Eleazar (the Scribe)
Martyr of the Law
2nd century BC
An aged scribe who chose death rather than eat unclean food, leaving an example of noble courage.
“I am leaving to the young a noble example of how to die a good death.” — 2 Maccabees 6:28Talk with Eleazar (the Scribe)
The story of Eleazar (the Scribe)
Eleazar was a prominent scribe and a man of high standing among the Jews during the persecution by King Antiochus IV Epiphanes. When the king’s officers tried to force him to eat swine’s flesh in violation of the Law, the elderly Eleazar refused. Even when they suggested he secretly bring his own meat and pretend to eat the forbidden food to save his life, he declined.
Eleazar reasoned that such a deception would set a terrible example for the youth, who might think he had abandoned the laws of his ancestors in his old age for a brief moment of life. He chose to maintain his integrity and face death rather than bring dishonor to his faith. His courage was intended to leave a noble example to the young of how to die willingly and nobly for the Law.
He was brutally tortured and martyred, remaining steadfast to the end. His death is recorded in 2 Maccabees as a powerful testament to the value of a clean conscience and the hope of a reward beyond this life. Eleazar is honored as one of the great martyrs of the Jewish resistance, and his story is found in Catholic and Orthodox Bibles.
Key passages
2 Maccabees 6:18–31
The account of Eleazar’s refusal to eat forbidden meat and his heroic martyrdom.
4 Maccabees 5:1–7:23
A philosophical expansion on Eleazar’s logic and his victory over pain (found in some Orthodox Bibles).
Key books
- 2 Maccabees
Questions you can ask
- “Why wouldn't you even pretend to eat?”
- “What example did you leave the young?”
- “What kept you steadfast?”
Common questions
Who was Eleazar in 2 Maccabees?
He was a ninety-year-old scribe who chose to die under torture rather than eat forbidden food or pretend to violate the Law of Moses.
Why did Eleazar refuse to pretend to eat the meat?
He did not want to lead younger Jews astray by making them think he had compromised his faith just to save his life in his old age.
Is 2 Maccabees in the Bible?
Yes, it is in Catholic and Orthodox Bibles. Protestant Bibles place it in the Apocrypha, and it is not included in the Hebrew Bible.