Hippolytus of Rome : Take heed, O man, because even at that time God rescued whom he wished to still live, so that the magnificent work of God may be shown and it may be preached in all the world until now. But whom he wishes to testify, he, having crowned them, takes them. For he rescued the three boys, so that the boast of Nebuchadnezzar may be shown as being nothing, wishing to demonstrate this, that "what is impossible for men is possible for God." [Luke 18:27] For since Nebuchadnezzar was arrogant and said, "And who is the god who is able to rescue you from the furnace of fire?" [Daniel 3:15] God demonstrated to him that he is able to rescue his slaves whenever he wills. For also similarly it happened to Daniel, for after Darius said, "Is God whom you perpetually serve, able to rescue you from the mouths of the lions?" [Daniel 6:20] Daniel answered and said, "God sent his angel and he stopped the mouths of the lions and they did not hurt me." [Daniel 6:22] For also all the governors and satraps contrived a pretext, so that they handed Daniel over to the beasts in order to kill him. But God, seeing their machinations and the sincerity of the blessed Daniel, rescued him from the mouths of the lions, so that he rescues whom he wills but takes whom he wills. — Commentary on Daniel 2.35.3-7 Jerome : Verse 20. "And approaching the pit, he called out to Daniel with a tear-choked voice and addressed him." By his tears he showed his inner emotion, and forgetting his royal dignity, the conqueror ran to his captive, the master to his servant. "'O Daniel, servant of the living God...'" He calls Him the living God in order to distinguish Him from the gods of the Gentiles, who are but effigies of the dead. "'Dost thou deem that thy God, whom thou ever servest, has been able to deliver thee from the lions?'" It was not that he had any doubts about the power of the God of whom he had previously affirmed, "Thy God, whom thou ever servest, will Himself deliver thee." But he phrased the sentence doubtfully in order that when Daniel made his appearance unharmed, the king's anger at the princes might seem the more justified, in proportion to the incredibility of the event. — St. Jerome, Commentary on Daniel, CHAPTER SIX Theodoret of Cyrus : Each of these phrases shows the religious spirit of the king, who complimented Daniel on his piety: first, he calls him not his own servant but God's; next, he calls Daniel's God "living;" then, in praise of his piety, "whom you serve with constancy," that is, you were not prevented from worship under pressure of the law. The question "Was he able to rescue you from the lions' mouth?" means, "Was it his will to render you impervious against the lions?" After all, he would not have referred to God as powerless after calling him "living." — COMMENTARY ON Daniel 6:19-20