Part 636 (1/2)

12:27. And after he had put to flight and destroyed these, he removed his army to Ephron, a strong city, wherein there dwelt a mult.i.tude of divers nations: and stout young men standing upon the walls, made a vigorous resistance: and in this place there were many engines of war, and a provision of darts.

12:28. But when they had invocated the Almighty, who with his power breaketh the strength of the enemies, they took the city: and slew five and twenty thousand of them that were within.

12:29. From thence they departed to Scythopolis, which lieth six hundred furlongs from Jerusalem.

Scythopolis... Formerly called Bethsan.

12:30. But the Jews that were among the Scythopolitans testifying that they were used kindly by them, and that even in the times of their adversity they had treated them with humanity:

12:31. They gave them thanks, exhorting them to be still friendly to their nation, and so they came to Jerusalem, the feast of the weeks being at hand.

12:32. And after Pentecost they marched against Gorgias, the governor of Idumea.

12:33. And he came out with three thousand footmen and four hundred hors.e.m.e.n.

12:34. And when they had joined battle, it happened that a few of the Jews were slain.

12:35. But Dositheus, a horseman, one of Bacenor's band, a valiant man, took hold of Gorgias: and when he would have taken him alive, a certain horseman of the Thracians came upon him, and cut off his shoulder: and so Gorgias escaped to Maresa.

12:36. But when they that were with Esdrin had fought long, and were weary, Judas called upon the Lord to be their helper, and leader of the battle:

12:37. Then beginning in his own language, and singing hymns with a loud voice, he put Gorgias's soldiers to flight.

12:38. So Judas having gathered together his army, came into the city Odollam: and when the seventh day came, they purified themselves according to the custom, and kept the sabbath in the same place.

12:39. And the day following Judas came with his company, to take away the bodies of them that were slain, and to bury them with their kinsmen, in the sepulchres of their fathers.

12:40. And they found under the coats of the slain, some of the donaries of the idols of Jamnia, which the law forbiddeth to the Jews: so that all plainly saw, that for this cause they were slain.

Of the donaries, etc... That is, of the votive offerings, which had been hung up in the temples of the idols, which they had taken away when they burnt the port of Jamnia, ver. 9., contrary to the prohibition of the law, Deut. 7.25.

12:41. Then they all blessed the just judgment of the Lord, who had discovered the things that were hidden.

12:42. And so betaking themselves to prayers, they besought him, that the sin which had been committed might be forgotten. But the most valiant Judas exhorted the people to keep themselves from sin, forasmuch as they saw before their eyes what had happened, because of the sins of those that were slain.

12:43. And making a gathering, he sent twelve thousand drachms of silver to Jerusalem for sacrifice to be offered for the sins of the dead, thinking well and religiously concerning the resurrection.

12:44. (For if he had not hoped that they that were slain should rise again, it would have seemed superfluous and vain to pray for the dead,)

12:45. And because he considered that they who had fallen asleep with G.o.dliness, had great grace laid up for them.

With G.o.dliness... Judas hoped that these men who died fighting for the cause of G.o.d and religion, might find mercy: either because they might be excused from mortal sin by ignorance; or might have repented of their sin, at least at their death.

12:46. It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins.

It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead...

Here is an evident and undeniable proof of the practice of praying for the dead under the old law, which was then strictly observed by the Jews, and consequently could not be introduced at that time by Judas, their chief and high priest, if it had not been always their custom.

2 Machabees Chapter 13