Commentary on Daniel, Chapter 12 · Doctrines
4. Places of doctrine.
Doctr. 1. Of the person and office of Christ.
v. 1. Michael shall stand vp, the great Prince, which standeth for the children of thy people: here are three things shewed concerning Christ: 1. his person, he is called Michael, that is, as God, one equall vntounto God, a distinct person from the Father, but of the same essence, power, eternitie, who is the brightnesse of the glorie, and the engraued forme of his person, Hebr. 1. 3.
2. His office is described: he is the great Prince: the gouernement is vponupon his shoulder, Isa. 9. 6. the Lord of Lords, and the King of Kings, Apocal. 17. 14. the mightie protector and defender of his Church.
3. The benefit which we hauehave, is this, this Michael standeth for his people to defend them from the rage of Sathan and of his ministers: as our Blessed Sauiour saith, I giuegive vntounto them eternall life, and they shall neuer perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand, Ioh. 10. 28.
Doctr. 2. Of the resurrection of the dead, and the manner thereof.
v. 2. Many of them which sleepe in the dust of the earth, shall awake, &c. 1. Here is confirmed that article of our faith concerning the resurrection of the dead: the like hath Iob. 19. 26. Isay. 26. 19. Ezech. 37. 12. and this is the first place in the old Testament, wherein euident mention is made of eternall life.
2. The diuerse state and condition is described of those which shall rise againe, some vntounto euerlasting life, and some to perpetuall shame: as our Sauiour saith in the same manner, Ioh. 5. 29. they shall come forth (of their graues) that hauehave done good, vntounto the resurrection of life, but they that hauehave done euill vntounto the resurrection of condemnation.
3. The easines and facilitie of this work is shewed with God: that it is no more for him to raise the body out of the graue, then for the body to awake frō sleep, & to rise out of the bed: & so the righteous are said to rest in their beds, that is, in their graues, Isa. 57. 2. sleepe then is an image of death, then the awaking from sleepe, should put vsus in mind of our resurrection, and assure vsus thereof: as Tertullian well saith, cum evigilaverit corpus redditum officijs eius, resurrectionem mortuorum tibi affirmat, when thy bodie is awaked beeing restored vntounto the duties thereof, it doth affirme and testifie vntounto thee the resurrection: lib. de anim. c. 43. the same Tertullian concludeth the resurrection by the example of the Phoenix, which is said to rise out of the ashes of the old Phoenix, whereupon he inferreth, that the bodies of men shall rise againe, avibus Arabiae de resurrectione securis, the birds of Arabia beeing secure of their resurrection, lib. de resurrection. Pintus thinketh that mention is made of the Phoenix in the Psal. 92. 12. for where we reade the righteous shall flourish like a palme tree, in the Greeke it is foreign, which signifieth both the bird Phoenix, and a palme tree: but the originall putteth it out of doubt, where the word tamar is vsed, which is a palme tree: see more concerning the Phoenix, Hexapl. in Gen. c. 7. quest. 7. We hauehave better arguments to assure vsus of the resurrection, then this from the Phoenix. Bullinger, because mention is made of sleeping in the dust, whereout man was taken at the first, doth hence gather an other argument of the resurrection, because it is as possible for the Lord to raise the bodie out of the dust of the earth, as he created it at the first out of the dust.
4. The qualitie of the bodie is shewed, what it shall be in the resurrection, they shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament: some qualities of the bodie are essentiall vntounto it, without the which it cannot be, as to be visible, to be palpable, to hauehave parts, as the head, hands, feete, and the rest: these qualities it shall hauehave in the resurrection: some qualities are essentiall, but not naturall, as to be hungrie, thirstie, heauie, wearie, of a grosse or thick substance, darke: these qualities shall be laid aside together with corruption: then the bodies of the Saints shall shine as the Sunne, Matth. 13. 43. Polan.
Doctr. 3. The difference betweene Philosophie, and the Christian religion.
v. 3. They which turne many to righteousnesse: This cannot Philosophie doe, conuert men vntounto righteousnesse: for like as the starres doe somewhat lighten the night, but they cannot expell darkenesse: so philosophie may giuegive some light vntounto the vnderstanding, but it cannot vtterly chase away ignorance, or giuegive true knowledge: it is the light of the Gospel that chaseth away darkenesse, as the Apostle saith, Rom. 13. the night is past, the day is come, and Christ onelyonly hath the words of …ernall life, Ioh. 6. 68.
Doctr. 4. That the word of God is not reuealed to all.
v. 4. Thou Daniel shut vp the words: Like as this prophesie of Daniel was commanded to be shut vp and sealed, and was not communicated to all: so the secrets of Gods word are onelyonly reuealed to those whom it pleaseth God, Psal. 147. 19. he sheweth his word vntounto Iacob, his iudgements to Israel: in the old Testament, the knowledge of the Messiah was not made manifest vntounto the Gentiles: and there are now many nations, in Asia, and India, that hauehave not heard of Christ: hereof no other reason can be giuen, but that it is so the good pleasure of God.
Doctr. 5. Of the office, qualitie, and condition of Angels.
v. 6. And one said vntounto the man cloathed in linen, &c. when shall be the ende of these wonders, &c. 1. In that the Angels doe aske of Christ touching the ende of these afflictions, and calamities of the Church: their compassion therein appeareth, and louelove toward the members of Christ, desiring the end of their troubles and afflictions. 2. in that they stand on each side of the man cloathed in linen, which was Christ, they shewe their readinesse, being alwaies at hand to execute the wil of God for the good of his Church. 3. in calling these things wonders, they therein declare, that they wonder at and admire the workes of God in the Church. 4. and they in asking this question, shewe their desire to profit in the knowledge of Gods secrets: as S. Peter saith, 1. Pet. 1. 12. which things the Angels desire to behold: teaching vsus by their example, to proceede in the further knowledge of the mysteries of God.
Doct. 6. Concerning the person, dignitie, and office of Christ.
v. 6. The man cloathed in linen, which was vponupon the waters of the riuer: 1. here first the person of the Sonne of God is set forth, beeing both God and man: this appearing in humane shewe was a praeludium, and foreshewing of his incarnation, and assuming of our flesh. 2. for his dignitie, he is the word of his father, from him all the elect both Angels and men receiue their illumination and knowledge, for in him are hidde all the treasures of wisedome, and knowledge, Coloss. 2. 3. 3. for his office, he is our high Priest, which is signified by his linen garments. 4. for his authoritie, he hath rule and power ouer all nations: and therefore he standeth vponupon the waters, which signifie the people. 5. his merciemercy also and louelove appeareth, beeing readie to declare vntounto the Angels, the thing, which they desired.
Doct. 7. Of the lawfulnesse of an oath, and the manner of it.
v. 7. He sware by him that liueth for euer. 1. In that Christ here taketh an oath, we see that it is lawfull to vse an oath, contrarie to the opinion of the Anabaptists. 2. as Christ here in swearing lifteth vp his hands vntounto heauen; so in taking of oathes some externall ceremonie by gesture, or otherwise, may be vsed, which yet is no part of the oath. 3. but an oath must onelyonly be made by the name of God, as here Christ sweareth by him that liueth for euer. 4. the ende of an oath is here obserued: which is either to ende strife and controuersie, or for the confirmation of the truth, as in this place.
Doct. 8. Of the inequalitie and diuerse degrees of glorie in the resurrection.
v. 13. Thou shalt stand vp in thy lot: which sheweth that the Saints shall hauehave their diuerse lots and portions of glorie: for as Christ the head shall excell all his members in glory, so his members shall hauehave their diuerse lots and degrees: there shall be one lot of the holy Prophets and Apostles, another of the martyrs, another of the holy pastors and teachers, an other of the faithfull and beleeuers: as before the Angel shewed, v. 2. that all the iust shall rise vntounto eternall life: but they which conuert others to righteousnesse, shall shine as the starres, Polan.
Doct. 9. Election of grace, not by merit.
v. 13. In thy lot. Pererius well inferreth hereupon, that as a lot is that which is not procured by any mans industry, but it commeth out vnlooked for, so gratia praedestinationis conting it electis nullo ipsorum merito, &c. the grace of predestination falleth vntounto the elect without any merit of theirs, onelyonly by the meere good will and louelove of God: as the Apostle sheweth, that the purpose of God might remaine according to election, not by workes, but by him that calleth, Rom. 9. 11.