The Struggle between Jason and Onias III

2 Maccabees 4:7–10

Late 2nd Century BCE

7When Seleucus died and Antiochus, who was called Epiphanes, succeeded to the kingdom, Jason the brother of Onias obtained the high priesthood by corruption, 8promising the king at an interview three hundred sixty talents of silver, and from another source of revenue eighty talents. 9In addition to this he promised to pay one hundred fifty more if permission were given to establish by his authority a gymnasium and a body of youth for it, and to enroll the people of Jerusalem as citizens of Antioch. 10When the king assented and Jason came to office, he at once shifted his compatriots over to the Greek way of life.

Translation from the New Revised Standard Version.

Published in: The Posen Library of Jewish Culture and Civilization, vol. 2: Emerging Judaism.

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This passage from 2 Maccabees describes how Jason gains the high priesthood from his more traditionally minded brother Onias III by offering to pay Antiochus IV 360 talents of silver. A proponent of Hellenization, Jason offers additional money if Antiochus will allow him to build a gymnasium and grant Antiochene citizenship to the people of Jerusalem. This text tells not only of a priestly power struggle but also of a struggle between Jews who embraced Greek cultural practices and those who rejected them. The author of 2 Maccabees strongly opposed Hellenization. See also “Hellenistic Transformation of Jerusalem.”

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