“The altar of burnt offerings is pure faith, pure doctrine, and the pure conduct of the ministers of Christ. But this altar had been desecrated by heretical depravity or the horror of crimes; now it had to be destroyed, that is, removed from the dignity of the priesthood, lest perhaps it be a disgrace to the holy Churc…”
Rabanus Maurus, 9th c. — Commentary on 1 Maccabees
Original
44And when as they consulted what to do with the altar of burnt offerings, which was profaned;
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In context
42So he chose priests of blameless conversation, such as had pleasure in the law:
43Who cleansed the sanctuary, and bare out the defiled stones into an unclean place.
— 1 Maccabees 4:44 —
45They thought it best to pull it down, lest it should be a reproach to them, because the heathen had defiled it: wherefore they pulled it down,
46And laid up the stones in the mountain of the temple in a convenient place, until there should come a prophet to shew what should be done with them.