by Angela Hunt
The real miracle of Hanukkah has nothing to do with oil and everything to do with how a ragtag group led by Judah Maccabaeus defeated one of the finest armies in the world and reclaimed the holy Temple.
Q: Who actually wrote 1 and 2 Maccabees?
A: No one knows. No original text, which was written in Hebrew, survives, but scholars believe the book was first written in 100 BC. In this story I do not intend to seriously suggest that Judah’s wife was the original storyteller, but since we have no way of knowing how the story came to be recorded, perhaps she could have been.
I hope you have enjoyed the story of Judah Maccabaeus as much as I did.
1. Du Rand, J. A. “Groups in Jewish National Life in the New Testament Period.” The New Testament Milieu. Ed. A. B. du Toit. Vol. 2. Halfway House: Orion Publishers, 1998.
2. http://dafaleph.com/home/2015/12/8/the-historicity-of-the-miracle-of-oil, accessed January 31, 2017.
3. http://failedmessiah.typepad.com/failed_messiahcom/2012/12/blinded-by-the-lights-you-could-easily-miss-the-true-meaning-of-hanukkah-789.html, accessed January 31, 2017.
Discussion Questions
As Leah contemplates marriage, her mother says: “But here I am, and there you are, safe and untouched by brutality.” Was Leah really “untouched” by her father’s brutality? How does harshness and abuse affect children? How can this problem affect generations to come?
Hunt says that she created Judah as a Christ-figure. He gives his life not only for his bride, but for his people, and he takes a brave stand against evil. He bears scars from his sufferings, and he loves unconditionally. He wants to lead his people, his wife, and his family, but his wife does not always want to be led. In what ways do you see Judah as a Christ-figure? Do you see weaknesses in the metaphor?
Leah wants a husband who will do what she wants him to do—in other words, obey her and stop being a warrior. Should she have asked this of him? Why or why not?
How much did you know about the Maccabees before reading Judah’s Wife?
What did you think about Judah’s visions? The Jewish people have been persecuted through the ages, and Israel is still under constant threat. Have the Jews always defended themselves? Will they defend themselves in the future?
Have you read the other novels in THE SILENT YEARS series? How did this book compare to the others?
Do you prefer contemporary or historical fiction? What do you like most about historical fiction? Would you rather read about a period you know well (for example, the Civil War) or one you know little about?
Did Leah have a right to feel neglected in her marriage? What could Judah have done to ease her feelings?
Who was your favorite character and why?
Judah took steps that ultimately resulted in Rome’s involvement in Jewish politics and government. How did the people of Israel benefit from the treaty with Rome? How did they suffer for it? Why do you think God allowed this affiliation?
What lessons or memories will you take away from this story? Would you recommend the book to a friend?
References
——. The Researchers Library of Ancient Texts, Volume I: The Apocrypha. Crane, MO: Defender, 2011.
Brisco, Thomas V. Holman Bible Atlas. Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1998.
Conder, Claude Reignier. Judah Maccabaeus and the Jewish War of Independence. A.P. Watt and Son, 1894.
Easton, M. G. Easton’s Bible Dictionary, 1893.
Edersheim, Alfred. The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah. Vol. 2. New York: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1896.
Edersheim, Alfred. The Temple, Its Ministry and Services as They Were at the Time of Jesus Christ. London: James Clarke & Co., 1959.
Elwell, Walter A., and Philip Wesley Comfort. Tyndale Bible Dictionary, 2001, 440.
Fischer, Thomas. “Maccabees, Books of: First and Second Maccabees.” Ed. David Noel Freedman. Trans. Frederick Cryer. The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary, 1992, 440–450.
Fruchtenbaum, Arnold G. The Messianic Bible Study Collection. Vol. 24. Tustin, CA: Ariel Ministries, 1983.
Hall, Robert G. “Circumcision.” Ed. David Noel Freedman. The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary, 1992, 1025–1031.
Harrington, Daniel J. The Maccabean Revolt: Anatomy of a Biblical Revolution. Eugene, OR: Wipe and Stock Publishers, 2009.
Harrop, Clayton. “Intertestamental History and Literature.” Ed. Chad Brand et al. Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary, 2003, 831–832.
Josephus, Flavius, and William Whiston. The Works of Josephus: Complete and Unabridged. Peabody: Hendrickson, 1987.
Myers, Allen C. The Eerdmans Bible Dictionary, 1987, 674–676.
Pfeiffer, Charles F. The Wycliffe Bible Commentary: Old Testament. Chicago: Moody Press, 1962.
Redditt, Paul L., Professor of OT, Georgetown College, Georgetown, KY, and Fischer, Thomas. “Maccabees, Books of: First and Second Maccabees.” Ed. David Noel Freedman. Trans. Frederick Cryer. The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary, 1992, 439–454.
Surburg, Raymond F. Introduction to the Intertestamental Period. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1975.
Toews, Wesley I. “Beth-Zur.” Ed. David Noel Freedman. The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary, 1992, 701–702.
VanderKam, James C. From Joshua to Caiaphas: High Priests After the Exile. Augsburg Fortress Press, 2004.
Walls, A. F. “Maccabees.” Ed. D. R. W. Wood, et al. New Bible Dictionary, 1996, 709–711.
Youngblood, Ronald F., F. F. Bruce, and R. K. Harrison, eds. Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary. Nelson, 1995.
Angela Hunt has published more than one hundred books, with sales nearing five million copies worldwide. She’s the New York Times bestselling author of The Tale of Three Trees, The Note, and The Nativity Story. Angela’s novels have won or been nominated for several prestigious industry awards, such as the RITA Award, the Christy Award, the ECPA Christian Book Award, and the HOLT Medallion Award. Romantic Times Book Club presented her with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006. She holds both a doctorate in Biblical Studies and a Th.D. degree. Angela and her husband live in Florida, along with their mastiffs. For a complete list of the author’s books, visit angelahuntbooks.com.
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