Even if true, that has NOTHING WHATSOEVER to do with First, Second, Third and/or Fourth Maccabees being referenced in the Book of Hebrews. To be referenced, it at least must be mentioned. Read the Book of Hebrews.... just READ THE WORDS, and you won't find the words "book" "First" "Second" "Third" "Fourth" "Maccabees.:" Sorry. Just reality.
No one denies that there are MILLIONS of books that contain accurate history. I don't challenge that First and/or Second and/or Third and/or Fourth Maccabees might be among them. Does that mean we have over a MILLION books that are the inerrant, normative, inscripturated words of God and books of the Bible? That if any of these MILLION books mentions something also found in another, that it must list all of them in the footnotes because it is referencing such? Come on.....
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1. Hebrews uses many examples from the Bible in this sermon on FAITH, the last lines in 11:35 is speaking directly of 2 Maccabees 7
2. Unlike secular literature/history, 2 Maccabees is more than just a series of actual past events (The entire Bible is based on actual past events also remember?) but is entirely 100% in pursuit of cleansing GODS house for GODS people. The book is all about re-dedicating the house of GOD!
3. Judah Maccabee was a STRONG believer in the RESURRECTION AND REDEEMER TO COME WHO WILL RAISE THE DEAD, Judah like PAUL found HOPE and COMFORT in the fact that dead believers will be Resurrected into everlasting life!
I.e. (note this is before Christ, the sacrifice had not yet come, keep in mind that this was simply a "pious thought"/wishful thinking/hopes)
2 Maccabees 12:44
"..he acted in a very excellent and noble way, inasmuch as he had the resurrection in mind; for if he were not expecting the fallen to rise again, it would have been superfluous and foolish to pray for the dead. But if he did this with a view to the splendid reward that awaits those who had gone to rest in godliness, it was a holy and pious thought."
Concordance to Paul
"But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words"
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
4. Jews painstakingly transcribed the Maccabean scrolls throughout the synagogues, this is known because after Jamnia, Aquilas replaced them with a new greek Septuagint with the new canon
5. Jesus didnt observe pagan holidays, a Jewish HOLY DAY such as the feast of dedication could not be based on a fictional story, if Judah Maccabee was real then his testament IS real, if the testament is real then God answered the prayers of the Jews and Judah really was called by God to bring his vengeance and wrath upon the pagans and take back His Temple, if it was all in his head well I guess prayers being answered on a grand scale was just coincidence and God really wasn't all that concerned about his Temple being cluttered with pagan idols and Jews being stripped of their religion and forced into pagan idolatry
So whatever call it the Cat in the Hat, im sure Luther felt the same about the book of James
bible.knowing-jesus.com
