Discussion Section for Week 12 (April 9-11)
Apocalyptic Literature as Political Resistance

Read (in the following order):

1. Walbank pp. 224-225
2. G. Shipley, The Greek World after Alexander 323-30 BC, pp. 307, 8, 9, 10, 11,12
3. Austin nos. 167, 168
4. Reader, pp. 202-210 Book of Daniel

Introduction

In the course of the 5th Syrian War (202-200 BC), the land of Judaea, which included the city of Jerusalem, was captured by Antiochus III from Ptolemy V. Judaea remained part of the Seleucid Empire until 129 BC. Judaea was essentially a temple-state with the priesthood of the Temple in Jerusalem exercising political and religious authority. Antiochus III and his successor, Seleucus IV (187-175 BC), treated the Jews tolerantly. During the reign of Antiochus IV (175-164 BC), relations with Judaea deteriorated. During the early 160's, Antiochus issued a series of edicts, which had the effect of outlawing Jewish practices (see Austin no. 168), and undertook actions, including the desecration of the Temple. The tensions between the jews and the Seleucids were exacerbated by the efforts of a group of hellenizing Jews, led by the High Priest, Jason, to introduce aspects of Greek culture into Judaea at the expense of Jewish practices. By 165 BC the Jews were in open, armed revolt from Antiochus. The leaders of the revolt were Mattathias Maccabeus and his son, Judas. The Maccabees recaptured Jerusalem and purified the Temple in 164 BC.

Judaea had been governed by alien kings&endash;Neo-Babylonian, Achaemenid Persian, Macedonian (Alexander the Great), and Seleucid for centuries. In the course of these centuries the Jews created a historical narrative that represented their national tradition as a course dependent upon the attitudes and actions of a succession of external rulers. The tenacity of the Jews to preserve their beliefs and practices is a theme common to many of stories that comprise the tradition. The Book of Daniel, written during the period of the Maccabean Revolt (160's BC), should be understood as part of that tradition.

Questions

As you read Daniel, be sure and pay attention to the explanatory notes that are printed below the black horizontal line at the bottom of each page. Daniel consists of 12 chapters (the largest of the printed numbers in the text). Verses are indicated in small numbers in the text (slightly larger ones when a verse begins a new paragraph).

The Book of Daniel may be organized into four sections:

• ch. 1-6 series of narratives in the 3rd person
• no identified narrator
• designed to demonstrate the operation of Jewish piety
• interspersed with dreams and portents external to Daniel which are then interpreted by him

ch. 7-10

• detailed prophetic dreams of Daniel
• occasionally described in the 3rd person, but more often narrated by him
• greater detail in interpretation given to him by a third person and then by Gabriel
• prayers by Daniel
• exchanges between Daniel and Gabriel both related by Daniel in the 3rd person

ch. 11.1-11.34

• continuous series of historical prophecies addressed to Daniel by an unnamed angelic being

ch. 11.35-12

• only truly prophetic part of the work
• looks forward to events which had not yet occurred (and never did)

1. What is the point of the "food" narrative in chapter 1? Keep in mind the context of the Maccabean Revolt!

2. What is the point of the story about Nebuchadnezzar's dream and Daniel's interpretation of it (chapter 2)? Again, think about this question from the vantage of its historical context ?

3. What is the point of the king's proclamation in chapter 3? Cf. the language with the titulature of the Achaemenid Persian documents and with the Borsippa cylinder.

4. What is the point of Nebuchadnezzar's second dream (in chapter 4)? Any thoughts on chapter 4.30? What seems to prompt Nebuchadnezzar's 'affliction'?

5. Belshazzar, son of king Nabonidus (555-539 BC), took the throne when his father was away on campaign. What is the point of the reference to the temple treasures taken from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar? Is there any significance to the metals (compare with Nebuchadnezzar's first dream)? What about the 'divided kingdom of Belshazar and Nabonidus and Nebuchadnezzar's first dream?

6. What is the point of chapter 6?

7. Although chapters 1-6 may be analyzed as discrete stories, taken together they may be understood to articulate the most important aspects of Jewish belief and practice. What are these?

8. What do you make of the prayers (2.20-23; 4.34-35 & 37; 6.26-27)?

9. Compare the first dreams of Daniel (chapter 8) and Nebuchadnezzar (chapter 2). Consider the interpretation of the dream in the historical context of the 160's BC.

10. What bahaviours of Antiochus IV most angered the Jews? See chapters 8-9.

11. In chapters 10-11.34 an angel prophesies the "future" to Daniel, beginning with Darius (I or II) of Persia (6th or 5th centuries BC) and concluding with Antiochus IV. This version of the history of the Successor Kingdoms from the Jewish perspective is greatly entertaining. Follow along with the notes. The narrative gives you the sense of how Judaea must have experienced the 3rd and 2nd centuries, trapped between the king of the North (the Seleucids) and the king of the South (the Ptolemies)! Note the representation of Antiochus IV (chapter 11.20- 39). The events foretold in chapter 11.40-45 did not take place. Did the author of Daniel 11 have some reason to think that they would?

12. What do you think about chapters 7.13-14 and 12.2?

Terms