Introduction to the Maccabean Revolt (with Jeff Cavins) - 2026

The Maccabean Revolt is one of the most underrated and important periods in the Bible for setting the table for the Messiah, yet it is also one that many Christians—especially those from Protestant traditions—may encounter with suspicion or confusion. The books of 1 and 2 Maccabees, along with Sirach and the Book of Wisdom, cover a 400-year gap that some traditions call "silent," but these texts are anything but silent. They fill in the historical and theological bridge between the Old Testament and the New, introducing key figures, events, and concepts that directly prepare the world for Jesus.

Why These Books Are in Some Bibles and Not Others

A common point of confusion is the difference between the Catholic and Protestant canons. The Catholic Bible contains 73 books, while the Protestant Bible has 66. The seven additional books in the Catholic canon—including 1 and 2 Maccabees—are often called the deuterocanonical books. Jeff Cavins explains that neither side "added" or "took away" books in a simple sense. The early Church, from which Catholicism springs, used the Septuagint, a Greek translation of the Old Testament that included these books. The Reformers, however, chose to follow the later Jewish canon, which did not include them. The Bible used in The Bible in a Year is the one the early Church used, and Cavins encourages listeners—especially Protestant ones—to ap