Commentary on Daniel, Chapter 11 · Questions · Question 30 – Question 32
30. Quest. Of the acts and ende of Seleucus Philopator the sonne of Antiochus the great, v. 20.
First it must be agreed, who this was, who is said to rise vp in his place.
1. P…rphyrius, as Hierome sheweth vponupon this place, taketh this to be Ptolomeus Epiphanes king of Egypt: but as Hierome well sheweth, he did not succeede Antiochus the great in his kingdome, and therefore can not be saide to stand vp in his place.
2. R. Levi vnderstandeth here the sonne of Antiochus Epiphanes, called Antiochus Eupator, who was slaine by his vncles sonne Demetrius: and the former part of the prophesie he interpreteth of Antiochus Epiphanes: ex Oecolampad. But it is euident, that hitherto the Prophet hath described the acts and exploits of Antiochus, surnamed the great: for he it was, that gaue his daughter Cleopatra in marriage vntounto the king of Egypt, as is prophesied, v. 17. And the rest of the prophesie can agree to none other.
3. Some Hebrewes, as Hierome also here writeth, thinke that this was Tryphon, which was the tutor of Antiochus sonne: but that can not be: for Tryphon followed many generations after: for after Antiochus the great succeeded in order, Seleucus, Epiphanes, Eupator his sonne, Demetrius, Alexander, Antiochus, before Tryphon vsurped the kingdome. He that rose vp in Antiochus place, was the 7. king of Syria, but Tryphon was the 13. or 14. Bulling. Perer.
4. Wherefore this that rose vp in Antiochus place, was Seleucus his sonne. Antiochus the great had three sonnes, Antiochus, Seleucus, and Antiochus Epiphanes: but Antiochus▪ beeing a Prince of great hope and towardnes, died about the same time, that his father fleeing to Apamea, sent Embassadors to the Romanes about the former conclusion of peace, not without suspition of poison: then succeeded Seleucus Philopator, so called because he was beloued of his father, called also Soter. Ioseph. lib. 12. c. 4. Polan.
Secondly we come to the parts of the description. 1. This Seleucus acts are described, he shall cause to passe vp and downe an exactor of tribute: not take away the exactor of tribute, as Vatabl. for the word is ghabar, which signifieth to passe, and in hiph…l to caus… to passe. And so was Seleucus a great exactor of tribute: for beeing giuen to voluptuous liuing, he must needes also be immoderate in his expenses: when he was admonished by his familiar counsellers, that he should take heede least he alienated the mindes of his friends, by his immoderate taxations, he would answer them, that his money was his friend. This Seleucus is he that sent Heliodorus to spoile the treasure of the Temple at Ierusalem, which Simo… had bewraied vntounto him: which Heliodorus comming thither, and offering by violence to take the treasure away, he and his companie were terrified by a fearefull …: they saw an horse with a terrible rider, and so they desisted from their purpose: see the storie 2. Macchab. 3.
2. Then the ende of Seleucus is prophesied of. 1. concerning the time, after a few daies he should be destroied: then can not 12. yeares be assigned to his raigne, as Oecolampad. and it appeareth 2. Macchab. 4. 7. that he liued not long after Heliodorus attempted to robbe the Temple at Ierusalem. 2. for the manner of his death: it should neither be by wrath, nor by battell, either by the generall hatred of his subiects, or by open warre: but it is thought that he was poisoned by Heliodorus, and that by the practise of Antiochus Epiphanes his brother, who was comming from Rome, where he was left as an hostage, and was at Athens at that same time when Seleucus died. And this was a iust recompence vponupon him for his sacriledge, that he should be cut off euen by him, that was an instrument of his impietie. Melancth. Polan.
31. Quest. Whether the rest of this chapter be properly vnderstood of Antiochus Epiphanes, or of Antichrist.
1. Some would hauehave this to be a propheticall narration of the acts and doings of Antichrist, and make no mention at all of Antiochus, as Polychronius: But it is euident that many things can not be otherwise applied, then to Antiochus: as v. 21. in his place shall stand vp a vile person, that is, in the roome of Seleucus Philopator, before spoken of: and v. 25. it is said, he shall stirre vp his power against the king of the South, who is vnderstood before to be the king of Egypt: so that it is euident, that this is a continuance of the same propheticall narration.
2. Some doe applie some part of this prophesie vntounto Antiochus, yet as a type of Antichrist, and some things onelyonly vntounto Antichrist: and these things are intermingled together: as Matth. 24. Christ prophesieth of the destruction of Ierusalem, and of the ende of the world ioyntly: so in this place, they thinke that the manners of Antiochus and of Antichrist are described interchangeably: Theodoret. So also Lyranus, who thus distinguisheth of figures and signes: that some things are so figures, as the thing prefigured concerneth them not at all: as Psal. 72. His dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the riuer to the endes of the world: this place he thinketh onelyonly to be true of Christ, and not at all to agree vntounto Salamon: some figures are such, that the thing affirmed, agreeth both to the figure, and to the thing prefigured: as, 1. Chr. 22. 10. He shall be my sonne, and I will be his father: this was true of Salomon in part, but of Christ more fitly: so some things here are spoken of Antiochus as of a figure of Antichrist, and some things onelyonly agree vntounto Antichrist: as from the 36. v. to the ende of the chapter: But, as Melancthon saith, non avellam hanc partem ab historia Antiochi, I will not pull away this part neither from the historie of Antiochus: for mention is made after that of Edom, and other nations adioyning, which is euident to be historicall.
3. Some wholly referre this prophesie vntounto Antiochus, without any relation at all vntounto Antichrist, as Hierome here affirmeth of Porphyrius. But it is euident by the propheticall booke of the Revelation, which taketh many things from this prophesie, that there is some relation and allusion in this propheticall discourse vntounto Antichrist.
4. Some doe make Antiochus a speciall type of Antichrist, and make him the image, and Antichrist the Archetypus, the principall person represented and resembled: and thinke that many things here done doe more fitly agree vntounto Antichrist, then vntounto Antiochus. Pappus. But it is euident, that the description of Antiochus, and his cruell outrage against the church of God, is principally intended by the Prophet; because this prophesie was deliuered for the comfort of the Church in those daies, to the comming of the Messiah.
5. Wherefore the literall and proper sense of this prophesie aymeth onelyonly at Antiochus: yet so, as by way of allusion and analogie, as a common type, Antiochus example, conditions, practises, may be drawne and by way of application accommodated to decypher Antichrist. Iun. Polan. But these typicall applications vntounto Antichrist, shall be referred vntounto their proper and peculiar place among the controversies.
32. Quest. of Antiochus Epiphanes first entrance to the kingdome.
Three things are orderly handled in this prophesie. 1. of Antiochus succeeding in the kingdome. 2. of his acts and exploits. 3. of his ende: In the handling of which things the rest of this chapter is spent: for seeing this Antiochus should be the greatest and most cruell aduersarie vntounto the Iewes, and that vnderunder him, they should endure much miserie, it was necessarie that the people of God should afore-hand be prepared for those times.
First then his entrance to the kingdome is thus set forth, 1. by the very act of his succession. 2. by the small right which he had vntounto it. 3. and by the euill meanes, which he vsed.
1. It is saide, that in his place one should stand vp: namely, Antiochus Epiphanes in the roome and stead of his father. 2. but his right should be small thereunto: for whereas succession vntounto kingdomes is either by the naturall right of succession, or by election and consent; he came by neither of these meanes to the kingdome: for he was the younger brother, and left hostage at Rome for his father, and so he was in that behalfe neglected and despised, not designed or appointed by his father vntounto the kingdome: and when his elder brother was dead, he left behind him his sonne Demetrius, who was left as a pledge for Antiochus at Rome, whom Seleucus sent for to ayd him in his warres: thus Antiochus was despised and neglected in respect of naturall succession. Iun. Polan. And in regard of his vile conditions, and loathsome vices he was despised also: so that it seemeth, he was called Epiphanes, famous, by the contrarie, beeing indeede despised: which name was turned by the change of a letter, into Epimanes, which signifieth furious, madde. Athenaeus ex Polyb. And concerning the right of succession, which is by election, Antiochus wanted it likewise: as it followeth in the text, to whome they shall not giuegive the honour of the kingdome: he was not called or adopted to the gouernment by the consent of the nobles of the land: OnelyOnly he was fauoured and helped by two forren kings, Eumenes, and Attalus. 3. Then the manner is shewed how he attained to the kingdome: he at the first tooke vponupon him to be the protector of the kingdome for his brothers sonne Demetrius beeing absent, vntill by flatterie he had established himselfe. He was very popular and familiar euen with meane persons: he would stand in the streetes and cast abroad money, crying out, Let him that fortune fauoureth take it: he vsed to wash in the common bathes, and to drinke with common persons, he would giuegive large gifts to whomsoeuer he met, though he had neuer seene them before: he would sport himselfe with those that attended vponupon him, and hit stones at them in iest: and thus by his flatterie and popular behauiour he insinuated himselfe, and got the hearts of the people: as Absalom by the like meanes stole away the hearts of the people from his father. Thus Ptolome testifieth of this Antiochus, lib. 1. & 5. Hypomemnat.