Revelation 17:11Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

"And the beast that you saw is of the seven," because Nero ruled before these kings. John states, "and is the eighth," because he will come soon and is counted in the eighth place.

Since the end will be in him, he adds: "and he goes to destruction." For ten kings received royal power (cf. Rev 17:12). When Nero moves from the east, they will be sent by the city of Rome with their armies.

He calls them ten horns and ten diadems. Daniel also indicates: "Three were plucked up by the roots from the former horns" (Dan 7:8). These are the first three leaders whom Antichrist will kill.

The other seven will hand over to him glory, honor, throne, and power (Rev 17:13). Of them he says: "They will hate the harlot," meaning the city, "and will burn her flesh with fire" (Rev 17:16).

The beast is Antichrist. He is called the eighth because he will arise after the seven kingdoms for the deception of men and the desolation of the earth. He is of the seven because he will come forth from one of these kingdoms. He will come as a Roman king, and not from any of the peoples already mentioned. He will come to the destruction and torment of those who do not submit to him, and afterward he himself will go into Gehenna.

He set the devil as the first and last persecutor, of one mind with the seven (cf. Rev 17:13). For how could he not be numbered with the seven, he who is their supreme teacher in evil-doing?

So that we should not think of something belonging to another kind, John says here that he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goes to destruction. Thus it is shown here that he belongs to the same evil race.

By exceeding the number seven, the author marks him as an even worse evildoer. When the Lord spoke of one unclean spirit and mentioned seven, He suddenly added: "and he takes with himself seven other spirits more evil than himself" (Mt 12:45).

So here, beginning from seven, John indicates seven others in the same single kind, that is, in the eighth. Therefore, that he is of the seven and goes to destruction is said to show that he deserves the same punishment as his kind considered as one.

"The beast is Antichrist; he is the eighth because he is to arise after the kingdoms for the deception and desolation of the earth. He is of the seven because he comes from one of these kingdoms," St. Andrew continues.