Page Content (OCR)
17 and Lxvi. 2; cf. 2 Pet. iti. 13; Apoc. xxi. 1. This kingdom is to be established on earth, probably in Palestine; cf. chap. 56. His idea of this kingdom is one with a visible prince, although, unlike some of the later prophets, he does not find this prince in the house of David. Cuar. 46. The following is largely based on Dan. vii., and the Ancient of days becomes here the Head of days, 47:3; 48:2; 55:1; (60:2;) 71:10, 12, 13, and is consequently peculiar to the Parables. He is called thus as the one who was from the beginning, and as in the first parable the eyes of the seer are mainly directed to the completed Messianic kingdom, and not to its process of development, the omission of this designation of God in that portion is easily understood. White, cf. Dan. vii. 9. With this Ancient of days there is joined, as in Dan. vii. 13, one who is like a son of man (not like the son of man, as the Authorized Version gives it). Whatever may be the true interpretation of Daniel’s expression, be it the personality of the Messiah, or be it the ideal Israel, it is certain that our author, perhaps from Ps. cx. 1, understood by that difficult clause a certain person, and that person was the Messiah. Son of man the Messiah is frequently called in the Parables; cf. 46:2, 3, 4; 48:2; 62:7, 9, 14; 63:11; 69:26, 27; 70:1; 71:17. His countenance is like an angel’s; cf. 1 Sam. xxix. 9; Tob. v. 5, 11, 14; Acts vi. 15; Gal. iv. 14; Col. ii. 18 —2. As Daniel, vii. 16, asks for an explanation of his mysterious vision Enoch here asks his guide; cf. note on 40:2.—3. As his chief office is that of a judge, is most important attribute is that of justice; he is idealized justice, for he possesses it as his own, and abides with it, based on passages like Isa. ix. 6; xi. 3-5; Jer. xxiii. 5, 6; xxiii. 15; Isa. liii. 11; Zech. ix. 9; Ps. xlv. 4-8; xxii. In this capacity as just judge he will reveal all the treasures of secrecy, a clause primarily referring to the act that he will know all secrets so as to judge aright, but manifestly here used as referring to everything that is coming will reveal, but which is unknown at present. Chosen, cf. note on 40:5; he does not, then, hold is office by any right of his own, but God has chosen him, 51:3.—4. Overcomes; none shall be superior to im, or be able to oppose him; cf. 48:5; 49:1, 2; 51:4, etc —5. Having received such a destiny from God, even the mighty of this earth (against whom the author is continually directing his polemics) shall be overcome. The idea of a last attack and defeat of the combined enemies of the new kingdom, an idea based on statements in Ezekiel and Daniel, and promulgated by many apocryphal writers, and also by the writer of the irst part in 90:16, does not lie in this or the following verses, nor in 52:4-9, but these rather picture the effect of the Messianic judgment on these sinners, and any other interpretation would not be in harmony with the strictly forensic character of this judgment as taught in the Parables; cf. note on 41:1, and Schiirer, p. 587; cf. Isa. xiv. 9, 11; Job xvii. 13, 14. Bonds, cf. Ps. cvii. 14; cxvi. 16; Jer. ii. 20; xxx. 8; Nahum I. 13. Teeth, cf. Ps. iii. 7; lviii. 6; Lam. iii. 16. Their sin is again the one that is here so frequently condemned, that of unbelief, which here, according to the subjects, takes the form of ingratitude and unwillingness to acknowledge the source of power; cf. Sap. vi. 2; Rom. xiii. 1. But against whom is this sin committed, God or the Messiah? and who is the source of this power? It would be strange if it were the latter person, and as in verses 6, 7, and 8 this unbelief is directed against God, we are constrained to believe that the him after exalt, and the he implied in whence is God and not the Messiah. Then he will expel, from 47:3; 62:2, would also indicate God as the subject, for it seems as if the Messiah is to have the purely forensic part of the judgment, but the punishment is inflicted either by God or through the agency of his angels —6. Darkness, cf. note on 10:5. Worms, cf. Job xvii. 14; xxi. 26; Isa. xiv. 11.—7. Stars, cf. Dan. viii. 10, 11, 13, 25; En. 43:4. Riches, cf. Ps. xlix. 6; lii. 7—8. Houses, for which in 53:6 we have the singular. Cuap. 47, 1. As the following verse shows, the just one here and verse 4 is used collectively for the just. —2. The angels petition for men; cf. note on 15:1, 2.—3. Books of the living, cf. Ex. xxxii. 32 sq; Ps. lxix. 29; Mal. iii. 16; Isa. iv. 3; Dan. xii. 1; Book of Jubilees c. 30, and En. 103:2; 104:1, and are probably the same as the books mentioned 89:61-64, 68, 70, 71, 76, 77; 90:17, 20; 98:7, 8; 104:7; cf. Harnack’s note on Pastor Hermae, Vis. 1,3, 2. As judgment is to be passed over both good and bad, the author evidently pictured these books of life as containing the lives of all to be judged. Host; in Dan. vii. 10 God has his host with him in the judgment; cf. note on 1:4. Although God is here and elsewhere present at the judgment, it is not said that he judges; but other passages show that this function was assigned to the Messiah. Cf. note on 45:4.—4. Number; the words eternity, vs. 2, and demanded here show that the number signifies the number of years