New Testament,  Theology

Does 666 refer to Nero in Revelation 13:18?

Revelation 13:18 says that the one who “has understanding” should calculate the “number of the beast.” This number is then further identified as the “number of man,” specifically, 666. Preterists often say that 666 refers to Nero in Revelation 13:18, but is that what John means when he says that the mark of the beast is 666?

photo of mark of the beast, who many interpret as Nero

Symbolism and the Mark of the Beast

Not everyone sees 666 as a reference to Nero. Many notable scholars have read the mark of the beast symbolically. Beale, for example, argues in his commentary that the mark of the beast is 666 because six is the number of imperfection. Thus, when six is used three times as the mark of the beast, it emphasizes the completeness of imperfection.

Although this view is possible, it is unlikely. John’s command to “calculate” (ψηφισάτω) the number of the beast is a term that was used for numerical calculation. The term derives from ψῆφος, which means pebble. Using pebbles to count was a common ancient means of tabulation. Thus, John states that the number of the beast is related to his name (Rev 13:17). This calculation would presumably lead to the identification of a specific individual.

Gematria and the Mark of the Beast

Many scholars have looked to gematria to help understand the mark of the beast. Gematria is a process by which letters in a name are given numerical values or vice versa. It essentially becomes a cipher. This was actually a well-known practice, although it is debated how prevalent this is in Scripture. Some NT scholars think the genealogies in Matthew 1 could be an example of gematria, where three lists of 14 generations each correspond to the numerical value of David’s name.

The Sibylline Oracles, an early A.D. pseudepigraphical work, gives an example of gematria used with the name of Jesus.

To mortals in the earth; and he doth hear
Four vowels, and two consonants in him
Are twice announced; the whole sum I will name:
For eight ones, and as many tens on these,
And yet eight hundred will reveal the name
To men insatiate; and do thou discern
In thine own understanding that the Christ
Is child of the immortal God most high.
Sibylline Oracles, 1:395–400.

The numerical significance mentioned in the Oracles relates to the name of Jesus. Jesus (Ιησους) adds up to 888 as follows.

Ιησους
10820070400200
Total: 888

Other scholars have reported graffiti from Pompeii (destroyed AD 79), which reads, “I love her whose number is 545.” Apparently, someone was infatuated with a girl, the numerical significance of whose name added up to 545!

Although we need to proceed cautiously, I think gematria could provide an appropriate understanding of the mark of the beast as 666. It was culturally well attested at that time, and it seems to make sense of John’s command to count the number of the beast (which is related to the number of its name).

The Mark of the Beast and Nero

Many scholars identify 666 with Nero either directly or by allusion. The typical understanding is to take Nero’s name and title in Greek (Nero Caesar), and transliterate it into Hebrew (קסר נרון), and then take the numerical value. It would look like this:

ןורנרסק
5062005020060100
Total: 666

This looks good at first, but as I have written before, Bible codes are very unwieldy. Although the above technically qualifies, there are at least five arguments to make us rethink Nero’s identification with the mark of the beast.

1. For Nero to fit with 666, his title must be used.

For the mark of the beast to be equated with Nero, the full title “Nero Caesar” must be used in exactly that order. There are many names and titles that could be chosen to identify Nero, but this is the combination that must be utilized.

This flexibility in using titles with Nero seems a little too convenient. In fact, if there are no rules about what names and titles are allowed to be used, both Domitian and Vespasian also can be numbered as 666. Moreover, there is even archaeological evidence for Domitian’s abbreviated title found on coins. It reads as follows: Α ΚΑΙ ΔΟΜΕΤ ΣΕΒ ΓΕ.

ΑΚΑΙΔΟΜΕΤΣΕΒΓΕ
1201104704053002005235
Total: 666

When such wide parameters are used with adding convenient titles, it becomes less persuasive.

2. Revelation 13:17-18 specifies only the name, not the title.

This point coincides with the previous point. Revelation 13:17 specifies the link between the name and number. If titles are allowed, that goes beyond the purview of the text, and it also allows too much flexibility. So, we should expect Nero to be used by itself. By way of illustration, when we think of the name of the President of the United States, we do not say, “His name is President Abraham Lincoln.” We would say, “His name is Abraham Lincoln.”

It should also be noted at this point that Irenaeus (ca. 180 AD) was the first one who attempted to use gematria to find the referent for 666, and the names he hypothesized did not include titles (Adv. Haer. 5.30.3; Evanthas, Lateinos, and Teitan). Nor did he mention Nero as being a possible fulfillment.

3. For Nero to fit with 666, a Hebrew transliteration is required.

The numerical value of Caesar Nero in Greek is 1005. This is identified explicitly by Suetonius (ca. 121 AD), who wrote that the value of Nero’s name is the same as the phrase, “He killed his own mother” (Suetonius, Nero, 39.2). Revelation was written to a Greek-speaking audience, and it is widely acknowledged that the knowledge of Hebrew was not as prevalent during this time (Aramaic was far more common for the Jewish audience). So, utilizing the values of gematria for Hebrew while writing Greek to a Greek-speaking audience makes little sense.

4. For Nero to fit with 666, a defective shortened spelling is required.

This is one of the most important points to make. For the gematria value of Caesar Nero to equal 666, the Hebrew transliteration must be used (קסר נרון). However, this is a defective spelling for קסר, which is normally spelled קסיר (with a י in the middle). This would equal 676 instead of 666. There is only one Judean scroll fragment found at Murabba‘at, which might have a defective spelling (although it is debated whether that’s actually what it says). Although I have not personally viewed the fragment, in his dissertation, Hitchcock notes that the fragment is missing the letters following the ק. Although the damaged scroll does not have space for the full spelling ק(סיר), it is also not indisputable that the missing letters are סר. Therefore, there is no clear testimony of Hebrew spelling Caesar as קסר. At the same time, as Hitchcock notes, in the Talmuds, Mishnah, Tosephta, and Tannaitic Midraishim, the spelling is full (קסיר). To put it plainly then, the 666 reading for Nero relies on a conjecture which has little to no evidence.

It should also be noted that the O-class vowel in Nero (ו in נרון) has the potential to be defective and drop out. The fact that preterists assume Nero is spelled in its full letter form seems to be an example of selective bias.

5. The early church did not understand 666 to be a reference to Nero.

We have already mentioned how Irenaeus, who was a disciple of Polycarp (who was a disciple of John) did not understand 666 to be a reference to Nero. Additionally, there is a textual variant in Revelation 13:18 where some manuscripts read 616. Irenaeus knew of this variant and called it an inferior reading, and said it was probably due to a copyist error (Adv. Haer. 5.30.1). It would be a rather simple copyist error, confusing ι for ξ (which in handwritten manuscripts would be an easy mistake to make. Notably, at least one other Greek manuscript reads 665. These variants show that there was not a unified understanding of the referent of this number, and therefore Nero was not recognized as the intended referent.

Some preterists try to take the 616 variant reading as further evidence for Nero, since the Latin form of Nero’s title translated into Hebrew equals 616. However, we have the same problems as defined in the previous points. This is demonstrated by the fact that other scholars have identified the 616 variant with Caligula. And it can also be associated with Titus. Besides the logical and methodological problems, this textual variant can easily be explained as a copyist error.

In commenting on this issue, Beale quotes Salmon:

“First, if the proper name by itself will not yield it, add a title; secondly, if the sum cannot be found in Greek, try Hebrew, or even Latin; thirdly, do not be too particular about the spelling.… We cannot infer much from the fact that a key fits the lock if it is a lock in which almost any key will turn.”

Salmon, Historical Introduction, 230–31, quoted in Beale, 721.

The Mark of the Beast and Future Fulfillment

Although many scholars have attempted to see Nero as a fulfillment of Revelation 13:18, there are too many problems with the methodology that would allow Nero to be the fulfillment. However, I do think that gematria is possibly the key to understanding Revelation 13:18. Rather than a reference to Nero, I think it remains to be fulfilled in the future. I think that eschatological passages from Daniel and 2 Thessalonians 2, in particular, demonstrate that the beast of Revelation will be a future figure. However, if it is talking about a future individual, then it is likely not possible to identify a particular referent at this time.

Watch on Youtube

I have also recorded a podcast discussing this issue in more detail. You can subscribe on your favorite podcasting app, or watch the Youtube version of the podcast below.

Peter serves at Shepherd's Theological Seminary in Cary, NC as the professor of Old Testament and Biblical Languages. He loves studying the Bible and helping others understand it. He also runs The Bible Sojourner podcast and Youtube channel.

One Comment

  • Arnold Kriegbaum

    This is very useful. thanks.
    My thought is that during the tribulation jews brought to faith that have read Revelation will be able to correctly do that very calculation and be able to confirm to whom 666 applies. That would surely confirm for them at that time to not fear since God saw it perfectly 1900 years before and is in control still.

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