1 Maccabees — Chapter 12

Et vidit Jonathas quia tempus eum juvat

VERSE 1. ET VIDIT JONATHAS QUIA TEMPUS EUM JUVAT ET ELEGIT VIROS ET MISIT EOS ROMAM STATUERE ET RENOVARE CUM EIS AMICITIAM. — Jonathan saw that the time was favorable for him, and he chose men and sent them to Rome to confirm and renew the friendship with them. Lapide discusses the renewal of the Maccabean-Roman alliance under Jonathan. He notes that this was the third such diplomatic mission to Rome (after Judas's in chapter 8 and Jonathan's own earlier mission). He reflects that by this time, Roman power was so dominant that friendship with Rome was the most important diplomatic asset any small nation could possess.

Et ad Spartiatas et ad alia loca misit epistolas

VERSE 2. ET AD SPARTIATAS ET AD ALIA LOCA MISIT EPISTOLAS SECUNDUM EAMDEM FORMAM. — He also sent letters to the same effect to the Spartans and to other places. Lapide provides an extensive discussion of the claimed kinship between the Jews and the Spartans (verses 7-23). He reviews the historical and literary evidence, noting Josephus's claim that the Spartans descended from Abraham through Keturah, and the alternative theory that they descended through Ishmael. He also notes Clement of Alexandria's observation of many similarities between Jewish and Spartan laws and institutions. Lapide is cautiously open to the kinship claim while noting it cannot be verified with certainty.

Nos cum nullo horum indigeremus

VERSE 9. NOS CUM NULLO HORUM INDIGEREMUS HABENTES SOLATIO SANCTOS LIBROS. — \"Though we have no need of these things, having for our encouragement the holy books that are in our hands.\" Lapide expounds on this beautiful statement as a testament to the sufficiency of Sacred Scripture. The holy books of Moses and the Prophets, which promise divine assistance to the faithful in time of crisis, were more than sufficient consolation and guide for Israel — they did not need the help of Sparta or Rome in principle. Yet prudence permitted the seeking of human alliances as secondary means.

Pecora nostra et possessiones nostrae vestrae sunt

VERSE 23. PECORA NOSTRA ET POSSESSIONES NOSTRAE VESTRAE SUNT ET VESTRAE NOSTRAE. — \"Our cattle and property are yours, and yours are ours. We therefore command that our envoys report to you accordingly.\" Lapide notes that this formula of complete mutual sharing was a formula of the deepest amity in the ancient world — equivalent to declaring complete solidarity of interests. The formula \"amicorum omnia sunt communia\" (among friends all things are common) was proverbial in antiquity, traced to Pythagoras.

Et cum cogitasset Tryphon regnare Asiae

VERSE 39. ET CUM COGITASSET TRYPHON REGNARE ASIAE ET ASSUMERE DIADEMA ET EXTENDERE MANUM IN ANTIOCHUM REGEM. — When Tryphon planned to become king of Asia and put on the crown, and to raise his hand against King Antiochus, he was afraid that Jonathan would not permit him to do so but would fight against him. Lapide discusses the character of Tryphon as an archetype of the ambitious usurper: he used the young king Antiochus as a puppet and then murdered him when he was no longer useful. He compares Tryphon to various historical traitors and usurpers, drawing moral lessons about how ambition destroys both its objects and eventually itself.

Et credidit ei et fecit sicut dixit

VERSE 46. ET CREDIDIT EI ET FECIT SICUT DIXIT ET DIMISIT EXERCITUM. — Jonathan believed him and did as he said; he dismissed the army, and his men went back to the land of Judah. He kept with him three thousand men. Lapide notes with regret that Jonathan trusted Tryphon too easily, dismissing his army and walking into Ptolemais with only 3,000 men. He attributes this to Jonathan's naturally candid and straightforward character (\"vir simplicis candidique animi\"), which made him unsuited to deal with the treachery of Tryphon. St. Thomas Aquinas is quoted: Jonathan did not think Tryphon would be so cruel as to actually kill his hostages.