This article challenges the dominant reading of 1 Macc 2:46, both that (a) the syntagm ἐν ἰσχύι means coercion and that (b) the literary context of 1 Maccabees understands the circumcising of the uncircumcised in 2:46 as coercive. An analysis of the lexical semantics of ἐν ἰσχύι in ancient Greek literature shows that it never referred to coercion, but primarily referred to the means by which an action was accomplished (“by strength/might/power”). Admittedly, ἐν ἰσχύι can occur in coercive contexts (e.g. Wis 16:16). However, coercion is not a part of the syntagm itself, but arises out of the surrounding literary circumstances. Rather than as one who forces circumcision upon others, the literary context of 1 Macc 2:46 presents Mattathias as a liberator who reinstates circumcision for those who had been prevented from circumcising their children due to persecution. Josephus, our earliest reception of 1 Macc 2:46, is a witness to this reading.

本文对1 Macc 2:46的主要读本提出了挑战，既（a）标记ἐνἰσχύι意味着胁迫，又（b）1 Maccabees的文学背景将2:46的未割礼的割礼理解为强制性的。对古希腊文学中ἐνσσχύι的词汇语义的分析表明，它从来没有提到强制，而是主要指完成动作的手段（“力量/力量/力量”）。诚然，ἐνἰσχύι可以发生在强制性环境中（例如，威斯16:16）。但是，强制不是宪法本身的一部分，而是出于周围的文学环境而产生的。1 Macc 2的文学语境不是强迫割礼的人：46代表马塔蒂亚斯是解放者，他为因迫害而被禁止割礼的孩子恢复了包皮环切术。约瑟夫斯，我们最早接受1 Macc 2:46的书，就是这一读经的见证。