>>675762
Read the rest. Especially part about Jeremiah.
As for this fragment:
<40 And they found under the coats of the slain some of the donaries of the idols of Jamnia, which the law forbiddeth to the Jews: so that all plainly saw, that for this cause they were slain.
Of the donaries, &c. That is, of the votive offerings, which had been hung up in the temples of the idols, which they had taken away when they burnt the port of Jamnia, (v. 9.) contrary to the prohibition of the law. Deut. vii. 25.
All such things should have been destroyed, (Jos. vii. and 1 K. xv. W.) or melted down. Perhaps the soldiers intended to bring them to Judas. He excused them charitably, and hoped that their temporal chastisement might have served to expiate their fault.
<41 Then they all blessed the just judgment of the Lord, who had discovered the things that were hidden.
<42 And so betaking themselves to prayers, they besought him, that the sin which had been committed might be forgotten. But the most valiant Judas exhorted the people to keep themselves from sin, forasmuch as they saw before their eyes what had happened, because of the sins of those that were slain.
Some copies, "that they might not, on account of the sin committed, be entirely blotted out."
They were convinced that some sins might be forgiven in the other world, particularly when the living interceded.
The Jews began to pray for the dead after the captivity, when the prophets had more clearly explained what took place after death.
Yet the doctrine and practice might still be as ancient as the world.
If it had not prevailed before, Judas would never have entertained such sentiments.
The Jews admit a sort of purgatory for "the prevaricators of Israel," which differs from hell only in duration. They assert that the damned of their nation are exempt from suffering on the sabbath.
Excommunication might be taken off from the deceased.
<43 And making a gathering, he sent twelve thousand drachms of silver to Jerusalem for sacrifice to be offered for the sins of the dead, thinking well and religiously concerning the resurrection,
Sacrifices for the dead were not enjoined, but the practice was then established, and this author take every opportunity of proving the resurrection against the Sadducees, who then began to appear. The Church of Christ has adopted the same practice.
Our adversaries confess that such was the opinion of the Jews, and of the ancient doctors of the Church. But they declare it superstitious, and deny the authority of these books, which has been sufficiently established. Could such holy personages authorize superstition? Would Christ and his apostles have tolerated it? S. Paul prayed for Onesiphorus after his decease. 2 Tim. i. 16. See Mat. xii. 33. Lu. xvi. 9. and 1 Cor. iii. 13. and xv. 29.
<44 (For if he had not hoped that they that were slain should rise again, it would have seemed superfluous and vain to pray for the dead,)
<45 And because he considered that they who had fallen asleep with godliness, had great grace laid up for them.
udas hoped that these men who died fighting for the cause of God and religion, might find mercy; either because they might be excused from mortal sin by ignorance, or might have repented of their sin at least at their death.
Charity requires us to judge thus, when there are no positive proofs to the contrary.
Pope John VIII. answered the bishops of France, that those who died fighting against infidels were saved.
Judas might entertain the like hopes, though they are not always well grounded.
<46 It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins.
This text is so clear, that our adversaries judge it best to deny the book to be canonical. As that has been authentically proved, we shall only add that the Greek version, though differing in many points, is here as express as the Vulg."considering that the best grace is laid up for those who sleep in piety. Holy and pious is the thought. Wherefore he made reconciliation (or expiation) for the dead, that they might be delivered from sin," or punishment due to it.
Sin is often taken for the punishment; and this effect of mortal sin may be remitted in purgatory, when the person has sincerely repented in this life.
To pass over other proofs, we will only mention S. Aug. (hær. liii.) and S. Bernard, (Cant. lxvi.) who plainly account those "heretics," who deny purgatory. It is also worthy of notice that Judas, who acted thus charitably, was the high priest and defender of the true faith; and that the Jews still pray for the dead, as the book Mahzor, published by Genebrard, 1569, evinces. There they say, "Let him rest in peace," and "ye angels of peace come forth to meet him." But this is acknowledged by Munster and Fagius, (in Deut. xiv.) and by Whitaker