The Book of Daniel does not explicitly teach the doctrine of the Trinity as seen in later New Testament writings. However, there are several passages that some theologians and scholars have interpreted to hint at or indirectly support a Trinitarian view of God. These verses may include references to God in ways that could be seen as foreshadowing or consistent with the idea of a triune God. However, interpreting these verses as directly teaching the doctrine of the Trinity requires a certain level of theological assumption and is not universally agreed upon.
Here are some of the notable verses that could be interpreted in a Trinitarian light:
1. Daniel 3:25
Text:
25. He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.
Trinitarian Insight:
In this passage, King Nebuchadnezzar sees four figures in the fiery furnace, with the fourth being described as "like the Son of God." While the Old Testament does not directly articulate the doctrine of the Trinity, Christians interpret this "Son of God" as a pre-incarnate manifestation of Jesus Christ, the Second Person of the Trinity. The presence of the fourth figure in the furnace symbolizes God’s protection and intervention through the Son, even before the incarnation of Christ in the New Testament. The Trinity is foreshadowed here in that God the Father is represented through His will to protect His people, the Son appears in the form of the fourth figure, and though the Holy Spirit is not directly mentioned, the act of divine intervention and protection could imply the role of the Holy Spirit as the agent of God's presence in the world.
Explicit or Implicit: Implicit. This is a foreshadowing of Christ (the Son) and an indirect reference to the Trinity. The verse implicitly points to the relational and active roles of the Father and Son in the divine plan.
2. Daniel 4:17
Text:
17. This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomsoever he will, and sets up over it the basest of men.
Trinitarian Insight:
This verse speaks about the sovereignty of the "Most High," a term often used for God the Father, who rules over the kingdoms of men. The verse does not mention the Son or the Holy Spirit, but the phrase "by the word of the holy ones" can be interpreted as a reference to the divine agents through whom God’s will is carried out. In Christian theology, this could indirectly point to the action of the Holy Spirit, who is often involved in the execution of God’s will. The decree made by the "watchers" and the "holy ones" could suggest a divine counsel, which in Trinitarian terms would imply a shared action among the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in guiding the world. This passage highlights the supremacy of God the Father, and by extension, points to the operational unity of the Trinity in the governance of creation.
Explicit or Implicit: Implicit. It refers to God’s sovereign rule, which implicitly points to the collaborative work of the Trinity, though not explicitly revealed here.
3. Daniel 4:34-35
Text:
34. And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honored him that lives forever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: 35. And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he does according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?
Trinitarian Insight:
Nebuchadnezzar acknowledges the eternal dominion and sovereignty of "the Most High," referring to God the Father. While this passage emphasizes the Father’s rule, the reference to "the army of heaven" can be seen as a veiled reference to the work of the heavenly host, which in Christian understanding may include angels, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. While the Father’s role is the central focus, the unified work of the entire Godhead is implied in the execution of God’s will in the heavens and on earth. The Father’s actions are carried out in unity with the Son and the Holy Spirit. The Trinitarian connection here is indirect but present in the idea of the divine will being executed by multiple agents of God.
Explicit or Implicit: Implicit. The passage highlights the Father’s rule but points indirectly to the role of the entire Trinity in God’s sovereign actions.
4. Daniel 7:9-10
Text:
9. I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. 10. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.
Trinitarian Insight:
The "Ancient of Days" refers to God the Father, seated on a throne of majesty and judgment. This vision illustrates God's supreme and righteous authority. While the Son and Holy Spirit are not explicitly mentioned, this scene sets the stage for the later appearance of the "Son of Man" in verse 13. The Father, depicted as the Ancient of Days, is shown in a position of divine authority, and His judgment is executed in a way that presupposes the involvement of the Son. In Christian theology, the Son (Jesus) will return to execute judgment alongside the Father, demonstrating the unity of the Trinity in divine governance. The "fiery stream" and the ministering angels reflect the presence and active work of the Holy Spirit, even if the Spirit is not explicitly named here.
Explicit or Implicit: Implicit. The Father’s role in judgment is clear, and the eventual involvement of the Son in the judgment of the world reveals the triune action, even though it’s not fully articulated here.
5. Daniel 7:13-14
Text:
13. I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 14. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
Trinitarian Insight:
This passage explicitly mentions the "Son of Man," a title used by Jesus to refer to Himself in the Gospels. The Son of Man approaches the "Ancient of Days" (God the Father) and is given dominion, glory, and a kingdom. This scene directly reflects the relationship between the Father and the Son in the Trinitarian framework. The Son is distinct yet fully unified with the Father in the execution of His divine will. The dominion and everlasting kingdom given to the Son point to the Messianic reign of Jesus, which Christians believe is a cooperative work of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit empowers and sustains the Son’s earthly ministry and continues to work in believers today, pointing to the eternal unity of the Triune God in redemption.
Explicit or Implicit: Explicit. The relationship between the Father and the Son is clearly revealed in this passage, and it points to the fulfillment of the Trinitarian mission in Christ.
6. Daniel 9:24-27
Text:
24. Seventy weeks are determined upon your people and upon your holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. 25. Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. 26. And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. 27. And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
Trinitarian Insight:
This prophecy is centered on the coming of the "Messiah the Prince," who Christians identify as Jesus Christ, the Second Person of the Trinity. The prophecy describes the Messiah’s sacrificial death ("cut off, but not for himself") and His role in confirming a new covenant, which is understood by Christians as the work of Christ's death and resurrection. The Holy Spirit, though not explicitly mentioned, plays a crucial role in this covenant by indwelling believers and empowering them to live according to God’s will. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all involved in the fulfillment of this prophecy, as the Father sends the Son to redeem humanity and the Spirit applies that redemption in the lives of believers.
Explicit or Implicit: Implicit. The prophecy points to the work of the Son in salvation, indirectly referencing the roles of the Father and the Holy Spirit in bringing about the new covenant.
7. Daniel 10:5-6
Text:
5. Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz: 6. His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in color to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude.
Trinitarian Insight:
In this vision, Daniel encounters a divine figure, often interpreted as a Christophany, or a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ, the Second Person of the Trinity. The figure's dazzling appearance—like lightning, with fiery eyes and a voice like a multitude—points to the glory and majesty of God, which Christians associate with Christ. While the Father and Holy Spirit are not mentioned, this vision underscores the divine nature of the Son, and in the broader Trinitarian context, we understand this figure to be acting in unity with the Father and the Spirit. The Holy Spirit, as the agent of God’s presence, might be implied in the power and intensity of the figure's appearance.
Explicit or Implicit: Implicit. The figure could be understood as Christ, and while the Trinity is not fully disclosed, the vision offers a glimpse of Christ's glory, which is shared with the Father and the Spirit in the Triune nature of God.