Page 116 - Biblical Backgrounds

To expand and unify their empire, the later Seleucid kings took Hellenization to advanced levels.
Particularly, the Jewish faith was threatened with the rise of Antiochus IV (175–163 BCE) to the throne.
He tried to abolish the religion of his subject people and replace it with Greek culture and religions. One
way of achieving this in Jerusalem was his assumption of the right to appoint Jewish high priests. Jews
who embraced Hellenism welcomed this, but conservatives regarded it as a serious compromise to their
identity and faith.

Meanwhile, Antiochus’ Hellenization campaign caused the Jewish elite and loyalists to start vying for
positions of prominence, especially the high priesthood. At this time, Onias was the high priest in
Jerusalem. His highly Hellenized brother Jason bribed Antiochus IV to appoint him as high priest so that
he could, in return, help in Hellenizing the Jews. The deal was agreed, and a conservative priest, Onias,
was made to step down. In keeping his part of the deal, Jason built a gymnasium not far from the
Temple in Jerusalem (2 Maccabees 4:8–10).

For future context, a gymnasium was an outdoor complex, open to the public at large, and provided
space dedicated to sports and cultural activities. A standard gymnasium included a running track, a place
for gymnastics, one or more swimming pools, dressing-rooms, and other minor buildings. In ancient
Greek the word gymnos (from which gymnasium is derived) means naked, and every participant
competed naked.

Antiochus used Jason’s power as the High Priest over the Jewish people to build a gymnasium just
outside the Temple, thereby strengthening the Greek culture in the heartland of the Jewish community.
It was a symbol of Greek Hellenism, and having it outside the Temple showed the Jewish community
exactly who was in charge. The Hellenistic idea of masculinity was shown in the rule that one must be
naked to enter the gymnasium. Being naked in public was strictly forbidden under Jewish laws, so any
Jewish person who went into the gymnasium violated the laws of the covenant. For conservative Jews,
this was a clear infiltration of Paganism.

Jason’s influence only lasted for three years (175–172 BCE). Menelaus, a colleague of his but not from
the priestly line, deposed him by outbidding him in the bribery game (2 Maccabees 4:23–26). That a
Greek gymnasium was built in Jerusalem was one issue for the Jews, and that the high priesthood was
this time given to an outsider in Menelaus was another. According to 2 Maccabees 4:25, Menelaus is
described as having the hot temper of a cruel tyrant and the rage of a savage wild beast. He
undoubtedly exploited the temple system and the general public to keep up with the brides and enrich
himself. He was seemingly even more of a Hellenist than Jason.

These events proved to be an attack on the heart of the Jewish faith. Factions emerged in Jerusalem –
those who generally despised Hellenism, the sympathizers of Jason, those loyal to Menelaus, and/or any
other possible combinations. In 168 BCE, Antiochus was committed to his attempted subjugation of
Egypt. Jason attempted to retake Jerusalem, the result being a series of internal attacks between
factions. Deeming these attacks as a rebellion against him and angered by his failure to subjugate Egypt,
Antiochus launched an attack on Jerusalem, destroying its walls and houses.

The following year, Antiochus deemed Judaism to be the source of the continuing attacks and rebellion
against him. He made such religious observances as circumcision and Sabbath-keeping, and the
possession of a copy of the Law, punishable by death. He dedicated the temple to the Olympian Zeus
and desecrated it with a sacrifice of swine on the altar. Worship of heathen gods became compulsory.
Thus, Antiochus fulfilled God’s Word as said by the prophet Daniel: Forces from him shall appear and

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