Daniel 11:33Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The wise among the people will educate many, yet they will face downfall through warfare, fire, captivity, and plunder for a season. The trials endured by the Jews during the era of Antiochus are well-documented in the books of Maccabees, which testify to their ultimate victory: in their commitment to God’s law, they encountered flames, swords, enslavement, theft, and severe retribution. It is clear that similar tribulations will arise under the Antichrist, when numerous individuals will oppose his authority and seek refuge in different places. The Hebrews interpret this as relating to the final destruction of the temple under Vespasian and Titus, when many among the people recognized their Lord and were martyred for their adherence to His law.

It is said that wise individuals will gain profound understanding. Those who appropriately utilize the divine knowledge bestowed upon them will vehemently reject the edicts of Antiochus, choosing death in adherence to God’s law over a life of unrighteousness. They will face trials through swords, flames, captivity, and the devastation of those times. The evil king, employing various tortures, sought to intimidate the righteous by subjecting them to untimely death, as if robbing them of their remaining days. Subsequently, the Archangel predicts the fate that awaits the blessed Mattathias and his sons.