Changing Judgement

Si praedixit Danihel sententiam Dei quae non potest immutari quomodo hortatur ad eleemosynas et misericordiam pauperum, ut Dei sententia commutetur? Facile solvitur Ezechiae regis exemplo, quem Esaias dixerat esse moriturum et Nenivitarum; adhuc tres dies et Nenive subvertetur; et tamen ad preces Ezechiae et Nenivitarum Dei sententia commutata est, non vanitate judicii, sed eroum conversione. Petrus Archidiaconus  Liber De Diversis Quaestiunculis, Questiones In Danielem  Source: Migne PL 96.1350b

If Daniel foretold the sentence of God, which cannot be changed, 1 how is it that the king is exhorted to be merciful and have pity on the poor, so that the sentence of God be changed? This is easily resolved by the example of King Hezekiah, whom Isaiah said was going to die, 2 and of the Ninevites, that in three days Nineveh would be overthrown, 3 for yet by the prayers of Hezekiah and the Ninevites the sentence of God was changed, and not because of a vain judgement but by their conversion. Peter of Pisa, The Book of Diverse Questions, Questions On Daniel 1 Dan 4.24-27 2 Isaiah 38.1 3 Jonah 3.4

The Seeing Of Dreams

Quid est quod Nabochodonsor tanti mysterii meruerit cernere somnium? Nunquid credere possumus hominis pessimi hoc meritum obtinuisse? Non merito vidit; sed ut interpretante sancto quod viderat, Deus glorificaretur. Sic nec Pharao videre meruit, sed ut Joseph cunctis esset praepositus. Petrus Archidiaconus  Liber De Diversis Quaestiunculis Source: Migne 96.1348c

Why is it that Nebuchadnezzar merited to see such mysteries in a dream? Can we believe that some merit of this wretched man obtained this? 1 He did not see on account of merit, but that God be glorified by the holy interpretation of what he saw. So neither did Pharoah see by merit, but in order that Joseph might be set above all. 2 Peter of Pisa, The Book of Diverse Questions 1 Dan 2.1- 2 Genes 41.1-43

Angels And Announcements

Quid est quod dicit: Et audivi vocem viri inter Ulai, et clamavit, et ait: Gabrihel, fac intelligere istam visionem? quis ille est qui Gabrieli praecepit, ut Danielem faciat intelligere visionem? Judaei Michaelem autumant. Et cur vocatur Gabrihel, ut intelligere faciat, et non alius vocatur angelus? Quia cum visio de praeliis erat, regumque certaminibus, immo regnorum successionibus, dignum erat ut Gabrihel, qui praepositus est praeliis, huic officio manciparetur.   Quare tempore quo erat Dominus nasciturus, ad Zachariam et ad Mariam Gabrihel missus est, et non alius angelus? Quia, ut dictum est, praeliis est praepositus, indicturus bellum daemonibus, et triumphaturus de mundo venit. Petrus Archidiaconus  Liber De Diversis Quaestiunculis  Source:  Migne 96 1356

What is this that is said: And I heard the voice of a man between the Ulai gates And it called out and said, 'Gabriel, give understanding to this vision. 1 Who is it that commands Gabriel that he give understanding to the vision of Daniel? The Jews say it is Michael. And why is Gabriel called, that he give understanding, and not some other angel? Because the vision was about war, and the strife of kingdoms, and the successions of kingdoms, and rightly was it Gabriel, he who is first placed in struggles, who was given this office. Why in the time when the Lord was to be born was Gabriel send to Zachariah and Mary and not some other angel? Because, as said, he is first placed in struggles, and he came to declare the war against devils and the triumph over the world. Peter of Pisa, The Book of Diverse Questions 1 Dan 8.16

The Golden Statue

Quid per statuam auream intelligendum est, quam fecit Nabochodonosor rex Per regem illum et per statuam intellegimus omnes haereticos, qui fulgore eloquentiae saecularis falsum dogma componunt. Petrus Archidiaconus  Liber De Diversis Quaestiunculis, Questiones In Danielem  Source:  Migne PL 96 1349

What is to be understood by the golden statue that was made by king Nebuchadnezzar? 1 By that king and statue we understand all heretics who amid the blaze of worldly eloquence fashion their false teachings. Peter of Pisa, The Book of Diverse Questions, Questions on Daniel 1 Dan 3.1

Earth And Dust

Illud quod ait Danihel,   Et ego Danihel langui et aegrotavi per dies. Hoc est illud quod in Genesi de Abraham legimus, quod postquam Deum audiverit loquentum sibi, terram et cinerem esse se dixerit Petrus Archidiaconus  Liber De Diversis Quaestiunculis, Questiones In Danielem Migne 96 1356

What does it mean that Daniel said, 'And I Daniel, languished and was sick for days? 1 This is what we read about Abraham in Genesis, who after he had heard the Lord speaking to him, named himself earth and dust. 2 Peter of Pisa, The Book of Diverse Questions, Questions On Daniel 1 Dan 8.27 2 Gen 18.27

Forbidden Knowledge

Si sapientiam et doctrinam Babyloniorum peccatum est discere, cur Danihel didicit quod non licebat? Si Danihel sciret sapientiam Chaldaeorum esse peccatum, nunquam acquiesceret discere quod non licebat sicut nolebat comedere de mensa regis, neque bibere de vino ejus ne pollueretur. Nam et Moyses omnem sapientiam Aegyptiorum didicerat. Petrus Archidiaconus  Liber De Diversis Quaestiunculis  Migne 96 1348

If it is a sin to learn the wisdom and teaching of the Babylonians, why did Daniel learn what was not permitted? 1 If Daniel had known the Chaldean wisdom to be a sin, he would never have agreed to learn what was not permitted, just as he was unwilling to eat from the table of the king and to drink his wine lest he be defiled. 2 For even Moses learned all the wisdom of the Egyptians. 3 Peter of Pisa, The Book of Diverse Questions 1 Dan 1.4 2 Dan 1.8  3 Acts 7.22

Men and Angels

Quid est quod dicit: Et ecce stetit in conspectu meo quasi species viri? Non enim viri sunt angeli, sed in specie virorum videntur, sicut Abraham ad quercum Mambre tres visi sunt viri, qui utique viri non erant, e quibus unus adoratur ut Dominus, unde et Salvator loquitur in Evangelio: Abraham vidit diem meum et iactatus est.   Petrus Archidiaconus  Liber De Diversis Quaestiunculis  Migne 96 1356

What is this that is said: 'And behold he stood in my eyes like the form of a man? 1 For men are not angels, but they are seen in the form of men, like Abraham at the oaks of Mamre who saw them as men who were not men, and one of whom he adored like the Lord, 2 whence the Saviour says in the Gospel, 'Abraham saw my day and rejoiced.' 3 Peter of Pisa, The Book of Diverse Questions 1 Dan 8.15 2 Gen 18.1-3 3 John 8.56