Bibliography
| Title: The Formation of the Third Book of Maccabees Pages: 311-328 Type: Generic Year: 1995 Abstract: "After an outline of the narrative of 3 Maccabees, the study identifies two of the sources used by the author: an etiological legend underlying the annual celebration in Alexandria and Egypt of a Purim-like liberation festival (cf. Josephus, Against Apion 2:53-55), and the Heliodorus story known from 2 Maccabees 3. The author's main aim was to relate the festival legend; the story of Heliodorus was used as a pattern to provide the legend with a properly edifying historical context. Moreover, the introduction of the episode in Jerusalem allowed the author to make it clear that Ptolemy had a conflict with God and not with the Jews. This suggests that the author wished to alleviate tensions between Jews and non-Jews during his own time, and to promote a spirit of reconciliation. - C.R.M." Keywords: ewish and Christian Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha, Apocalyptic |