TEACHING NIGHT: DANIEL St. Matthew s, Manly 30 th April 2014 gharper@smbc.com.au Daniel is a fascinating book and a difficult one. It is the source of numerous debates, particularly over historicity and the interpretation of prophecy. LONGMAN & DILLARD 1 1. WHY BOTHER WITH DANIEL? From the outset, let me make a couple of bold statements: 1. 2. 3. 2. BACKGROUND: HISTORY & LITERATURE History 2 Ne buc had nez zar Sie ge Sie ge & des tru ctio n Cyr us dec ree Te mp le reb uilt Ezr a Ne he mia h Ale xan der the Gre at Ale xan der die s Ant ioc hus IV Oni as & Jas on Te mp le des ecr ate d Te mp le red edi cat ed Au gus tus 605 598 586 539 516 458 445 336 323 187 171 167 164 27 BABYLON PERSIA GREECE ROME Literature There is a large body of Jewish and Christian writings that have been designated as apocalyptic. These apocalyptic texts can be divided into four groups: 1. OT 2. Inter-testamental 1 T. Longman and R. B. Dillard, An Introduction to the Old Testament (2nd ed.; Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2006), 371. 2 For more detail, see E. C. Lucas, Daniel (Downers Grove: IVP, 2002), 37-43. Geoff Harper, 2014 1
3. NT 4. Early Christian The problem for interpretation... 3. OVERVIEW OF DANIEL Survey of Contents Ch 1 Ch 7 Ch 2 Ch 8 Ch 3 Ch 9 Ch 4 Ch 10 Ch 5 Ch 11 Ch 6 Ch 12 Genre What kind of literature is the book of Daniel? This is an important question to answer if we want to interpret it correctly. The book essentially divides into two genres: Chapters 1-6 Chapters 7-12 Purpose of the court stories (chs. 1 6) 3 1. Entertainment 2. Edification 3. Encouragement Author & Date Deciding on the author and date of Daniel has been controversial. There are two competing views, each of which has its own problems. 4 3 Lucas, Daniel, 26-27. 4 For representatives of both positions, see S. R. Miller, Daniel (Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 1994), 22-43; W. S. Towner, Daniel (Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1984), 4-8. Geoff Harper, 2014 2
6 th Century BC 2 nd Century BC There are many signs to indicate that the author of chs. 7-12 understood his role as one of filling in the details of the early visions of Daniel through the careful study of scripture and thus confirming Daniel s prophecies in the light of the events of contemporary history. The later author was neither creating new prophecies on his own, nor consciously employing a clever literary ploy. Rather, he was confirming and elucidating the visions of Daniel in ch. 2 for the benefit of his Maccabean audience on the basis of further revelation of scripture. 5 Structure How should we divide up the book? Genre? Language? Chronology? Stylistic devices? Putting the pieces together Message At the heart of the book of Daniel is a juxtaposition of human power and divine power, with God s people caught in the middle. Human Power: 1. Real 2. Limited 3. Temporary Divine Power: 1. Real 2. Unlimited 3. Eternal The message of Daniel for God s people: 5 B. S. Childs, Introduction to the Old Testament as Scripture (London: SCM, 1979), 616. Geoff Harper, 2014 3
An unveiling of reality A call to faithfulness An exhortation to trust 4. INTERPRETING APOCALYPTIC LITERATURE 1. Set a modest goal and approach with humility There s no use complaining that these statements are difficult. Christianity claims to be telling us about another world, about something behind the world we can touch and hear and see. You may think the claim false; but if it were true, what it tells us would be bound to be difficult at least as difficult as modern Physics, and for the same reason. 6 2. Take imagery, symbolism and numbers seriously, but not literally Before we analyse... we must see what is going on. 7 apocalyptic is a metaphor-rich genre.... As such, images speak truly and accurately, but not precisely. We often do not know when the analogy stops. In this way, images preserve mystery about ideas that are ultimately beyond our comprehension. 8 3. Understand the central message being conveyed by the imagery it is more hope for the future than information about the future. 9 4. Find the meaning in context Unless we become students of the biblical world and the mind-set of that era, we will err in our understanding of what the Bible intends to reveal. 10 text-saturated people 11 5. Observe the pastoral concern [A] prophet afflicts the comforted; the apocalyptic seer comforts the afflicted. 12 6. Keep all options open regarding fulfilment 7. Application(s) should come from the text s main point(s) 6 C. S. Lewis, Beyond Personality: The Christian Idea of God (London: Geoffrey Bles, 1944), 11-12. 7 J. B. Green, How to Read Prophecy (Downers Grove: IVP, 1984), 75. 8 T. Longman, Daniel (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1999), 178. 9 D. B. Sandy and M. G. Abegg, Apocalyptic, in Cracking Old Testament Codes: A Guide to Interpreting the Literary Genres of the Old Testament (ed. D. B. Sandy and R. L. Giese; Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 1995), 188. 10 Sandy and Abegg, Apocalyptic, 187. 11 W. Brueggemann, Theology of the Old Testament: Testimony, Dispute, Advocacy (Minneapolis: Fortress 1997), 79. 12 Longman and Dillard, Introduction, 388. Geoff Harper, 2014 4
5. INTERPRETING DANIEL 7 Work on the text of 7:1-14, thinking through the same categories. How do they work out here? 1. Set a modest goal and approach with humility 2. Take imagery, symbolism and numbers seriously, but not literally What symbolic elements are present? 3. Understand the central message being conveyed by the imagery What imagery is being used? Where does it come from? What is it communicating? 4. Find the meaning in context What is going on here from a canonical context? 5. Observe the pastoral concern How does this text function for its implied readers? (Be specific!) 6. Keep all options open regarding fulfilment 7. Application(s) should come from the text s main point(s) 6. COMMENTARIES & BOOKS Recommended Commentaries Baldwin, J. G. Daniel: An Introduction and Commentary. TOTC. Leicester: IVP, 1978. Goldingay, J. E. Daniel. Dallas: Word Books, 1989. Longman, T. Daniel. NIVAC. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1999. Lucas, E. C. Daniel. AOTC. Downers Grove: IVP, 2002. Geoff Harper, 2014 5
Interpretation of Apocalyptic Literature Fee, G. D. and D. Stuart. How To Read the Bible For All Its Worth. 2nd ed. Bletchley: Scripture Union, 1994, pages 231-245. Green, J. B. How to Read Prophecy. Downers Grove: IVP, 1984, pages 61-81. Lucas, E. C. Preaching Apocalyptic. Pages 179-196 in Reclaiming the Old Testament for Christian Preaching. Edited by G. J. R. Kent, P. J. Kissling and A. Turner Lawrence. Downers Grove: IVP, 2010. Klein, W. W., C. Blomberg, and R. L. Hubbard. Introduction to Biblical Interpretation. Rev. ed. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2004, pages 384-387. Osborne, G. R. The Hermeneutical Spiral: A Comprehensive Introduction to Biblical Interpretation. Downers Grove: Inter-Varsity Press, 1991, pages 227-231. Sandy, D. B. and M. G. Abegg. Apocalyptic. Pages 177-196 in Cracking Old Testament Codes: A Guide to Interpreting the Literary Genres of the Old Testament. Edited by D. B. Sandy and R. L. Giese. Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 1995. Other Books Collins, J. J. The Apocalyptic Imagination: An Introduction to Jewish Apocalyptic Literature. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1998. 7. CONCLUSION 1. Expect... 2. Expect... 3. Expect... 4. Expect... 5. Expect... 6. Expect... 7. Expect... Geoff Harper, 2014 6