Unsettled Christianity

This is part 2 in a two part series examining the cultural context of 2nd Timothy 1.16-18. As I stated previously, I do not support the notion of praying for God’s mercy on the dead. There is no biblical mandate, or allowance, for doing so – yet, we seemingly have an example from Paul. In the previous post, we examined the idea that Paul used allusions (not quotes) from the Maccabean books in his writings. In this post, we examine the 2nd Timothy 1.16-18 in light of 2nd Maccabees 12.39-45. It is this passage most often pointed to in promoting the view that Paul was indeed praying for the dead.

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This is not intended to be a final word on use of the Deuterocanon as canonical, but an exercise in biblical contextual studies. In the first part of this (initially planned) two part series, I want to establish that there may be a connection between the New Testament writings of Paul and the writes of the Deuterocanonical writings of the Maccabees. This is not meant to say that the four books of the Maccabees are close to being inspired, but we cannot imagine that the New Testament was written in a vacuum. Allusions does not signify quotes, and quotes do not signify inspiration (see Jude’s and Peter’s use of Enoch). Instead, many place these books, and the rest of the Deuterocanon in the place of a tool in studying the historical development surrounding the Apostles and the New Testament writings.

The four  books of the Maccabees (two are held by Rome and all four by the communions of the East) provide an interesting piece of history of the so-called inter-testamental period (supposedly from Malachi to Matthew). In them, we find the history of the Hasmoneans who ruled Israel from the time of Judah Maccabeus’ overthrow of the Greeks until they welcomed in the Romans.  While the Jews do not consider them canonical, it is in the first two books which we find the Jewish holiday of Hanukah (1st Macc 4; 2nd Macc 19; cf John 10). They were included in the canon, and quoted from, in the early church. Further, the first two books were in earliest English translations, including the KJV. Of interest to those who are concerned with prophecy is the 1st chapter of of the first book of Maccabees.

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