The mark 666, what does it mean? ~ Chukwuemeka Onwe
The reference to ‘666’ and ‘the mark of the beast’ (Revelation 13:17) refer to Revelation 13:18, “…Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666” (NKJV). In cryptic fashion, some combination of numbers adding up to 666 but assigned sequential alphabet letters were to produce the name implied in the biblical text. “This consisted in assigning to the initial letter of the name of the number a value equal to the number” (Clarke).
Each letter represents a component of the whole number: …The majority of the commentators use the Greek alphabet in computation; others, however, employ the Hebrew; while a third class employ the Roman numerals. …This famous number has been made to yield almost all the historical names of the past eighteen centuries… (Vincent’s)
Now the figures 666 are the Arabic characters for the numbers, but they were unknown for several hundred years after John wrote. John wrote in the Greek language for readers who understood that tongue. So the numbers, naturally, would be expressed in Greek characters. Now the Greeks did not indicate their numbers by figures but by letters, just as the Romans did. (Tomlinson 238)
Since different people resort to different languages, as well as comport to different arrangements of numbers to equal 666, the results vary widely.
Finally, 666 in Rev. 13:18 is capable of various explanations. In ancient times the letters of the Greek, Latin and Hebrew alphabets served as numbers. Thus, any person’s name could be translated into a numerical value. Many different and ingenious attempts have been made in all three languages to work back from 666 to some infamous name such as Nero or Domitian. (Gaumer 38)
The number 666 in Rev. 13:18 can be made to be Nero Caesar, so the book was written in the days of Nero. First, it cannot be told whether the vision is current, or prophetic of what will happen in the future. Second, 666 can be made to come out TEITAN, the family name of Titus Vespasian. It can also be worked out to represent Lateinos (the Roman Empire), announce (to deny, thus the antichrist), Hitler, and C. Smith. (Moffitt 18)
This symbolic number has long been a source of study, consternation, manipulation and speculative hocus-pocus. This “number of a man” has been made to refer to men down through the ages, anywhere from ancient war lords, or medieval pontiffs, to nineteenth and twentieth century dictatorial rulers of various nations of the world. (Bright 247)
Some of the more popularly known names sometimes ascribed to the number “666” besides those already noted include Titus, Diocletian, Muhammed, Martin Luther, John Calvin, various popes and the papacy itself and Napoleon. “It is only in eternity that we can ever hope to know absolutely, without doubt, who or what is represented by ‘666’…” (Bright 255). “The number 666 given to the Beast (Rev 13:18), though presumably readily understood by the writer’s immediate public, has proved a riddle capable of too many solutions to be now readily soluble at all” (ISBE).
Respected students of the Bible fail to agree upon the identity of the person assigned by our Lord the numbers “666.” Whereas one asserts that the man is Nero, another confidently denies the same.
In my view, the culprit was Nero Caesar, who was the personification of the persecuting power, as it waged war against the early church. That this vile person wrought great persecution upon the church needs no verification. This agrees with what Hendriksen said in his introductory remarks, “A sound interpretation of the Apocalypse must take as its starting point the position that the book was intended for the believers in John’s day and age. The book owes its origin, at least in part, to contemporary conditions.” John wrote of “…things which must shortly come to pass…” (Rev. 1:1). Thus, in the first century, there was one to whom John specifically referred; he who was the personification of the persecuting power, as its head. (Bright 249)
Some argue for an early date by asserting that the enigmatic 666 (13:18) is a reference to Nero. It takes a good deal of manipulation to reach such a conclusion. In order to make 666 compute to “Nero” (via the numeral/letter code), one must: (a) Add the title “Caesar” to Nero’s name. (b) Compute the title-name in Hebrew, instead of Greek (the language of the book). (c) Alter the spelling of “Caesar” in Hebrew by dropping a letter. In addition, Leon Morris points out that Irenaeus discussed “a number of views of what 666 symbolizes, but he did not even include Nero in his list.” Noted critic Theodor Zahn observed that Nero was not even suggested as a possibility for 666 until the year 1831.” (Jackson 11)
At least some manuscripts had a different number altogether in Revelation 13:18. “Unfortunately some MSS. here read 616 instead of 666” (Robertson’s). It appears that the person to whom the number “666” referred was a historical figure contemporary to and recognized by the recipients of the Book of Revelation. Nevertheless, the forces of evil represented by this mysterious person have manifested and will continue to manifest themselves until the end of time. History in every way has a tendency to repeat itself. Similar circumstances with a firm driving person behind them will from time to time assault the people of God, but God’s people will prevail and triumph – God will see to it.
Works Cited
Adam Clarke’s Commentary. CD-ROM. Seattle: Biblesoft, 2006.
Bright, Tom L. “Difficult Passages in Revelation, No. 5.” Studies in the Book of Revelation. Dub McClish, ed. CD-ROM. Denton: Valid Publications, 1984.
Gaumer, Tom. “Keys to Interpretation.” Studies in the Book of Revelation. Dub McClish, ed. CD-ROM. Denton: Valid Publications, 1984.
International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia (ISBE). CD-ROM. Seattle: Biblesoft, 2006.
Jackson, Wayne. “When Was Revelation Written?” CD-ROM. Memphis: Spiritual Sword 29.1 October 1997: 9-12.
Moffitt, Jerry. “An Introduction.” Studies in the Book of Revelation. Dub McClish, ed. CD-ROM. Denton: Valid Publications, 1984.
Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament. CD-ROM. Seattle: Biblesoft, 2006.
Tomlinson, Lee G. The Wonder Book of the Bible: A Commentary on the Book of Revelation. CD-ROM. Indianapolis: Faith and Facts, 1963.
Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament. CD-ROM. Seattle: Biblesoft, 2006.
