by
Damien F. Mackey
“Was Judas Maccabaeus ever high priest of Israel, as Josephus three times affirms but also denies?”
Michael O. Wise
The question is asked by Richard Gottheil and Samuel Krauss, in their article “Judas Maccabeus” for JewishEncyclopedia http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/9034-judas-maccabeus#anchor7
Judas was again the ruler of the whole land. According to Josephus (“Ant.” xii. 10, § 6), the sudden death of Alcimus occurring at this time, the people gave the office of high priest to Judas. Josephus (“Ant.” xii. 11, § 2), in relating Judas’ death, observes also that he was high priest for three years; but in another place he says that after the death of Alcimus there was an intermission of seven years in the office of high priest (“Ant.” xx. 10). Judas’ three years, then, fell probably immediately after the consecration of the Temple (165-162), that is, before the election of Alcimus, who, moreover, according to I Maccabees, may possibly have died after Judas. Neither I Maccabees nor the rabbinical authorities, however, speak of Judas occupying the high-priesthood (see Grätz, “Gesch.” 2d ed., ii. 365, note 3). ….
[End of quote]
Likewise, Vasile Babota asks (The Institution of the Hasmonean High Priesthood): “Was Judas a high priest as stated by Josephus in Ant. 12.414, 419, 434, and as assumed by several modern scholars?”
https://brill.com/view/book/9789004252042/B9789004252042_006.xml
The notion that Judas Maccabeus may have served for a time as the high priest would not be incompatible with the findings in my multi-part series:
Oniad Dynasty of Priests – Revised. Part One: Introductory
https://www.academia.edu/30187204/Oniad_Dynasty_of_Priests_Revised_Part_One_Introductory
https://www.academia.edu/30187744/Oniad_Dynasty_of_Priests_Revised_Part_Two_Simeon_I
https://www.academia.edu/30188417/Oniad_Dynasty_of_Priests_Revised_Part_Three_Onias_John_
https://www.academia.edu/30188903/Oniad_Dynasty_of_Priests_Revised_Part_Four_Mattathias
Judas Maccabeus and the Downfall of Gog 