Sunday, December 5, 2021

Thomas Wilson (1835-1926) on Jesus being the “Ancient of Days” in Daniel 7

Thomas Wilson (1835-1926) was the nephew of Benjamin Wilson who produced the Emphatic Diaglott translation of the Bible and co-founder of the Church of God of the Abrahamic Faith. In an editorial published in his The Herald of The Coming Kingdom in July 1868, he argued that Jesus is the (or, to be more correct, An) Ancient of Days from Dan 7 thusly:

 

But it will be asked, how can it be that in the vision of Daniel the Ancient of Days is the Father to whom the Son goes for power, whilst in the dream of Daniel the Ancient of Days is the Son himself. We answer, that it can only be explained upon the ground that we accept Jesus in His double character. 1st, As the Son of Man, going to receive power. 2d, As God's viceregent, or representative on the earth, for one thousand years, clothed with all power in heaven and earth. When Daniel saw Him first in vision He had not attained to this glory. Not so, however, when we saw Him in his dream. Then he beheld Him a glorious personage, having come to His province for the purpose of "destroying those who destroy the earth." He sees Him then, not as the Son of Man, but as God himself, the Ancient of Days. Hence Daniel says, "I was looking until chairs were set down and AN Ancient of Days seated himself." This translation, given by Leeser, does not state that the Ancient of Days seated himself, but AN Ancient of days. This lack of the definite article is important, inasmuch as Jesus in His judicial character, with raiment white as snow, and hair like pure wool, and His throne radiant with glory as with burning fire, doubtless appeared to Daniel as "An Ancient of Days," hence he styles Him such. (Thomas Wilson, “Editorial: Who is the Ancient of Days?" The Herald of The Coming Kingdom 1, no. 13 [July 1, 1868]: 291-92)