The Book of Daniel and the New Babylonian Judaism: Yet another controversy!

The Biblical book of Daniel is controversial for a number of reasons.

Firstly, while it claims to have been written during the Babylonian exile of Judah, critics claim it could not have been written until the intertestamental period. Conservatives and those who read the Bible as literal and infallible historical fact have waged war against those scholars and 'liberals' who do not hold this view and who challenge it's reliability as a historical document.

Next, the many controversies of Daniel's prophetic utterances, and how they should be interpreted, have wreaked havoc on interpreters, especially their interpretations of the 'end times'.

None of these reasons, however, will be covered here. Instead I want to talk about the challenge that the book of Daniel poses to those who accept it as part of the infallible 'Word of God' and who tend to lament the changes in modern Judaic (post-Babylonian) Judaic religious practice. Specifically those who believe the Temple should be rebuilt in Jerusalem, according to the Old Testament, and the Mosaic cult rituals reinstated.

So let me give a little background.

There is a unifying theme that runs throughout the Old Testament (as opposed to the New Testament Christian documents) scriptures: Exile and return! By exile, I mean, of course, someone being in a land they call their own then being kicked out because of bad behavior. This would apply to Adam's exile from the garden of Eden and Judah's exile from the land of Israel. The Maccabaean revolt even carries a similar theme (of Exile and return) that crescendos during the intertestamental period, following the victory over the Greeks, and finally fades as it washes ashore (seemingly dead) at the destruction of Jerusalem by Rome.

Why this focus on exile? Because it changes things.

Apparently, the Old Testament was not actually compiled (the different writings put together into one book) until the Babylonian exile, when the Israelites were forced to re-examine national identity outside of their homeland, away from Jerusalem and the Temple (which were both destroyed), which had, up to that point, been central elements in keeping the Mosaic Jewish law. Now that they were in a foreign land, unable to keep the law or the rituals as they pertain to the Temple and the Priesthood, the questions arose: Who are we now? Has the Lord completely forsaken us? Is reconciliation even possible?

It is easy to detect an element of dispair in these questions and I think that is exactly where the book of Daniel plays a major role. So what happened? Judaism changed! That's what happened. And God didn't even get mad about it.

This is where the Book of Daniel comes into sharper focus. Daniel (and his friends) is among the exiled elite from Judah who were brought to Babylon to serve the Great King. Daniel is typical of those Jews who were taken from the homeland so he is a kind of representative for the Jewish people in Babylon.

The first six chapters of the book aren't just historical documentation. They show a Jew living a separate life (from the pagans around him), according to Jewish ways, in a foreign land and PLEASING GOD! In return for a life of righteousness (apart from the land and the Temple) he prospers and enjoys divine protection against his enemies. He becomes, in essence, a Jewish hero, providing a model (of righteousness) for all other Jews who have been confined to Babylon and who live outside the land of Israel.

The story of Daniel transmits several elements of a righteous life away from the Jerusalem cult.

First, Daniel maintains the Mosaic dietary laws with respect to fruits and vegetables (which do not carry restrictions), staying away from meats, that have been sacrificed to idols or that are unclean for Jews (for example, pork). Remember, this was about keeping Jewish law (establishing a Jewish identity) NOT about creating a healthy diet that keeps off the weight and prevents heart disease (though it might do that).

Second, Daniel displays superior intelligence and skill because he is disciplined with his mind and body and diligent in his studies. Daniel does not take offense to being given a new Babylonian name, so that he is able to integrate into a Babylonian society without compromising his personal identity or religious beliefs.

Third, Daniel does not bow to idols, no matter what the consequences may be for him, he is devoted ONLY to the god of Israel. When he is confronted by the pagan authoritarian government, he is punished for his righteousness and God protects him, and he is rewarded.

Fourth, he is not apt to violent encounters with those in Babylon who wish to remove him from favor with the King. He does not rebel or participate in subversion of the Babylonian authority, except where it would force him to be unfaithful to his god. Even then he accepts the punishment of the state without fleeing or stirring up riots, and waits patiently for his God to save him.

Daniel is a man of outstanding character.

All of these actions (or non-actions) show God's preference for a man of right character, elevating this standard above the Temple cultus (preisthood and sacrifices) which had been the mainstay of Israelite theology and religious practice.

This is the Judaism that emerged during the Babylonian captivity and persisted in Jewish communities around the world (ex. Alexandria, Egypt). This type of righteousness, apart from the Temple, did not compel Jews to leave their established communities and return to Israel. Why should they? This also helped lay the groundwork for Second Temple Judaism, apocalypticism and the various communities that would rise to challenge the established authority in Israel.