Pseudepigrapha / 4 Maccabees / All
- 4 Maccabees 5:20 / James 2:10
- 4 Maccabees 6:29 / Isaiah 53:4
- 4 Maccabees 7:11 / Wisdom of Solomon 18:22
- 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 1:5
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.