Commentary on Daniel, Chapter 2 · Questions · Question 57 – Question 58
Quest. 57. That this kingdome which God shall raise vp must be vnderstood of the kingdome of Christ.
Vers. 44. The God of heauen shall set vp a kingdome. Caluin here setteth downe certaine reasons, out of the Rabbine Barbinel whereby he would prooue, that this kingdome cannot be referred to Iesus the sonne of Mary: his reasons are these six in all.
1. Seeing these foure kingdomes here described are terrene and visible, the fift also which should destroy the other must be also visible, for vnlike things cannot be compared together.
Contra. 1. It is not necessarie, that all things should be like in a comparison: nay here is rather an opposition betweene the 4. kingdomes, and this fifth, then a comparison, and in that it is to destroy the rest, it must be vnlike vntounto the rest: the Rabbines argument therefore followeth not; The fift kingdome shall destroy the former foure, Ergo it shall be of the same kind with the rest: the contrarie is better inferred, that therefore it shall be vnlike vntounto the rest.
2. Ar. If religion made a difference between these kingdomes, then were they not foure but one: for all of them were giuen to idolatrie, and so followed the same superstition.
Contra. 1. It is necessarie that the 5. kingdome, which should abolish all the rest, should differ in the truth and sinceritie of religion from them: but it is not necessarie, that the foure Monarchies one destroying and confounding another, should be of diuerse religion: for kingdomes that are of the same superstition, may be one enemie vntounto another, as one error may be contrary to another.
3. Argum. It is said of this kingdome, that it shall not be giuen vntounto an other: but the Turke now possesseth a great part of the kingdome of Christians: And among themselues also religion is diuided, and many distast the Gospel; therefore this cannot be vnderstood of the kingdome of Christianitie.
Contra. 1. By this kingdome, which God should raise vp, is not vnderstood any visible or externall kingdome: though the Turke hauehave surprised the terrene kingdomes and nations, which sometime the Christians possessed, yet the spirituall kingdome of Christ is not resigned vntounto them, nor to any other. 2. Euen among Christians there may be diuisions, and many carnall men may liue in the Church, but they belong not to the spirituall kingdome of Christ, though they remaine in the externall societie of the visible Church.
4. Argu. If this be the kingdome of Christ, who was borne vnderunder Augustus Caesar, when the Romane Monarchie in a manner beganne, then the fourth Monarchie, and this fifth kingdome should beginne together, which cannot be, for the one must be the ruine and destruction of the other.
Contra. 1. To this Caluin answereth, that the Monarchie of the Romanes beganne not with the Caesars, but long before, when the Macedonian kingdome was dissolued.
2. But this is an vnsufficient answer: 1. because it was no Monarchie, till the time of Iulius Caesar: but the gouernment before that was sometime Democraticall, & popular, sometime Aristocraticall, gouerned by Consuls: therefore till it became a Monarchie, it could not be the fourth kingdome here spoken of. 2. Though the fift kingdome and the fourth beganne not together, yet the same inconuenience followeth, if they continue together: for the fift kingdome, when it commeth must be the ruine of the other: this argument therefore of the Rabbine is inuincible against their opinion, which make the Romane Monarchie this fourth kingdome.
3. Therefore to the Rabbines argument we make this further answer, that this fourth kingdome diuided into two, as consisting of two legges, was the Monarchicall state of Syria and Babylon where the sonnes and ofspring of Seleucu… raigned, and of Egypt, where the Ptolomies succeeded one another, as is before shewed, quest. 50. And so indeed this fift kingdome was the ende of the other.
5. Argum. The fourth kingdome and the fift can not stand together, the one beeing the ruine of the other: but vnderunder Constantine and other Christian Emperours of the Romane state, the Gospel of Christ flourished; therefore it cannot be meant of that kingdome.
Contra. 1. Caluin here answereth, that the kingdome of Christ, non debet referri ad tempus natiuitatis, must not be referred to the time of his natiuitle, but to the preaching of the Gospell: and when the gospell beganne to be published, then the Romane Empire after Traianus time was translated to strangers, to heardmen, and swineards, and beastly monsters.
2. This answer is likewise insufficient: 1. for as soone as Christ was borne, his kingdome beganne in the dayes of his flesh: as the Angel in the annuntiation of Christs birth to the virgine Marie, telleth her, that God would giuegive him the throne of his father Dauid, Luk. c. 32. 33.and he shall raigne ouer the house of Iacob, &c. 2. the gospel was neuer more published in the world, then in the Apostles time, while yet the Romane Empire continued in the name and stocke of the Caesars. 3. though the Empire was deuolued to strangers, not of Caesars familie, yet was it still the Latine and Romane Empire, and therefore was the same Monarchie.
3. Wherefore vnlesse the Romane Monarchie be disclaimed here from beeing this fourth kingdome, this argument cannot be answered, for the fourth kingdome, and the fift cannot stand together.
6. Argum. The Romane Empire yet in some sort continueth, therefore this fift is not the kingdome of Christ, which must not be raised vntill the other be destroyed.
Contra. The Romane Monarchie is long since dissolued, and there remaineth nothing but an image and shadowe thereof, therefore this reason concludeth not.
Quest. 58. That this kingdome of Christs is a spirituall, no temporall kingdome.
1. Some thinke that Christ was the temporall king of the Iewes, and that the kingdome of Dauid descended lineally vntounto him by right of inheritance; which they would further confirme by that prophesie of Iaacob. Gen. 49. 10. the scepter shall not depart from Iudah, till Shilob come, &c. whence they inferre, that the kingdome of Israel shall be restored by the Messiah.
Contra. 1. It can not be shewed, that Christ descended by such a right line, as that the kingdome came vntounto him by lineall descent: for the line which Matthew and Luke set downe, are of Ioseph, not of Marie, which sheweth that they were both of the same tribe: but that lineall descent wil deriue the temporall kingdome rather to Ioseph then to Marie. 2. The contrarie rather is inferred vponupon that prophesie, that the scepter should then, and not before depart from Iudah, when the Messiah should come: and he saith not, that he should be expectatio Iudaeorum, the expectation of the Iewes, but the expectation of the Gentiles, as the Latine translator readeth: or the people or nations (not the Iewes) should be gathered vntounto him: Pintus.
2. Now that Christs shall be no temporall, but a spirituall kingdome, neither that he had any temporall kingdome by succession from Dauid, it may thus appeare,
1. Iehoiachin the last king of the Iewes beside Zedekiah, whose sonnes were killed before his face, had none of his seede to sit vponupon the throne after him, Ieremie, 22. 30. but if the kingdome of Christ were lineally deriued from Dauid, it must be counted from him.
2. Christ refused to be made a king, and when he perceiued the people had such an intent, he conuaied himselfe from among them, Ioh. 6. 15. he likewise refused to entermeddle with the office of a king, as to be a iudge in ciuill causes, Luk. 12. 14.
3. No temporall kingdome is eternall, but the kingdome of Christ is eternall, therefore it is no temporall kingdome.
4. What manner of kingdome Christs is, the Prophet Zacharie sheweth, Behold thy King commeth vntounto thee, &c. poore, and riding vponupon an asse: if Christs were a temporal kingdome, where is the pompe, riches, and glorie of his kingdome?
5. As Christs kingdome is, so was the oyle wherewith he was annointed, and the sword wherewith he was girded: but he was annointed with spirituall oyle, and the sword of his kingdome is also spirituall, Psal. 45. 3. 7. therefore so is his kingdome, Pintus.