Daniel's Seventy Weeks

[Nelka]

Haydock commentary.

Ver. 24. Seventy weeks (viz. of years, or seventy times seven, that is, 490 years) are shortened; that is, fixed and determined, so that the time shall be no longer. (Challoner) — This is not a conditional prophecy. Daniel was solicitous to know when the seventy years of Jeremias would terminate. But something of far greater consequence is revealed to him, (Worthington) even the coming and death of the Messias, four hundred and ninety years after the order for rebuilding the walls should be given, (Calmet) at which period Christ would redeem the world, (Worthington) and abolish the sacrifices of the law. (Calmet) — Finished, or arrive at its height by the crucifixion of the Son of God; (Theod.) or rather sin shall be forgiven. Hebrew, “to finish crimes to seal (cover or remit) sins, and to expiate iniquity.” — Anointed. Christ is the great anointed of God, the source of justice, and the end of the law and of the prophets, (Acts x. 38. and 1 Corinthians i. 30; Romans x. 4.; Calmet) as well as the pardoner of crimes. These four characters belong only to Christ. (Worthington)

 

[feed_me]

I would love to take a shot at this 70 week and really put in my (name removed by moderator)ut and knowledge but unfortunetly im dealing with a confusing spirit right now. O how i would love to chime in.

 

[Darryl_B]

Chapter 9 of the book of Daniel has a period of 70 weeks that must come to pass. If my small mind recalls correctly, many evangelicals and fundamentalists make much of the final week, seeing it as a period of literal 7 years with a global ruling Antichrist. I am wondering what the Catholic position is on the 70 weeks.

Jeremiah fore-saw 70 years. It was going to be only 70 years (some would say 49 jubilee).

In the 70 weeks, the only justification for expanding 70 weeks into 490 years is that some translations read “70 weeks of years” so then 70 weeks is converted first to days which is in turn magnified to years. However 70 years would be a more viable answer by using weeks as the base unit to years because that is what is stated. The 70 years initially to be understood from Jeremiah, which Daniel was searching for answers in an earlier chapter. Here is the revelation answer to Daniels seeking. The Septuagint doesn’t have the phrase “of years” so it just says 70 weeks.

There are 3 ways then of understanding this and I have ranked them from least likely to most likely.

1. 70 weeks = 490 days => 490 years.
2. 70 weeks => 70 years.
3. 70 weeks => 70 weeks.

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