Menelaus
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International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
MENELAUS

men-e-la'-us (Menelaos): According to the less likely account of Josephus (Ant., XII, v, 1; XV, iii, 1; XX, x, 3), Menelaus was a brother of Jason and Onias III, and his name was really Onias. But it is very unlikely that there should be two brothers of the same name. The account of 2 Maccabees is more credible-that Menelaus was the brother of the notorious Simon who suggested to the Syrians the plundering of the temple; he was thus of the tribe of Benjamin (2 Maccabees 4:23; compare with 3:4) and not properly eligible to the high-priesthood. He was entrusted by Jason (171 B.C.), who had supplanted Onias, with contributions to the king of Syria, Antiochus Epiphanes, and by outbidding Jason in presents he secured the office of high priest for himself (2 Maccabees 4:23), 171 B.C. Menelaus returned with "the passion of a cruel tyrant" to Jerusalem, and Jason fled. But as Menelaus failed to pay the promised amount, both he and Sostratus, the governor, were summoned to appear before the king. Lysimachus, the brother of Menelaus, was left at Jerusalem in the meantime as deputy high priest. The king was called from his capital to suppress an insurrection of Tarsus and Mallus. Menelaus took advantage of his absence to win over Andronicus, the king's deputy, by rich presents stolen from the temple. For this sacrilege Onias III sharply reproved him and fled to a sanctuary, Daphne, near Antioch. Andronicus was then further persuaded by Menelaus to entice Onias from his retreat and murder him (2 Maccabees 4:34)-an act against which both Jews and Greeks protested to the king on his return, and secured deserved punishment for Andronicus. Meanwhile, the oppression of Lysimachus, abetted by Menelaus, caused a bloody insurrection in Jerusalem, in connection with which a Jewish deputation brought an accusation against Menelaus on the occasion of Antiochus' visit to Tyre. Menelaus bribed Ptolemy, son of Dorymenes, to win over the king to acquit himself and secure the execution of "those hapless men, who, if they had pleaded even before Scythians, would have been discharged uncondemned" (2 Maccabees 4:39;). Menelaus returned in triumph to his office. But Jason, taking advantage of Epiphanes' absence in Egypt and a false rumor of his death, made a bloody but unsuccessful attempt upon the city, in order to secure his office again; his rival took refuge in the citadel. The king returned in fury, caused a three days' slaughter of the citizens, rifled the temple with Menelaus as guide, and left him as one of his agents to keep the Jews in subjection (2 Maccabees 5:1;). He appears next and for the last time in the reign of Eupator in 162 B.C. Lysias, the king's chancellor, accused him to the king as the cause of all the troubles in Judea (2 Maccabees 13:3-8). Eupator caused him to be brought to Berea and there-before, according to 2 Maccabees, loc. cit., or after, according to Josephus, Ant, XII, ix, 7, the invasion of Judea by Eupator and Lysias-to be put to death by being flung from the top of a high tower into the ashes of which it was full-a fitting end for such a wretch.

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How
... This Jesus changed his name to Jason, but Onias was called Menelaus. Now
as the former high priest, Jesus, raised a sedition against ...
//christianbookshelf.org/josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 5 how.htm

System of the Arithmeticians; Predictions through Calculations ...
... Again, Alexander and Menelaus (may be adduced as examples). Alexander has a proper
name (Paris). ... Again, Menelaus and Euphorbus (may be adduced as examples). ...
/.../the refutation of all heresies/chapter xiv system of the arithmeticians.htm

For, First of All, under King Seleucus, the Son of Antiochus the ...
... Then, as he had sent through a certain Menelaus (the brother of that Simon who has
been mentioned) the money he had promised to the king, a way being once laid ...
/.../severus/life and writings of sulpitius severus /chapter xviii for first of.htm

Appendix iv. An Abstract of Jewish History from the Reign of ...
... xii.4.1), Onias II., Simon II.((Ant. xii.4.10), Onias III., Jason (Ant. xii.5.1),
Menelaus, and Alcimus (Ant. ... Accordingly, Menelaus was appointed High-Priest. ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/appendix iv an abstract of.htm

Concerning the Death of Antiochus Epiphane. How Antiochus Eupator ...
... He also carried with him Onias the high priest, who was also called Menelaus; for
Lysias advised the king to slay Menelaus, if he would have the Jews be quiet ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 9 concerning the death.htm

The Syrian Persecution.
... However, he was soon overthrown by his apostate brother, Menelaus, whom he had sent
to pay the tribute at Antioch, and who, when there, promised the king a ...
/.../yonge/the chosen people/lesson xvii the syrian persecution.htm

Ambrose.
... beloved home." [3501] For, first of all, we are told [3502] concerning Agamemnon
their king, that by reason of the foolishness of his brother Menelaus, and the ...
/.../unknown/the decretals/ancient syriac documents ambrose.htm

The Jewish Institutions and Laws of Far Higher Antiquity than the ...
... Hiram gave his daughter to Solomon about the time of the arrival of Menelaus in
Phoenicia, after the capture of Troy, as is said by Menander of Pergamus, and ...
/.../the stromata or miscellanies/chapter xxi the jewish institutions and.htm

Essay ii. Quod Me Non Movet Aestimatione: Verum Est Greek Text ...
... for the gratification of my own feelings, and finished by tranquilly paraphrasing
into a chemical allegory the Homeric adventure of Menelaus with Proteus. Oh! ...
/.../coleridge/confessions of an inquiring spirit etc/essay ii quod me non.htm

Homer's Obligations to the Sacred Writers.
... And Homer said that by making use of that drug Helen put an end to the
lamentation of Menelaus, caused by the presence of Telemachus. ...
/.../chapter xxviii homers obligations to the.htm

Thesaurus
Menelaus
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia MENELAUS. men-e-la'-us (Menelaos): According
to the less likely account of Josephus (Ant., XII, v ...
/m/menelaus.htm - 9k

Onias
... Onias, having offered the new king larger revenue, secured the priesthood, which
he held until he himself was similarly supplanted by Menelaus, Simon's brother ...
/o/onias.htm - 10k

Jason (5 Occurrences)
... expended on the "equipment of galleys." After 3 years of this Hellenizing work he
was supplanted in 172 BC in the favor of Antiochus by Menelaus who gave a ...
/j/jason.htm - 12k

Lysimachus
... See ESTHER, THE REST OF. (2) Brother of Menelaus, a Greek name said by Josephus
(Ant., XII, v, 1) to have been assumed by Onias, the high priest in the ...
/l/lysimachus.htm - 7k

Cyprians (1 Occurrence)
...Menelaus who was high priest at Jerusalem, and Sostratus who was governor of the
citadel, were summoned by King Antiochus to appear before him. ...
/c/cyprians.htm - 7k

Sostratus
... He made a new departure in demanding from Menelaus direct the sum promised to the
king in 2 Maccabees 4:27; (for Jason had the privilege of sending the money ...
/s/sostratus.htm - 7k

Mene (2 Occurrences)

/m/mene.htm - 11k

Daphne
... The precincts enjoyed the right of asylum. Hither fled Onias the high priest (171
BC) from the wrath of Menelaus whom he had offended by plain speech. ...
/d/daphne.htm - 8k

Menemene (1 Occurrence)

/m/menemene.htm - 6k

Beroea (4 Occurrences)
... Marcus N. Tod (2) The place where Menelaus the ex-high priest was executed by order
of Antiochus Eupator, the victim, according to local custom, being cast ...
/b/beroea.htm - 11k

Subtopics

Menelaus

Related Terms

Onias

Jason (5 Occurrences)

Lysimachus

Cyprians (1 Occurrence)

Sostratus

Mene (2 Occurrences)

Daphne

Menemene (1 Occurrence)

Beroea (4 Occurrences)

Crates

Testaments

Between (2624 Occurrences)

Simon (75 Occurrences)

Priest (500 Occurrences)

High (4559 Occurrences)

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