At a glance
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Authorship | Daniel (traditional); critical view: anonymous 2nd c. BC pseudonymous author |
| Date | Traditional: 6th c. BC; critical: ~165 BC (Maccabean era) |
| Audience | Exiles + Jews under foreign powers |
| Genre | Narrative + apocalyptic prophecy |
| Purpose | God's sovereignty over kingdoms + Messianic + eschatological hope |
| Chapters | 12 (Brenton LXX has Daniel-Greek with additional sections including Susanna, Bel & Dragon) |
Authorship + date debate
| View | Position |
|---|---|
Traditional 6th c. | Daniel himself; Christ refers to Daniel by name (Mat.24.15); detailed predictions fulfilled |
|
Critical 2nd c. | Critical scholarship favors late date, historical inaccuracies; Aramaic linguistic features; "predictions" are post-event |
| Conservative response | Predictive prophecy is genuine; alleged inaccuracies addressed; linguistic features compatible with 6th c. |
Mainstream evangelical affirms traditional 6th c. Daniel; critical scholarship favors 2nd c. This reference notes both.
Outline
| Section | Chapters | Content |
|---|---|---|
| Narratives | 1-6 | Daniel + 3 friends; Nebuchadnezzar's dreams; Belshazzar; den of lions |
| Apocalyptic visions | 7-12 | 4 beasts; Son of Man; ram + goat; 70 weeks |
Main themes
| Theme | Description |
|---|---|
| God's sovereignty | Over all kingdoms, Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome (or other) |
| Kingdom of God | Eternal kingdom replaces transient empires (Dan.2; 7) |
| Faithfulness under pressure | Daniel + 3 friends model |
| Son of Man | Dan.7.13-14, title Jesus uses for himself |
| Resurrection | Dan.12.2, clearest OT resurrection text |
| Messianic anticipation | "Anointed One" (Dan.9.25-26) |
Key passages
- Dan.2, Nebuchadnezzar's image dream
- Dan.3, fiery furnace
- Dan.6, lions' den
- Dan.7.13-14, Son of Man
- Dan.9.24-27, 70 weeks
- Dan.12.2, resurrection text
Multi-view on apocalyptic visions
| Interpretive school | Position |
|---|---|
| Preterist | Visions fulfilled in 2nd Temple period (Maccabean era + AD 70) |
| Historicist | Visions trace history through church age to end |
| Futurist | Visions fulfilled in end-time tribulation + millennium |
| Idealist | Visions symbolize ongoing spiritual realities |