Pseudepigrapha / 4 Maccabees
Hebrew Bible
New Testament
- 4 Maccabees 5:20 - James 2:10
- 4 Maccabees 7:15 - Hebrews 12:23
- 4 Maccabees 7:19 - Matthew 22:32
- 4 Maccabees 9:8 - James 1:3
- 4 Maccabees 13:13 - Matthew 10:28
- 4 Maccabees 13:16 - Ephesians 6:11
- 4 Maccabees 17:5 - Matthew 13:43
- 4 Maccabees 17:14 - Hebrews 12:1
- 4 Maccabees 17:22 - Romans 3:25
- 4 Maccabees 18:24 - Galatians 1:10
Summary
Date: 50-100 C.E.
4 Maccabees is a homily or philosophic discourse praising the supremacy of pious reason over passion. It advances a philosophical thesis with points made using examples drawn from 2 Maccabees: the martyrdom of Eleazar and the woman with seven sons under Antiochus IV Epiphanes. The last chapters concern the author's impressions drawn from these martyrdoms. Unlike 2 Maccabees, which was written with appeals to emotion, sentiment, and drama, 4 Maccabees is considerably more intellectual about the matter.