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===Third Maccabees===

===Third Maccabees===

The narrative of the Third Book of Maccabees relates events preceding the events narrated in the First and Second Books of Maccabees, during the reign of Ptolemy Philopater in Egypt. The title of this book is a misnomer since it treats of the sufferings of the Egyptian Jews under Ptolemy IV Philopator (221-203 B.C.) rather than of the persecution of the Palestinian Jews under Antiochus IV at the time of the Maccabees. The chronology represented by the narratives of the three is therefore as follows: Third Maccabees, Second Maccabees, First Maccabees. They may be read with profit in this sequence, but they were not written in that order.<ref>The reader unfamiliar with the history of the period after the time of [[Ezra]] and before the birth of Jesus will benefit by first reading 1 Maccabees chapter 1, then 2 Maccabees chapters 3 and 4, and then the book of 3 Maccabees, before resuming with the whole of the book of 2 Maccabees followed by the book of 1 Maccabees.</ref> (The first portion of the text of the first chapter of 3 Maccabees has been lost.)

The narrative of the Third Book of Maccabees relates events preceding the events narrated in the First and Second Books of Maccabees, during the reign of Ptolemy Philopater in Egypt. The title of this book is a misnomer since it treats of the sufferings of the Egyptian Jews under Ptolemy IV Philopator (221-203 B.C.) rather than of the persecution of the Palestinian Jews under Antiochus IV at the time of the Maccabees. The chronology represented by the narratives of the three is therefore as follows: Third Maccabees, Second Maccabees, First Maccabees. They may be read with profit in this sequence, but they were not written in that order.<ref>1 Maccabees was written c. 100 B.C. in Hebrew, but the original is not extant. Instead we have an early pre-Christian Greek translation full of Hebrew idioms. 2 Maccabees was written in Koine Greek, probably in Alexandria Egypt, c. 124 B.C.. The dating of 3 Maccabees is less certain. Estimates range in speculation from as early as c. 100 B.C. to A.D. 30 during the persecution under [[Caligula]], according to [http://www.earlyjewishwritings.com/3maccabees.html Early Jewish Writings: 3 Maccabees]. The reader unfamiliar with the history of the period after the time of [[Ezra]] and before the birth of Jesus will benefit by first reading 1 Maccabees chapter 1, then 2 Maccabees chapters 3 and 4, and then the book of 3 Maccabees, before resuming with the whole of the book of 2 Maccabees followed by the book of 1 Maccabees.</ref> (The first portion of the text of the first chapter of 3 Maccabees has been lost.)

Chapter 1 Philopater attacks the army of Antiochus near Raphia<ref>The battle of Raphia (217 B.C.)</ref>, foils the plot of the apostate Dositheus to assassinate him; defeats Antiochus<ref>Antiochus III (223-187 B.C.)</ref>: he visits the temples of the cities in gratitude, presumes to seek to enter the temple of the Jews: the priests entreat God, the people cry out in prayer; Philopater approaches the temple.

Chapter 1 Philopater attacks the army of Antiochus near Raphia<ref>The battle of Raphia (217 B.C.)</ref>, foils the plot of the apostate Dositheus to assassinate him; defeats Antiochus<ref>Antiochus III (223-187 B.C.)</ref>: he visits the temples of the cities in gratitude, presumes to seek to enter the temple of the Jews: the priests entreat God, the people cry out in prayer; Philopater approaches the temple.