Daniel's Seventy Weeks and the New Exodus (original) (raw)
Related papers
2016
The volume contains seven original studies, each of which focuses on a different chapter or central passage in Daniel and offers a new interpretation or reading of the passage in question. The studies span the Danielic tales and apocalypses, offering innovative analyses that often challenge the scholarly consensus regarding the exegesis of this book. The eight chapters relate to Daniel 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, Susanna, and the conception of angelology in Daniel. The studies are all based on careful textual analysis, including comparison between the Hebrew/Aramaic and Greek versions (especially regarding Daniel 4–6), and, in each case, the larger arguments are built upon solid philological foundations. Many of the insights proposed in this volume are based upon the realization that the authors of Daniel were frequently interpreters of earlier biblical books, and that the identification of these intertextual clues can be the key to unlocking the meaning of these texts. In this sense, Daniel is similar to other contemporaneous works, such as Jubilees and Qumran literature, but the extent of this phenomenon has not been fully appreciated by scholars of the book. This volume therefore contributes to the appreciation of Daniel as both the latest book in the Hebrew Bible, and a significant work in the landscape of Second Temple Judaism.
The Book of Daniel, An Analysis
The Book of Daniel, An Analysis, 2013
The Book of Daniel is a companion to the Book of Revelation. The following is an overview of the book. Daniel, the author, like Ezekiel, was a captive in Babylon. He was brought before King Nebuchadnezzar while young, and trained in the Chaldean language and sciences. His career resembled that of Joseph. He was promoted to the highest office in the realm. He maintained his spiritual life in the midst of a heathen court. The main theme of the Book is the Sovereignty of God over the affairs of men in all ages. The pagan king’s confessions of this fact constitute the Key Verses of this book. Section I is largely a narrative of personal biography and local history. It contains an account of thrilling events and divine interpositions unsurpassed in the Old Testament. It refers to six moral conflicts in which Daniel and his companions participated. The first conflict is between pagan self-indulgence and conscientious abstinence, in promoting health. We find in chapter one that abstinence wins. The second conflict is between pagan magic and heavenly wisdom in the interpretation of dreams. We find in chapter two that divine wisdoms wins. The third conflict is heathen idolatry arrayed against loyalty to God. In chapter three we find that loyalty to God wins. The fourth conflict is a pagan king’s pride arrayed against Divine Sovereignty. We find in chapter four that God wins and the king is turned out to eat grass. The fifth conflict is impious sacrilege arrayed against reverence for sacred objects. In chapter five we find that reverence wins. We also find the handwriting on the wall and Belshazzar being dethroned. The sixth conflict is between malicious plotting and the providence of God over His saints. In chapter six we find that providence wins with the lions’ mouths being stopped. Section II gives us the visions and prophecies relating to the controlling hand of God moving the scenes in the Panorama of History, chapters 7-12. The Book of Daniel is a companion to the Book of Revelation. Both of these books contain much imagery which appears mysterious. The attempt to fit the the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation into the facts and events of human history has usually produced an endless conflict of opinions. The reason for this is that the true interpretation of the details of the visions is not always clear. There are two facts that are generally acknowledged by most scholars: (1) That the prophecies represent a partly veiled Revelation of Future Events in secular and sacred history. (2) That the visions point to the ultimate triumph of God’s Kingdom over all Satanic and World Powers. In chapter seven, many commentators see the Four Beasts as representing the Four great Empires, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome, followed by a vision of the coming Messiah. In chapter eight, another period of Medo-Persian and Grecian history appears under the figure of a beast. In chapter nine we find Daniel’s prayer and a veiled prophecy of the time of the coming of the Messiah. Chapters ten to twelve contain additional far-reaching predictions and revelations of future events. These three chapters have been the battleground of theological controversy with many varied interpretations. (Adapted from Thompson’s Chain Reference).
The Daniel Narratives (Dan 1-6): Structure and Meaning
The Journal of Hebrew Scriptures 19, 2019
This article presents a new structural analysis of the Daniel narratives in Chapters 1–6. This structure is based on a new reading of the Daniel narratives from a perspective that emphasizes the tension between earthly and divine rule. Shifting the limelight from the conflict between the Jew and his environment to the internal identity conflict burdening the Jewish courtier, caught between his loyalty to God and that to the king, sheds new light on the Daniel narratives in general and specifically on the status of Daniel 1.
Davidic Chiasmus and Parallelisms (chapter in book, Discoveries in Chiasmus) . . .
Discoveries in Chiasmus, 2009
Preliminary Questions Now, on Davidic Chiasmus, a few preliminary questions and short answers, along the lines of who, what, where, when, why, etc. Who speaks or writes using the Davidic Pattern? Prophets and apostles and patriarchs, politicians and presidents, members and non-members, the famous, the infamous and the obscure. What is Davidic Chiasmus? It is an intricate, specific, and repeated pattern – widely found. It contains six repeated thematic areas (Or, it could be thought of a three sets of paired themes); these themes found in a certain order. Where is Davidic Chiasmus found? We suggest it can be found in scripture, literature, poetry, and music, on practically every continent. When was it written or spoken? Across the millennia, in ancient and modern times. Why Davidic Chiasmus? Well, now we are getting into something which is not so easily, or rather, simply explained. More on this later. The question of “Why” asked another way . . . How important is this? How useful? It can make obscure texts come alive, providing the key to understanding. It can provide a lens to make the most popular and well-understood texts of all time come alive again in our minds and hearts; experientially. What is Davidic Chiasmus? Davidic Chiasmus is an intricate, specific complex chiasmus, comprised of five pairs of parallel elements, i.e., macro structures, symmetrically arranged around a central “F” element, i.e., AB-CD-EFE-DC-BA, that has a repeated thematic pattern attached to each element. The chiasmus may be as short as a few verses, it may comprise a whole chapter, a short book, e.g., Book of Joel, or even an entire lengthy book, e.g., Book of Isaiah. This chiasmus is found extensively throughout the four standard works and other divinely inspired writings. Davidic construction has a holistic set of operational procedures and is marked by a set of formal structural markers which divide the text into six distinct elements. Each element, i.e., AB-CD-EFE-DC-BA, within Davidic Chiasmus takes up its own subject exhibiting a point of beginning and ending. The function of each element is to introduce an overriding theme or topic. When a Davidic Chiasmus comprises more than a few verses, each substructure, within an element, may contain additional chiasmus or parallelisms. Nevertheless, it is the larger themes that impart unity to the text as a whole. The substructures within each element provides cogency to its counterpart verses as a way of amplifying the theme and unlocking hidden messages. Each prophet/writer’s utilization of complementary and contrasting literary devices provides a wonderful tapestry of God’s word with synergy beyond the mere written text. If a structure “A”, for example, contains a chiasmus a-b-c-b-a, the complementary backside structure “A” can often contain the same (or nearly the same) chiastic pattern a-b-c-b-a. If structure “D” contains an extended alternate parallelistic pattern, i.e., a-b-c-a-b-c, the backside “D” will follow with the same (or nearly the same) pattern. Finally, each corresponding sub pattern (or substructure) is an extension, enhancement and fulfillment of its counterpart, i.e., “a” matches “a”, “b” matches “b”, etc. The entire fabric of literary discourse, in the words of Ernst Wendland, “encompasses a hierarchy that will correspond in broad outline with its previously determined structural-thematic framework” such that “every distinct formal unit of the text – from the line/colon to the composition as a whole – may be viewed as manifesting a particular function, or functional complex, in relation to its audience then and now.” (Discourse Perspectives on Hebrew Poetry in the Scriptures, Ernst R. Wendland, p. 19). The hermeneutical value of the entire scriptural text thus becomes greater than the sum of its individual parts.
Exploring the Complexity of the Book of Daniel: A Multifaceted Analysis
Forum/Forum - Sekolah Tinggi Teologi Filsafat Widya Sasana, 2024
This research delves into the intricate layers of the Book of Daniel, seeking to unravel it is complexities through a comprehensive examination. Emphasizing the historical and literary significance of the text, the study explores the multifaceted nature of the Book of Daniel, which has intrigued scholars for centuries. The primary objective is to illuminate various dimensions of complexity, including symbolic language, prophetic elements, and historical context. Employing a methodological approach that integrates literary analysis, historical investigation, and theological perspectives, the study aims to provide a holistic understanding of the Book of Daniel's intricacies. Positioned within ongoing scholarly discussions on biblical interpretation and prophecy, the research reveals that the Book of Daniel invites diverse approaches, incorporating historical, wisdom, prophetic, and apocalyptic perspectives. Comprehending the Book of Daniel's complexity contributes to bridging the gap between historical, literary, and theological viewpoints, thereby enriching our grasp of biblical texts and fostering scholarly discourse in this field.