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Maccabbees doesn't establish doctrine, but it proves the existence of a Jewish practice that was continued like Temple Liturgy into the Christian Church. purgatory as a separate place from hell is a distinct issue from praying for the dead. St. Perpetua waiting to die as a martyr didn't hesitate to pray for her dead unbelieving brother, so the earth church didn't teach against this. Paul spoke of Onesiphorus in the same terms the maccabbees spoke, that God have mercy on him on that day (day of judgement). |
