The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)

Episode: Day 303: Eleazar's Martyrdom
Date: October 30, 2025
Host: Fr. Mike Schmitz (Ascension)

Overview

In this episode, Fr. Mike Schmitz leads listeners through 2 Maccabees 6, the opening chapters of the Book of Wisdom (1–2), and a portion of Proverbs 24. The central theme revolves around faithfulness under persecution, the meaning of true wisdom, and the reasons behind suffering and death from a biblical perspective. The martyrdom of Eleazar, a courageous 90-year-old scribe, offers a poignant example of integrity and the powerful consequences of "scandal." The Wisdom readings launch an exploration of the metaphysical roots of evil, the nature of righteous suffering, and deeply Christological prophecies.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Context and Persecution under Antiochus (2 Maccabees 6)

• [02:00] Fr. Mike provides background on the intense suppression of Judaism by the Seleucid king, describing forced apostasy, desecration of the Temple, and brutal punishment for religious observance.

• Providential Suffering:
  Fr. Mike emphasizes the biblical lesson that God allows suffering not to destroy but to discipline His people, distinguishing the immediate discipline faced by Israel from the delayed judgment reserved for other nations.

  "God...comes to us to correct us—not to destroy us, but to discipline us. And not to crush us, but to correct us."
  — Fr. Mike [09:10]

2. The Martyrdom of Eleazar: A Model of Integrity

• [07:00] The episode details the story of Eleazar, who refuses both to eat pork in violation of the law and to pretend to do so.

• The “Sin of Scandal”:

  • Eleazar recognizes that even appearing to break God’s law could lead others astray, especially the young, and refuses to give that bad example—despite the personal cost.

  • Fr. Mike identifies this as a key biblical perspective on personal responsibility, echoing Jesus’ own warnings about leading others to sin (cf. Matthew 18:6).

    "Such pretense is not worthy of our time of life... through my pretense... they should be led astray because of me." (Eleazar, 2 Macc 6:24–25; quoted by Fr. Mike [11:20])

    "The sin of scandal, of leading others into sin, is horrible. Right? You can go to hell for that kind of thing."
    — Fr. Mike [12:22]

• Transformation of Relationships:

  • Fr. Mike notes how quickly those who previously respected Eleazar turned against him the moment he stood firm.

    "They're very gentle with him until he says no, until he flatly refuses. And then it says those who had goodwill towards him immediately began to have ill will towards him."
    — Fr. Mike [10:20]

3. Book of Wisdom: The Origin of Death and Nature of the Righteous

• [15:00] Fr. Mike transitions to the Wisdom of Solomon and highlights its profound metaphysical statements:

• God Did Not Make Death:

  • He stresses that "God did not make death," which is “monumental” for Christian understanding.

    • Wisdom 1:13 — “God did not make death, and he does not delight in the destruction of the living. For he created all things that they might exist.”
    • Evil and death arise from human choice (“ungodly men, by their words and deeds, summoned death, considered him a friend...” - Wisdom 1:16).

    "If you want to understand... that he is not evil, he is not death, he does not bring about evil or death, [it's] Wisdom chapter one, verse 13."
    — Fr. Mike [16:09]

• Prophetic Foreshadowing of Christ in Wisdom 2

  • [18:00] Fr. Mike urges prayerful meditation on Wisdom 2:12–20, noting how the “plot against the righteous man” echoes the Gospels’ Passion narratives.

    • The “righteous man” is described with phrases that recall Jesus—"He professes to have knowledge of God and calls himself a child of the Lord... He calls the last end of the righteous happy and boasts that God is his Father..."
    • The enemies conspire: "Let us condemn him to a shameful death, for according to what he says, he will be protected."

  • Fr. Mike draws a direct line from these verses to the New Testament scenes at the cross:

    "If you are the Son of God, come off that cross. Right? Oh, my gosh, you guys... the scribes and Pharisees shouting out at Jesus... that's the fulfillment of Wisdom chapter 2."
    — Fr. Mike [19:23]

• Blindness of Evil:

  • The wicked are described as “blinded by their wickedness,” unable to perceive God’s secret purposes or the hope for “the wages of holiness” (Wisdom 2:21–22, highlighted at [20:10]).

• The Devil’s Envy:

  • The ultimate origin of death: “But through the devil’s envy death entered the world...” (Wisdom 2:24). Fr. Mike discusses Lucifer’s presumed envy as a root of rebellion and evil.

    "But through the devil's envy, death entered the world, and those who belong to his party experience it."
    — Fr. Mike [21:09]

4. Proverbs on Leadership and Righteous Judgment

• [22:30] A brief reflection on fearing the Lord and the king, and the importance of impartial justice—rebuking the wicked rather than showing partiality (Proverbs 24:21–26).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Suffering:

  “These punishments were designed not to destroy, but to discipline our people... Punishing them immediately is a sign of great kindness.”
  — Fr. Mike [09:30]

• On Integrity and Example:

  “Eleazar... refuses [even] the appearance of evil. He’s aware that his choices have a ripple effect on the faith of the young.”
  — Fr. Mike [11:50]

• On the Prophecy of the Passion:

  “Let us test him with insult and torture... Let us condemn him to a shameful death—for according to what he says, he will be protected.” (Wisdom 2:19–20 cited at [18:40])

  “If you never read the Wisdom of Solomon, here we are... realizing that here the scribes and Pharisees shouting out at Jesus... that’s the fulfillment of Wisdom chapter 2.”
  — Fr. Mike [19:40]

Recommended Timestamps

• 02:00 — Setting: Persecution under Antiochus and the context of 2 Maccabees 6
• 07:00 — The story of Eleazar’s martyrdom and its moral lessons
• 10:20 — Transformation of attitudes toward Eleazar; the lesson of evil’s “seduction”
• 12:22 — The seriousness of “scandal”: personal example and communal responsibility
• 15:00 — Introduction to the Wisdom of Solomon: God’s intention for humanity and the origin of death
• 18:00 — Wisdom chapter 2: Prophecy of the suffering righteous man (and its connection to Christ)
• 21:09 — The devil’s envy as the true origin of death
• 22:30 — Proverbs on righteous leadership and the dangers of partiality

Tone and Engagement

Fr. Mike’s tone is passionate, pastoral, and at times awe-struck at the richness of scripture, especially the “hidden chapters” many Christians never encounter. He repeatedly encourages reflective, prayerful engagement, often expressing hope that listeners' hearts and minds are “set on fire” by new insights.

Takeaway

This episode offers a powerful meditation on how integrity and witness in the face of persecution shape the next generation, why suffering can be a form of loving discipline, and how scripture—centuries before Christ—anticipated the Passion. The readings from Wisdom provide some of the Old Testament’s most direct Christological prophecies and deep theological insight into life, death, evil, and human destiny.

“Take it in, soak it in, and let God’s word set your heart and my heart on fire.” — Fr. Mike [22:52]