12. In those days, there went forth from Israel sons of iniquity, and they persuaded many, saying: “Let us go and negotiate a covenant with the Gentiles that are all around us. For since we have withdrawn from them, many evils have found us.”
The book of 1 Maccabees narrates the history of the Jews in the intertestamentary period, between the end of the Old Testament and the beginning of the New Testament. Chapter 1 describes the desecration of the temple of Jerusalem by King Antiochus Epiphanius IV and his attempt to impose Greek culture and religion on the Jews. Below are five verses related to the topics covered in 1 Maccabees 1:
2 Maccabees 4:15: "No more worrying about the sacred rites of parents, but in view of the glory of the Greeks and their way of life" this verse portrays the influence of Greek culture and the lack of respect for rites and traditions Jewish religious, which was one of the main causes of the temple's desecration.
Daniel 8:11-12: "He was magnified to the army's own prince; on his part, the continuous sacrifice was taken, and the place of his sanctuary was lying down. And an army was standing against continuous sacrifice, because of the transgression; and threw the truth to the ground, and what he did prosper. " These verses prophesy the desecration of the temple and the suspension of continuous sacrifice, which is a central element of Jewish worship.
2 Maccabees 5:11-12: "And, coming to Jerusalem with a great army, he sent Antiochus epiphanium, his friends, who were leaders of his host, Jerusalem, to speak to the Jews with deceit, saying: Come, make an agreement Peace with you, and with which we all agree to us, will be lawful, on Saturday, doing business, and shopping, and selling in the country of Jews, without anyone concerning you. " These verses describe Antiochus's attempt Epiphanium to deceive Jews and convince them to abandon their religious practices in exchange for freedom to do business.
Ezekiel 7:22-23: "I will come upon them the wickedness of the strangers, and give them to the violence of the wicked, and the earth will be desecrated by their blood. And I will cease the arrogance of the strong, and their holy places will be desecrated. " These verses talk about the desecration of the sacred places by foreigners and violence against Jews, a theme similar to what is portrayed in 1 Maccabees 1.
Jeremiah 25:9-11: "Behold, I will send, and take to all the northern tribes, says the Lord, and the Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, my servant, and I will bring them against this land, and against their residents, and and, and Against all these nations around, and I will totally destroy them, and make them object of astonishment, and whistle, and perpetual desert. " These verses prophesy the invasion of Babylon and the destruction of the earth and its residents, a theme that is resumed in 1 Maccabees 1.
“O mal não se vence com o mal, mas com o bem, que tem em si uma força sobrenatural.” São Padre Pio de Pietrelcina
