THEOSISEphraem the Syrian
The angel who watched over Daniel and was consistently present with the prophet, requested another angel, who accompanied Daniel and the other faithful, to provide clarity on this vision for Daniel.
Daniel 8:15Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers
And it came to pass when I, Daniel, saw the vision, and sought the meaning, that behold there stood before me as it were the appearance of a man.
וַיְהִ֗י בִּרְאֹתִ֛י אֲנִ֥י דָנִיֵּ֖אל אֶת־הֶחָז֑וֹן וָאֲבַקְשָׁ֣ה בִינָ֔ה וְהִנֵּ֛ה עֹמֵ֥ד לְנֶגְדִּ֖י כְּמַרְאֵה־גָֽבֶר׃
The Church Fathers on this verse
3 Church Fathers comment on this verse
Jerome of Stridon
When Daniel beheld the vision and sought to comprehend its significance, he encountered an image yet remained uncertain of its meaning. Thus, not all who observe truly grasp what they witness, much like how we may read the Scriptures with our eyes but fail to understand them in our hearts. Then, I perceived what appeared to be a human figure before me. Angels, while not human beings, sometimes present themselves in a human likeness. Similarly, Abraham, at the oak of Mamre, encountered three figures (Gen. 18), who were not actually men, and he honored one of them as the Lord. This is why the Savior remarks in the Gospel that Abraham saw My day; he beheld it and was glad (John 8:56).
Theodoret of Cyrus
The prophet declared that when I beheld Daniel's vision, a quest for understanding arose within me. As I observed it, I yearned to grasp the significance of these enigmatic signs. And lo, there appeared before me what resembled a figure of a man; it seemed to me that I was looking at a man standing before me.
Cross references
Passages read together with this verse.
- Dan 10:16And behold as it were the likeness of a son of man touched my lips: then I opened my mouth and spoke, and said to him that stood before me: O my lord, at the sight of thee my joints are loosed, and no strength hath remained in me.
- Dan 10:18Therefore, he that looked like a man, touched me again, and strengthened me.
- 1 Pet 1:10Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and diligently searched, who prophesied of the grace to come in you.
- 1 Pet 1:11Searching what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ in them did signify, when it foretold those sufferings that are in Christ and the glories that should follow.
- Rev 1:13And in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks, one like to the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the feet, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
- Dan 7:13I beheld, therefore, in the vision of the night, and lo, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and he came even to the ancient of days: and they presented him before him.
- Dan 7:16I went near to one of them that stood by, and asked the truth of him concerning all these things, and he told me the interpretation of the words, and instructed me:
- Dan 7:19After this I would diligently learn concerning the fourth beast, which was very different from all, and exceeding terrible: his teeth and claws were of iron: he devoured and broke in pieces, and the rest he stamped upon with his feet: