Revelation 13:18Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

We have already indicated this earlier, saying that the wound of the first beast was healed. He, the antichrist, gives the image the ability to speak, that is, he will impart power to it.

Yet everyone knows that those who hold power even until now are the Latins. If we transfer the name to one man, it becomes "Latin man." Thus one cannot assert beforehand that this is properly the name of the antichrist.

On the other hand, one cannot fail to see that he may be called in no other way. But having the mystery of God in the heart, we must guard with fear what the blessed prophets foretold.

Then, when these things are fulfilled, we shall not waver, since we have known them beforehand. For the times to come will also reveal to us the one about whom this was said.

For the image raised by Nebuchadnezzar was sixty cubits high and six cubits wide. Because of it Ananias, Azarias, and Mishael, who did not worship it, were cast into the fiery furnace.

Through what befell them, they prophetically revealed the burning of the righteous that will take place at the end. That entire image was a foreshadowing of his coming. It indicated that all men must worship him alone.

Thus the six hundred years of Noah, in whose time the flood came because of apostasy from God, and the number of cubits in the image, because of which the righteous were cast into the burning furnace, signify the number of the name of him in whom all the apostasy of the thousand years is recapitulated.

In him are recapitulated unrighteousness, impiety, false prophecy, and deception. For this reason a flood of fire also will come upon the earth.

Since this is so, and since this number stands in all the best and ancient copies of the Apocalypse, and those who saw John face to face bear witness to it, reason itself teaches us that the number of the beast's name, according to Greek reckoning and the letters contained in it, is six hundred and sixty-six.

That is, it contains as many hundreds and tens as units. The same repetition of the number six indicates the recapitulation of the whole apostasy of the Antichrist, which existed at the beginning and in the middle, and will exist at the end of the times.

Therefore I do not know how certain persons, through ignorance, have fallen into error by corrupting the middle number of the name. They subtract fifty from it and put one ten in place of six tens.

I think this happened through a scribal error, as often occurs, since numbers are expressed by letters. The Greek letter denoting sixty was easily changed into the Greek letter iota.

Others later accepted this without examination. Some simply and blindly used the number ten. Others, through their lack of understanding, dared to search for a name containing the erroneous and false number.

I think God will grant forgiveness to those who did this in simplicity and without evil intent.

But as for those who, through vainglory, undertake to define names from the erroneous number, and assign some invented name to the Antichrist who is to come, they will not escape harm. They have deceived both themselves and those who believed them.

The first harm is this: they have deviated from the truth and accepted what does not exist as true. Then such a person will necessarily incur no small punishment, the punishment due to one who adds something to Scripture or takes something away from it.

Besides this, another great danger threatens those who falsely claim knowledge of the Antichrist's name. If they suppose the name to be this or that, and he comes with another, they will easily be deceived by him.

They will think that the one against whom they must be on guard has not yet come.

Therefore such people must learn and return to the true number of the name, lest they be numbered among the false prophets.

But those who know the true number announced by Scripture, that is, the number 666, should first allow for the division of the kingdom among the ten.

Then, secondly, when these kings are reigning and begin to set their affairs in order and increase their kingdom, someone will come unexpectedly. He will appropriate the kingdom to himself and strike fear into the kings just mentioned.

If he has in his name the number indicated above, let them recognize that this man is truly the abomination of desolation.

The Apostle also says this: "When they say, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction will come upon them" (1 Thess 5:3).

Jeremiah revealed not only his sudden coming, but also the tribe from which he will come, saying, "From Dan we shall hear the neighing of his swift horses. At the sound of the neighing of his galloping horses the whole earth will tremble.

He will come and devour the earth and all that fills it, the city and its inhabitants" (Jer 8:16). For this reason that tribe is not counted in the Apocalypse among those who are saved (Rev 7:5-8).

It is therefore more certain and safer to await the fulfillment of the prophecy than to suppose and predict any names. Many names may be found that contain the number indicated above, and still the question will remain unresolved.

For if many names are found that contain this number, then one asks which of them the Antichrist who is to come will bear.

I say this not because there is a lack of names containing the number of his name, but from the fear of God and zeal for the truth.

For the name Evanthas, Ευανθας, contains the number sought, but I make no assertion about it.

The name Lateinos, Λατεινος, also has the number 666. It is very probable that the last kingdom bears this name, for the Latins now reign. Yet I do not wish to boast of this.

But of all the names we find, Titan, Τειταν, if the first syllable is written with the two Greek vowels ε and ι, is the most probable.

It contains the number indicated above and consists of six letters, three letters in each syllable. It is ancient and not in common use, because none of our kings has been called Titan.

Nor does any idol openly worshiped among Greeks or barbarians have such a name. Yet among many it is regarded as divine, so that even the sun is called Titan by the present rulers.

It also contains a certain hint of vengeance and of an avenger. So too the Antichrist presents the appearance of avenging the oppressed.

Moreover, it is an ancient, plausible, royal name, and more fitting for a tyrant. Therefore, since the name Titan has so many arguments in its favor, there is great probability in concluding that the coming Antichrist may perhaps be called Titan.

Nevertheless I will not venture to declare positively that this is the name of the Antichrist. I know that if it were necessary for his name to be openly proclaimed at the present time, it would have been announced by the very one who saw the revelation.

For the revelation was seen not long before our time, but almost in our own age, toward the end of the reign of Domitian.

He shows the number of the Antichrist's name so that we may be on guard when he comes, knowing who he is. But he kept silent about his name, because it is unworthy to be proclaimed by the Holy Spirit.

If it had been proclaimed by Him, perhaps he would have remained for a long time. But now, since "he was, and is not, and will come up from the abyss and go to destruction" (Rev 17:8), as though he did not exist, his name has not been proclaimed.

For the name of one who does not exist is not proclaimed.

This may be in imitation of the one blessed Christ. Common names include: evil guide, "kakos odegos"; ancient envier, "palai baskanos"; truly harmful, "alithos blaberos"; and unrighteous lamb, "amnos adikos." By these names those who reject his deception will call the one whose glory is in shame.

Similar examples are φθείρω, I destroy, from φθερω, and σπείρω, I sow, from σπερώ. Among suitable epithets is "the victor," ο νικητής. Perhaps he called himself this when, fighting against the three horns or kings, he rooted them out.

See what Daniel says about them in his eighth vision: "I considered these horns, and behold, another little horn came up among them. Three of the former horns were plucked up by the roots before it. And behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things" (Dan 7:8).

There are other epithets also: "the raging one," ό έπίσαλος; "evil guide," κακός όδηγός; "true destroyer," άληθής βλαβερός; and "unrighteous lamb," άμνός άδικος.

Perhaps he was given these names because of those who are opposed to him. Not only will he not be ashamed of being so named, but he will even rejoice in these epithets, since he himself is not ashamed to call himself so.

Reproaching such corrupt and God-hated inclinations, the wise Apostle says: "Their glory is in their shame" (Phil 3:19). Therefore, since many names have been found, the one who wishes is free to use the most fitting one for the accursed man.

He then draws attention to the beast's qualities, which must be grasped through the sign or through the number of his name. This means by analyzing the designs and deeds of the most wicked beast.

There is the name Antemos, Αντεμος. If it is calculated by the letters with which the Greeks denote numbers, it certainly gives 666: α is 1, ν is 50, τ is 300, ε is 5, μ is 40, ο is 70, and ς is 200.

It can be translated as opponent of honor. If he is called an opponent of the honor due to God alone, then for this reason he is called worthless, disorderly, and unseemly. For honor is not fitting for him, but anathema.

Primasius evidently interprets Αντεμος as equivalent to αντι plus τιμος, against honor. Yet Anthemius, the western emperor from 467 to 472, who was greatly disliked in Italy, may be meant here.

Thus the name is known through the number, and the number is calculated from the name. Through the interpretation of his name the character of his deserts is known.

There is another name whose letters, when added together, give the same number, and it may reasonably be proposed. This is the name Arnoume, Αρνουμε: α is 1, ρ is 100, ν is 50, ο is 70, υ is 400, μ is 40, and ε is 5.

This also gives 666. Its translation is: I deny. It is no wonder that the antichrist is worthy of this name, that is, the name denial, if the name trust corresponds to Christ.

He Himself indicates this when He says: "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent" (Jn 6:29), and again: "Believe in God, believe also in Me" (Jn 14:1).

Therefore, whether you say Αντεμος, that is, opponent of honor, or Αρνουμε, that is, I deny, both may rightly be applied to the antichrist. Through two parts of speech, namely a noun and a verb, both the character of the person and the cruelty of the action are understood.

Every name of supposed and actual opponents of Christianity has been tried. New names have been formed from abstract notions. Hebrew, Greek, and Roman systems of reckoning have been used. Yet a wide field of conjecture still remains.

According to one of the oldest interpretations, indicated by Irenaeus, this name is ΛΑΤΕΙΝΟΣ. The sum of its numerals by Greek reckoning, or what is the same by Slavonic reckoning, gives 666. But not wishing to offend the name of the Romans, Irenaeus himself proposes another name, TEITAN.

Following the same method of reckoning, later interpreters sought the names of the antichrist in other persons, such as Muhammad, Luther, the pope, Napoleon, and others.

More recent investigators adapt the visions of the Apostle John to the historical events contemporary with him. In agreement with the indications of the Apocalypse itself, they see in the mysterious number the name of Nero Caesar, only written in Hebrew letters: נדרך קמר.

There ק is 100, נ is 50, ו is 6, ר is 200, נ is 50, ר is 200, and ם is 60. The sum is 666. By dropping the last letter of the name, נ, which is 50, they obtain 616, found in one manuscript.

This last number is also obtained from the name Δΐος Καΐσαρ, as Galba styled himself. Yet all this seems unconvincing. If a concrete person were meant, whatever high position he held in the world, the Apostle would hardly have lost courage and failed to name him.