The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 1

IV. Theodoret-Herald of Kingdom at the Advent

THEODORET (c. 386-457), Greek theologian, historian, and exegete, was born at Antioch. He spent twenty years in the monastery of Saint Euprepius in theological study, perhaps with Nestorius as a fellow pupil, and was appointed bishop of Cyrus, in the northern part of Syria, about 423. He became embroiled in a controversy with Cyril of Alexandria over Nestorianism, attempting in vain to mediate between the two parties. Condemned at Ephesus in 431 and deposed by the “Council of Robbers” in 449, he was restored by the General Council of Chalcedon in 451. He wrote commentaries, and a continuation of the history of Eusebius for the years 325 to 429 ⁴⁸ PFF1 450.3

He undertook his work on Daniel at the request of friends with the purpose of recording what he, who had been taught the Scriptures from childhood, had learned from studying the fathers. ⁴⁹ His adherence to the earlier school of interpretation of the outline prophecies is clear, especially as regards the stone kingdom to be established at the second advent. PFF1 450.4

1. IRON STRENGTH WEAKENED BY ADMIXTURE OF CLAY

Here is Theodoret’s testimony. Identifying the four world kingdoms of Daniel 2, and definitely naming Rome as the iron kingdom, he too stresses the intermingling of the clay as another phase of Rome in weakened, divided form—likewise completely ignoring Porphyry’s counterinterpretation. PFF1 451.1

“The iron he named the Roman kingdom; and this kingdom succeeded to the Macedonian. And to it he assigned the legs, inasmuch as they are at the end of the whole body, and are able to bear up the body. And the bases themselves of the feet are also of iron, but mixed with burnt clay. For this reason it does not suggest a different kingdom, but the same one which will become weaker, and be mixed with the weakness of the burnt clay. But he made a distinction between the materials, showing the distinction to be not that of worth but of strength.” ⁵⁰ PFF1 451.2

Rome still continues in the weakened, divided period of the feet and toes. PFF1 451.3

2. CHRIST THE STONE, CUT OUT THROUGH THE INCARNATION

The fivefold witness in identification of the stone, summoned by Theodoret, is important. He cites Isaiah, David, Jesus, Peter, and Paul to show that Christ is the stone. PFF1 451.4

“Such is the end of the dream. Moreover it teaches us to commence our interpretation from the last things, and so we ask first who this may be who is called a stone, and which at first seems small, soon became very large, and covered the circle of the earth.... PFF1 451.5

“Therefore we are taught both by the Old and the New Testament that our Lord Jesus Christ has been designated the stone. For He was cut out of the mountain without hands, being born of a virgin apart from any nuptial intercourse, and the divine scripture had always been accustomed to name him as having had his origin contrary to nature, the cutting out of a stone ⁵¹ PFF1 451.6

3. STONE CRUSHES NATIONS AT SECOND ADVENT

Theodoret wholly repudiates the Eusebian concept of the stone smiting at the first advent, with the stone kingdom established then, and impressively reiterates the earlier interpretation, placing it in direct connection with the second advent. PFF1 452.1

“For it [the kingdom of God], he says, shall never be destroyed, and His Kingdom shall not be left to other people, and it shall break in pieces and destroy all kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.... But if they shall maintain that the Lord’s first coming is signified by these words, let them show that the kingdom of the Romans passed away at the same time that the Saviour appeared. For all things are found to be contrary to this, it was strong and did not pass away at the birth of the Saviour.... PFF1 452.2

“If therefore the first coming of the Lord did not overthrow the empire of the Romans, it properly remains that we should understand [by this] His second advent. For the stone which was cut out before without hands, and which grew into a great mountain and covered the whole earth, this at the second advent shall smite the image upon the feet of clay. That is, He will come at the very end of the kingdom of iron, which already has been made weak, and having destroyed all kingdoms, He will consign them to oblivion, and will bestow His own eternal kingdom upon the worthy.” ⁵² PFF1 452.3

4. FOURTH BEAST SIGNIFIES KINGDOM OF ROMANS

Theodoret is quite certain which power was referred to by the fourth beast. PFF1 452.4

“The fourth beast is called the kingdom of the Romans, neither does he place a name upon it, because the state of the Romans composed of many nations, became master of the whole earth.... And as in the image [of the second chapter] iron constituted the fourth material, and subdued, and just as iron crushes and destroys all things, so it will crush and destroy all things, and here similarly, it says, the teeth of the beast are of iron, and so it becomes clear that the same kingdom is signified there and here.” ⁵³ PFF1 452.5

5. TEN KINGDOMS ARE CONTEMPORANEOUS

And, after having established the fact that the fourth beast is the Roman Empire, he focuses his interest upon the ten horns, which he assumes are ten kings arising simultaneously at the end. If that were not the case, the Little Horn (the Antichrist) could not subdue three at the same time. ⁵⁴ PFF1 452.6

6. LITTLE HORN IS PAUL’S SON OF PERDITION

In the Little Horn, which rises among the ten and plucks out three by the roots, he sees a clear indication of Antichrist, who will overthrow these kings. The horn is called small, which shows that he will be born from a small tribe of the Jews. But he will be remarkable, as through the eyes are designated foresight and cunning, by which he will beguile the majority. And the mouth speaking great things signifies arrogance and pride. And just here he connects the “mouth speaking great things” with Paul’s teaching concerning the falling away which would come first, that the “man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition, who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God,” sitting in the temple of God as if he were God. ⁵⁵ PFF1 453.1

7. “ANTICHRIST’S” TIME IS THREE AND A HALF YEARS

He makes the “time and times and half a time,” the “thousand two hundred and ninety days,” to be “three and a half years, in which that horn speaking great things shall bear rule.” ⁵⁶ PFF1 453.2

8. SEVENTY WEEKS EQUAL 490 YEARS

Theodoret clearly uses the year-day principle in reckoning the period of seventy weeks. PFF1 453.3

“And so the blessed prophet Daniel is taught that a time of four hundred and ninety years, seen to be from God, must be granted to Jerusalem itself ... until that wicked and very horrible act was dared. I speak of the cross against the Saviour.” ⁵⁷ PFF1 453.4

One can scarcely refrain from moralizing on the advantage, yes, the necessity, of historians having access to God’s view of the decisive epochs and events of history, and His evaluation of its causes, effects, and relationships, revealed through inspired prophecy, as a guiding light in traversing the ofttimes dark mazes of human record, and to keep his perspective clear. What a change in emphasis would often have been noted had such always been the case! PFF1 453.5