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And they that understand - The apostles and primitive Christians in general, who understood from the prophets, and his own actions, that Jesus was the true Messiah.
Instruct many - Preach the Gospel every where, and convert multitudes to the faith.
Yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days - They were exposed to the malice and fury of their enemies, during Ten State Persecutions, and suffered all kinds of tortures, with but little intermission, for three hundred years. - Newton.
And they that under stand among the people - Among the Hebrew people. The allusion is to such as, in those times of so general corruption and apostasy, should have a proper understanding of the law of God and the nature of religion. There were such in the days of Judas Maccabeus, and it is reasonable to suppose that they would endeavor to inculcate just views among the people.
Shall instruct many - In the nature of religion; in their duty to their country and to God. See Prideaux, “Con.” iii. 265.
Yet they shall fall by the sword - They shall not be immediately nor always successful. Their final triumph would be only after many of them had fallen in battle, or been made captives. Matrathins, the father of Judas Maccabeus, who began the opposition to Antiochus (1 Maccabees 2:1), having summoned to his standard as many as he could induce to follow him, retired for security to the mountains. He was pursued, and refusing to fight on the Sabbath, his enemies came upon him, and killed many of his followers, 1 Maccabees 2:14-37. The author of the book of Maccabees (1 Maccabees 2:38) says of this: “So they rose up against them in battle on the sabbath, and they slew them, with their wives and children, and their cattle, to the number of a thousand people.”
And by flame - By fire. That is, probably, their dwellings would be fired, and they would perish in the flames, or in caves where they fled for shelter, or by being cast into heated caldrons of brass. See 2 Maccabees 6:11: “And others that had run together into caves near by” (when Antiochus endeavored to enforce on them the observance of pagan laws and customs), “to keep the sabbath-day secretly, being discovered to Philip, were all burnt together, because they made a conscience to help themselves for the honor of the most sacred day.” 2 Maccabees 7:3-5: “Then the king, being in a rage, commanded pans and caldrons to be made hot: which immediately being heated, he commanded to cut out the tongue of him that spake first, and to cut off the utmost parts of his body, the rest of his brethren and his mother looking on. Now when he was thus maimed in all his members, he commanded him, being yet alive, to be brought to the fire, and to be fried in the pan,” etc.
By captivity - 1 Maccabees 1:32: “But the women and children took they captive.” See also 2 Maccabees 5:24.
And by spoil - By plunder, to wit, of the temple and city. See 1 Maccabees 1:20-24.
Many days - Hebrew, “days.” The time is not specified, but the idea is that it would be for a considerable period. Josephus says it was three years. - “Ant.” b. xii. ch. vii. Sections 6,7; 1 Maccabees 1:59; 4:54; 2 Maccabees 10:1-7.
Verse 33
The long period of papal persecution against those who were struggling to maintain the truth and instruct their fellow men in ways of righteousness, is here brought to view. The number of the days during which they were thus to fall is given in Daniel 7:25; 12:7; Revelation 12:6, 14; 13:5. The period is called, “a time, times, and the dividing of time;†“a time, times, and a half;†“a thousand two hundred and threescore days;†and “forty and two months.†It is the 1260 years of papal supremacy.DAR 263.3