How does Judas respond to Nicanor’s changed behavior after their friendship?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

Court accusations overturn an agreeable covenant; Judas responds to rougher behavior by hiding, while the priestly prayer and Razias account retain their separate annotation limits.

Chapter breakdown

After three years Judas’s company learns Demetrius son of Seleucus has come with great force and a navy through Tripolis’s harbor and mastered countries against Antiochus and Lysias. Their execution is not recounted here. Alcimus, formerly chief priest but willingly defiled in heathen mingling, lacks safety and altar access. The note identifies his Aaronic ancestry, apostasy and appointment by Eupator, compares Menelaus’s appointment by Antiochus, and judges neither a true high priest. It says the true priesthood lay with Aaronic Machabees who kept religion and were ordained by Mosaic rites. It explains mingling as idolatrous worship. These priesthood judgments remain the edition’s commentary.

In year one hundred fifty Alcimus brings Demetrius a gold crown, a palm and boughs seeming to belong to the temple, initially remaining silent. Asked later in counsel about Jewish reliance and plans, he accuses the Assideans under Judas of war and sedition preventing peace. He says he has lost ancestral priestly glory and claims fidelity to royal interests and concern for suffering countrymen, appealing to the king’s humanity and asserting that peace is impossible while Judas lives. Judas’s other enemies at court inflame the king. Demetrius sends Nicanor, elephant commander, as Judea’s governor to capture Judas, disperse followers and install Alcimus. Capture is not an execution order. Gentiles expelled by Judas gather to him, seeing Jewish calamity as their own advantage.

The Jews pray with earth on their heads to the chooser and protector of his people, then at their captain’s command move to Dessau. Simon has fought Nicanor but is frightened by the adversaries’ sudden arrival. Nicanor, hearing of Judas’s companions’ valor for their country, fears trying the matter by the sword. He sends Posidonius, Theodotius and Matthias to exchange right hands. After consultation and informing the multitude, they unanimously consent to covenants. A private meeting day is fixed and seats placed for each. Judas positions armed men conveniently against possible sudden enemy mischief; the conference is agreeable. Nicanor stays in Jerusalem, does no wrong and dismisses the gathered multitudes. He sincerely favors Judas and encourages marriage and children; Judas marries, lives quietly and they live in common.

Seeing their affection and covenants, Alcimus tells Demetrius that Nicanor favors foreign interests and means to make Judas, whom he calls a traitor, his successor. The king angrily writes his displeasure and orders Judas sent prisoner promptly to Antioch. Nicanor is dismayed at voiding agreed articles without injury from Judas, but unable to oppose the king, seeks opportunity to comply. Judas observes increased sternness and rough behavior in their customary meetings, recognizes that it means no good and hides with a few men. His awareness is based on behavior; it is not stated that he knows the letter.

Prevented from taking Judas, Nicanor commands the sacrificing temple priests to produce him. They swear ignorance of his location. Stretching a hand toward the temple, he threatens to level it, demolish the altar and dedicate the temple to Bacchus unless Judas is delivered prisoner. After his departure the priests raise hands to heaven, addressing the defender of their nation, Lord of all who needs nothing yet chose a temple among them, and holy of holies, asking the newly cleansed house remain undefiled forever.

Razias, a Jerusalem elder of good report and love for the city, called father of the Jews for kindness, is accused to Nicanor. He long resolved to remain pure in Jewish religion at risk of body and life. Nicanor sends five hundred soldiers to capture him, intending to display hatred and hurt the Jews by ensnaring him. As they press into his house, break the door and try to burn it, he strikes himself with his sword, choosing death rather than capture and abuses unworthy of his birth. The note cites Augustine, Epistle sixty-one to Dulcitius and book two, chapter twenty-three against Gaudentius’s second epistle: Scripture relates the act without praising it for admiration or imitation; either it was not well done or at least was not proper in the time of grace. The narrative is thus not labeled exemplary self-inflicted martyrdom.

In haste Razias fails to make a sure wound. As the crowd breaks the doors he leaps from the wall toward them. They make room and the text says he lands upon the midst of the neck. A separate note gives the Latin and explains Greek keneona as a void place without a building; this clarification is not silently replaced by a courtyard. Still breathing and badly wounded, with blood flowing, he rises and runs through the crowd. On a steep rock he grasps his bowels, throws them toward the throng and invokes the Lord of life and spirit to restore them again, then dies. His request is retained without adding a specified resurrection timing.

The story inside

Nicanor initially seeks a covenant after hearing of courage and becomes warmly attached to Judas. Alcimus’s accusation brings a royal capture order. Nicanor’s behavior changes; Judas hides, preventing capture and leading to the temple threat. Razias’s narrated death is accompanied by Augustine’s warning against treating the act as an imitable example.

Lessons worth keeping

1
Alcimus names Assideans, and the original mission orders capture rather than execution.
2
Judas perceives behavior; knowledge of the king’s letter is not supplied.
3
The Razias and Greek-word annotations are separately attributed, avoiding a heroic prescription or invented courtyard.

Test your recall

What three actions does Nicanor threaten against the temple and altar?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 109958–110082
14:1. But after the space of three years Judas, and they that were with him, understood that Demetrius, the son of Seleucus, was come up with a great power, and a navy by the haven of Tripolis, to places proper for his purpose, 14:2. And had made himself master of the countries against Antiochus, and his general, Lysias. 14:3. Now one Alcimus, who had been chief priest, but had wilfully defiled himself in the time of mingling with the heathens, seeing that there was no safety for him, nor access to the altar, Now Alcimus, who had been chief priest.... This Alcimus was of the stock of Aaron, but for his apostasy here mentioned was incapable of the high priesthood, but king Antiochus Eupator appointed him in place of the high priest, (see above, 1 Mac. chap. 7., ver. 9,) as Menelaus had been before him, set up by Antiochus (above chap. 4.), yet neither of them were truly high priests; for the true high priesthood was amongst the Machabees, who were also of the stock of Aaron, and had strictly held their religion, and were ordained according to the rites commanded in the law of Moses.—Ibid. Mingling.... with the heathens; that is, in their idolatrous worship. 14:4. Came to king Demetrius in the year one hundred and fifty, presenting unto him a crown of gold, and a palm, and besides these, some boughs that seemed to belong to the temple. And that day indeed he held his peace. 14:5. But having gotten a convenient time to further his madness, being called to counsel by Demetrius, and asked what the Jews relied upon, and what were their counsels, 14:6. He answered thereunto: They among the Jews that are called Assideans, of whom Judas Machabeus is captain, nourish wars, and raise seditions, and will not suffer the realm to be in peace. 14:7. For I also being deprived of my ancestors’ glory (I mean of the high priesthood) am now come hither: 14:8. Principally indeed out of fidelity to the king’s interests, but in the next place also to provide for the good of my countrymen: for all our nation suffereth much from the evil proceedings of these men. 14:9. Wherefore, O king, seeing thou knowest all these things, take care, I beseech thee, both of the country, and of our nation, according to thy humanity which is known to all men. 14:10. For as long as Judas liveth it is not possible that the state should be quiet. 14:11. Now when this man had spoken to this effect the rest also of the king’s friends, who were enemies of Judas, incensed Demetrius against him. 14:12. And forthwith he sent Nicanor, the commander over the elephants, governor into Judea: 14:13. Giving him in charge, to take Judas himself: and disperse all them that were with him, and to make Alcimus the high priest of the great temple. 14:14. Then the Gentiles who had fled out of Judea, from Judas, came to Nicanor by flocks, thinking the miseries and calamities of the Jews to be the welfare of their affairs. 14:15. Now when the Jews heard of Nicanor’s coming, and that the nations were assembled against them, they cast earth upon their heads, and made supplication to him who chose his people to keep them for ever, and who protected his portion by evident signs. 14:16. Then at the commandment of their captain, they forthwith removed from the place where they were, and went to the town of Dessau, to meet them. 14:17. Now Simon, the brother of Judas, had joined battle with Nicanor: but was frightened with the sudden coming of the adversaries. 14:18. Nevertheless Nicanor hearing of the valour of Judas’s companions, and the greatness of courage, with which they fought for their country, was afraid to try the matter by the sword. 14:19. Wherefore he sent Posidonius, and Theodotius and Matthias before to present and receive the right hands. 14:20. And when there had been a consultation thereupon, and the captain had acquainted the multitude with it, they were all of one mind to consent to covenants. 14:21. So they appointed a day upon which they might come together by themselves: and seats were brought out, and set for each one. 14:22. But Judas ordered armed men to be ready in convenient places, lest some mischief might be suddenly practised by the enemies: so they made an agreeable conference. 14:23. And Nicanor abode in Jerusalem, and did no wrong, but sent away the flocks of the multitudes that had been gathered together. 14:24. And Judas was always dear to him from the heart, and he was well affected to the man. 14:25. And he desired him to marry a wife, and to have children. So he married: he lived quietly, and they lived in common. 14:26. But Alcimus seeing the love they had one to another, and the covenants, came to Demetrius, and told him that Nicanor had assented to the foreign interest, for that he meant to make Judas, who was a traitor to the kingdom, his successor. 14:27. Then the king, being in a rage, and provoked with this man’s wicked accusations, wrote to Nicanor, signifying that he was greatly displeased with the covenant of friendship: and that he commanded him nevertheless to send Machabeus prisoner in all haste to Antioch. 14:28. When this was known, Nicanor was in a consternation, and took it grievously that he should make void the articles that were agreed upon, having received no injury from the man. 14:29. But because he could not oppose the king, he watched an opportunity to comply with the orders. 14:30. But when Machabeus perceived that Nicanor was more stern to him, and that when they met together as usual he behaved himself in a rough manner; and was sensible that this rough behaviour came not of good, he gathered together a few of his men, and hid himself from Nicanor.
Lines 110084–110149
14:31. But he finding himself notably prevented by the man, came to the great and holy temple: and commanded the priests that were offering the accustomed sacrifices, to deliver him the man. 14:32. And when they swore unto him, that they knew not where the man was whom he sought, he stretched out his hand to the temple, 14:33. And swore, saying: Unless you deliver Judas prisoner to me, I will lay this temple of God even with the ground, and will beat down the altar, and I will dedicate this temple to Bacchus. 14:34. And when he had spoken thus, he departed. But the priests stretching forth their hands to heaven, called upon him that was ever the defender of their nation, saying in this manner: 14:35. Thou, O Lord of all things, who wantest nothing, wast pleased that the temple of thy habitation should be amongst us. 14:36. Therefore now, O Lord, the holy of all holies, keep this house for ever undefiled, which was lately cleansed. 14:37. Now Razias, one of the ancients of Jerusalem, was accused to Nicanor, a man that was a lover of the city, and of good report, who for his kindness was called the father of the Jews. 14:38. This man, for a long time, had held fast his purpose of keeping himself pure in the Jews’ religion, and was ready to expose his body and life, that he might persevere therein. 14:39. So Nicanor being willing to declare the hatred that he bore the Jews, sent five hundred soldiers to take him. 14:40. For he thought by ensnaring him to hurt the Jews very much. 14:41. Now as the multitude sought to rush into his house, and to break open the door, and to set fire to it, when he was ready to be taken, he struck himself with his sword: He struck himself, etc.... St. Augustine, (Epist. 61, ad Dulcitium, et lib. 2, cap. 23, ad Epist. 2, Gaud.) discussing this fact of Razias, says, that the holy scripture relates it, but doth not praise it, as to be admired or imitated, and that either it was not well done by him, or at least not proper in this time of grace. 14:42. Choosing to die nobly rather than to fall into the hands of the wicked, and to suffer abuses unbecoming his noble birth. 14:43. But whereas through haste he missed of giving a sure wound, and the crowd was breaking into the doors, he ran boldly to the wall, and manfully threw himself down to the crowd: 14:44. But they quickly making room for his fall, he came upon the midst of the neck. He came upon the midst of the neck.... Venit per mediam cervicem. In the Greek it is keneona, which signifies a void place, where there is no building. 14:45. And as he had yet breath in him, being inflamed in mind, he arose: and while his blood ran down with a great stream, and he was grievously wounded, he ran through the crowd: 14:46. And standing upon a steep rock, when he was now almost without blood, grasping his bowels, with both hands he cast them upon the throng, calling upon the Lord of life and spirit, to restore these to him again: and so he departed this life.