Church History
Teachers
Lesson Summary
The class reviewed the closing chapters of the Maccabean‑Hasmonean era, focusing on key figures such as Simon Maccabee, John Hyrcanus, Aristobulus, Alexander Jannaeus, and the influential queen Salome. The teacher explained how Hyrcanus’s campaigns against Samaritans and Edomites, Aristobulus’s self‑coronation, and Jannaeus’s harsh treatment of the Pharisees shaped the political and religious landscape of Judea. The narrative progressed to the rise of Antipater, the ancestor of Herod the Great, highlighting the transition from Hasmonean rule to the Herodian empire. The second portion turned to the Apocrypha, defining pseudepigrapha and comparing its treatment in Protestant versus Catholic Bibles. Specific apocryphal books—including Tobit, Judith, the Wisdom of Solomon, Ecclesiasticus, Baruch, the Maccabees, the two Esdras, Susanna, Bel and the Dragon, and the Prayer of Manasseh—were examined, with notes on their canonical status. The teacher also pointed out Jude’s citation of the Assumption of Moses and the Book of Enoch, illustrating how non‑canonical works still influence Scripture. The session concluded with a preview of upcoming research using Haley’s Bible Handbook and a reminder of the next class date.