Daniel’s Seventy Weeks in Early Christianity
Early Christian writers usually read Daniel’s seventy weeks as a prophecy that points to Christ. Clement of Alexandria, Hippolytus, Origen, Tertullian, and Julius Africanus all link the timeline to Jesus’ coming. Many also connect the weeks with Jerusalem’s rebuilding and the ending of sin and sacrifice. The exact starting date is debated, but the Christ-centered reading is common.
93 early-church witnesses · 159 source quotations · compared with Scripture
What did early Christians believe about the Seventy Weeks of Daniel and Prophecy?
Early Christian writers commonly read Daniel’s seventy weeks as a prophecy that reaches Christ. Clement of Alexandria, Hippolytus, Origen, Tertullian, and Julius Africanus all connect the weeks to the coming of Christ and the timing of His birth or appearance. Several writers also tie the count to the rebuilding of Jerusalem under Artaxerxes and to the ending of sacrifice, sin, and prophecy in Daniel’s own words.
The main pattern is broad and consistent, though the exact starting point and the way the weeks are divided are explained differently by different authors. Many more early Christian quotations, Bible passages, and source links are gathered below so you can study the evidence for yourself.
Key Takeaways
- Early Christians often said Daniel’s seventy weeks pointed to Christ.
- Clement, Hippolytus, Origen, Tertullian, and Julius Africanus all use Daniel 9 this way.
- Several writers start the count from the order to rebuild Jerusalem under Artaxerxes.
- The details differ, but the main idea is that the prophecy reaches Jesus and His time.
Questions Answered by the Sources
Did early Christians say Daniel’s seventy weeks were fulfilled in Christ?
Multiple early writers explicitly say the seventy weeks reached Christ, or that the passage speaks of Christ’s coming, birth, or advent. They use Daniel 9 to argue that the prophecy was completed at the appointed time.
-
Origen, De Principiis (On First Principles) Direct teaching
And according to Daniel, seventy weeks were fulfilled until (the coming of) Christ the Ruler.
-
Tertullian, An Answer to the Jews Direct teaching
...h His coming—that is, through His birth, which we mentioned above, and His passion, which we have clearly explained—that is also why Daniel said, "Vision and prophet were sealed." This is because Christ is the seal of all the prophets, fulfilling everything that had long before been announced concerning Him. For since His coming and His own passion, there is no longer vision or prophet. Therefore he says most emphatically that His coming seals vision and prophecy. And so, by showing the number of the years, and the time of the sixty-two and a half fulfilled weeks, we have proved that Christ came at that appointed time—that is, that He was born. And by showing the time of the seven and a half weeks, which are divided so as to be cut off from the earlier weeks, within which times we have shown that Christ suffered, and by the resulting completion of the seventy weeks and the destruction of the city, we have proved that sacrifice and anointing then ceased.
More related quotations from this section 3 shown
-
Julius Africanus, Extant Writings Supporting witness
That the passage speaks then of the advent of Christ, who was to manifest Himself after seventy weeks, is evident.
-
Julius Africanus, Extant Writings Supporting witness
And reckoning from that point, we make up seventy weeks to the time of Christ.
-
Julius Africanus, Extant Writings Supporting witness
And calculation makes out that the period of 70 weeks, as noted in Daniel, is completed at this time.
How did early Christians calculate the seventy weeks of Daniel?
The sources show early writers debating where to begin the count, especially whether to start from Artaxerxes, Cyrus, the first restoration, or the captivity. Julius Africanus and Tertullian argue for a calculation that reaches Christ rather than an earlier starting point.
-
Julius Africanus, Extant Writings Supporting witness
3. It is by calculating from Artaxerxes, therefore, up to the time of Christ that the seventy weeks are made up, according to the numeration of the Jews.
-
Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Supporting witness
From the captivity in Babylon, which happened in the time of Jeremiah the prophet, what Daniel the prophet said was fulfilled, as follows: "Seventy weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city, to finish transgression, and to seal sins, and to wipe out and make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal the vision and the prophet, and to anoint the Holy of Holies. Know, therefore, and understand, that from the going out of the word commanding that an answer be given, and that Jerusalem be built, to Christ the Prince, are seven weeks and sixty-two weeks. And the street shall be built again, and the wall, and the times shall be used up. And after the sixty-two weeks the anointing shall be overthrown, and judgment shall not be in him. And he shall destroy the city and the sanctuary along with the coming Prince. And they shall be destroyed in a flood, and to the end of the war they shall be cut off by desolations. And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week. And in the middle of the week the sacrifice and offering shall be taken away. And in the holy place shall be the abomination of desolations, and until the complet
-
Hippolytus, Exegetical Fragments Supporting witness
15. In order, then, to show the time when He is to come whom the blessed Daniel desired to see, he says, And after seven weeks there are other threescore and two weeks, which period embraces the space of 434 years.
More related quotations from this section 4 shown
-
Julius Africanus, Extant Writings Supporting witness
...nd the surrounding wall were built, just as had been prophesied. Counting from that point, we reach seventy weeks up to the time of Christ. For if we start counting from any other point, and not from this one, the time periods will not match, and many strange results will follow. For if we begin the calculation of the seventy weeks from Cyrus and the first restoration, there will be more than one hundred extra years. There will be an even greater number if we begin from the day when the angel gave the prophecy to Daniel, and a much greater number still if we begin from the start of the captivity. For we find that Persian rule covered a period of 230 years, and Macedonian rule lasted 370 years, and from that point to the 16th year of Tiberius Caesar is a period of about 60 years.
-
Julius Africanus, Extant Writings Supporting witness
For if we begin the calculation of the seventy weeks from Cyrus and the first restoration, there will be upwards of one hundred years too many, and there will be a larger number if we begin from the day on which the angel gave the prophecy to Daniel, and a much larger number still if we begin from the commencement of the captivity.
-
Julius Africanus, Extant Writings Supporting witness
...asure the years by the lunar month of twenty-nine and a half days, as may easily be explained. The yearly period according to the sun consists of 365 and one fourth days, while the lunar period of twelve months has eleven and one fourth days less. For this reason the Greeks and the Jews insert three intercalary months every eight years. For eight times eleven and one fourth days make three months. Therefore, the 475 years contain fifty-nine periods of eight years, and three months over. Thus, when the three intercalary months for every eight years are added, we get fifteen years. These, together with the 475 years, make seventy weeks. Let no one now think us unskilled in the calculations of astronomy, when we fix without further ado the number of days at 365 and one fourth. For it is not from ignorance of the truth, but rather because of exact study, that we have stated our opinion so briefly. But let what follows also be presented as an outline to those who endeavor to inquire closely into all things.
-
Hippolytus, Exegetical Fragments Supporting witness
13. Having mentioned therefore seventy weeks, and having divided them into two parts, in order that what was spoken by him to the prophet might be better understood, he proceeds thus, Unto Christ the Prince shall be seven weeks, which make forty-nine years.
Did early Christians connect Daniel 9 with Jerusalem’s rebuilding and destruction?
The sources say Daniel 9 includes the rebuilding of Jerusalem and later destruction after the Messiah’s coming. Tertullian and Africanus both frame the prophecy around the city’s restoration and the later crisis that follows.
-
Daniel 9:24 Background
“Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place.
-
Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Supporting witness
From the captivity at Babylon, which took place in the time of Jeremiah the prophet, was fulfilled what was spoken by Daniel the prophet as follows: Seventy weeks are determined upon your people, and upon your holy city, to finish the transgression, and to seal sins, and to wipe out and make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal the vision and the prophet, and to anoint the Holy of Holies.
-
Hippolytus, Exegetical Fragments Supporting witness
and he touched me, saying, Seventy weeks are determined upon your people, and upon the holy city, to seal up sins and to blot out transgressions, and to seal up vision and prophet, and to anoint the Most Holy;
-
Julius Africanus, Extant Writings Supporting witness
...connected with it. That the passage speaks of the coming of Christ, who was to reveal Himself after seventy weeks, is clear. For in the time of the Savior, or from Him, transgressions are abolished and sins are brought to an end. Through forgiveness, moreover, iniquities, along with offenses, are wiped out by atonement. And an everlasting righteousness is proclaimed, different from the righteousness that is by the law. Visions and prophecies continue until John, and the Most Holy is anointed. For before the coming of the Savior, these things had not yet happened, and so they were only expected. And the angel instructs us to take the beginning of the numbers, that is, of the seventy weeks that make up 490 years, from the going out of the command to give answer and to build Jerusalem. And this happened in the twentieth year of the reign of Artaxerxes, king of Persia. For Nehemiah, his cupbearer, appealed to him and received the answer that Jerusalem should be built. And the word went out commanding these things, for up to that time the city was desolate. For when Cyrus, after the seventy years of captivity, gave free permission to all who wanted to return, some of them returned un
Did early Christians connect the seventy weeks to Jerusalem’s rebuilding?
Yes. Clement, Hippolytus, and Julius Africanus all link the prophecy to the word to rebuild Jerusalem. They treat the rebuilding of the city and wall as part of the timeline that leads to Christ.
-
Hippolytus, Exegetical Fragments Supporting witness
13. After mentioning the seventy weeks and dividing them into two parts so that what was spoken by him to the prophet might be better understood, he goes on like this: “To Christ the Prince shall be seven weeks,” which makes forty-nine years. It was in the twenty-first year that Daniel saw these things in Babylon. So when the forty-nine years are added to the twenty-one, they make up the seventy years of which the blessed Jeremiah spoke: “The sanctuary shall be desolate for seventy years from the captivity that came upon them under Nebuchadnezzar.” And after these things, the people will return, and sacrifice and offering will be presented, when Christ is their Prince.
-
Julius Africanus, Extant Writings Supporting witness
Therefore, the seventy weeks are completed by counting from Artaxerxes to the time of Christ, according to the Jewish way of numbering. From Nehemiah, who was sent by Artaxerxes to rebuild Jerusalem in the 115th year of the Persian Empire, in the 4th year of the 83rd Olympiad, and in the 20th year of the reign of Artaxerxes himself, up to this date, which was the second year of the 202nd Olympiad and the 16th year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, 475 years are counted. These become 490 years according to the Hebrew way of numbering, because they measure years by the course of the moon. So, as is easy to show, their year has 354 days, while the solar year has 365 and one-fourth days. For the solar year is 11 and one-fourth days longer than a period of twelve months counted by the moon's course. Because of this, the Greeks and the Jews add three intercalary months every 8 years. For 8 times 11 and one-fourth days equals 3 months. Therefore, 475 years make 59 periods of 8 years each, with 3 months left over besides. But since there are 3 intercalary months every 8 years in this way, we get 15 years, minus a few days. When these are added to the 475 years, they make up the full 70 week
-
Daniel 9:25 Background
Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time.
-
Daniel 9:26 Background
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.
More related quotations from this section 1 shown
-
Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Supporting witness
Know therefore, and understand, that from the going forth of the word commanding an answer to be given, and Jerusalem to be built, to Christ the Prince, are seven weeks and sixty-two weeks;
Common Questions
Did early Christians think Daniel’s seventy weeks pointed to Jesus?
Yes. Clement, Hippolytus, Origen, Tertullian, and Julius Africanus all link the seventy weeks to Christ’s coming.
Did they agree on when the seventy weeks start?
Not exactly. Several writers start from the order to rebuild Jerusalem, but they explain the timing in different ways.
What did they think Daniel 9 said would happen?
They tied it to the coming of Christ, the end of sin, the sealing of vision and prophecy, and the anointing of the Holy One.
Source Index for the Seventy Weeks of Daniel and Prophecy
The guided sections above show the strongest quotations. This compact index highlights 146 ranked source links from 159 compiled sources for deeper study.
Source index 146 ranked links shown
Early Christian Writings 80 shown of 93
Primary-source quotations from early Christian writers and church documents.
Bible Passages 66 included
Related Bible passages saved for comparison with the early Christian quotations.
-
Book 80 1:32
-
Book 80 1:2
-
Book 79 1:45
-
Book 79 1:64
-
Book 80 1:25
-
Book 80 1:37
-
Book 80 1:41
-
Book 80 1:10
-
Book 80 1:40