Deeper ReflectionVerses 36 to 45 is a difficult text to interpret. “The difficulty is that
there is no clear transitional statement between verses 35 and 36
or later between verses 39 and 40.”
74 Clearly, Daniel 11:21-35 is
about Antiochus, but the description of “the king” (v.36) in verses 36 to 45
does not fit Antiochus historically. The issue is, who is this “king”?
75
It is wise to heed this helpful word of caution: “Anyone who does not
acknowledge a difficulty here is a polemicist in the worst possible sense.
That is, he or she knows better that this is a difficult passage one way
or the other, and to not acknowledge the difficulty and not to allow for
tolerance for the other view is simply bad faith.”
76 We should not be too
dogmatic in our interpretation of difficult biblical texts.Obscurities and ambiguities exist in Scripture. They are meant to keep
us humble in our interpretation of the Bible, as Saint Augustine of
Hippo puts it: “But hasty and careless readers are led astray by many
and manifold obscurities and ambiguities, substituting one meaning
for another; and in some places they cannot hit upon even a fair
interpretation. Some of the expressions are so obscure as to shroud the
meaning in the thickest darkness. And I do not doubt that
all this was
divinely arranged for the purpose of subduing pride77 by toil, and
of preventing a feeling of satiety in the intellect, which generally holds in
small esteem what is discovered without difficulty.” It is necessary to
hold a theological position for clarity, but with the theological posture
of humility.
74 Tremper Longman III, 281
75 Tremper Longman III, 280
76 Tremper Longman III, 280
77 Emphasis mine
