1335 days, shall yet become important ; " and
Kliefoth (p. 503) contends for that interpreta-
tion of the three and a half times which holds ;
that they denote "the highest development of
the power of Antichrist, and his end," imme-
diately before the manifestation of Christ.
Probably the opinion of those is likewise not
to be at once rejected, who hold that there was
also a tyjjical relation between the three and a
half times of Daniel and the public life of Jesus,
■which covered three to four years, whether they
regard the latter period as a period of coijtinued
ti'ial and suffering, which became more intense
toward its close (cf . Luke xiii. 6-9 : the three
years of laborious and vain attempts on the part
of the Lord to convert the barren fig-tree. Israel),
or whether they find in it the first half of the
mystical week mentioned in chap. ix. 27, and
let the second, which corresponds directly to the
three and a half years, follow immediately after-
ward (cf . supra, the history of the exposition of
chap. ix. 24-27). Ebrard has recently put forth
a particularly noteworthy effort to carry out the
latter of these views, with special regard to the
chronology of the leadii^ events in the life of
Christ, although his attempt involves much that
is artificial and axhitxary (ChristUche Dogmatik^
2d ed.. II. 747; cf. his Kritik der emng.
Gcschichte, 3d ed., pp. 105, 196 et seq. ; — and
for a criticism of his views, cf. Biihring, in
Schenkel's Allg. kirchl. Zeitschrlft, 1867, p.
579).
3. Homiktical suc/gestkins. — As in the Oratio
esehatologicii by Christ (Matt. xxiv. par.) and
especially in its intermediate parts (vs. 29-36),
so in the present section there are two piincipal
questions whose investigation devolves on the
honiUetical student ; and they succeed each
other in the same order as in that section of the
gospels : (1) the question concerning the pre-
conditions and the course of the end of the world
and the final judgment (see vs. 1-3) ; and (2) the
question relating to the preceding development,
or to the time of the end of the world (see v. 5 et
seq. ). In answer to the first question, vs. 1-3
indicate that the .sufferings and sorrows of God's
people shall attain to an unprecedented height,
as a necessary preparation for their deliverance
by the Messiah ; and further, that the general
resurrection of all the dead, whether pious or
godless, forms a prerequisite and preparation to
pave the way for the judgment of the world,
which is to dispense eternal rewards and pun-
ishments. The revealing angel answers the
second question in vs. 7, 11, and 12. so far as to
state that the last times shall constitute a period
of suffering, through which the faithful ones
must urge their way, but which shall be short-
ened and broken through at the middle by the
grace of God, — in which is contained, at the
same time, a reference to the sudden .and unex-
pected introduction of the final time of the end,
or to the coming of the judge of the world like
a thief in the night (Matt. xxiv. 36, 42, 44;
Luke xxi. 34 et seq. ; 1 Thess. v. 3 et seq.).
The solution of both questions leads to an ex-
liortation to patient, contented, and watchful
waiting for the fulfilment of the prophecy re-
specting the last end (vs. 4, 9, 13 — cf. Matt,
xxiv. 33 et seq., 43 et seq. ; xxv. 1 et seq.).
Thus all the leading features of the Scriptural
doctrine of the last things (Mors tua, judicium
postremwn, gloria ccili, et dolor inferni, etc.) are
comprehended within the narrow limits of thia
chapter, and are there properly arranged for
practical and edifying discussion, either in a
single study or in several.
Single passages.
On V. 1, Luther : " This does not signify phy-
sical sufferings, which were far greater at the
de.struction of Jerusalem, in Rome, and in many
other cities and countries ; but the suffering of
souls, or the spiritual affliction of the church, as
prefigured by the sufferings of Christ. For phy-
sical sufferings are temporarj', and cease with
the body. But the question here is whether the
church shall fall or stand, which the devil had
attacked in two directions through the agency
of Antichrist : on the one hand, by an Epicurean
contempt for the sacraments and the Word uf
God, on the other, by the ten'ors and despair of
conscience, in which no proper comfort of the
graces (was found), but only wretched tortures,
which vexed men with the sufficiency of their
own doings and with their works (of which, how-
ever, the Epicureans and heathen know nothing) ;
hence, that it was time that Michael should
arouse himself, and not suffer Christendom to
be destroyed at its last.gasp, but to comfort and
collect it again by his beneficent word of grace."
— Melancthon : '''Semper opart et nobis notam
esse et infixam animis hane doctrinam, quod Ec-
elesia sit subjecta cruci, et cur nit suhjeeta. videli-
cit, quia mdt Deus intelligi ab EccUsia iram ad-
versus peccatum, qimm mundns contemnit. . . .
Agnoscant igitur pii Ecelesiw a:rnm?ms. et propter
Dei gloriam ac propriam salutem et publicam
necessitatem acrius incumbantin Ecangelii studi-
um, et toto pectore Deum inrocent, ut Ecclesiam
conservet, defendat, et aiigeat. — Quatnor autem
consolationes h. I. traduntur, qum piis omnibus
semper in conspectu esse debent : 1. Prima est,
quod Ecclcsia non sit penitus interitura, sed tunc
quoque in illis periculis duratura. 2. Secunda
consoUitio, quod ibi sunt fiitura Ecclesire membra,
ubicumque erunt amplectentes purnm Evangelii
doctrinam ; erit enim, ut inquit, dispersio popuU
(cfr. V. 7). 3. Tertia con.mlatio, quodinhis tantis
])erici.dis habitura git Ecclesia difensorcm Filium
Dei (Michaelem). 4. Quarta consolatio est. quam
hie quoque proponit Angelus : Qmim O'rumno'
non sint futures perpetuev . hac spe faeilins ens
feramus, quod pits promittitur yloriosa liberatio
et aterna Itetitia ; impiis iiero 'denuntiantur
eeterni cruciatus." — Starke: "God permits the
persecution of His church to reach its highest
point that His help may be so much the more
glorious."
On vs. 2. 3, Jerome: " Opprcsso Antichristo
et spiritu Sali-atoris extincto salrabitur populus,
qui scriptus fuerit in libra Iiei, et pro diversitate
meritorum alii resurgent in titam ceternam. et
alii in opprobrium sempit^rnum. Magistri autem
habebunt similitudinern eali, et qui alios erudier-
unt, stellarum fulgori comparabuntur. NoN
ENIM BUPFICIT SCIRE SAPIENTIAM, NISI ET
ALIOS ERUDIAS ; TACITlTbQUE 8KRMO DOCTRI-
NiE, ALIUM NON iEDIFICANS (cfr. 1 Cor. xiv.
3 BS.), MERCEDEM OPEKIS RECIPERE KON
POTEST." — Melancthon : " FaciUut fcrinius hu-
jus fito' miserias, cum quasi vutam prospieimus,
et seimus aliquando MecUsiam ex tantis malii
eluctaturam esse Videmus nunc qiiidem
CHAP. XII. 1-13.
973
mitere dmipatum, esse populum Dei : quare iion
procul abest resMcitatio mortuorum.'''' — Starke :
'• Since the faithful martyrs, who loved not
their lives unto the death, are to have the pre-
ference over others in the resurrection (1 Cor.
XV. 23 et seq.), should it contradict the righteous-
ness of God that the greatest persecutors of the
church, as the fii'st-bora sons of hell, should be
raised before the general resurrection of the
dead, and be the first to be cast into hell with
soul and body (comp. Rev. xix. 20 with Rom. ii.
9) ? — Forward, then, ye teachers of the Gospel !
do not become wearied in your oiEce ! Rather
devote tongue, pen, and life to point men to
Christ as the true righteousness ! Suffer in
patience everything that the wicked world can
do to you on that account ! The magnitude of
your gracious reward is well worth such indus-
try and patience ! " On v. 4, Jerome : "'Etiatn
iit Apocalypsi Joannis liber tidetur xiguatut sep-
tem sigiilis intus et /oris Librum antem
ilium potest solvere, qui Scripturarum, sacrameiUa
cognovit, et intelligit cenigmata et verba tenebrosa
propter inysterioi'um magnitudinem, et interpre-
tatur parabolas, et oceiddentem littram transfert
in spirituM •cimfieantetn." — Osiander : " The
Divine prophecies are only then correctly under-
stood when they are in course of fulfilment (cf. 2
Pet. i. 20)."
On vs. 7, 11, 13, Melancthon: "■ McUb sunt
temporuni mirabili consiUo Dei oonstitutm. Et
quanquam Ckristus diem ilium noli patri notvm
esse inquit nee milt nos curiose qnarere certum
diem ant annnm, sed semper relut in stations
paratos expectare ilium Iwtissimum diem, quo se
ostendet vniverso Inimano generi et cnm sua
Ecdesia triumphabit ; tamen breritas hujus
mundi vane significata est." — Calvin: " Quam-
I'ii Daniel non stulta curiositnte inductus quo'si-
erit ex Angela de fine mirabilium, tamen non ob-
tinet, quod petebut, quia scilicet roluit Deus ad
modum alUjucm intdligi, rpiR pradixerat, sed
tamen aliquid manere occiiltinn, usquedum veniret
tnaturum plena remlittionis t-empus. Hax igitur
ratio est, cur Angelas non eaaudiat Danielem.
Pium quidem erat ejus cotum i^neguc enim optat
18
quicquam scire plus q nam jus esset), verum Deus
scit quid opus sit, ideo non concessit, quod opta-
bat." — Geier (in Starke) : "The last times will
be terrible and dangerous ; but they have their
definite hmits."
On V. 10, Theodoret : dlSk yap Set traaiv d;r/iuc
-pocKtlcdat rii \^ela, iiAA' ol fif:v voij^ove^ 6ta rij^
avu-&€v avTo't^ x^PVyovfJ-evT]^ yvoioeug avv^aovatv, oi
de avofjLia aal 6voaE0Eig ov^givte^ ovdev tl>v kyKei-
fih'ui' votjcat dwrjoovrai, hrav 6e eTiOy Ta Tzpuyfiara^
Ga^ut; ruf ~EfH Toi'Tuv fia-HijOovraL 7Tpo(f,r/rE(a(;. —
Luther : ' ' For however brightly and powerfully
the Gospel moves, and however strong the church
may be, there must still be heretics and false
teachers to prove her, in order that the approved
ones may be manifest ; and these same heretics
are fond of taking sides with kings and great
lords. Consequently the heretics wiU continue
to the end But to the godless he (ths
prophet, or, rather, his prophecy) is of uo ser-
vice, as he himself remarks : the wicked shall
remain wicked, and not regard it. For this pro-
phecy and similar ones were not written that we
might (beforehand exactly) know history and
the troubles of the future, so as to feed our
curiosity as with an item of news ; but that the
pious might comfort themselves and rejoice over
them, and that they should strengthen their
faith and hope in patience, as those that see and
hear that their wretchedness shall have an end,
and that they, delivered from sin, death, the
devil, and every evil, shall come to Christ in
heaven, in his blessed eternal kingdom."
On V. 13, Tubing. Bibel: "How blessed wUl
it seem to rest in the bosom of the Lord, after
the work of this life is done, until the day of
restitution shall come, when we shall arise,
every one to the gracious lot that shall fall to
him." — Starke: "At length the sufferings of
the faithful reach a joyous end ; then follow
rest and sweet refreshing, and finally a glorious
resurrection, when with their glorified bodies
they shall enter into the joy of their Lord."
Blessed is he who with Daniel shall receive a
similar lot. Amen.
Date Due
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