Daniel 12:3Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Moreover, he cannot clarify who those were during Antiochus’ reign, whom some compared to the brilliance of the heavens and others to enduring stars. Yet, perseverance is mighty! Like a wounded serpent, he lifts his head and, prior to his demise, spews venom upon those destined for death. He claims this is written about Antiochus, who, on his journey to Persia, entrusted an army to Lysias, responsible for Antioch and Phoenicia, so he could wage war against the Jews and devastate Jerusalem. Josephus, the historian of the Jewish nation, recounts tribulations unlike any seen before, leading to a time unprecedented in the history of nations. But upon the triumph’s conclusion, as Antiochus’ generals fell and Antiochus himself perished in Persia, the Israelites were spared—those recorded in God’s book, representing those who steadfastly upheld the law, while the lawbreakers allied with Antiochus were cast out of that book. Consequently, those who metaphorically slept in the earth’s dust, burdened by miseries and entombed in calamities, arose from the earth to sudden victory, with the law’s keepers ascending to eternal life and the offenders to lasting disgrace. Educators and leaders attuned to the law will gleam like the heavens, and those who guided the lower ranks to embrace the divine commandments will shine like stars eternally. A narrative from the Maccabees illustrates this, where many Jews under Mattathias, known as Judas Maccabeus, fled to wilderness caves and rock crevices and emerged victorious thereafter. This story serves as a metaphor for the resurrection of the dead. More accurately, it signifies that during the Antichrist’s reign, tribulations will arise unmatched since the dawn of nations. For instance, if Lysias had faced defeat and the Jews, victorious, would such distress compare to that of Jerusalem’s fall to the Babylonians, with the temple’s ruin and the people taken captive? Thus, following Antichrist's defeat and demise through the Savior's Spirit, those inscribed in God's book will be delivered. Varying in merit, some will ascend to eternal life while others face damnation. Teachers will reflect the brilliance of the heavens, while those who instruct others will be likened to stars in their radiance. Mere possession of wisdom is insufficient if it remains unshared; silent teaching that fails to uplift another cannot claim the reward of labor. Theodotion and the common version convey this passage: and the wise shall shine like the brilliance of the heavens, while many righteous shall shine like stars forever. Some commonly wonder if the learned saint and the uneducated saint will share identical rewards and residence in heaven. Therefore, Theodotion suggests that the knowledgeable will have a resemblance to the heavens, while the righteous lacking education will appear as the splendor of stars, signifying the difference between knowledgeable holiness and simple piety akin to heaven versus a star.

It is evident that in stating ‘many of those who sleep in the earthly body’ will rise, the prophet is referring to the resurrection of the physical form, as it is clear that no one would claim that souls rest in the earthly body.