For follow-up discussion and general commentary on the topic. Comments are sorted chronologically.
eric strunck
I believe George Delmindo has the correct answer. The only thing missing from his answer is the actual person who IS the # of the beast and that is the pope. The # 666 in the roman numeral form works out to be and can only be the pope.
Edith Bess
Okay, it's my understanding that John the revelator wrote Revelations, not Paul. Next, as far as taking into consideration the time period and the audience, that does pertain to a lot of the writings, however, God is the actual author and He definitely knew what was going to happen in the future. So, I have to respectfully disagree with your view. I do believe the chip is the mark. I also believe that the antichrist will come through the Catholic religion. I believe that we are seeing Revelations being fulfilled before our very eyes.
Walt Pryor
For what it is worth. No where in the Bible does a number itself, reveal anything. Some believe the 666 reveals Letters in the Greek or Hebrew? Alphabet. Greek and Hebrew are Alpha Numeric. Every letter has a number associated with it. I heard the 666 reveals the name Allah, the first two letters, when read right to left, as in all writing East of Jerusalem. The last letter resembles two Crossed Swords, the sign of Islam. Remember the huge Arch in Iraq, Saddam Hussein built. Also the flag of Saudi Arabia, and many Jihad terror groups. Ironic? Only God knows, but the Bible is being revealed as He desires. More will probably be understood as we approach end time.
Kevin English
Many assume 666 is a number representing a modern-day beast yet to be revealed. However, placing this beast in current times according to Scripture when taken in context may pose an insurmountable problem. John, the author of Revelation, spoke to a first-century audience telling them with “wisdom” and “insight” they would be able to “calculate the number of the beast, for it is man’s number. His number is 666”Rev 13:15-18. No amount of wisdom and insight would have enabled a first-century audience to calculate the number of a 21st century beast. It would have been misleading for John to suggest to first-century Christians that they could identify a 21st century individual or institution otherwise known as the beast. In ancient times it was common place to transform text into numbers “gematria”. The Roman historian Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus, commonly known only as Suetonius identifies Nero by a numerical designation equal to a nefarious deed. This numerical equality is encapsulated in the phrase: “Count the numerical values of the letters in Nero’s name, and in ‘murdered his own mother’ and you will find their sum is the same.” In Greek the numerical value of the letters in Nero’s name: Nevrwn, with an English transliteration: Neron totaled 1,005, as the numbers in the phrase murdered his own mother. This ancient numerical cryptogram reflected the widespread knowledge Nero had killed his own mother. The Greek spelling of “Nero Caesar” transliterated into into Hebrew = 666.
chuck bay
As in Daniel when he was writing about gentiles he wrote in arabic so this is interesting where could we research more on this?
Walt Pryor
Here is the author, it this site will allow the address?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rs_09o5j_pY
Eliakim Zacarias
Choose wisely. All answers are speculation and I believe most of them are wrong, especially those who confuse the number with latin alphabet characters.
A time ago I heard the beast number 666 signify the extreme materialism, in two ways:
6 - the materialist man.
3 times the six - a representation of the extreme of the materialist man. None of spiritual things will be allowed, and the Christians will be, once again, strongly persecuted.
or
6 - the sinful man
3 - represent God
666 - 3x 6, the man saying he is the true god, rejecting (as always) the True God.
Walt Pryor
Yes, I agree, no one knows, no one. One theory is as good as another.
No one claiming to have the absolute right answer. I am not either.
chuck bay
John was told to shut up the revelation prophecy till the time of the end - well we are there and as I study the word I find that when dealing with Gentile rule Arabic is used rather than Hebrew or Greek. We must look at this closely and not assume we know but pray and ask the father to open up our understanding .
Mark Hilburn
To paraphrase one one of my favorite teachers, if you want to know what the mark of the beast is, first you have to figure out who/what the beast is. Then you can identify his/it's mark.