Source: John J. Collins, The Apocalyptic Imagination: An Introduction to Jewish Apocalyptic Literature, Third Edition (Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2016), 107–142.
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This podcast examines the Book of Daniel, identifying it as a key example of apocalyptic literature in the Hebrew Bible, notable for its unique blending of historical tales and visionary prophecies. The text highlights significant differences between Daniel and other apocalyptic works, particularly the Enoch tradition, pointing out that Daniel presents a figure located in a more recent, though still historically problematic, past. A major point of analysis is the famous four-kingdom schema found in Daniel 2 and 7, which the podcast argues draws on older Near Eastern traditions and is reinterpreted in light of the persecution by Antiochus Epiphanes. Furthermore, we explore the debated unity and date of Daniel, noting the shifts in language and style between the tales and visions, and proposes that the visions were likely composed later during the Maccabean period to address the crisis. The analysis emphasizes how Daniel uses mythological imagery to symbolize political struggles and explores the significant figures of the "one like a son of man" and the "holy ones of the Most High," suggesting an interpretation that leans towards celestial beings representing the righteous community, leading to a discussion of the resurrection as a hope beyond persecution.
When we think of the biblical prophet Daniel, the first images that often come to mind are of a righteous man surviving a den of lions or a wise interpreter of dreams for Babylonian kings. These tales are among the most famous in the Hebrew Bible. However, they are only the beginning of the story.
Modern biblical scholarship, drawing on careful literary and historical analysis, reveals a far more complex and surprising account behind the Book of Daniel. It wasn't just a record of a past prophet but a sophisticated and urgent piece of literature created for a community in crisis. This article explores five of the most impactful discoveries about the Book of Daniel, challenging common assumptions and revealing a text of incredible depth and creativity.
Contrary to the popular image, the figure of Daniel is likely a legendary hero rather than a specific historical prophet who lived during the Babylonian exile. The tales in the first half of the book "bristle with historical problems." For instance, the tale of Nebuchadnezzar’s madness appears to be developed from a tradition that originally concerned a later Babylonian king, Nabonidus. An even more famous example is "Darius the Mede," the king who sentences Daniel to the lions' den; no such figure is known to history. This was likely a deliberate literary creation, as the author inherited a schema of four kingdoms in which Media preceded Persia and appears to have invented this king to fit the pattern.
The name "Daniel" was already associated with a legendary figure of wisdom and righteousness long before this book was written. The book of Ezekiel, penned by an actual prophet of the exile, references a man named Daniel alongside Noah and Job as a paragon of righteousness. Even older is a reference in the Ugaritic story of Aqhat to a wise king named Dnil, known for judging the cases of widows and orphans. The author of the biblical book likely chose this revered, legendary name to lend authority and resonance to the new stories being told, understanding that the book's goal was not strict historical reporting.
"An assumption that the “word of God” must be factual historical reporting, and cannot be literary fiction, is theologically unwarranted."