Jason

JASON. - High priest (175-172 B.C.), brother of Onias III, whom he supplanted through infamous intrigues. His name was Jēhōšūa, to which he gave the Greek form 'Iášōw.

He intrigued at the court of Antiochus IV (v.) Epiphanes, obtaining from him, by promising considerable sums, the high priesthood and support for the Hellenization of Jerusalem. He officially introduced Hellenism into Jerusalem: he built a gymnasium; he pushed the young toward Greek customs (2 Macc. 4:7-17). He persecuted the faithful Jews; he sent a mission to the games at Tyre, with 300 silver drachmas for a sacrifice to Hercules! He received Antiochus in Jerusalem with great pomp (2 Macc. 4:18-22). Shortly afterward (172) he sent Antiochus the agreed sums; the messenger, Menelaus, even worse than he, betrayed and supplanted him, buying the high priesthood with 300 additional silver talents. G. fled to Ammonitis (2 Macc. 23-26). During Antiochus's second expedition into Egypt (168), when the false news of his death spread, G. with about 1,000 men marched against Jerusalem; he forced Menelaus to shut himself up in the citadel and took fierce vengeance on his fellow citizens. "But he could not hold out and had to withdraw into Ammonitis and wander from country to country in search of asylum, until among the Spartans he died accursed" (2 Macc. 5:5-10).

Francesco Spadafora