Benjamin E. Reynolds, «The 'One Like a Son of Man' According to the Old Greek of Daniel 7,13-14», Vol. 89 (2008) 70-80
While studies of the Old Greek (OG) of Daniel 7,13-14 are not uncommon, they are often undertaken as part of a broader examination of the 'one like a son of man'. Rarely, if ever, do these studies focus on the description of this figure in the
OG version and what readers of this version might have understood of this character. This study is an examination of the interpretation of OG Daniel 7,13-14, and the argument is made that the OG portrays the 'one like a son of man' as similar to the Ancient of Days and as a messianic figure.
74 Benjamin E. Reynolds
Ezek 38,9 – kai; ajnabhvsh/ wJ" uJeto;" kai; h{xei" wJ" nefevlh katakaluvyai
ghn
'
Sir 24,15 – w" kinnavmwnon kai; ajspavlaqo" ajrwmavtwn devdwka ojsmh;n
J
kai; wJ" smuvrna ejklekth; dievdwka eujwdivan (22).
With respect to OG Dan 7,13, this means that wJ" uiJo;" ajnqrwvpou and wJ"
palaio;" hJmerw'n are being used in the same sort of parallel structure. Both
phrases are descriptions of the figure that Daniel sees in his vision of the night
coming with the clouds of heaven. The figure who comes with the clouds like
a son of man also arrives like the Ancient of Days (23).
Thus, the OG witnesses refer to the “one like a son of man†as similar to
the Ancient of Days, but this similarity does not mean that the “one like a son
of man†is the same being as the Ancient of Days in 7,9-10 (24). But, as with the
Aramaic text of Daniel, the OG also presents the “one like a son of man†and
the Ancient of Days as two distinct figures. Evidence for this is seen in the
giving of authority to the “one like a son of man†(25). Who else is capable of
giving the son of man figure authority other than the Ancient of Days?
However, although the “one like a son of man†is portrayed as distinct from
the figure of the Ancient of Days in 7,9-10, the OG closely aligns the Ancient
of Days and the “one like a son of man†by describing the “one like a son of
man†as wJ" palaio;" hJmerw'n in 7,13c.
2. The “one like a son of man’s†Appearance on the Clouds
The second aspect that indicates similarity between the Ancient of Days and
the “one like a son of man†is the son of man figure’s appearance on the clouds
of heaven. In 7,13b, the OG states that the son of man figure came ejpi; tw'n
nefelwn tou' oujranou'. The MT uses the preposition µ[ to indicate the son of man
'
figure’s position in relation to the clouds. Q translates µ[ with metav. Some
scholars have attempted to argue that the use of ejpiv by the OG implies a divine
status of the “one like a son of man†since that figure appeared “on†the clouds of
heaven rather than “with†the clouds of heaven (26). However, this much weight
cannot be placed on the prepositions alone (27) especially since the meaning of
prepositions is often fluid even within a language. Examples of the fluidity of
Greek preposition use can be seen in the references to Dan 7,13 in the NT.
(22) See also: Num 23,24; Deut 32,2; 2 Sam 22,43//Ps 17,45; Pss 77,52; 81,7; 88,37, 38;
Prov 2,4; Hos. 2,5; 9,10; Nah 1,10; Isa 1,9 (cf. Rom 9,29); Wis 3,6; Sir 15,2; 28,23; 39,22;
47,18.
(23) For a more in depth discussion of the difficulties with Hofius’ argument, see B.E.
REYNOLDS, “Another Suggestion for wJ" palaio;" hJmerw'n in the Old Greek of Daniel 7:13â€,
Henoch, 30 (2008) 94-103.
(24) Lust (“Daniel 7,13 and the Septuagintâ€, 68) states: “…in the Septuagint, the ‘Son of
Man’ and the ‘Ancient of Days’ are the same.†Cf. M. HENGEL, ‘“Sit at My Right Hand!’
The Enthronement of Christ at the Right Hand of God and Psalm 110:1â€, (ID.), Studies in
Early Christology (Edinburgh 1995) 184.
(25) STUCKENBRUCK, “One Like a Son of Manâ€, 275.
(26) LUST, “Daniel 7,13 and the Septuagintâ€, 68; MEADOWCROFT, Aramaic Daniel and
Greek Daniel, 228.
(27) See S.P. JEANSONNE, The Old Greek Translation of Daniel 7-12, 112.
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