He beheld wistly and with a composed mind. A certain man; which man some will have an angel, either Gabriel, who appeared to him before, or Michael, chief among the angels, Jude 9, archangel, who is mentioned after. Or rather, Christ, who was true man.
1. He appeared to Daniel in royal and priestly robes, which was not proper for any angel.
2. He appeared in so great brightness and majesty, which made Daniel astonished, and laid him prostrate.
3. Compare this place with Daniel 12:6,7, and you find him the same as here, revealing the secrets of times, and of God's providence towards his church, which is Christ. Clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz: see Revelation 1:13-17, where the Lord Jesus Christ is described as here in Daniel, and for the same end. Now he appeared thus before his incarnation, in the Old Testament, as a prelude of it, as the best expositors grant it. By this appearance the Lord Christ held out clearly his three offices of King, Priest, and Prophet. The girding of loins signifies his readiness to obey the commands and do the work of his Father; besides the ornament of the curious golden girdle.