Read & explore together
Antiochus and Rome Write about Judea
This passage preserves two official letters as source texts. One comes from Antiochus to Simon and the Jewish nation. The other comes from Rome and reports formal support for the Jews as friends and allies.
Understanding the passage
The setting of these words
The text first names Antiochus as sender and Simon and the nation of the Jews as recipients. Later, Numenius and his company came from Rome with letters to kings and countries, and the Roman message was also copied for Simon the high priest.
1 Maccabees 15:1–9; 1 Maccabees 15:15–24Main takeaway
These documents record political claims, grants, and alliance language concerning the Jews, their land, Jerusalem, and the sanctuary.
Follow the letter’s teaching
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01A formal royal letter beginsThe passage opens by carefully identifying the sender and recipients. Antiochus, son of Demetrius the king, writes to Simon and to all the nation.
Explanation
The passage opens by carefully identifying the sender and recipients. Antiochus, son of Demetrius the king, writes to Simon and to all the nation. The letter itself addresses Simon as chief priest and governor, together with the nation of the Jews. The wording marks this as an official document.
02Antiochus explains his purposeAntiochus says he wants to claim the kingdom of his fathers and restore it, and that he has raised foreign soldiers and prepared warships.
Explanation
Antiochus says he wants to claim the kingdom of his fathers and restore it, and that he has raised foreign soldiers and prepared warships. He plans to land in the country and punish those he says destroyed the country and left many cities desolate. These statements explain his announced campaign.
03Privileges granted to the JewsThe king then confirms remissions already granted by earlier kings and permits coinage with their own stamp.
Explanation
The king then confirms remissions already granted by earlier kings and permits coinage with their own stamp. He says Jerusalem and the sanctuary should be free, allows them to keep weapons and strongholds in their possession, and remits debts owed to the king, including what would be owed from then on.
04Rome writes on behalf of the JewsThe second document says the Jews’ ambassadors came as friends and allies to renew old friendship and alliance, bringing a gold shield.
Explanation
The second document says the Jews’ ambassadors came as friends and allies to renew old friendship and alliance, bringing a gold shield. Rome writes to rulers and countries not to harm the Jews or support their enemies. It also requests that troublemakers who fled be delivered to Simon, and the message is copied widely, including to Simon.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01What titles are used for Simon across these letters?
Compare the ways Simon is named in the openings and the Roman message, and notice both repeated and different titles.
02Which concrete privileges does Antiochus grant?
Look for specific items, not general praise: taxes, coinage, freedom for Jerusalem and the sanctuary, strongholds, and debts.
03What does the Roman letter ask other rulers to do or avoid doing?
Find both sides of the request: protection for the Jews and the treatment of troublemakers who have fled.
Read the Bible passages
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
1 Maccabees 15:1–9
1Antiochus son of Demetrius the king sent a letter from the islands of the sea to Simon the priest and governor of the Jews, and to all the nation.
2Its contents follow: “King Antiochus to Simon the chief priest and governor, and to the nation of the Jews, greetings.
3Whereas certain troublemakers have made themselves masters of the kingdom of our fathers, but my purpose is to claim the kingdom, that I may restore it as it was before; and moreover I have raised a multitude of foreign soldiers, and have prepared warships;
4moreover I plan to land in the country, that I may punish those who have destroyed our country, and those who have made many cities in the kingdom desolate;
5now therefore I confirm to you all the tax remissions which the kings who were before me remitted to you, and whatever gifts besides they remitted to you,
6and I permit you to coin money for your country with your own stamp,
7but that Jerusalem and the sanctuary should be free. All the weapons that you have prepared, and the strongholds that you have built, which you have in your possession, let them remain yours.
8Every debt owed to the king, and the things that will be owed to the king from henceforth and for evermore, let them be remitted to you.
9Moreover, when we have established our kingdom, we will glorify you and your nation and the temple with great glory, so that your glory will be made manifest in all the earth.
1 Maccabees 15:15–24
15Numenius and his company came from Rome, having letters to the kings and to the countries, in which were written these things:
16“Lucius, consul of the Romans, to King Ptolemy, greetings.
17The Jews’ ambassadors came to us as our friends and allies, to renew the old friendship and alliance, being sent from Simon the high priest, and from the people of the Jews.
18Moreover they brought a shield of gold weighing one thousand minas.
19It pleased us therefore to write to the kings and to the countries, that they should not seek their harm or fight against them, their cities, and their country, or be allies with those who fight against them.
20Moreover, it seemed good to us to receive the shield from them.
21If therefore any troublemakers have fled from their country to you, deliver them to Simon the high priest, that he may take vengeance on them according to their law.”
22He wrote the same things to King Demetrius, to Attalus, to Arathes, to Arsaces,
23to all the countries, to Sampsames, to the Spartans, to Delos, to Myndos, to Sicyon, to Caria, to Samos, to Pamphylia, to Lycia, to Halicarnassus, to Rhodes, to Phaselis, to Cos, to Side, to Aradus, Gortyna, Cnidus, Cyprus, and Cyrene.
24They also wrote this copy to Simon the high priest.