Daniel

"Vividly and powerfully reveals the richness of Daniel's divinely given revelation" Stephen L. Cook offers a substantive and useful commentary on Daniel and explores the contemporary significance of this prophetic book. Cook's groundbreaking commentary engages Daniel's visionary content on its own terms, introducing innovative interpretive frameworks that emphasize the cosmic scope of this biblical book and its revelations of heavenly reality. This volume, like each in the Baker Commentary on the Old Testament series, is grounded in rigorous scholarship but is useful for those who preach and teach. "What would it mean to take an apocalyptic text in full seriousness, to judge its visions on its own terms? Cook's commentary on Daniel does just this. The dreams and visions of this Prophet are not translated to another medium, not explained or explained away, not reduced to another domain, but rather interpreted as incursions of the Wisdom of God to the struggles of the earth. A stirring translation is accompanied by a full critical apparatus and commentary--a true theological exegesis and one that, at last, allows the Heavenly Vision to speak in its own tongue!" -- Katherine Sonderegger , Virginia Theological Seminary "The inspiring narratives and perplexing visions of the book of Daniel have long challenged interpreters. Cook eschews both critical historicist and fanciful literalistic interpretations to argue that the book reveals the deep yet transcendent dimensions of reality. This is apocalyptic wisdom designed to reorient one's view of life and the world and point to the ultimate purposes of God. An innovative multidisciplinary approach to a mystifying, ever-relevant divine word for God's people." -- M. Daniel Carroll R. , Wheaton College Graduate School "Cook ranges more widely than most Daniel commentators and valuably sheds light on the distinctive dynamics of this challenging biblical book. In particular, he takes seriously the spiritual dimensions of reality. This is a fresh reading of Daniel as Christian Scripture." -- Walter Moberly , Durham University (emeritus)