QUESTION CORNER

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jun 6, 1900

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 26, No. 23.

1050. Dan. 11:36. "The King."

What power is represented by "the king" in Dan. 11:36-39? and is "a king" a proper translation? S. I. A.

1. To answer the last question first, "a king" is a rendering by no authority or translation with which we are acquainted. The Hebrew reads "the king." Both the King James Version and the Revised Version read "the king." The Septuagint reads, "And he shall do according to his will, and the king [ho basileus] shall exalt and magnify himself," etc. The Douay Bible reads, "the king;" so also Boothroyd, who has been cited on the other side; Spurrell, who follows Wintle, the same; the Bible Commentary italicizes "the definite article 'the king,'" as without question. Scott, Clarke, and others are the same. There is not only no dissent from the regular rendering, but in some cases it is incidentally confirmed, and with none is there an intimation that another reading or rendering is admissible.

2. We know of but one power in which the specifications are met, and that is the Papacy, the apostasy of the Dark Ages. Certainly, the Papacy has done "according to his will;" he has exalted and magnified himself above every god, "above all that is called God, or that is worshiped" (2 Thess. 2:4); he has spoken marvelous things ("great swelling words," Septuagint, see Dan. 7:25) against God; he has prospered, and will till the end (Dan. 7:21, 22). Having exalted himself "above all that is called God, or that is worshiped," he has shown no regard for the true God, the God of the apostles, whom he claims as his fathers. He has not regarded "the desire of women," or "wives," as some render, having shown this in the vows of celibacy of the priesthood and of perpetual virginity. He has brought in new objects of worship. He, contrary to Christianity, of which the Papacy is a corruption, has honored the god of "forces," of war, of conquest, in converting the world, placing them on a level with God. Boothroyd renders: "But in his state together with God will he honor the protecting powers [the demons, under the names of saints, martyrs, and angels]; even together with God will he honor those whom his fathers knew not, with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and desirable things. Thus will he do; to the defenders of these protecting powers, together with God, whom he will certainly acknowledge, he will multiply honor, and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain." All of which has been fulfilled in adoration of saints, in Mariolatry, in the honor given to the defenders of this worship, giving to them and their monasteries, convents, and orders, the best and richest part of all lands wherever that power ruled. Every specification of the prophecy is met in Papal Rome and in no other power. In Dan. 11:36-39 is set forth the character of the power which does the work of persecution mentioned in verses 33-35. See also Dan. 7:8, 11, 21, 25; Rev. 13:5-10; 2 Thess. 2:3, 4.