How is 2 Maccab 12:42-44 interpreted by denominations not accepting the existence of purgatory?

Question

We read in 2 Maccab 12:42-44:

Then, Judas, that great man, urged the people to keep away from sin, because they had seen for themselves what had happened to those men who had sinned. He also took up a collection from all his men, totaling about four pounds of silver, and sent it to Jerusalem to provide for a sin offering. Judas did this noble thing because he believed in the resurrection of the dead. If he had not believed that the dead would be raised, it would have been foolish and useless to pray for them.

Denominations like Catholicism that believe in the existence of purgatory quote this OT reference in support of this belief. One would be interested to know how the other denominations interpret these verses.

Answer 1

From the standpoint of evangelicalism it should first be stated that 2 Maccabees is not considered as inspired or authoritative. Therefore, whatever it may say regarding the existence of purgatory carries no positive theological weight whatsoever.

Secondly, the passage quoted indicates the collection of money to provide a sin offering in Jerusalem. Since the Lord Jesus Christ has made the once for all sin offering it is decidedly against sound Christian doctrine to do any such thing. The passage in question actually demonstrates a lack of faith in what the Lord Jesus has accomplished for those who believe.

For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. - Hebrews 10:14

Thirdly, the notion of Purgatory itself is, by evangelical standards, also a demonstration of misunderstanding/disbelieving the gospel account as it extends the 'natural' consequences that accompany sin (and which should be accepted and borne with repentance and humility) into a fabricated post death, pre-resurrection state wherein the Sacrifice of Christ was not sufficient to take away the sin of the world.

1. 2 Maccabees is uninspired and not authoritative on any topic
2. The passage in question describes an unChristian doctrine of continuing offerings for sin
3. The notion of Purgatory is not only unbiblical but it denigrates Christ's sacrifice

Answer 2

As a Protestant of the Reformed persuasion, I must make it clear that the books of Maccabees are not considered to be inspired, Holy Scripture. This article explains why:

The book of 2 Maccabees consists of a Greek synopsis of a five-volume history of the Maccabean Revolt written by Jason of Cyrene. . . . The Second Book of Maccabees was written in Koine Greek, most likely around 100 BC. This work coheres with 1 Maccabees, but it is written as a theological interpretation of the Maccabean Revolt. In addition to outlining the historical events, 2 Maccabees discusses several doctrinal issues, including prayers and sacrifices for the dead, intercession of the saints, and resurrection on Judgment Day. The Catholic Church has based the doctrines of purgatory and masses for the dead on this work.

On the other hand, an important tenet of the Protestant Reformation (1517) was that scriptural translations should be derived from the original Hebrew and Aramaic texts for the Old Testament and Greek for the New Testament, rather than upon the Septuagint and Jerome’s Vulgate. Statements were included in the Protestant Bibles indicating that the Apocrypha was not to be placed on the same level as the other documents.

Protestants reject the Catholic doctrine of purgatory as summed up here:

According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, Purgatory is “a place or condition of temporal punishment for those who, departing this life in God’s grace, are not entirely free from venial faults, or have not fully paid the satisfaction due to their transgressions.” To summarize, in Catholic theology Purgatory is a place that a Christian’s soul goes to after death to be cleansed of the sins that had not been fully satisfied during life.

From this article Protestants reject these views of the Catholic Church:

Temporal Punishment: “purification of the unhealthy attachment to creatures, which is a consequence of sin that perdures even after death. We must be purified either during our earthly life through prayer and a conversion which comes from fervent charity, or after death in purgatory.”

Purgatory: “a state of final purification after death and before entrance into heaven for those who died in God’s friendship, but were only imperfectly purified; a final cleansing of human imperfection before one is able to enter the joy of heaven.”

The Roman Catholic Church teaches that the combined merit of Christ, the saints, and godly believers is stored in a place referred to as the Treasury of Merit (it is also sometimes called the Treasury of Satisfaction, the Church’s Treasury, or the Thesaurus Ecclesiae). And through apostolic succession from Peter, it is the Roman Catholic Church alone that has the authority to withdraw merit from this treasury and dispense it to believers in this life or in Purgatory to atone for some or all of their venial sin. This it does through the granting of Catholic indulgences. https://www.gotquestions.org/treasury-of-merit.html

The Reformed Protestant view of salvation, based on the Holy Bible, can be summed up thus:

I have been saved – in the past – from the penalty of sin – by a crucified Saviour: “For in this hope we were saved" (Romans 8:24). “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God” (Romans 2:8).

I am being saved – in the present – from the power of sin – by a living Saviour: "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God" (1 Corinthians 1:18).

I shall be saved – in the future – from the presence of sin – by a coming Saviour: "Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him!" (Romans 5:9)

Protestant Christians acknowledge only Christ Jesus as the head of the Church, and as He alone is our High Priest forever (in the order of Melchizedek), no mortal man can grant or withhold salvation or somehow pay to have our mortal sins forgiven either before or after death.

Jesus, though God from eternity, became a man in order to suffer death and serve as our High Priest (Hebrews 2:9). As a man, He was subject to all the weaknesses and temptations that we are, so that He could personally relate to us in our struggles (Hebrews 4:15). Jesus is greater than any other priest, so He is called our “Great High Priest” in Hebrews 4:14, and that gives us the boldness to come “unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16 KJV).

You ask how is 2 Maccabees 12: 42-44 interpreted by denominations not accepting the existence of purgatory.

The answer is straightforward. 2 Maccabees is not regarded as the Holy and Inspired Word of God and is rejected. The Bible says that man is destined to die once, and after that, to face judgment (Hebrews 9:27). Reformed Protestants respond by saying there is no intermediate state called purgatory.

Answer 3

OP: 2 Mac 12:42-44 Then, Judas, that great man, urged the people to keep away from sin, because they had seen for themselves what had happened to those men who had sinned. He also took up a collection from all his men, totaling about four pounds of silver, and sent it to Jerusalem to provide for a sin offering. Judas did this noble thing because he believed in the resurrection of the dead. If he had not believed that the dead would be raised, it would have been foolish and useless to pray for them.

The connection of this passage to a belief in Purgatory is two-fold.

1. Judas' offering is for the dead because he believed in the resurrection of the dead.
2. His offering is a type of prayer. By offering a sin offering, he is praying for the dead of sentence 1.

With that clarity, as others have pointed out 2 Mac is not deemed God-breathed for a number of reasons including the "no valid prophetic line" during the time Mac was written.

Even ignoring this fact, however, it is not clear that Judas' concept of making an offering for the dead is anything more than acknowledging that the resurrection of the dead awaited a Redeemer.

Christ Jesus of course is the Redeemer, opening the gates of hell, having the keys of death and Hades/Hell (Rev 1:18).

So, as a Protestant, my answer would interpret Maccabees as unfulfilled hope that awaited the Redeemer. Now that the Redeemer has come, there is no more offering for sin, the gates are open, and offer your thanksgiving.

Answer 4

2 Maccabees falls into a category of scripture known as "apocrypha", i.e. not recognized as reliable Scripture by the majority of Protestant denominations. That being said, Catholics do recognize 2 Maccabees as Scripture, and do believe in purgatory - you can see the connection. 2 Maccabees does not really hold any validity for those who do not already accept purgatory (Some Anglicans excepted).

This verse is also interpreted differently by The Perspicuity of 2 Maccabees 12 on Purgatory? . This verse is better interpreted as meaning that prayers for the dead are in fact, not useless. However, this belief is not backed up anywhere else in the Bible, as is common in Apocryphal texts. Even if we take Apocryphal texts to be valid and irrefutable, then taking this verse as support for purgatory is a stretch.

Furthermore, a verse in The Gospel of Matthew, chapter 12 verse 32, states: "And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come". This implies that there are in fact sins that can be forgiven after death - the point being that using 2 Maccabees 12:42-44 does not add any credibility - especially as it was never quoted by Jesus as with most if not all other non-apocryphal OT books.

In conclusion, while I am neither for nor against the belief of purgatory, the given verse is a stretch to interpret and as far as I know, not interpreted my most scholars, Protestant or Catholic. And as denominations who don't believe in purgatory usually don't trust Apocryphal texts either, the interpretation more or less doesn't matter to them.

One last note I'd like to add that most of the other answers have covered: The "[H]e believed in the resurrection of the dead" line could mean that, if Judas was a valid prophet, he knew about the Second Coming rather than purgatory.