666

[Semper_Fi_1]

NotWorthy:

One more sidenote on the Ezekiel passage, about those with the seals were saved from some great Apocalypse: Many Scholars believe it described the Destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem in 70AD (the day of reckoning). Josephus says there were over 1 million Jews killed. The Christians, though (those with the Baptismal Seal Ezekiel may have been talking about) evacuated Jerusalem and fled to the mountains.

It could be one of two things or both, the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD as predicted by the Messiah, or it could be the burning of Rome in 64 AD. Most scholars believe that the city on 7 hills was either apostate Jerusalem which rejected the Messiah, or pagan Rome.

 

[YADA]

The number 666 from the Book of Revelation is commonly understood to refer the the Emporer Nero. The Greek alphabet had a numerical equivalent for the letters just as the Romam alphabet. This practice and the reference to Nero was reinforced by some very early translations of the New Testament into the Latin. In a couple of early versions (Forgive me I’d have to get out books and research to cite which exactly) the number of the beast is given as something different than 666, but the exact equivalent of Nero in the Roman alphabet. In the notation I read, it was stated that at some time the decision must have been made to leave the number the same as the Greek number that was called out rather than change it. Some languages did not have a ‘numerical equivalent’ and the Church was interested in preserving the books, not editing or something to that affect.

One of the books that discuss this issue is one of Karl Keating’s books, I beleive it is Catholicism and Fundamentalism, but I could be wrong. So many books, memory can fail. I can’t remember for sure if The Antichrist by Vincent Micelli, SJ (Spelling?) or The Rapture Trap by Paul Thigpin touch on this specifc topic.

Just as an aside to the topic:* The Antichrist* is a pretty good book, I found it hard to get started, then had a hard time putting it down. Father Micelli goes through the “Antichrist” like figures that arise periodically in history from Nero to more modern times.

Anyway, I’ll look in the Keating book tonight if I have time. We are having an Advent festival tonight, our RCIA people will be there and my grandson, so I’ll be busy. Also, we moved this summer, some of my books are still in boxes! So many books, so few shelves

Pax

 

[NotWorthy]

Semper Fi:

It could be one of two things or both, the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD as predicted by the Messiah, or it could be the burning of Rome in 64 AD. Most scholars believe that the city on 7 hills was either apostate Jerusalem which rejected the Messiah, or pagan Rome.

But how does the prophecy of Ezekiel deal with the burning of Rome? Both the Christian community and the Jewish community were saved by the fire. Of course, the Christians (the ones with the baptismal seal) ended up being persecuted by Nero, who was needing to take the blame off of himself.

Of course, we may want to take this onto another thread if we wish to persist in this vein.

Notworthy