Breaking Open the Word

2 Maccabees 7:1-2,9-14
2 Thessalonians 2:16-3:5
Luke 20:27-38
 
1 & 2 Maccabees are scriptures we do not hear about very often.  1 Maccabees we never read during our Sunday cycles and 2 Maccabees we hear only once in Cycle C, our current Sunday cycle, and two times in Year I of the daily cycle.  
 
2 Maccabees was originally written in Greek and is believed to be a summary of a five-volume work composed by Jason of Cyrene. Some scholars date this as early as 129-104 BC, but most agree it was written before 63 BC when Pompey arrived from Rome.
 
Overall the Maccabees were not pleased when the Jewish traditions were being overtaken by the Hellenists and their temples were being profaned with other images and altars not of the Jewish beliefs. For them, the temple is a symbol of what happens to them as a nation: the people suffer persecution followed by liberation and restoration.
 
The book’s theology is primarily that of Deuteronomic: sin leads to punishment; repentance leads to salvation. This book looks inward at its leaders and those who were the high priests who were trying to introduce the Hellenistic ways into Judea.
 
The specific passages we hear today deal with those who were the models of perseverance and fidelity to the law and religion. God purifies people because of the sin that is found in their midst. This purification is not a punishment, but is a discipline or a correction. If one can remain faithful during times of persecution, even to the point of giving up your life, has effects on the course of humanity and will hasten people’s restoration.
 
We hear that seven brothers and their mother were arrested by the King in an attempt to get them to eat pork, which was against their beliefs. They held fast to their beliefs and were put to death for refusing to obey the King.
 
While this piece of scripture is not an inspired piece that one would read over and over again as spiritual up-lifting reading, but it does serve as a theological model for martyrdom. We know almost all of the original 12 disciples were killed for their beliefs, we know that many people have been martyred over the years for the beliefs they have stood for.
 
How would you act if you were put in that kind of position? Would you cave in or would you stand against the evil and be willing to sacrifice your life for your beliefs?
 
Paul’s letter is a continuation of the theme to be faithful as we saw in 2 Maccabees. He is encouraging the people to understand that Jesus has loved us and given us an everlasting encouragement through the grace He has sent to us. He says that we will be delivered from perverse and wicked people.
 
He continues on by saying that the Lord will strengthen us and guard us from the evil one. Paul finishes by saying that he has faith in us that what he instructed us, we will continue to do and that our hearts need to understand the love the Lord has for each of us.
 
In Luke today we hear the Sadducees try and trap Jesus once again. This time they use the law that Moses gave to the people that when a man dies and leaves behind a widow, but no children, one of his brother’s must may her and raise descendants in honor of the one who died. When the wife dies, they want to know that at the Resurrection who will she be the wife of between all of the men she married.
 
The first irony of this story is the fact that the Sadducees do not believe in the Resurrection, yet here they are trying to use that to trap Jesus. As we always hear, Jesus will not be drawn into their arguments. He has to instruct them that at the Resurrection there will be no distinction of man and woman, no distinction of husband and wife, but all will be angels because they are all children of God.
 
Secondly, Jesus has to remind them that Moses also said that the Lord is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to Him all are alive.
 
This gospel fits in well when talking about death and martyrdom, that God’s plan for man will be fulfilled, no matter what the circumstances, whether we die from natural causes or suffer at the hand of evil, all He deems worthy will rise at the end times.