Source: Richard Bauckham, The Climax of Prophecy: Studies on the Book of Revelation (London; New York: T&T Clark: A Continuum Imprint, 1993), 384–452.
This podcast delves into the identification of the beast in Revelation with Emperor Nero, focusing on the significance of the number 666 and its connection to the legend of Nero's return. The podcast argues that Revelation employs ancient numerical practices like gematria and isopsephism to link Nero's name (in Hebrew) to the number 666 and even the word "beast," effectively demonstrating their identity. Furthermore, the text highlights how John, the author of Revelation, adapts different forms of the Nero legend and apocalyptic traditions, particularly regarding the beast's "death," "resurrection," and "parousia," to create a christological parody that contrasts the beast's apparent power and ultimate destruction with Christ's true authority and victory. It concludes that John historicized these traditions to reflect the Roman Empire's opposition to God and his people, as exemplified by Nero and the imperial cult.
1. The Identification of the Beast and the Number 666 with Emperor Nero. A central theme is the proposal, widely accepted by modern scholars, that the number of the beast, 666, found in Revelation 13:18, refers to the Roman emperor Nero. This identification is typically reached through the ancient practice of gematria, where letters of a name are assigned numerical values and summed. The phrase "the number of his name" suggests such a calculation is needed. The most prevalent solution involves transliterating "Nero Caesar" into Hebrew letters and summing their numerical values, resulting in 666. This solution is supported by historical evidence, including a papyrus document showing the expected defective spelling of "Caesar" in Aramaic used for Nero. While some might object that John, writing in Greek, would not use Hebrew gematria, it is argued that he might have relied on Jewish Christian apocalyptic tradition for this identification. The number 616, a variant reading for the beast's number, can also be explained by a similar calculation using a Latin form of Nero's name. Beyond gematria, the source posits that the history and legend surrounding Nero provide crucial insight into the symbolism and portrayal of the apocalyptic beast throughout Revelation. The identification is not just a cryptic puzzle but illuminates the underlying confrontation between Nero and Jesus Christ.
2. The Practice of Gematria and Isopsephism in the Ancient World and Revelation. The sources extensively discuss gematria, the method of assigning numerical values to letters and words. This practice was common in both Jewish and pagan contexts in the ancient world. It was frequently used to encode names or pose riddles, allowing those "with intelligence" to decipher the hidden meaning. Examples cited include a Pompeii graffito expressing love for a girl whose name summed to 545, and Jewish and Christian Sibylline Oracles using gematria for prophetic obscurity or to reveal symbolic significance, such as the name "Jesus" summing to 888. A related method, isopsephism, involved finding connections between two different words or phrases by showing they had the same numerical value. A historical example is a Greek verse lampooning Nero, where the numerical value of "Nero" equaled that of "killed his own mother," using isopsephism to reinforce the popular rumor of matricide. Jewish exegesis also employed isopsephism, such as connecting the Messiah's name "Menahem" with the title "branch" because both sum to 138 in Hebrew. The sources argue that John likely employed both gematria and isopsephism in Revelation, not merely for mystery, but to point out the significance of numerical values. Specifically, the statement that the number of the beast is also "the number of a man" and is 666 suggests that the numerical value of the Greek word for "beast" (therion), when transliterated into Hebrew, also sums to 666, thus demonstrating the connection between the beast and the man (Nero Caesar) through numerical equivalence. This method of transliterating a Greek word into Hebrew for gematria is also found in other contemporary Jewish apocalyptic literature like the Greek Apocalypse of Baruch.
3. Numerological Symbolism through Mathematical Properties of Numbers. Beyond gematria, the sources explore the potential significance of the mathematical properties of the numbers used in Revelation, particularly 666, 144, 42, and 1260, drawing on Pythagorean traditions of arithmetic. Numbers were conceived geometrically, as triangular, square, or rectangular figures formed by pebbles. A triangular number is the sum of successive integers (e.g., 1+2+3 = 6), a square number is the product of a number with itself (e.g., 3x3=9), and a rectangular number is the product of two consecutive integers (e.g., 2x3=6) or twice its corresponding triangular number. The number 666 is shown to be mathematically remarkable: it is the 36th triangular number (sum of 1 to 36), and 36 itself is both a triangular (sum of 1 to 8) and a square number (6x6). This makes 666 a "doubly triangular" number and the triangle of a number that is both triangular and square. The sources argue that John's deliberate choice of 666 was likely influenced by these unique properties, possibly associating them with the "doubly triangular" number 8, which links the beast to the idea of an eighth king in Revelation 17. In contrast, the number 144, prominent in descriptions of the New Jerusalem and the 144,000 people of God, is a square number (12x12). The sources suggest John uses the square number 144 to symbolize humanity exalted or the people of God, contrasting with the triangular number 666 representing humanity debased to the level of the beast. The numbers 42 and 1260, used for the apocalyptic period of the beast's reign and the church's witness (42 months or 1260 days), are identified as rectangular numbers. These rectangular numbers (42 = 6x7, 1260 = 35x36) are shown to relate to the square/triangular numbers 36 and 1225, further reinforcing the symbolic conflict between the beast (triangular) and the people of God (square) during this ambiguous period.
4. The Legend of Nero's Return ("Nero Redivivus"). A significant part of the sources is dedicated to exploring the legend that Nero did not die but would return. This legend was current in various forms after Nero's death in 68 A.D. Nero had a complex reputation; while hated by the Roman aristocracy for his tyranny and crimes (especially matricide), he was popular with the populace of Rome and especially in the Hellenistic East due to his philhellenism and promotion of games and culture. His unclear death (suicide after fleeing) and popularity in the East easily fueled rumors of his survival. Several pretenders claiming to be Nero appeared after his death, some gaining support, notably from the Parthians, further perpetuating the legend. The legend took literary form in the Jewish Sibylline Oracles and Christian apocalyptic texts like the Ascension of Isaiah. The core belief was that Nero had secretly fled to the East (often associated with Parthia) and remained in hiding, not that he had died and would be resurrected (a later interpretation possibly influenced by Revelation itself). Different versions of the legend varied: some portrayed Nero's return as a threat to Rome, wreaking vengeance on the city, sometimes seen as an instrument of divine retribution for the destruction of Jerusalem; others assimilated the returning Nero to the figure of the eschatological adversary, incorporating traditional apocalyptic features like claiming divinity, performing deceptive miracles, and persecuting the people of God. The sources emphasize that Revelation draws heavily on this diverse legend of Nero's return.
5. Revelation's Creative Adaptation of the Nero Legend and Apocalyptic Tradition through Christological Parody. The sources argue that John does not simply reproduce the Nero legend or existing apocalyptic traditions but creatively adapts them for his own theological purposes, particularly to construct a history for the beast that parodies the history of Jesus Christ. John integrates the Nero legend with the Danielic vision of the beast, seeing the Roman Empire as the culmination of historical evil empires. He uses different forms of the Nero legend in chapters 13 and 17 of Revelation, giving them distinct functions: chapter 13 portrays the beast's power and success (like the empire's apparent recovery after Nero's downfall), while chapter 17 portrays the empire's ultimate downfall (linked to the expectation of Nero returning from the East to attack Rome). Crucially, John modifies the legend's core idea that Nero merely fled; instead, he depicts the beast receiving a "mortal wound" (13:3, 14) from which it recovers, mirroring Christ's death and resurrection. In chapter 17, the beast is described as one "who was and is not and is to come" (17:8), parodying the divine title "who was and is and is to come" (4:8) and specifically Christ's eschatological coming. The beast's return is portrayed as an ascent from the abyss, contrasting with Christ's descent from heaven. Other elements of the beast's portrayal also parody Christ and his followers, such as the beast receiving power and authority from the dragon (paralleling Christ receiving authority from the Father), the second beast acting as a prophet for the first beast and performing signs to promote his worship (paralleling Christian prophets witnessing for Christ), and the mark of the beast contrasting with the seal or name of God/Lamb on the forehead of the saints. John's use of the legend and tradition is therefore not a literal prediction of Nero's personal return but a symbolic interpretation of the nature of Roman imperial power—its perceived divine claims, its apparent invincibility, and its opposition to God—seen through the lens of Nero's history and legend, all framed as a demonic parody of Christ's own history and destiny. This adaptation allows John to historicize apocalyptic ideas (in chapter 13, relating the beast's recovery to the empire's recovery after the chaos following Nero's death) while also portraying future eschatological conflict (in chapter 17).
What is the significance of the number 666 in Revelation?
The number 666 in Revelation 13:18 is identified as "the number of the beast" and "the number of his name," suggesting the use of gematria, an ancient practice of assigning numerical values to letters. By calculating the numerical value of the Hebrew transliteration of "Nero Caesar" (נרוך קסר), the sum is 666. The text also hints at isopsephism, where words with the same numerical value are linked, as the Hebrew transliteration of the Greek word for "beast" (θηρίον) also has a numerical value of 666. This connection suggests that Nero's name itself identifies him with the apocalyptic beast described in Revelation and Daniel. The number 666 is also mathematically unique as a "doubly triangular" number (the sum of numbers 1-36, and 36 is the sum of numbers 1-8), potentially linking it symbolically to the concept of an "eighth" figure following seven.
How does Revelation's numerology contrast the beast with the people of God?