1 Maccabees 16:11-17: a reflection

11Ptolemy the son of Abubus had been appointed governor over the plain of Jericho, and he had much silver and gold; 12for he was the high priest’s son-in-law. 13His heart was lifted up, and he planned to make himself master of the country, and he made deceitful plans against Simon and his sons, to do away with them. 14Now Simon was visiting the cities that were in the country, and attending to their needs. He went down to Jericho—himself with Mattathias and Judas his sons—in the one hundred seventy-seventh year, in the eleventh month, which is the month Sebat. 15The son of Abubus received them deceitfully into the little stronghold that is called Dok, which he had built, and made them a great banquet, and hid men there. 16When Simon and his sons had drunk freely, Ptolemy and his men rose up, took their weapons, rushed in against Simon in the banqueting place, and killed him, his two sons, and some of his servants. 17He committed a great iniquity, and repaid evil for good.

The passage records a treacherous crime. Ptolemy, who had risen to power and even married into the high priest's family, plots against Simon Maccabeus, the leader who had faithfully served his people. Under the guise of hospitality, Ptolemy invites Simon and his sons to a banquet, and there, having disarmed their suspicions, treacherously murders them. The passage names the wrong plainly: he committed a great crime, and repaid evil for good. Simon had done good; Ptolemy returned it with the worst of evils.

Notice the injustice named: he repaid evil for good. Simon had served his people faithfully; Ptolemy, whom he had every reason to trust, betrayed and murdered him. It is one of the bitterest of wrongs, to have our good repaid with evil, our trust betrayed, our kindness returned with harm. Scripture does not pretend such wrongs do not happen; it names them plainly as the great crimes they are.

That is a bitter experience many know: to do good and be repaid with evil, to trust and be betrayed, to help someone who then harms us. It is deeply painful, and Scripture does not minimize it. But in the face of such injustice, we can hold onto this: God does not repay our good with evil. Where people may betray us and return evil for good, God is faithful; he does not deal with us treacherously, but returns our trust with faithfulness. When your good is repaid with evil, bring the injustice to God, who sees it, and take comfort that he, unlike faithless people, never repays your good with harm. And ask him for the grace, in time, not to become bitter, but to keep doing good even when it is repaid with evil, as God keeps doing good to us.

Lord, Ptolemy repaid Simon's good with evil, betraying and murdering the one who had faithfully served his people; Scripture names it plainly as a great crime. When I experience that bitter wrong, when my good is repaid with evil, my trust betrayed, my kindness returned with harm, meet me in the pain of it. You do not minimize such injustice; help me bring it honestly to you, who see it. And take comfort into my heart that you, unlike faithless people, never repay my good with evil, but are always faithful. When I am wronged after doing good, keep me from becoming bitter, and give me grace to keep doing good even when it is not returned, as you keep doing good to me. Thank you that you never deal with me treacherously, but with faithfulness.