Hilary of Poitiers

In his own words on Daniel

• Daniel 7:13-14

  Glance over the whole course of time, and realize in what guise he appeared to Joshua the son of Nun, a prophet bearing his name, or to Isaiah, who relates that he saw him, as the gospel also bears witness, or to Ezekiel, who was admitted even to knowledge of the resurrection, or to Daniel, who confesses the Son of man in the eternal kingdom of the ages, or to all the rest to whom he presented himself in the form of various created beings, for the ways of God and for the works of God, that is to say, to teach us to know God and to profit our eternal state. Why does this method, expressly designed for human salvation, bring about at the present time such an impious attack on his eternal birth? The creation, of which you speak, dates from the commencement of the ages; but his birth is without end and before the ages. Maintain this by all means: we are doing violence to words, if a prophet, or the Lord, or an apostle or any oracle whatever has described by the name of creation the birth of his eternal divinity. In all these manifestations God, who is a consuming fire, is present, as created, in such a manner that he could lay aside the created form by the same power by which he assumed it, being able to destroy again that which had come into existence merely that it might be looked on.

  ON THE TRINITY 12:47

• Daniel 13:56

  Salvation was awaited by and offered to Israel but not to the carnal Israel. "In fact, it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise who are considered his offspring." As John also attests, the children of Abraham are not the children according to the flesh, since they are also children of vipers, and God can raise up children of Abraham from rocks. The Lord taught that the right of succession is constituted by works of faith and that we must not think of the birth of children according to carnal generation, when he says, "If you were children of Abraham, you would do the works that Abraham did." And Daniel also, condemning the old men, does not say, "offspring of Abraham," but, "offspring of Canaan and not of Judah." Ezekiel also, confronting the people with their iniquities, says, "Your father was a Canaanite, your mother a Hittite. Your origin and your birth are of the land of Canaan." We are not dealing, therefore, with this Israel that comes from carnal succession and to which is attributed the birth of a generation that is wholly profane because of its unbelief. It is not to this Israel, therefore, that salvation is given, because they did not accept it when it was offered, but to that other who, their slavery ended, has become the people of God.

  HOMILIES ON THE PSALMS 52:19