I think that of all the people who never read the Bible or know much about the Bible, the one thing they are most likely to know about the Bible is some misconception of 666. Undoubtedly, their misconception is founded upon their attending one of the creations of the equally ignorant Hollywood productions like the Omen series. Did you ever wonder how we would know the number of the so-called Beast? Would the number be written 666 beneath the hair of his scalp like it was done in the Hollywood production? If so, why does the Bible say we must calculate his number (Revelation 13:18)? In the 1970s I remember that some folks thought Henry Kissinger was the Antichrist, because someone calculated K-I-S-S-I-N-G-E-R and came up with 666!
In the Bible, the Greek word used to show how the number 666 is derived is psephizo (G5585) and means “to use pebbles in enumeration; (generally) to compute.”[1] It is also the word used to decide a matter by casting one’s vote (casting pebbles into an urn). So, how would any of us, today, decide who this Beast is, if we had to identify him by ‘counting’ the number of his name? Would we use his English name? What if he is French, Italian or German etc.? How would we count his name, and in what language would we compute it, because his name would be spelled differently in each language (cp. Jesus)? The Bible does not help us here does it? I think this is a significant factor. How would anyone compute the number of the Beast today? In what language would we understand its calculation? It seems to me that, if we are using the Bible, we would need to use its languages (Greek, Hebrew or possible Aramaic) to calculate the number of the Beast’s name, otherwise everything is arbitrary, and what we could calculate in English would not be so in French or German etc. In other words KISSINGER (et al) is not the name of the Beast.
Gematria is a system of assigning numerical value to a word or phrase, in the belief that words or phrases with identical numerical values bear some relation to each other, or bear some relation to the number itself as it may apply to a person’s age, the calendar year, or the like.[2] This is the system that John uses in Revelation 13:18. The Greek letters chi, xi, and stigma are used to express the number 666. Each letter of the Greek alphabet is given a number. The first 10 letters (alpha to iota) are given the values of 1-10 respectively. Then each following number is expressed by counting by 10s (20 to 90 or from kappa to omicron). The final eight letters of the ancient Greek alphabet or from rho to omega are counted in hundreds from 100 to 800 respectively.
Using this formula one could count the value of a single Greek word or even of phrases in the New Testament. For example, and since we are interested in the number 666 in this study, the Greek word wonders in 2Thessalonians 2:9 has the value of 666, so does merchandise in 2Peter 2:3 (except that its value is 666 x 2). The phrase in the world in 1John 1:9 has the value of 666, as does the value of the phrase merchants of the earth in Revelation 18:3. The phrase: The man of sin, the son of perdition in 2Thessalonians 2:3 is 3996 which at first means nothing to our study until we find that this same number can be expressed as 666 x 6.[3]
One of the most interesting things I discovered in my studies on this subject is that of all the nouns in the New Testament only two in their nominative case (this is the case one finds all nouns in dictionaries and concordances such as Strongs and Thayers) have the value of 666. The two nouns are euporia (G2142 meaning wealth) and paradosis (G3862 meaning tradition).[4] These two nouns have a relation to the right hand (wealth) i.e. what we do; and the forehead (tradition) relating to what we believe. This is pretty significant, don’t you think? Only two Greek nouns of all the nouns used in the New Testament have the value of 666, and, taken together, they correspond to the Mark of the Beast![5]
So, what does all this mean? What should we think of these things? Well, I believe it is rather obvious that it would be arbitrary, to say the least, if we think we should calculate the number of a man’s name today. In what language would we make our calculations? It seems clear to me that, if we are going to understand what 666 means and to whom it refers, it must refer to someone or something in the past, viz. the 1st century AD.
Early Christians understood the number referred to Nero Caesar. In the Aramaic language (a language of the Bible) his name added up to 666. I also think it is quite significant that Annas, the high priest who had so much to do with Jesus’ crucifixion and the first three persecutions against the church, also has this number engraved upon his life. He was murdered by Jewish rebels at the beginning of the Jewish war with Rome. He died on the 6th day of the 6th month, after having been high priest for 60 years.[6] Looking back in the manner in which we have come to calculate time, he was made high priest in the year 6 AD and was killed in the year 66 AD. Admittedly, this calculation is the result of an error in determining Jesus’ birth, but could this human error be by divine design in order to point to this evil man? Just a thought!
[1] From Strongs Concordance
[2] From “The Free Dictionary” http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Gematria
[3] All calculations in this paragraph come from Theomatics by Jerry Lucas and Del Washburn; ISBN 0-8128-6017-9.
[4] This information in greater detail can be found in the commentary Jamieson, Fausset & Brown at Revelation 13:18.
[5] See my previous studies on this subject: The Mark of the Beast and The Mark of the Beast and 666.
[6] Josephus dates Annas’ priesthood to 6 AD (see Antiquities of the Jews 18.1.2 [026]) and puts his death at the beginning of the Jewish war with Rome in 66 AD (see Wars of the Jews 2.17.9 [441-442]. He sets a more exact date in the previous paragraph (2.17.8 [440]) when he says the fire was set to the Roman camp on the 6th day of the month of Gorpieus / Elul (6th month). For a more detailed analysis of this, see my comment below which is dated October 29, 2015.
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26 responses to “The Number of the Beast”
Ed, I appreciate your studies of Acts. They have shed great insight for me.
In this blog, you state the death date of Annas. Would you be willing to share where you collected that information, please?
Greetings Bill, and thank you for reading my blog. I’m sorry that I didn’t post the data where I found my information. I didn’t mean to neglect to support my claim. Thank you for bringing it to my attention. Once I’m finished with my reply, I’ll edit my post and supply the data.
I get all of my information concerning the time of Annas’ service in the priesthood from Josephus. Antiquities of the Jews 18.2.1 (026) shows that Annas was appointed high priest by Quirinus in what has been determined as 6 AD. He was killed at the beginning of the Jews’ war with Rome, and that began in 66 AD according to how we date Josephus, and I’ll try to prove this momentarily.
We know that this Annas (also spelled Ananus and Ananias in Josephus) was alive in 62 AD when James, the brother of Jesus, was killed. He was slain by Annas’ son, who is also called Ananias (see Antiquities of the Jews 20.9.1 [197-198]). Notice there that Josephus makes a point that both the elder (father) and the younger (son) high priest have the same name, and that five of Annas’ sons had already served in the office of high priest, the younger Ananus being the fifth. So, we know Annas was alive four years before the beginning of the war.
Josephus tells us in Wars of the Jews 2.17.9 [441-442] that the elder Ananias was slain when he was found hiding in an aqueduct. This was on the 6th day of the 6th month (Gorpieus / Elul), according to Wars of the Jews 2.17.8 [440]. While Josephus does say that Ananias’ death occurred on the day after the fire was set to the Roman camp, I presume the fire was set during the night, and, if so, the next day would be the same day for the Jews (sunset to sunset). If this cannot be true, then my argument falls, for Ananias would have been killed on the 7th day of the 6th month instead of the 6th day.
That this was the elder Ananius is understood in that the younger wasn’t killed until sometime later (cir. 67-68 AD). Josephus records his death in Wars of the Jews 4.5.2 [314-318]. This man is referred to by Josephus as the son of Ananus (Annas in the Gospel) in Wars of the Jews 4.3.9 [160].
This is what I presume to be true concerning the Jewish high priest, Annas, of the Gospels. All the dates are verifiable according to how we date Josephus. The only ambiguous part of the idea is the actual day Annas died. Was it the 6th or the 7th day of the 6th month of the year 66 AD? If the 7th, then my understanding falls short. However, I believe so much else falls into place concerning this man, that I presume the 6th day of the month for his death. I don’t think it can be proved conclusively for either the 6th or the 7th day, so I hang my hat on the 6th.
Lord bless you, Bill.
Thank you for the information. I found your study of Acts in the midst of our sunday school class studying it. Your second study of Acts takes a stunning turn when you found the information regarding who Theophilus likely is, through the Dahl study you cite.
Working backwards in time, all of the timelines fall in line with the Daniel 9 prophecy of the 70th week. Your insights on the Daniel prophecy, through your study, is truly compelling and, quite frankly, fun. When one studies the Jewish betrothal and marriage tradition, and compares it to the language Jesus uses regarding His return for His bride, the pre-post-mid stuff doesn’t fit at all. Plus, when Clarence Larkin, who wrote Dispensation Truth, admits all of that was made up by Jesuit Ribera, the Daniel prophecy being revealed in Acts becomes thrilling to read. Seeing it fulfilled shouldn’t make us any more or less ready for the return of our bridegroom. I’m amazed that it causes so much anxiety amongst God’s professing people. The great news of waiting on our savior to come is that He is interceding on our behalf to the Father in the meantime. What a blessing to rest within.
I have begun reading Josephus, mostly because of your extensive use of his work, but also because Matthew Henry cited him extensively also.
I found a site (it’s the internet, so it must be true, right?) that says Josephus was St. Luke or Ignaceous (sp?). Josephus himself indicates he is a relation of the Annas family, but could there be any chance he was a follower of Christ trying to persuade his own family to change the direction of the High Priestly leadership?
Bill
Greetings Bill, and I am thrilled to be a part of your Sunday school class. I love studying and sharing God’s word, and it really makes my day to find out that you consider my study helpful to your own. Thank you for that encouragement. Nevertheless, keep in mind that I will disappoint at some point, but it is fun to discuss it all with brethren who also consider studying God’s word fun! :-)
I was really amazed when I stumbled upon how the days in Daniel and Revelation match up with the ministry of Christ. It really freed me of the idea that I should try to find out when Christ will return. Now, I simply wait on him and try to be about the business he called all of us to be a part of. It is so much more peaceful this way.
Concerning your reference to the Bride and Christ’s return, I’ve heard of that analogy, but I never pursued it. I’ll have to consider doing so, but for now I am in the midst of other studies. I fell in love with Acts and now I’m falling in love with Luke all over again. I studied this Gospel once before, but I’m in the midst of a much deeper study now. I hope to begin posting it sometime next spring.
Concerning Josephus, I don’t believe he was Christian, although I have read that some thought he was an Ebionite, i.e. someone who believed Jesus was the Messiah, but not God in the flesh. I doubt his being an Ebionite too, but whatever the truth is, it probably won’t affect how we should understand his work. I believe he had a copy of Luke’s Gospel and Acts. Most folks on the internet, however, believe the other way around—Luke had a copy of Josephus. There are similarities between Josephus and Luke’s works that is difficult to deny. The problem for folks who believe Luke copied Josephus is: they cannot show how he acquired such a copy. This is one of the reasons why they keep trying to make Luke’s works very late, near or into the 2nd century. Nevertheless, knowing Theophilus was Josephus’ uncle, and Luke wrote both his Gospel and Acts to Theophilus, I am able to reasonably place both of Luke’s works into the hands of Josephus well before he began writing Wars or Antiquities. This logic is even more reasonable, when it is understood that Josephus admits in “Life” that Titus gave him all the holy books (Luke and Acts would have been among them), when Jerusalem and the Temple were destroyed.
Lord bless you, Bill. It is a pleasure to discuss these things with you.
Blessings to you Eddie. I re-read Luke’s gospel in light of learning about Theophilus. I will look forward to the insights of your study.
B