Daniel 9:22Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He remarked, "He granted me insight," and communicated to me, saying, "Daniel, I have arrived to impart understanding to you. As soon as you began your prayer, the command was issued, and I have come to reveal it to you, for you are a person of great longings; therefore, delve into the message and comprehend the vision." He urges us to pay careful attention to what is about to be conveyed. When someone inquires about one matter and receives information on another, it necessitates significant focus.

He guided me and communicated with me, saying. The vision is so dark that the prophet requires the angel's guidance. Daniel! I have come now to enlighten you and provide understanding. I am sent to you, having come forth from the presence of God, not to distance myself from Him, but to approach you.

Shortly after you commenced your prayers, our shared Lord, having acknowledged your supplication and recognized your noble intentions, dispatched me to disclose the future to you; you must pay close attention to what is communicated. The message you will receive is significantly more profound than what human understanding can grasp; this is embodied in the phrase ‘perceive in the appearing’, meaning it will be conveyed in allegorical language, and you must diligently seek to comprehend it. Sacred truths are at times articulated and recorded in metaphorical terms, ensuring that what is revealed to the saints remains concealed from the broader audience; otherwise, it could easily be disregarded if universally recognized.

Quiet prayer, akin to the serene Mary at Christ's feet, offers a far greater openness to learning than the busy and self-driven mind of Martha, which engages in countless discussions filled with its own wisdom and external sources of knowledge. Observe how the Archangel Gabriel instructs Daniel about the hidden truths, simultaneously revealing how the Prophet reached such profound understanding. ‘While I was yet speaking in prayer,’ the Prophet recounts, ‘behold, the man Gabriel came forth to me, and said, Daniel, I have now come to make you understand. At the beginning of your supplications, the command went forth, and I have come to inform you, for you are greatly beloved’ (Dan. 9:21-23). What an incredible school of God!