Context No. 3158 of 4322 · 1 Maccabees

1 Maccabees 13:41-48: in context

41In the one hundred seventieth year, the yoke of the Gentiles was taken away from Israel. 42The people began to write in their instruments and contracts, “In the first year of Simon, the great high priest and captain and leader of the Jews.” 43In those days Simon encamped against Gazara, and surrounded it with troops. He made a siege engine, and brought it up to the city, and struck a tower, and captured it. 44Those who were in the engine leaped out into the city; and there was a great uproar in the city. 45The people of the city tore their clothes, and went up on the walls with their wives and children, and cried with a loud voice, asking Simon to give them his right hand. 46They said, “Don’t deal with us according to our wickednesses, but according to your mercy.” 47So Simon was reconciled to them, and didn’t fight against them; but he expelled them from the city and cleansed the houses where the idols were, and then entered into it with singing and giving praise. 48He removed all uncleanness out of it, and placed in it men who would keep the law, and made it stronger than it was before, and built a dwelling place for himself in it.

The Gentile yoke is lifted from Israel, and the years begin to be dated to Simon's rule. Simon besieges the town of Gazara and breaches its wall. The terrified people go up on the walls with their wives and children and cry out to him, do not deal with us according to our wickedness, but according to your mercy. And Simon relents; he does not destroy them, but expels them, cleanses the town of its idols, and settles law-keepers there.

The striking moment is that plea and its answer. The defeated city cries, do not deal with us according to our wickedness, but according to your mercy, the very prayer of anyone who knows they deserve judgment but appeals to mercy instead. And Simon relents; he does not deal with them as their deeds warranted. It is a small human echo of the greater truth every sinner must learn to pray: not give me what I deserve, but deal with me according to your mercy. The one who appeals to mercy rather than merit finds a door open that judgment would have shut.

When I stand guilty, do I plead not my deserving but God's mercy, praying, "deal with me not according to my wickedness but according to your mercy"?

Sources

1 Maccabees 13:46: "Don't deal with us according to our wickednesses, but according to your mercy."
Psalm 103:10: "He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor repaid us for our iniquities."
Luke 18:13: "God, be merciful to me, a sinner!"