What does 666 mean in the bible?

[Erich]

And yes, while some fragments found there do have the variant (there was also one which has ‘665’)…

So, I guess that means 665 is not the number of the beast’s older brother (as per this link)?

Given that 664 and 668 are the numbers of the beast’s next door neighbors, I thought maybe 665 might be the number of the beast’s neighbor across the street.

 

[Nelka]

True like your opinion.

If you tell me what your footnote in your Bible says I would reckon that my footnote in my Bible would say something different whether slightly or completely.

Why’s that? Many Biblical scholars believe that the number refers to him since it also explains the variant number of 616.

If Nero is/was the antichrist, what on earth would that make Hitler, Stalin and Mao?

 

[NewEnglandPriest]

If Nero is/was the antichrist, what on earth would that make Hitler, Stalin and Mao?

Its a school of theological thought called Preterism. Its very Catholic. Its almost completely rejected by evangelical protestants, however that’s not where Catholics get their theology from…

You are free to hold your own views on this, but let’s not pretend there’s not a long history of (Partial) Preterism within Catholicism.

 

[EricFilmer]

Here is my understanding of the Book of Revelation as it pertains to this discussion. FWIW, I have studied the Book of Revelation in great detail at a graduate theology level.

Being apocalyptic literature, Revelation is heavily symbolic and there are different credible ways of interpreting it. So what I am presenting is not the interpretation of Revelation, but simply one interpretation.

The number 7 symbolizes God (due to the creation description).

In biblical symbolism, multiplying a number often means intensifying its meaning.

The number 6 falls short of the number 7, therefore indicating a desire to have the power of God, but apart from God. 666 shows an intensification of this desire, and the ability to wield great power and do great harm as a result.

One theory is that the events described in the Book of Revelation applied to the persecution that Christians were undergoing (at the time Revelation was written) by the pagan Romans. Among other things, the book was meant to help the suffering Christians persevere in their faith, because they see that Christ ultimately triumphs, and those who hold onto their faith share in his victory.

The major villain for the 1st Century Christians was Nero. He started the persecution of Christians and has the infamous designation of being the one who martyred St. Peter and St. Paul. In terms of numerology, the name Caesar Nero is calculated as 666 (when using the Hebrew spelling). Also, the Beast is described as having survived a mortal wound, and this may be referring to an assassination attempt against Nero. Failed assassination attempts tend to politically favor the targeted politician, because many may see the politician as willing to sacrifice himself, and a failed assassination attempt creates an aura of invincibility. There are a few other ways of interpreting the symbolism of the Beast’s mortal wound as well.

But, at the same time, Revelation tells about future events (the Second Coming). Plus, the basic events described concerning the evil pagan Roman empire becomes the destiny of all the godless tyrants and empires that came after it. Many people rose to great power, caused great suffering, tried to stomp out the Church, but failed and fell from power. Their once mighty empires are now nothing more than memories, but the Church is still here and continues to endure and grow.

In light of all this, Nero was not the antichrist, but an antichrist, and the same could be said of Hitler, Stalin, etc. But at the end of time there will be the ultimate antichrist who will represent Satan’s last effort to destroy the Church.

 

[EricFilmer]

Studies of the Dead Sea Scrolls and early Bible texts show that the number of the beast is actually 616.

Would try and find the source where I read that from but too busy right now, but if anyone is interested it’s a quick Google search.

I think you mean the Oxyrhynchus Papyri from Egypt - the DSS after all do not have any direct connection with Christianity. And yes, while some fragments found there do have the variant (there was also one which has ‘665’), all that tells us is that this particular variant existed. The jury is still out on whether “six hundred sixty-six” or “six hundred sixteen” is the original reading.

Many Biblical scholars believe that the number refers to him since it also explains the variant number of 616.

"666" or “616”?

Here’s a little more elaboration on the above points that were raised. Below is a quote from an Episcopal priest on the Book of Revelation. Although the book I am citing is, of course, a Protestant work, it is actually published by The Liturgical Press (a Benedictine company) and is a useful reference for both Anglicans and Catholics alike (and probably many other Christians as well).

We do not have the original Greek edition of Revelation; all we have are copies of copies. Most copies that we have say that the number is 666; however, a small but significant number say that the number is 616. Therefore, whatever explanation is used for 666 must also hold true for 616.

…We have already said that both the head of the beast that did not die after being mortally wounded, as well as the first of the four horseman, refer to Nero. Taking Nero’s Greek name and transliterating it into Hebrew letters (it’s a Hebrew number science, so one must transliterate the Greek letters into Hebrew letters), NRON KSR (Neron Kaisar) = 666. If one uses the Latin form in Hebrew letters, one gets 616. Thus the name of Nero Caesar explains both numbers.

• Charles T. Chapman, Jr., The Message of the Book of Revelation (The Liturgical Press: Collegeville, Minnesota, 1995), 139-140.

 

[ryanoneil]

If Nero is/was the antichrist, what on earth would that make Hitler, Stalin and Mao?

Very evil men who came about 19 centuries after the 13th chapter of Revelation 13 was fulfilled!

 

[jochoa]

What does 666 mean in the bible ?

What a challenging question, my friend!
Please note, that as I share the following personal understanding, I do so with a great openness for proper alignment with Catholicism. I look forward to hearing your thoughts, as to learn from and with you. Also, please note that this is my first time to write on this subject. Please be somewhat gentle in your critiques, because I know the wording is not right. It is missing content wisdom, and needs a refined approach to stating, “motivated for God”/unstoppable energy. Please consider:

I really enjoy learning, perfecting, and sharing methods of interpreting the Scripture surrounding and defining the Greatest Commandments, since it can be interpreted that the foundation of all wisdom is found there.

From reflection and practice, I have come to understand the following interpretation: Always want to learn, perfect, and spread the means to patience and kindness and motivation for God* with all your body, and with all your spirit, and with all your thoughts, and with all your will, equally towards others and yourself, in order to gain unbreakable peace, limitless happiness, and unstoppable energy as a society and individual.

From this, the main factors which govern the others are:
-patience/peace and kindness/happy and motivation/energetic (6)
-wanting to do/be __, doing/being __, doing/being __ equally(3)
-*God or for the sake of the blessings of God (1)
Therefore, you would get 777.

Now, if any one of those factors is missing, you would get 666.
In order to recognize how each factor is essential, please consider the following:
Some of the blessings of God’s Kingdom are unbreakable peace, limitless happiness, and unstoppable energy for the society and each individual. In other words, there is no dropping below the state of peace, and though there may be resting, there is no fatigue/exhaustion.
Therefore,
If one does not want to be…, then one can’t be…
If one is not doing…, then one is not being…
If one is not equal…, then there will be harm for others or the self.
If one is not motivated for God or the blessings of God, the source of motivation will become non-existent, and they will fatigue/exhaust.

Please note: this is personally my best interpretation. I have other interpretations, but they do not fit as well with the 666 concept or are not as graceful. One of my other favorites is somewhat aligned with the Beatitudes. I think…the idea regarding the mark, is to identify who is teachable: If they do not want to, then they will be miserable doing it. If they won’t, then it is purposeless. If they are selfish, then they will hurt the team. If they aren’t doing it for God*, they cannot last.

Thoughts?

 

[MrZetterlund]

Ceasar Nero -.- Some translations even translate it “616” because that’s it’s numerical value in (Aramahic?)

 

[jochoa]

After great reflection, prayer, and thought, please consider the following updated interpretation of the Greatest Commandments: Always want to learn, perfect, and spread the means to patience and kindness and wisdom and motivation for God* with all your body, and with all your spirit, and with all your thoughts, and with all your will, equally towards others and yourself, in order to gain unbreakable peace, limitless happiness, content knowledge, and unstoppable energy as a society and individual.

Therefore, the main factors are:
-patience/peaceful, kindness/happy, wisdom, and motivation for God*(4)
-wanting to do/be___, doing/being___(2)
-*God or the Blessings of God.(1)

Now, if any one of those factors is missing, you would get 6 and not 7.
In order to recognize how each factor is essential, please consider the following:
Some of the blessings of God’s Kingdom are unbreakable peace, limitless happiness, content knowledge, and unstoppable energy for the society and each individual. In other words, there is no dropping below the state of peace, and though there may be resting. Happiness becomes limitless for the team and every individual. There is a peace of mind, given limited knowledge. There is no fatigue/exhaustion.
Therefore,
If one does not want to be…, then one can’t be…
If one is not doing…, then one is not being…
If one is not equal…, then there will be harm for others or the self.
If one is not motivated for God or the blessings of God, the source of motivation will become non-existent, and they will fatigue/exhaust.

Please note: this is only one of the 6’s. The next challenges are to align the religions of either the world or Christianity, but this is currently my limits of application.

Thoughts?

 

[Nelka]

Very evil men who came about 19 centuries after the 13th chapter of Revelation 13 was fulfilled!

Really?

Revelation 13:

13 And it worked great miracles, even to calling down fire from heaven onto the earth while people watched.

14 Through the miracles which it was allowed to do on behalf of the first beast, it was able to lead astray the people of the world and persuade them to put up a statue in honour of the beast that had been wounded by the sword and still lived.

15 It was allowed to breathe life into this statue, so that the statue of the beast was able to speak, and to have anyone who refused to worship the statue of the beast put to death.

16 It compelled everyone – small and great alike, rich and poor, slave and citizen – to be branded on the right hand or on the forehead,

17 and made it illegal for anyone to buy or sell anything unless he had been branded with the name of the beast or with the number of its name.

So this all happened 19 centuries ago did it?

With all due respect my friend, you are wrong.

 

[jochoa]

Hello my friends,

I am writing today to apologize for my method of sharing my understandings. These are far from complete and are not Truth. My only hope is that my previous understandings may be dismissed and deleted and erased, for they instill a lack of hope in humanity, and when we have a lack of hope in one another, we all lose. Instead of labeling/marking people, we should be focused on why they are not and how to help them see Jesus Christ. Every Single Person is worthy of the Kingdom of God. And Every Single Person can be saved by the Power of The Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ. However, we must learn from one another how and where to be more patient and kind, grow patiently and kindly with one another, and more importantly Love Jesus Christ - The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I would like to share an update to the understanding I have regarding the mark of the beast:

The mark of the beast is acting out of alignment with the Truly Loving Nature of God. I am human, and I am a sinner. And I do not fully act in full accordance with the Truly Loving Nature of God, therefore I am marked with the sign of the beast. I have once knowingly used a concept of this marking method to instill punishment and hated the feeling generated from its use. It creates tremendous suffering, pain, crying, and yelling in the victim, and it hardens the heart of the enforcer, and it is torture beyond imagine: To be all alone, when all you want is peace and happiness for all. Although the victim will follow according to the authority’s command, they will hate and fear doing so, which is far from being in God’s Image and the Kingdom of Heaven.

Please know that:
I want all others to experience the greatest peace, happiness, energy, and wisdom possible. I want to love God and all others as Jesus Christ did. I want to continually learn from all others how to grow closer to one another and God and in patience, kindness, knowledge, and motivation. And I know all humans are capable of working together as a team to grow closer to the Father of Humanity, and the only Person who can condemn others to Hell is the Law-Giving and All-Loving Judge, God. Please know that whomever knowingly uses the mark of the beast to label ANY other being is absolutely wrong, and should immediately repent and never return down this path. We are ALL brothers and sisters in Christ, and we should treat others with the same compassion and True Love as Jesus Christ did. From this moment, I will dedicate my life to doing God’s Will to Love one another, as He has loved us.

My friends @ CAF, it has been a pleasure learning and growing in understanding with you. I only hope that one day, I might be able to equally add to the quality of your faith in God, as you all have done for me. I fell in Love with Jesus Christ, and my life will be far better from learning from you all. I hope you may have gained an insight to the Amazing Loving Nature of Jesus Christ, Our Lord, which will help you Truly Appreciate the Incredible Sacrifice He made for Each one of Us.

Will you please forgive me, for I know not what I do?

 

[ryanoneil]

The numbering system of letters (Gematria) to add up Nero’s official name in Hebrew. 50+200+6+50+100+60+200=666

 

[ryanoneil]

Really?

Revelation 13:

13 And it worked great miracles, even to calling down fire from heaven onto the earth while people watched.

14 Through the miracles which it was allowed to do on behalf of the first beast, it was able to lead astray the people of the world and persuade them to put up a statue in honour of the beast that had been wounded by the sword and still lived.

15 It was allowed to breathe life into this statue, so that the statue of the beast was able to speak, and to have anyone who refused to worship the statue of the beast put to death.

16 It compelled everyone – small and great alike, rich and poor, slave and citizen – to be branded on the right hand or on the forehead,

17 and made it illegal for anyone to buy or sell anything unless he had been branded with the name of the beast or with the number of its name.

So this all happened 19 centuries ago did it?

With all due respect my friend, you are wrong.

If you believe it’s wrong feel free to disprove it. It is apocalyptic imagery (symbols) used to identify people and events. It is an ancient code. The sea beast and the land beast represent different people. The sea beast was Rome and it’s leaders, while the land beast was the Jewish leadership of the time (the same group Jesus denounced in Matthew 23). Both were cooperating against God’s people.

You can think these verses speak literally if you like. I say that the author is giving symbolic clues to say that the Sanhedrin looked like the great OT prophet Elijah to the people being decieved but they were really a false prophet. Leading God’s people astray, by giving theological cover to Rome, didn’t work out for them in the end.

 

[ryanoneil]

If Nero is/was the antichrist, what on earth would that make Hitler, Stalin and Mao?

Please consider the context of Jesus’ words in Mt 24. It is about how the Old Covenant age would be coming to an end when the Second Temple was destroyed (even though the New Covenant had already started). One reason John the baptist and Jesus and the disciples were telling everyone to repent is because all hell would break loose when the Old Covenenat age ended. It is about all the things that would take place before their generation passed away (Mt 24:34).

I do believe scripture (including the book of Revelation) points forward to when the New Covenant age gives way to eternity, but first it describes what was going to happen at the end of their age. Could a final anti-christ figure rise up before the end? Absolutely! But Revelation is primarily describing the end of the last age, which then become a pre-figurement.

 

[jedicri]

666 may represent Satan and/or his followers, the anti-Christs that have persecuted the Church throughout history.

It represents Satan because he wished to put himself above God, to be like God. Consider the number 333 which represents the Holy Trinity. The first numeral, 3, signifies God the Father, the second numeral, 3, signifies God the Son and the third numral signifies God the Holy Spirit. Note however that the numeral “3” for each God-head indicates 3 Persons but one God — hence 333.

Now consider the fact that Satan wished to usurp God’s position, to be like Him, to go above Him, hence, going “above” 333 you get 666 (ie. 333x2=666).

Just a thought…

 

[ryanoneil]

666 may represent Satan and/or his followers, the anti-Christs that have persecuted the Church throughout history.

It represents Satan because he wished to put himself above God, to be like God. Consider the number 333 which represents the Holy Trinity. The first numeral, 3, signifies God the Father, the second numeral, 3, signifies God the Son and the third numral signifies God the Holy Spirit. Note however that the numeral “3” for each God-head indicates 3 Persons but one God — hence 333.

Now consider the fact that Satan wished to usurp God’s position, to be like Him, to go above Him, hence, going “above” 333 you get 666 (ie. 333x2=666).

Just a thought…

The dragon represents Satan.

 

[Big_Ro]

This is known as the “Number of the Beast,” and we see this in the book of Revelation…

Revelation 13:15–18[15]" And it was given him to give life to the image of the beast, and that the image of the beast should speak; and should cause, that whosoever will not adore the image of the beast, should be slain.
[16] And he shall make all, both little and great, rich and poor, freemen and bondmen, to have a character in their right hand, or on their foreheads.
[17] And that no man might buy or sell, but he that hath the character, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
[18] Here is wisdom. He that hath understanding, let him count the number of the beast. For it is the number of a man: and the number of him is six hundred sixty-six."

The beast is the Antichrist, and this number is the symbol of the beast.

No, this is wrong. It’s Jewish Gematry (spelling). It’s code for Caesar Nero. The canard that this is some sort of reference to an anti-Christ that has not yet come in to the world is a purely recent and protestant misunderstanding of the scripture. While the Catholic Church does not have an official viewpoint as to the end of the world, Catholic Eschatology leans heavily toward the idea that almost all that is revealed in the Book of Revelations has already occurred. The Church does say that pre-millenial thinking or interpretation of this book is a dangerous teaching.

 

[Big_Ro]

Really?

Revelation 13:

13 And it worked great miracles, even to calling down fire from heaven onto the earth while people watched.

14 Through the miracles which it was allowed to do on behalf of the first beast, it was able to lead astray the people of the world and persuade them to put up a statue in honour of the beast that had been wounded by the sword and still lived.

15 It was allowed to breathe life into this statue, so that the statue of the beast was able to speak, and to have anyone who refused to worship the statue of the beast put to death.

16 It compelled everyone – small and great alike, rich and poor, slave and citizen – to be branded on the right hand or on the forehead,

17 and made it illegal for anyone to buy or sell anything unless he had been branded with the name of the beast or with the number of its name.

So this all happened 19 centuries ago did it?

With all due respect my friend, you are wrong.

I’m really not sure how this quotation in any way refutes the idea that these things refer to events that occurred 19 centuries ago. Are we to read the bible and understand it literally? This is not a Roman Catholic approach. Are we to ignore the well accepted and documented belief that the Book of Revelations is filled with symbolism which would preclude a literal interpretation? The so called and oft cited protestant belief that the “mark of the beast” might some tattoo or microchip installed in humans by Satan is poppycock. It is my understanding that it refers to Roman coinage which bore the likeness of Caesar, Nero to be exact, at the time of its writing, and no one could buy or sell without using the Roman coinage. As Catholics, we should be careful to avoid protestant teachings on this book in particular.

 

[Nelka]

I’m really not sure how this quotation in any way refutes the idea that these things refer to events that occurred 19 centuries ago. Are we to read the bible and understand it literally? This is not a Roman Catholic approach. Are we to ignore the well accepted and documented belief that the Book of Revelations is filled with symbolism which would preclude a literal interpretation? The so called and oft cited protestant belief that the “mark of the beast” might some tattoo or microchip installed in humans by Satan is poppycock. It is my understanding that it refers to Roman coinage which bore the likeness of Caesar, Nero to be exact, at the time of its writing, and no one could buy or sell without using the Roman coinage. As Catholics, we should be careful to avoid protestant teachings on this book in particular.

Protestant? Tattoo? Microchip? Not my words!

I believe the antichrist is yet to come.

When during Roman times did people need the mark on their forehead or their hands?

 

[patrick457]

Protestant? Tattoo? Microchip? Not my words!

I believe the antichrist is yet to come.

When during Roman times did people need the mark on their forehead or their hands?

In the Roman period, slaves, criminals, gladiators and even soldiers were branded with tattoos (stigma). We don’t know much about military tattoos, but it seems that upon entering a military career, many Roman citizens appear to have chosen to be tattooed with a military signifier signifying their allegiance to the army (and perhaps a few more besides), or, in the case of hired mercenaries, been forcibly tattooed with an identifier in case of desertion. Slaves and convicts were branded or ‘stigmatized’ on their foreheads as a mark of shame and subservience, a sort of ID that identified their masters and their low status. Tattooing itself had a very negative connotation though: the art of tattoo removal was in bloom around this time

But rather than identify what this charagma (‘mark’) is, notice where this is placed upon: the forehead and the right hand. The Israelites for example are commanded to keep the Law (their covenant with God), “[binding] them for a sign upon your hand, and they shall be an ornament for your head between your eyes” as a reminder. Ezekiel saw the righteous in Jerusalem being marked with a tav (an X) on their foreheads, marking them out for protection. Earlier in Revelation the 144,000 servants of God who were sealed on their foreheads with “the seal [sphragis] of the living God,” and just after John describes the mark of the Beast we meet the Lamb and the 1444,000 “having his Father’s name written in their foreheads.”

The term charagma usually denoted a stamp, often the imperial seal stamped on commercial documents and suchlike as a sign of the emperor’s authority, which bore his image, name and date. We can also say that the likeness of the emperor graven on coins is a charagma, signifying that the currency you are using right now is his property.

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