1. Captivity, Return, and Years of Silence
A Remnant Shall Return
Captivity, Return, and Years of Silence

2. Lesson 20: The Syrian Empire & Maccabean Revolt
Now represented by Syrian Empire (Seleucid kings).
Direct affect upon the Jews.

3. Lesson 20: The Syrian Empire & Maccabean Revolt
Antiochus III
– 6th Seleucid king
– Father of Antiochus IV (Epiphanes)
– Defeated Egypt in 198 B.C. to finally gain Judea
– In battling Egypt further, he entered into an
alliance with Philip of Macedon to divide the
Ptolemies’ possessions outside of Egypt (namely, areas on Aegean Sea)
– At the same time, Antiochus was asked to lend
aid to Greek states on the Adriatic Sea who
feared Roman involvement in their affairs

4. Lesson 20: The Syrian Empire & Maccabean Revolt

5. Lesson 20: The Syrian Empire & Maccabean Revolt
Antiochus III
– Could never defeat Rome (who is on the rise)
– In 188, Antiochus basically cedes Asia Minor,
his navy & mercenary soldiers to Rome
– He must also pay a huge indemnity
– To ensure payment, Rome takes hostage
Antiochus’ son, Antiochus IV (Epiphanes)
– He is later “swapped” for another son
– For the most part, Syria is now in shambles
– Antiochus died in 187 in battling a revolt and
attempting a raid for money to pay Rome

6. Lesson 20: The Syrian Empire & Maccabean Revolt
Antiochus IV (Epiphanes)
– Eventually gained his father’s throne in 175
– He saw his kingdom was in trouble (in a vise)
– He was still paying debt money to Rome and
could not enlarge himself to the West
– There was also a new threat to his East...Parthia

7. Lesson 20: The Syrian Empire & Maccabean Revolt
Antiochus IV (Epiphanes)
– Eventually gained his father’s throne in 175
– He saw his kingdom was in trouble (in a vise)
– He was still paying debt money to Rome and
could not enlarge himself to the West
– There was also a new threat to his East...Parthia

8. Lesson 20: The Syrian Empire & Maccabean Revolt
Antiochus IV (Epiphanes)
– Eventually gained his father’s throne in 175
– He saw his kingdom was in trouble (in a vise)
– He was still paying debt money to Rome and
could not enlarge himself to the West
– There was also a new threat to his East...Parthia
– This is where the history focuses re: Syria
turning her attention to lands & peoples she
still controlled e.g. Judea
– He needed money and to further remind them
he was still their ruler

9. Lesson 20: The Syrian Empire & Maccabean Revolt
The High Priesthood
– Became a very important leadership position
during “Years Of Silence” (no king, prophet)
– However, it had gradually evolved into a
political position, often going to highest bidder (a practice continued by Romans – Jn 18:13)
Evidence of further eroding of Jewish identity and morphing into more & more Hellenism Ex 19:5-6.
N.T. parallels Rom 12: Pet 2:9-11

10. Lesson 20: The Syrian Empire & Maccabean Revolt
The High Priesthood
– Antiochus Epiphanes allowed one named
Jason to become high priest in Jerusalem
– Jason cultivated Hellenistic ways, recruited
Jewish young men to adopt the culture
– In 171, Jason’s tribute courier to Antiochus E.
(Menelaus) courted Antiochus’ approval & was
given the office of high priest
– Menelaus allowed Antiochus E. to raid the
temple for wealth to pay Rome
Temple rituals were suspended.
Sacred scriptures were burned.
Observance of sabbath & festival days was forbidden.
Circumcision was forbidden.
Altar of Zeus was erected on top of altar of burnt offering.

11. Lesson 20: The Syrian Empire & Maccabean Revolt
The High Priesthood
– Antiochus Epiphanes now demanded the
Jews recognize him as manifestation of Zeus
– These and other efforts only alienated him
further from Judea and the Jews
– This calls to mind the prophecy from Dan 8
– If he was the “little horn” (vv. 8-14, 21-26)
then he was fulfilling what Daniel had declared
some 380 years earlier
– Antiochus Epiphanes died in 164 B.C.

12. Lesson 20: The Syrian Empire & Maccabean Revolt
The Maccabean Revolt (167 B.C.)
– An attempt was made to force an aged priest Mattathias Hasmoneas to sacrifice to Zeus
– He refused…Syrians found another Jew who
was willing
– Mattathias killed the Jew & Syrian officers
– Mattathias & his 5 sons were forced to flee
– Before his death, Mattathias appoints Judas as
military commander
– He was surnamed Maccabaeus (“Hammer”)
– Fighting was guerilla warfare-type (skirmishes)

13. Lesson 20: The Syrian Empire & Maccabean Revolt
The Maccabean Revolt (167 B.C.)
– Judas & his men eventually regained control
of Jerusalem (Dec. 164 B.C.)
– Cleansed the temple…removed Zeus
– Built new altar
– This “recovery” is still celebrated as Hanukkah
by Jews today (“lights” from Jews burning
candles in homes to celebrate temple’s
rekindled lights)

14. Lesson 20: The Syrian Empire & Maccabean Revolt
The Maccabean Revolt (167 B.C.)
– Syria eventually realized it could not succeed in defeating the Maccabees
– Judea was officially granted independence from Syrian power & the Seleucid kings in 142 B.C.

15. Lesson 20: The Syrian Empire & Maccabean Revolt