Re: ciphers or words for numbers (Rev 13.18)

Nichael Lynn Cramer (nichael@sover.net)
Mon, 20 Oct 1997 08:53:55 -0400

Juan Stam B wrote:
> Since 666 is written out as words (not ciphers)
>in Rev 13.18, what does this imply for the interpretation? Does this rule
>out interpreting it as 6-6-6 (three times 6) and limit interpretation to
>the sum-total rather than the thrice repeated 6?

To address this specific point, there seems to be no textual basis for the
6-6-6 (i.e. "triple sixes") interpretation.

As you probably know, in the overwhelming majority of manuscripts the
number is written out in full (i.e. "six-hundred-sixty-six"[*NOTE]). In a
handful of manuscripts it is written as a "cypher" (i.e. "666").

But the critical point, of course, is that in Greek each of the three
digits is represented by a different Greek letter (i.e. 600=Chi, 60=Xi,
6=stigma). No where is it written as "three 6's".

Nichael

[*NOTE: As well as the not uncommon variant "six-hundred-sixteen" and the
two rarer variants "six-hundred-fourty-six" and "six-hundred-fifty-six"
each attested in single manuscripts.]

--


Nichael
nichael@sover.net               deep autumn   my neighbor what does she do
http://www.sover.net/~nichael/                                 --Basho