Timeline For the Development of the Egyptian House of God

Judas Maccabeus leads the Maccabean revolt against the Seleucid Empire (167-160 BCE)

The death of Judas Maccabee (d. 160 BCE) stirred the Jews to renewed resistance.

After several additional years of war under the leadership of two of Mattathias' other sons (Jonathan and Simon), the Jews finally achieved independence and the liberty to worship freely.

Onias IV, the son of Onias III was the lawful heir of the legitimate high priests. He had reason to hope that the victory of the national party under Judas Maccabeus would place him in the office of his fathers.

Onias was disappointed to see the election of Alcimus as high priest (who was not of the traditional line of high priests) 162 BC-159 BC

Onias went to Egypt to the court of the Ptolemies to gain assistance against the Seleucids.

In about 154, with the permission of Ptolemy VI (Philometor), he built a temple in Egypt. The rabbinic tradition swears the altar was in Alexandria.

It is doubtful that Onias went to Egypt EXPECTING to build a rival temple. What can explain the transformation?

Traditional scholars can only admit that Onias expected that after the desecration of the Temple at Jerusalem by the Syrians.

I think that it has everything to do rather with thinking that the sanctity of Jerusalem had ended once sacrifices were performed in the wrong ways, on the wrong days by the wrong tradition (the Pharisees).

More on this later ...