Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 7 · Daniel · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI.
HEre, after Gods twice magnifying of Daniel for his incomparable skill and insight into greatest secrets in the time of Nebuchadnezzar, and once in the dayes of Belshazzar, a further magnifying of him, as his dearly beloved servant, followeth in the dayes of Darius the King of the Medes by a rare miraculous deliverance from the Lions, into whose den he was cast, but their mouths were shut up so, as that they could not hurt him. All things are here easily to be understood, and therefore I shall speake but little hereupon. And first of his praying three times a day with his window open towards V. 10.Ierusalem, as he had used to doe. If the reason be demanded, it is answered, God had promised to his people in captivity, that if they should pray toward Solomons Temple, he would hear and be mercifull, and therefore hee 1 King. 8.set his window open that way, and not to be seen of men, contrary to which it is prescribed, Matth. 6. Enter into thy closet, and pray in secret. For his praying three times besides the morning and evening, intimated Exod. 29. 39. where it is prescribed at noon day, this was commonly before eating, as Peter went up at this time of the day to the top of the house to pray, and Act. 10. 9.David speaks of praying morning and evening and at noon-tide. And it is not to be doubted, but that Daniel did now the rather frequent God with his prayers in private, that hee might not be counted one that tempted God by doing his devotion, where he might be seen, and so incurre the penalty by the Kings Decree propounded, thus Lyra. But how was he in private, say others, Lyra.when as the Princes by seeing his window open knew of it? and hereupon Polanus entreth into a dispute, whether Daniel did well in that hee did not for a time powre out his devotions more secretly, where he might not have been seen. And he saith, some object against his thus doing, because he might secretly for that time in his minde have worshipped God without using any externall gesture, and in so doing have kept a good conscience. 2. It not so, at the least by going in secret, where no mortall eyes might see him. 3. Because the Kings Decree is to be obeyed in things not contrary to our duty to God. But all this is easily answered, he could not at this time refrain… P…lanus.from proceeding externally in his devotion as he used to doe, without being reputed a deserter of his piety towards his God, his forbearing to pray, as he had used to doe being taken for a relinquishing of him for fear of the Kings Decree, wherein he knew that he only amongst all the Princes was a imed at, and of what ill consequence this might have been to enemies, who for this would have counted him timerous, and without all courage, and to friends, to whom his example might have been a stumbling block to make them to intermit their devotions also. And therefore it was necessary for him to doe as he did, that his faith and courage, and constancy to his first principles Act. 4.might appear to all men, and that in the way of piety hee feared not man, as his three fellows had done before in Nebuchadnezzars dayes. As for obedience to mens ordinances, it is no further to be yeelded, but as it stands with piety towards God, and doing so as that a good conscience may bee kept in all things. When the King heard that Daniel was taken in the trap, V. 14.which they had set for him, he was sore displeased with himself, and laboured to deliver him to the going down of the Sun. The King, as it appeareth hereby, was meerly circumvented, who when he made his Decree saw not into the drift thereof, but now he saw too late and sorrowed fruitlesly. But although hee could not see into their drift, yet if hee had not been void of all piety, hee would never have agreed to make such a Decree, howsoever he had beene importuned thereunto, because even heathens are devout in their kind, and know by the light of nature that the worship of the God whom they serve, is not to be intermitted so long at any time. His grief for Daniel therefore was not, because he was so godly, that for godliness sake he would thus hazzard his life, but because he was so wise a man, and so he thought, that he should have more misse of him, then of all his Princes besides. But as great as his grief for Daniel was, and howsoever hee laboured by speaking for him, seeking some evasion in interpreting his Decree made, as Lyra conjectureth, or pleading Lyra.the great usefulnesse of him for his rare parts to the whole State, he at length caused Daniel to be cast into the Lions den, as Herod afterwards did by Iohn the Baptist, who had hypocritically pretended sorrow, when for his oath he thought himselfe obliged to doe it, or was affected with sorrow in some other respect, haply of the hatred of the people, which hee should thus incurre, because they counted Iohn a Prophet. Thus Kings sometimes for want of consideration in time intangle themselves in unevitable evils, for which they had need to be very circumspect, neither are we in this land insensible Note. of evill, that hath thus come to our state, which God for his mercy remove.
Thy God, whom thou servest continually will deliver thee. This the King speaks V. 16.to comfort Daniel, and he might beleeve, that it should be so, because he had doubtlesse heard of the deliverance of his three fellows out of the fiery furnace. Then a stone being rouled to the doore of the lions den, it was sealed V. 17. Hieron.with the Kings seal, saith Jerome, least the Princes, if they should find, that the Lions spared Daniel, should otherwise seek his destruction, pretending it to be done by the Lions, and it was also sealed with the Princes seals, lest the king should take him out again, or seek some means of his preservation, but in all Gods providence wrought, that his Almighty power might more clearly appeare Note. in his deliverance, and that there was no fraud herein, for the comfort and confirmation of others being in greatest danger by the malice of their enemies. For dangers by Lions, Aristotle, Pliny, and Pererius say, that if a cloth Aristotle. Pliny. Pererius.be cast upon the eyes of a Lion to cover them, he will not hurt a man. 2. If he be full. 3. If a man hath been unto him beneficiall. 4. If a man lyeth prostrate before him in the manner of a supplicant. But Daniel was not safe by any such means, but God sending his Angels to shut the Lions mouths, or as some think, taking hunger away from them in respect of Daniel, and causing in them a satiety, or causing such a phantasie in them, that they looked upon Daniel, not as a prey, but a friend unto.
Daniel being kept safe from the fury of the Lions till the morning, and then V. 22.called to by Darius, answereth, God sent his angel and shut the mouths of the Lions, August. tract. 8. in Epist. Ioh. subde te ei qui supra te est, & omnia quae sub…er te sunt subjicientur ubi, &c.because innocency was found in me, as he was not hurtfull to any, especially not to his conscience by doing any thing against it, so God provided that the Lions were not able to hurt him: sutable to which Augustine hath a notable saying, subject thy selfe to him, that is above thee, and all things under thee shall be subject unto thee, but because man through sinne left him, under whom he ought to have been, he was subjected to them, above whom he ought to be. Ver. 20. The King then commanded, and Daniels accusers, and their wives and V. 20.children were cast into the Lions den, &c. a just punishment and kindly for their sin, and Josephus saith further, to illustrate the history, that these Princes pleaded before the King, saying that the Lions were full, and therefore would not touch Daniel, which he hearing said, that the Lions should now be fed, and then they cast into see, whether they could likewise escape, but this being done they were suddenly destroyed. For their wives and children cast in also, it is most probable, that they were accessary to that wicked conspiracy against Daniel, putting their husbands and fathers on in the foresaid designe, as being moved with pride and disdain at the high advancement of Daniel above them who was a captive. Then Darius wrote to all Nations of the earth, magnifying the God of Daniel, and acknowledging that V. 26.his kingdome should never have an end, speaking herein the same words with Daniel. 2. Touching Christ and his Kingdome, which hee had doubtlesse learned of Daniel. To conclude, the representation of Christ in this vision, as was said before in part, is in Daniels comming alive again out of the Lions The Mystery.den into which he was put, as into a sepulcher, after which his accusers being put in were cruelly destroyed, and then the Lords kingdom extolled and all men prohibited to speak ill of God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. So Christ being laid into the sepulcher, and there a watch of Lion-like souldiers set to keep it, and if he should rise again, to kill him, notwithstanding had his angels ready at hand to terrifie the souldiers away, and then he arose againe, and came forth, being safe from all harm, and had all power given him, in Matth. 28. 15.heaven and in earth for evermore: and thus it appears, in every thing done here, that Daniel prefigured Christ, as in his name the judge of God, for so it was before shewed, that Daniel signifieth, and Christ, we beleeve shall come to judge the quick and the dead; and 2. as Daniel came out of the Lions den, so he out of the sepulcher. 3. As Daniel came from amongst the Lions safe and sound, so he from amongst the souldiers. 4. As Daniel being come forth from amongst the Lions, his accusers were cast in and destroyed, so Christ being come out of the sepulcher, death being not able to hurt him, the Jews his accusers were cast in, as it were, when by the Romans taken and slain. 5. As upon this great miracle God was acknowledged, and published to all parts of the earth, so upon the miraculous rising again of Christ, false gods went downe upon the publishing hereof in all places, and the true God and his Son Jesus Christ were acknowledged all over the earth, neither was any contrary power able to stop the course of the Gospell, but the sound thereof setting this forth went into all the ends thereof.