Chapter 11
Ptolemy rises up against Alexander and Alexander is killed. The treaty with Jonathan is confirmed. Tryphon sets up Antiochus, the son of Alexander, against Demetrius, who is saved with Jonathan’s help, etc.
11:8 But King Ptolemy held dominion over the cities as far as coastal Seleucia, etc.
Ptolemy Euergetes, who reigned in Alexandria after Ptolemy Philometor, as the books of chronicles attest, gave his daughter in marriage to Alexander, son of Bala, king of Syria. Later, when hostility arose between himself and his son-in-law, he took her away and gave her in marriage to Demetrius, son of Demetrius, together with the kingdom he had taken from Alexander, which Scripture now seems to be recalling.
11:20 In those days Jonathan gathered those who were in Judea to attack the citadel that is in Jerusalem, etc.
What does it mean that Jonathan attacks those who were in the Jerusalem citadel by means of those who are in Judea, if not that holy teachers attack the stubbornness of those who, relying on the exaltation and pride of their hearts, dare to resist the divine commandments? Against these he constructs many engines, because by various discipline and the diverse teaching of the Scriptures they strive to conquer them and to summon them to humility. But just as then certain men, enemies of their own people, wicked men, went to the king accusing Jonathan, so also now those who do not wish to accept ecclesiastical discipline hate those who try to take away their wickedness, accusing them before the powers of this world, so that they may turn them into hatred and stir up persecution against them; but they do not prevail, because God is their helper and protector, and has delivered them from all their tribulations.
11:28 And Jonathan asked the king to make Judea exempt, etc.
By “toparchies,” that is, the leadership of villages or towns, he refers to those places which Demetrius added to Judea from the kingdom of Samaria, about which he relates in what follows, that is, Lydda and Ramatha. For Lydda is a city of Palestine situated on the shore of the great sea, and Ramatha is a city of Samaria, about which it is written in the Book of Kings (1 Kings 1). Therefore, by the right of friendship, King Demetrius, granting exemption to Jonathan, added the aforesaid cities to Judea, sending the assessment of tithes and taxes, and the tracts of saltworks, in which the production of salt was owed to the state; and likewise he forgave other debts which were imposed with royal pomp, and, in accordance with the agreement made with Jonathan, he remitted them all.
11:39 Tryphon, moreover, had previously been one of Alexander’s party, etc.
But how Demetrius came to experience the hatred of his own army Pompeius Trogus shows, saying: “After recovering his father’s kingdom, Demetrius himself, corrupted by the success of his affairs, slipped in his youthful vices into laziness, and he experienced among all people as much contempt as his father had previously drawn upon himself in hatred through his arrogance. And so, when cities everywhere were breaking away from his rule, he resolved to wage war on the Parthians in order to wipe out the stain of his laziness. The peoples of the East were not unwilling to see his arrival because of the cruelty of Arsaces, king of the Parthians, and because, being accustomed to the ancient empire of the Macedonians, they bore with anger the arrogance of the new rulers. Therefore, when he was aided by the support of the Persians and other neighboring peoples, he moved the Parthians, laying waste to them in many battles. At last, however, being deceived under the hoax of peace, he was captured and led through the streets of the cities to the peoples who had deserted him, and he was displayed as a mockery of misplaced favor; then he was sent into Hyrcania, where he was treated kindly and maintained according to his former rank.”
11:41 And Jonathan sent to Demetrius requesting that he drive out those who were in the citadel, etc.
What does it mean that Jonathan asks King Demetrius to expel those who were in the citadel of Jerusalem and in the strongholds, who also were attacking Israel, while on the contrary Demetrius asks him for help against his enemies, if not that holy teachers request from the rulers of the nations and from all people the overthrow of error and pride, and they in turn similarly ask from the holy teachers the support of doctrine and prayer for overcoming spiritual enemies? For neither order is able rightly to bring to completion the effect of its ministry without the assistance of the other, since neither can the holy teachers obtain the merit of winning souls without the conversion and obedience of their subjects, nor can the subjects themselves merit salvation without the teaching and instruction of their masters; for each order, as has been said above, is strengthened by the other and enlightened by the other. Therefore Paul says to the Thessalonians: Then we live, if you stand firm in the Lord, because we rejoice on your account before our Lord: (1 Thess. 3:8) and to the Corinthians: We are, he says, your glory, just as you are ours on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 1:14).
11:49 And those who were from the city saw that the Jews had taken the city as they wished, etc.
That the Jews were gaining victory over their enemies and were compelling them to ask for peace and to give them their right hands signifies that the strength of the holy Church surpasses all its enemies; and whether it causes them, through a wholesome way of life, to yield, or justly punishes those who continue in their stubborn contempt, this is because it has received from its Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ, the power to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and upon all the strength of the enemy (Luke 10:19), of which, speaking elsewhere in the Gospel to his apostle Peter, he says: You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it (Matt.16:18).
11:51 And the Jews, he says, were named in the kingdom.
Because the confessors of Christ appear glorious throughout the whole world, yet the holy men do not credit this glory to themselves, but to their King, that is, to God, the giver of all good things. Therefore it is also added:
11:51 They returned to Jerusalem bearing much spoils.
The Psalmist shows that he renders such thanks to God, saying: “I have proclaimed your righteousness in the great congregation; behold, I will not restrain my lips” (Ps. 40:9). Therefore in the Church all the faithful who bear the spoils of virtues return, so that they may give praise to God, since they credit the victory they have obtained not to their own strength, but to divine grace, saying with the Prophet: “Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your mercy and your truth” (Ps. 115:1).
11:52 And King Demetrius sat upon the throne of his kingdom, etc.
That Demetrius repaid Jonathan with evil for his benefits signifies carnal fools, who, when advice is given them for their salvation, do not repay their backers according to the benefits owed, but according to the wicked counsels of their hardened heart. For whatever is done for their advantage, they regard it entirely as harmful, and, stirred by the rod of envy, they choose to serve their own most wicked will.
11:60a And Jonathan went out and passed beyond the river through the cities, etc.
By Jonathan’s passing beyond the river we can understand the preaching of the word to those who have not yet been cleansed by the baptism of Christ, because holy preachers sometimes summon the Gentiles to sacred baptism, and sometimes stir up the faithful to the advancement of virtues. When therefore Jonathan returns across the river, the army of Syria comes to him as help, because when the apostles had passed over from the Jews to the preaching to the Gentiles, immediately many from among the Gentiles came to the faith and baptism of Christ, who were helpers to the holy preachers in the Gospel of God, so that they might lead pagans to belief. He went on to Ascalon, which is interpreted “suspended” or “shameful fire,” and they came out from the city to meet him with honor. (11:60b) When those who had been serving worldly ambition heard the word of God from the holy preachers, they immediately, having abandoned worldly greed, hurried to the obedience of the Gospel.
11:61 And he went to Gaza and besieged it, and those who were in Gaza shut themselves in.
By Gaza, which is interpreted “strength,” is signified the stubbornness of unbelievers, in which the deceived minds of the wicked are enclosed, because they do not consent to yield to the truth. Jonathan overwhelmed it and burned the cities around it, just as the teachers of Christ on every side pressure the faithless with the testimonies of Holy Scripture and, by defeating the schemes of their errors, lay them waste. Therefore the people of Gaza asked Jonathan to grant them right hands, and he received their sons as hostages, sending them to Jerusalem: when the stubbornness of the proud has been overcome and they are no longer able to resist the truth for long, they beg the teachers of the Church to grant them the bonds of peace, and they hand over their sons to them as hostages, that is, the pledges of their erroneous faith, namely to renounce it and to submit in obedience, they promise this to the Church, so that a sure hope may be given that their way of life will be converted to the faith.
11:63 But when Jonathan heard that the leaders of Demetrius had broken faith in Kadesh, which is in Galilee, with a large army, wishing to remove him, etc.
The leaders of Demetrius, who broke faith in Kadesh of Galilee, can not inappropriately be understood as secular powers, which, although they are counted among the faithful because of the catholic confession, this is what Kadesh, which is interpreted as “holy” or “changed,” and Galilee, that is, “wandering made,” express figuratively, often nevertheless devise deceit of this kind, denying the grace of the heavenly kingdom. Jonathan meets them, because it is necessary that the zeal of holy teachers confront such people, lest they carry out in deed the fraud which they plan in their hearts. Yet he left his brother Simon within the province so that he might protect it from within against the disrespect of unruly men: so also holy preachers, although they sometimes go forth to regulate the affairs of the world and to restrain the attacks of the undisciplined, nevertheless in no way cease to order the ministry of their life within the Church; but they always have there those who preserve regular discipline in all things, so that just as they are useful in externals, so they may be found wholesome everywhere.
11:65 And Simon advanced to Bethsura and was surrounding it, etc.
What is signified by Bethsura, if not the reading of the Holy Scriptures? For Bethsura is interpreted as “house of the strong,” and the sacred Scripture can rightly be called the house of the strong, because there those who are strong and most heroic always dwell by speaking and acting well, they who, together with the Psalmist, meditate on the law of the Lord day and night (Ps. 1:2). For in this house at times heretics seem falsely to dwell, when they are found to read the Scriptures but not at all to understand them. Therefore it is said that Simon besieged Bethsura for many days and captured the city and drove out the wicked inhabitants from it, and they placed a garrison there; because holy teachers have this chiefly as their endeavor and strive with all their might to overcome heretics, by destroying their false opinion and wresting the Scripture of the law of God from their hands. Placing a garrison in it, that is, devout examiners and meditators on divine wisdom, who strive to understand correctly and to set forth accordingly the divine word.
11:67 And Jonathan and his camp pitched by the water of Gennesar, etc.
What does it mean that Jonathan pitched his camp by the water of Gennesar, except that the company of holy preachers, inflamed by the Spirit of God, prepares to oppose worldly waves in the persecutions of the faithful? They say that the lake of Gennesareth is the same as the Sea of Galilee. But the Sea of Tiberias takes its name from the nearby city, which was formerly called Gennessar, but rebuilt by Herod the Tetrarch and named Tiberias in honor of Tiberius Caesar. Moreover, Gennesar is named from the nature of the lake itself, since it is said that, with its rippling waters, it raises a breeze from itself for itself, and is therefore called in Greek “as if generating a breeze for itself.” For the water is not spread out motionless in the manner of a pond, but is stirred by frequent blowing of winds, sweet to the taste and suitable for drinking. Yet, by the usage of the Hebrew language, every gathering of waters, whether fresh or salty, is called a sea. This lake, with the Jordan flowing through it, extends one hundred and sixty stadia in length and sixty in breadth. Since therefore the lake or sea represents the present age, our Jonathan, with his own men, hurries to resist the chaos of the world and strives to keep watch before dawn in the field of Asor; that is, he carefully takes heed to watch diligently against the ambushes of the Devil. For Asor is interpreted “arrow of light,” and the Apostle, writing about the same apostate angel, says: “For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light” (2 Cor. 11:14). Therefore it is no wonder if his ministers are transformed as though they were ministers of righteousness. There foreigners, meeting them in the plain, lay ambushes in the mountains: because both evil spirits and perverse men, in the luxury or pride of this present life, or in worldly desires, strive to seduce whomsoever they can; against whom it is necessary that the soldiers of Christ run in opposition and fight bravely with them, lest perhaps they agree to their persuasions and be dissolved by pleasures and allurements. But when the battle was joined, all those who had been on Jonathan’s side fled,
11:70 and none of them remained except Mathathias, son of Absalom, and Judas, son of Calphi,
commander of the army; because, sadly, many of the clergy are overthrown by ambition and the pleasures of this world. Therefore in the Gospel parable the Lord says (Luke 8:14) that the thorns which sprang up choked the crop, that is, riches and a life of pleasure choked the crop so that it did not bear fruit. Yet Mathathias, whose name is interpreted “gift of God,” and Judas, that is, “one who confesses,” stand firm with Jonathan, because those who are enlightened and strengthened by the gift of God, and by believing rightly and acting well are truly confessors of God, these persevere in the camps of the Church and press the enemy hard, until they crush him and restore again to their former camps their own men who had fled by yielding to the enemy. But let us see what Jonathan did when his soldiers turned to flight.
11:71 And Jonathan tore his garments and put dirt on his head, etc.
For therefore should the superiors and teachers of the Church act when they see their own hiding in battle and turning their backs to the enemies: to tear their garments, that is, to afflict the body with fasts and tears; and to put dirt on their head, that is, to recall to mind the frailty of the body, and to pray to the Lord for their own sins or those of the people, so that he who is almighty may work salvation for the weak and restore them to their former health. And therefore it is fitting to exhort each one to come to his senses from the snares of the Devil, who had been taken captive to his will, and to return to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him, and to our Lord, for he is rich in forgiving (Isa. 55:7).
11:74 And there fell of the foreigners on that day about three thousand men, etc.
Note that the foreigners are struck down in the number three, because through faith in the Holy Trinity all the enemies of the Church are crushed, overcome, and laid low; and the crowd of believers returns with its leader to the mystical Jerusalem, which is the mother of us all, so that there it may render thanks and praises to our God forever and unto ages of ages.