Revelation 13:8 says, “Wisdom is needed here; one who understands can calculate the number of the beast, for it is a number that stands for a person. His number is six hundred and sixty-six.
”The Greek name “Nero Caesar” put into Hebrew letters is NRON QSRN, which adds up to six hundred and sixty-six. If this were all we had to go on, then Nero would not be any more likely a candidate than any other name that could add up to this number, but there is one more piece of evidence that points to Nero.
We learn from the early Church father Irenaeus of Lyons that in his day (c. AD 180) the reading “666” was “… found in all the most approved and ancient copies” (Against Heresies, 5, 30, 1), but he doesn’t tell us what number the minority manuscripts give. There is manuscript evidence that the alternative number is “616.
” But why this second number? Where did it come from?It’s possible that the second number comes from the Latin version of Nero’s name, which, when put into Hebrew letters drops the second “N” (Hebrew, Nun) so that it reads, NRO QSR instead of NRON QSR. Since “N” Nun) has the value of “50.
” The Greek version of his name when put into Hebrew letters has the value of 666, while the Latin version has the value of 616.
Nero also seems to be a likely candidate in that Revelation 13:3 speaks about the beast having one head that “… seemed to have been mortally wounded, but this mortal wound was healed. Fascinated, the whole world followed after the beast.
” Roman historians report that after Nero committed suicide in AD 68, there was a widespread belief — possibly generated through the prediction of a group of astrologers — that Nero was not dead but would return to power soon. After Nero’s death, there were three imposters who pretended to be “Nero Redivivdus” (Nero reborn).
All this being said, its value depends on how one approaches Revelation. If you believe that Revelation speaks exclusively of the future, then Nero obviously isn’t a candidate. Otherwise, everything adds up to Nero.
The term 'gematria' (
/ɡəˈmeɪtriə/;
Hebrew: גמטריא or Gimatria גימטריה, plural גמטראות or גמטריאות,
gematriot) is an alphanumeric
code of assigning a
numerical value to a name, word or phrase based on its letters. A single word can yield multiple values depending on the
cipher used.
Gematria originated as an Assyro-Babylonian-Greek system of alphanumeric code or cipher that was later adopted into
Jewish culture. Similar systems have been used in other languages and cultures: earlier, the Greek
isopsephy, and later, derived from or inspired by Hebrew gematria, Arabic
abjad numerals, and English gematria. It was also used in the Greek and Latin cultures. There was an example of this that was uncovered on a wall in the city of Pompeii.
Nero in the Latin (Vulgate) Bible is written in Revelation as 616, because in Latin gematria the numerical value of Nero Caesar equals 616.
The Book of Revelation is a more exhaustive and detailed version of events found in Daniel, Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21. And, as I laid out before, the timing statements and words date those events as happening soon, certainly within their (those spoken to) generation (Greek: γενεά; Transliteration: genea).Many have assigned this to mean a generation of no specific time time, but Jesus Himself in the Matthew 24 (as well as other books and chapters) definitely is speaking of their generation, which in the Hebrew hermeneutical definition, a generation was 40 years.
Others have decided to interpret this 'generation' word in Matthew 24 as not meaning 'their' generation, but meaning of some generation at the time of whenever it happens, which is foolishness.
The thing about studying the Greek (at least from my perspective) has opened up my mind to truly view these eschatological writings in the historical context, and the literary context of the Five W's of Literature,
Who,
What,
Why,
Where, and
When. Being an ancient historian who has done a lot of study in ancient history, particularly Roman history and the early church history (Fathers of the Church) has blown the lid off of what I was taught regarding eschatological passages and the Book of Revelation in general as far as understanding what it truly means.
There is no doubt that the leaders of the churches (especially the churches mentioned in Revelation) were given the coded interpretation of this coded message that we see in the Book of Revelation. It was coded so that outsiders (particularly Romans leaders) could not understand its contents. Unfortunately the coded interpretations were not passed down, likely after the evens happened were deemed unnecessary. But even if a copy of the interpretation was found as given to the churches, no one would give them much credence today as most are planted in their beliefs and understandings. It doesn't matter how much proof I offer here, for most these are beliefs passed down from their grandparents, parents, and taught from their pulpits, so they surely are true, right?
I've debated this subject (eschatology and Revelation) many times with leaders of the church (Pastors, Elders, Deacons) and have had them just stare at me unable to logically answer what I put before them, because they knew that if they rebuked what I said then they were rebuking the very words of the passages. Some have cut short our debates and said (for whatever reason) they had to go, but they would love to get back with me a further this discussion, but I never heard from them again, nor would they respond what i reached out.
So as you can see a little bit from the discussions here on this thread, their is little to no budge on this topic in their understanding regardless of the evidence that I present. they just repeat their same logic over and over again, I guess hoping if they repeated it enough maybe I will change my view. I guess the infamous statement "If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it" may apply here?