Judas Maccabæus and the Jewish War of Independence

The story of the life of Judas Maccabeus forms one of the most important episodes in Jewish history, if only because it explains how the nation first developed the character that defined it as Christianity was given to the world. The public career of Judas extends only over eight years, and the work he commenced was left to his brothers and their descendants to carry out; yet the name of Judas stands out more distinctly than that of any other leader of the age. In Judas Maccabeus and the Jewish War of Independence, Conder narrates the bare facts of the short career of Judas, and also gives a sketch of the gradual development of the nation during the period of independence, from Ezra to the Herodian age, with some account of Maccabean habits of life, manners, and religious contests and tendencies, and with an estimate of the true value of the achievements of Judas as influencing the later history of the Jews. From a study of the condition and habits of the nation, the reader can obtain a clear view of the immediate causes of the revolt, and the real importance of the struggle will be seen to lie in the development of the national character and religion, which was the result of the freedom obtained by the efforts of Judas.