John Chrysostom, Interpretation of Daniel the Prophet

and those men. When there is no outcome, who is the true and who is the false? And one must practice this on other things. But let this very dream be brought forward; let him say what Daniel said, let those men say the opposite. How is it clear that he lies, or speaks the truth? Now therefore he gives the test. But in the case of Joseph it did not happen thus, but that man tells the dream; for the time was near. And it is worthy of wonder how in Egypt the wise men of the Egyptians were unwilling to invent something without risk, but said they were at a loss. And if they do not know how to interpret dreams, where else are they to be believed? Besides, this did not need to happen there; but in the case of Joseph's prophecy it happened openly, and especially in the case of the eunuchs. But see these men not calling for Daniel, but choosing to die rather than to see that man held in high repute. Did the dream appear for this reason only, that Daniel might be admired? I for one would not say so. For even if this were the only reason, the achievement was great and wonderful, for so much knowledge of God to have come about. Yet this is not the only reason. But what? So that this man might also be chastened, learning that his race will not prevail for all time (for if, even with these things having been said, he did not let go of his arrogance, how much more if these things had not been said); so that he might acknowledge God as being Lord of all. For since they were more concerned with dreams, for this reason these things have happened. From this he persuades them about future things, and because by this they especially honored their gods, by foreseeing future things. For all their sorcery was about this. And the decree went out, and the wise men were being killed; and they sought to kill Daniel and his friends. And then Daniel answered with counsel and judgment to Arioch the captain of the king’s guard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon. And he asked him, saying: O captain of the king, why has this shameless decree gone out from the king's presence? Do you see his boldness? do you see his courage? the things he says to the one who has authority to kill? And he grieves for the others. It has no reason, he says, nor pretext, nor is there any color given to the command; 56.201 for we call such things shameless. And Arioch made the matter known to Daniel. And Daniel went out and asked the king to give him time, so that he might declare the interpretation of the dream to the king. Wonder how that man permitted it. See how everywhere all men obey him. From where then did he suspect him to be telling the truth? How did he not say, "All have been convicted; they confessed that this is not of human nature; and you, being a barbarian, from where do you think you can overcome?" But when God arranges and prepares matters, be at a loss for nothing. Besides, it was also without risk to come to him later. For what reason did God not reveal it to him immediately? First, so that the matter might become very clear, that they might be placed in great need. For even if he was a prophet, nevertheless he did not know it. Again he makes a defense to you through the righteous, showing that to those who were about to be in danger he did not give without steadfast prayer, much more will he not give to you. For this reason Paul everywhere asks for prayers, writing, Persevering in prayer. For a pure life is not sufficient, if prayer is not also present. See again his great faith. This is a second trial; and again Daniel takes the lead in the matter, and asks for time, having been prepared for much steadfastness and prayer. So he did not expect to be heard immediately; that man granted the favor, he communicated it to his friends. Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. And Daniel blessed the God of heaven and said: May the name of God be blessed from everlasting and to everlasting, for wisdom and understanding and strength are his. And he changes times and seasons, he establishes kings and removes them, giving wisdom to the wise, and understanding to those who ask for discernment. He reveals deep and hidden things, knowing the things in the darkness; and the light is with him. To you, the God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, because you have given me wisdom and understanding, and now you have made known to me the things we requested from you. Not yet openly

κἀκεῖνοι. Τῆς ἐκβάσεως οὐκ οὔσης τίς ἀληθὴς καὶ ὁ ψευδής; Καὶ τοῦτο ἐφ' ἑτέρων γυμνάζειν χρή. Αὐτὸ δὲ τοῦτο τὸ ἐνύπνιον παραγέσθω εἰς μέσον· λεγέτω ἅπερ ὁ ∆ανιὴλ εἶπε, λεγέτωσαν τἀναντία κἀκεῖνοι. Πόθεν δῆλον ὅτι ψεύδεται, ἢ ἀλη θεύει; Ἤδη οὖν δίδωσι τὴν δοκιμήν. Ἐπὶ δὲ τοῦ Ἰωσὴφ οὐχ οὕτω γέγονεν, ἀλλὰ λέγει τὸ ὄναρ ἐκεῖ νος· ἐγγὺς γὰρ ἦν ὁ καιρός. Ἄξιον δὲ θαυμάσαι, πῶς ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ οὐκ ἠθέλησάν τι πλάσαι οἱ σοφοὶ Αἰγυπτίων ἐκ τοῦ ἀκινδύνου, ἀλλ' ἔφασαν ἀπορεῖν. Εἰ δὲ ὀνείρους οὐκ ἴσασι διακρῖναι, ποῦ ἀλλαχοῦ πιστευτέον αὐτοῖς; Ἄλλως δὲ οὐκ ἔδει ἐκεῖ τοῦτο γε νέσθαι· ἐπὶ δὲ τῆς προφητείας τοῦ Ἰωσὴφ φανερῶς ἐγένετο, καὶ μάλιστα ἐπὶ τῶν εὐνούχων. Ὅρα δὲ τούτους μὴ καλοῦντας τὸν ∆ανιὴλ, ἀλλ' αἱρουμένους ἀποθανεῖν μᾶλλον, ἢ ἐκεῖνον ἰδεῖν εὐδοκιμοῦντα. Ἆρα διὰ τοῦτο μόνον ἐφάνη τὸ ὄναρ, ἵνα ὁ ∆ανιὴλ θαυ μασθῇ; Οὐκ ἔγωγε εἴποιμι ἄν. Ἐπεὶ καὶ εἰ τοῦτο ἦν μόνον, μέγα ἦν τὸ κατόρθωμα καὶ θαυμαστὸν, θεογνωσίαν γενέσθαι τοσαύτην. Πλὴν οὐ τοῦτο μόνον ἐστίν. Ἀλλὰ τί; Ὥστε καὶ τοῦτον σωφρονισθῆναι μανθάνοντα, ὅτι οὐ διὰ παντὸς τὸ γένος αὐτοῦ κρα τήσει (εἰ γὰρ καὶ τούτων εἰρημένων τῆς ἀλαζονείας οὐ καθυφῆκε, πολλῷ μᾶλλον εἰ μὴ ταῦτα εἴρητο)· ὥστε τὸν Θεὸν ἐπιγνῶναι Κύριον ὄντα τοῦ παντός. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ περὶ ὀνείρους μᾶλλον εἶχον, διὰ τοῦτο ταῦτα γεγένηται. Ἐντεῦθεν αὐτοὺς πείθει περὶ τῶν μελλόντων, καὶ ἐπειδὴ τούτῳ μάλιστα τοὺς θεοὺς ἐτίμων, τῷ προορᾷν τὰ μέλλοντα. Καὶ γὰρ πᾶσα ἡ μαγγανεία αὐτοῖς περὶ τοῦτο ἦν. Καὶ τὸ δόγμα ἐξῆλθε, καὶ οἱ σοφοὶ ἀπεκτείνοντο· καὶ ἐζήτη σαν τὸν ∆ανιὴλ καὶ τοὺς φίλους αὐτοῦ ἀποκτεῖ ναι. Καὶ τότε ∆ανιὴλ ἀπεκρίθη βουλὴν καὶ γνώ μην τῷ Ἀριὼχ τῷ ἀρχιμαγείρῳ τοῦ βασιλέως, ὃς ἐξῆλθε ἀνελεῖν τοὺς σοφοὺς Βαβυλῶνος. Καὶ ἐπυνθάνετο αὐτοῦ λέγων· Ἄρχων τοῦ βασιλέως, περὶ τίνος ἐξῆλθεν ἡ γνώμη ἡ ἀναιδὴς αὕτη ἐκ προσώπου τοῦ βασιλέως; Εἶδες παῤῥησίαν; εἶδες ἀνδρείαν; πρὸς τὸν ἀνελεῖν κύριον οἷά φησι; Καὶ ὑπὲρ τῶν ἄλλων ἀλγεῖ. Οὐκ ἔχει λόγον, φησὶ, οὐδὲ πρόφασιν, οὐδὲ χρῶμα ἐπίκειται τῷ προστάγματι· 56.201 ἀναιδεῖς γὰρ τούτους καλοῦμεν. Ἐγνώρισε δὲ ὁ Ἀριὼχ τῷ ∆ανιὴλ τὸ ῥῆμα. Καὶ ∆ανιὴλ ἐξῆλθε, καὶ ἠξίωσε τὸν βασιλέα ὅπως χρόνον αὐτῷ δῷ, καὶ τὴν σύγκρισιν τοῦ ἐνυπνίου ἀπαγγείλῃ τῷ βασιλεῖ. Θαύμασον πῶς ἐπέτρεψεν ἐκεῖνος. Ὅρα πανταχοῦ πάντας πειθομένους αὐτῷ. Ὅθεν πῶς ὑπώπτευσεν ἀληθῆ λέγειν αὐτόν; πῶς οὐκ εἶπεν, πάντες ἠλέγχθησαν, ὡμολόγησαν μὴ εἶναι ἀνθρω πίνης φύσεως τοῦτο· καὶ σὺ βάρβαρος ὢν πόθεν οἴει περιγενέσθαι; Ἀλλ' ὅταν ὁ Θεὸς οἰκονομῇ καὶ προκατασκευάζῃ τὰ πράγματα, μηδὲν ἀπόρει. Ἄλλως δὲ καὶ ἀκίνδυνον ἦν ἐπ' αὐτὸν ὕστερον ἐλθεῖν. Τίνος ἕνεκεν οὐκ εὐθέως αὐτῷ ὁ Θεὸς ἀπεκάλυψε; Πρῶτον μὲν ὥστε κατάδηλον γενέσθαι τὸ πρᾶγμα, ὥστε αὐτοὺς ἐν χρείᾳ καταστῆναι πολλῇ. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ προφήτης ἦν, ὅμως ἠγνόησε. Πάλιν σοι διὰ δικαίων ἀπολογεῖται, δεικνὺς ὅτι ἐκείνοις οὐκ ἔδωκε μέλ λουσι κινδυνεύειν χωρὶς εὐχῆς καρτερικῆς, πολλῷ μᾶλλον σοὶ οὐ δώσει. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο πανταχοῦ τὰς εὐχὰς αἰτεῖ ὁ Παῦλος, Τῇ προσευχῇ προσκαρτεροῦντες, γράφων. Οὐ γὰρ ἀρκεῖ βίος καθαρὸς, ἐὰν [μὴ] καὶ εὐχὴ προσῇ. Ὅρα πάλιν τὴν πίστιν αὐτοῦ τὴν πολλήν. ∆εύτερος οὗτος ἄθλος· καὶ πάλιν ὁ ∆ανιὴλ ἡγεῖται τοῦ πράγματος, καὶ χρόνον αἰτεῖ παρεσκευασμένον πρὸς πολλὴν καρτερίαν καὶ εὐχήν. Ὥστε οὐκ ἠξίου εὐθέως ἀκούεσθαι· ἔδωκεν ἐκεῖνος τὴν χάριν, ἀνεκοι νώσατο τοῖς φίλοις. Τότε τῷ ∆ανιὴλ μυστήριον ἀπεκαλύφθη ἐν ὁράματι νυκτός. Καὶ εὐλόγησε τὸν Θεὸν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ∆ανιὴλ, καὶ εἶπεν· Εἴη τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Θεοῦ εὐλογημένον ἀπὸ τοῦ αἰῶνος, καὶ ἕως τοῦ αἰῶνος, ὅτι ἡ σοφία καὶ ἡ σύνεσις καὶ ἡ ἰσχὺς αὐτοῦ ἐστι. Καὶ αὐτὸς ἀλλοιοῖ χρό νους καὶ καιροὺς, καθιστᾷ βασιλεῖς καὶ μεθιστᾷ, διδοὺς σοφίαν τοῖς σοφοῖς, καὶ φρόνησιν τοῖς αἰτοῦσι σύνεσιν. Αὐτὸς ἀποκαλύπτει βαθέα καὶ ἀπόκρυφα, γινώσκων τὰ ἐν τῷ σκότει· καὶ τὸ φῶς μετ' αὐτοῦ ἐστι. Σοὶ, ὁ Θεὸς τῶν πατέρων μου, ἐξομολογοῦμαι, καὶ αἰνῶ, ὅτι σοφίαν καὶ σύν εσιν ἔδωκάς μοι, καὶ νῦν ἐγνώρισάς μοι ἃ ἠξιώ σαμεν παρὰ σοῦ. Οὐδέπω φανερῶς