists and Councils and codices (which are in BOLD IF A COUNCIL and in ITALICS IF A CODEX).
| FATHER/LIST/BOOK | Year | 1 MACC CANONICAL? | OTHER CITATIONS |
| MELITO OF SARDIS | 170 | NOT FOR JEWS? | NONE |
| MURATORIAN CANON | 170 | UNKNOWN | NOT APPLICABLE |
| CLEMENT ALEXANDRIA | 203 | UNKNOWN | W/O QUALIFICATION |
| ORIGEN (JEWISH LIST) | 220 | OUTSIDE OF THESE | NOT APPLICABLE |
| ORIGEN (LETTER) | 248 | N/A | SCRIPTURE |
| ORIGEN (CITATIONS) | 250 | CANON | SCRIPTURE |
| EUSEBIUS (APPROVAL) | 324 | OUTSIDE OF THESE | BIBLE, PROPHECY |
| CLAROMONTANUS | 349 | CANON | NOT APPLICABLE |
| CODEX VATICANUS | 350 | NOT CANON? | NOT APPLICABLE |
| CODEX SINAITICUS | 350 | CANON | NOT APPLICABLE |
| CYRIL OF JERUSALEM | 350 | NOT CANON | CONFIRMED DOCTRINE |
| ST CATHERINE’S SYRIAC | 350 | CANON | NOT APPLICABLE |
| CHELTENHAM LIST | 360 | CANON | NOT APPLICABLE |
| ATHANASIUS | 367 | VERSION 3.1 | 3 ALLUSIONS |
| HILARY OF POITIERS | 367 | NOT CANON | NONE |
| GREGORY NAZIANZUS | 380 | NOT CANON | 2 CITES |
| AMPHILOCHIUS | 380 | NOT CANON | NONE |
| THE APOSTOLIC CANONS | 380 | CANON | PROPHECY |
| EPIPHANIUS PAN. 8.6.1-4 | 385 | NOT FOR JEWS | 1 CITE |
| EPIPHANIUS PAN. 76.22.5 | 385 | NOT CANON | 1 CITE |
| JEROME (HELMETED) | 390 | NOT CANON | TYPOLOGY |
| EPIPHANIUS DE MEN. 4-5 | 392 | NOT FOR JEWS | 1 CITE |
| THE COUNCIL OF HIPPO – 70 BISHOPS | 393 | CANON | NOT APPLICABLE |
| AUGUSTINE | 397 | CANON | SCRIPTURE |
| COUNCIL CARTHAGE – 44-48 BISHOPS | 397 | CANON | NOT APPLICABLE |
| JEROME (SOLOMON) | 398 | VERSION 3.2 | TYPOLOGY |
| RUFINUS | 400 | VERSION 3.3 | NONE? |
| JEROME (TOBIT/JUDITH) | 404 | N/A | TYPOLOGY |
| POPE INNOCENT I | 405 | CANON | NONE |
| COUNCIL CARTHAGE – 217 BISHOPS | 419 | CANON | NOT APPLICABLE |
| CODEX ALEXANDRINUS | 450 | CANON | NOT APPLICABLE |
| CODEX EPHRAEMI R. | 450 | UNKNOWN | NOT APPLICABLE |
Version 3.1: 1 Maccabees is not canon and not to be read, unlike Baruch (which is canon) or Esther (which is not canonical but to be read).
Version 3.2: 1 Maccabees (unlike Esther (which is canon) or Baruch (which is not canon)) read for strengthening but not canonical or for confirming the authority of ecclesiastical dogmas.
Version 3.3: 1 Maccabees (unlike Esther or Baruch (both of which are canon)) not canonical but “Ecclesiastical.”
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1_Maccabees
[2] Clement says, “During the captivity lived Esther and Mordecai, whose book is still extant, as also that of the Maccabees. During this captivity Mishael, Ananias, and Azarias, refusing to worship the image, and being thrown into a furnace of fire, were saved by the appearance of an angel. At that time, on account of the serpent, Daniel was thrown into the den of lions; but being preserved through the providence of God by Ambacub, he is restored on the seventh day…” [The quote is also noted below.] Cf. 1 Maccabees 2:59-60: “Ananias, Azarias, and Misael, by believing were saved out of the flame. Daniel for his innocency was delivered from the mouth of lions.”
[3] Against Celsus 8, 46: What need is there to quote all the princes and private persons in Scripture history who fared well or ill according as they obeyed or despised the words of the prophets? … And the books of the Maccabees relate what punishments were inflicted upon those who dared to profane the Jewish service in the temple at Jerusalem. www.newadvent.org/fathers/04168.htm
[4] 2nd fragment: of the visions: Since, then, the angel Gabriel also recounted these things to the prophet, as they have been understood by us, as they have also taken place, and as they have been all clearly described in the books of the Maccabees, let us see further what he says… www.newadvent.org/fathers/0502.htm
[5] Letter 54, 3: Holy Scripture meets and warns us, saying, … And again: And fear not the words of a sinful man, for his glory shall be dung and worms. Today he is lifted up, and tomorrow he shall not be found, because he is turned into his earth, and his thought shall perish. 1 Maccabees 2:62-63. www.newadvent.org/fathers/050654.htm
[6] See, e.g., Rufinus Apostles’ Creed 38 at www.newadvent.org/fathers/2711.htm.
[7] www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/stewart_don/faq/right-books-in-old-testament/question17-new-testament-quote-old-testament.cfm
[8] If, on the other hand, you disagree and feel that a reference to Ruth is sufficient, then 1 Clement cited the Book of Judith as Scripture before much of the New Testament was even written, and long before Josephus. See the above discussion about Judith, and how that reference ties back to the four Biblical allusions relating to Corinth.
[9] Both Hanukkah and Purim are ordained/proclaimed by the verses that are being cited to, so the references to the Books are stronger than mentions of a thing (i.e., as with Ruth or Nehemiah).
[10] From his long discussion in his commentary on Daniel, at www.tertullian.org/fathers/jerome_daniel_02_text.htm, esp. Chapter 11. Jerome placed the Books of the Maccabees in his third category of books that “one may read … for the strengthening of the people, (but) not for confirming the authority of ecclesiastical dogmas”—apparently that allowed typology, or possibly, his third category idea was used inconsistently, or it was not fully thought out (my vote).
[11] Sundberg in the Canon Debate, p. 88.
[12] Numbers should always be taken with a grain of salt, especially zeros: per the database, Cyril of Jerusalem never cited to either 1 Macc or 1 Chron; however, I found one of his for 1 Macc.
[13] Plus, I found five outside of the database for 1 Maccabees.
[14] The numbers seem to exclude works with date ranges that are not certainly within the range. The methodology and data set are the same, so it is an apples-to-apples comparison. In any event, the subtotals do not equal the final total because such things are not counted in the subtotals.
[15] Jumping over Augustine is bound to massively distort the numbers for all Books (Protestant canon and Apocrypha). There are also other Fathers not included (Rufinus, notably).
[16] Eight of the references to 1 Chronicles are from Philo and should be excluded as well (he was a Jew, not a Christian). I also ignore (but keep in the data) the 1 citation to 1 Maccabees by Procopius, 490 AD+, which puts it outside of our date range. These make no real difference, and I feared that changing things would lead me to commit more errors than simply keeping them in.
