Hasmonean Dynasty

Background

After the death of Alexander the Great, Judea was ruled first by the Ptolemaic dynasty of Egypt and then by the Seleucid dynasty of Syria. During this period, Jewish society included both a movement to embrace Hellenism, that is, Greek culture, and a movement to resist it. The Seleucid king Antiochus IV Epiphanes had pagan sacrifices offered in the Temple in Jerusalem and prohibited circumcision and observance of the Sabbath. These events are generally dated to around 167 BC.

Course of Events

• c. 167 BC: Mattathias, a priest from the village of Modein, and his sons launched a revolt, commonly called the Maccabean Revolt. "Maccabee" was the epithet of Judas, the third son, and is widely interpreted to mean "hammer." The dynastic name "Hasmonean" derives from the name of the family's ancestor as reported by Josephus.
• 164 BC: Judas Maccabeus recaptured Jerusalem, purified the Temple, and rededicated it. The festival commemorating this event is the Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah), which is also mentioned in John 10:22.
• From c. 160 BC: After Judas fell in battle, his brother Jonathan became leader and received the office of high priest around 152 BC.
• c. 142–140 BC: Under his brother Simon, the tribute paid to the Seleucid dynasty was remitted, bringing de facto independence, and a popular assembly recognized Simon as leader and high priest.
• John Hyrcanus I (134–104 BC): He expanded the territory and is reported to have compelled the Edomites (Idumeans) to be circumcised and to have destroyed the Samaritan temple on Mount Gerizim.
• Aristobulus I and Alexander Jannaeus: According to Josephus, Aristobulus I was the first to use the title of king. Jannaeus (103–76 BC) greatly enlarged the realm but came into bitter conflict with the Pharisees.
• Salome Alexandra (76–67 BC): The wife of Jannaeus, she maintained close relations with the Pharisees.
• 63 BC: When her two sons, Hyrcanus II and Aristobulus II, contended for the throne, the Roman general Pompey intervened and captured Jerusalem. From this time on, Judea came under Roman influence.
• 37 BC: Antigonus, who had become king with Parthian support, was defeated by Herod, who had Roman backing, and the Hasmonean dynasty came to an end.

Results and Influence

The Hasmonean era forms the core of the intertestamental period. Jewish groups that appear in the New Testament, such as the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the Essenes, are thought to have taken distinct shape at this time. Many scholars hold that the Qumran community, which produced the Dead Sea Scrolls, opposed the Hasmonean high priesthood. Herod is said to have married Mariamne, a member of the Hasmonean family, in an effort to strengthen the legitimacy of his rule.

The principal sources for this period are 1 and 2 Maccabees and the works of Josephus. The Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church accept the books of Maccabees as canonical, whereas Protestants exclude them from the canon and classify them among the Apocrypha. For this reason, the books of Maccabees are included in the Korean Common Translation Bible but not in the New Korean Revised Version. Many scholars and commentators treat the era of Antiochus IV as the background when interpreting Daniel 11 and "the abomination of desolation" (Daniel 11:31; Matthew 24:15).

Assessment

The Hasmonean dynasty began as a resistance movement to defend religious freedom, and for this reason Jewish tradition still commemorates its victory in the Feast of Dedication. Over time, however, the dynasty itself came to resemble a Hellenistic kingdom: a family not of the house of David occupied the throne, and a priestly family not of the Zadokite line also held the high priesthood. These developments are regarded as having drawn criticism even in their own day. For Protestant readers, this period is chiefly treated as background for understanding the political and religious situation of the Gospel era.