John Calvin Commentary Daniel 6:12

"Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning the king`s interdict: Hast thou not signed an interdict, that every man that shall make petition unto any god or man within thirty days, save unto thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not." — Daniel 6:12 (ASV)

Now the king’s nobles approach the king as conquerors, but they do so cunningly; for they do not openly say anything about Daniel, whom they knew the king favored; but they repeat their previous assertion about the impossibility of changing the edict, since the law of the Medes and Persians is inviolable and cannot be nullified.

Again, therefore, as far as they possibly can, they endorse that edict, so that the king would not later be free, or dare to retract what he had once commanded. We must note the cunning with which they indirectly circumvent the king, and entangle him, by preventing the change of a single word; They come, therefore, and speak concerning the royal edict. They do not mention the name of Daniel, but dwell on the royal decree, so as to bind the king more firmly.

The king answered, The report is true. We here see how kings desire praise for consistency, but they do not perceive the difference between consistency and obstinacy. For kings should reflect on their own decrees, to avoid the disgrace of retracting what they have hastily proclaimed. If anything has escaped them without consideration, both prudence and equity require them to correct their errors; but when they have trampled on all regard for justice, they desire every inconsiderate command to be strictly obeyed! This is the height of folly, and we should not approve of persisting in such obstinacy, as we have already said. But more on this tomorrow.

Prayer:

Grant, Almighty God, since you have reconciled us to yourself by the precious blood of your Son, that we may not be our own, but devoted to you in perfect obedience, and may consecrate ourselves entirely to you: May we offer our bodies and souls in sacrifice, and be more prepared to suffer a hundred deaths than to turn away from your true and sincere worship. Grant us, especially, to discipline ourselves in prayer, to flee to you every moment, and to commit ourselves to your Fatherly care, that your Spirit may govern us to the end. Defend and sustain us, until we are gathered into that heavenly kingdom which your only-begotten Son has prepared for us by his blood. — Amen.

[Exposition continues from previous day's lecture]

WE began yesterday to explain Daniel’s narrative of the slander invented against him before King Darius. The nobles of the kingdom, as we have said, used cunning in their interview with the king; because if they had begun with Daniel, the king might have broken his word. But they dwell on the royal decree; they show the imminence of the danger, unless the authority of all the king’s decrees was upheld.

By this artifice we see how they obtained their object; for the king confirms their assertion about the wickedness of nullifying what had been proclaimed in the king’s name. For kings are pleased with their own greatness, and wish their own pleasure to be treated as an oracle. That edict by which Darius forbade prayers to be offered to any deity was detestable and impious; yet he wished it to remain in force, so that his majesty would not be despised by his subjects. Meanwhile, he does not perceive the consequences that must follow. Hence we are taught by this example, that no virtue is so rare in kings as moderation, and yet none is more necessary; for the more power they have, the more it is fitting for them to be cautious so that they do not indulge their lusts, while they think it lawful to desire whatever pleases them. It now follows: