Prayer in 2 Maccabees

Abstract

NB: This article has been published in 2020 in Magic in the Ancient Eastern Mediterranean: Cognitive, Historical, and Material Perspectives (eds. Nina Nikki & Kirsi Valkama), Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht. This file contains the last draft of the article sent to the publisher.Second Maccabees recounts the history of the Maccabean Revolt, focusing particularly on its initial stages in Judea (170s and 160s BCE). 1 According to the book's introduction, the events reported in the work centre around the figure of Judas the Maccabee and his successful military campaigns, impressively supported by "heavenly appearances" (cf. 2 Macc 2:19-22). Throughout the historical narrative, God is characterized as the Almighty who takes action on earth and gains wide renown and glory through mighty works. 2 God's authority and propensity to intervene in earthly matters are axiomatic: it is part of the worldview transmitted throughout the work and constitutive of its vision of history. But how does God's (al)mightiness work? Who can steer heavenly authorities on earth? This article suggests that, under specific conditions, prayer becomes a means by which one may actualize and channel God's (al)mightiness and induce its manifestations on earth. The emphases on God's omnipotence and God's deliverances, on the one hand, and the motif of prayer, on the other, are notable features in 2 Maccabees. The latter can be understood in tandem with the former, because prayers, as described in the book, often contain acknowledgements of and appeals to God's authority.My focus shall be on prayer and human agency, that is, the opportunities for humans to affect their