The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001-07.
Mattathias
(mt´´th´s) (KEY) [Gr. variant of Mattithiah]. 1,2 Two in Lukes genealogy. 3 Father of the Maccabees. 4 Captain under Jonathan, the Maccabee. 5 Son of Simon, the Maccabee, murdered with his father. 6 Envoy from Nicanor to Judas Maccabeus.