Before Jerusalem Fell

T/w Role of Nero Caesar 201
them completely absurd, and none as convincing as ‘Nero Caesar’. “36
It must be remembered that the referent of 666 must not only fit
the gematria valuation (as a number of names could), but it must fit
it in a relevant way. 37 We should not forget that Revelation was written
to first century Christians under severe “tribulation” (Rev. 1:9; 2:22;
6:10). Hence, Morris’s objection that “the possibilities are almost
endless “3 8
is not really valid, for it must be that the possibilities are
to be limited to the era in which John wrote – whichever date is
chosen. The name “Nero” well meets the three fundamental criteria:
proper numerical valuation, reference to a man (Rev. 13: 18), and
contemporary relevancy.
There are several other factors that we can bring to bear that fill
out and enhance the Nero/Beast theory in a most interesting way.
These include the textual variant, as well as several incidental allusions
that minutely correspond with the Nero/Beast imagery.
The Textual Variant “616”
As mentioned previously, although the number 666 is the undeniably
certain reading of the original autograph, there is an intriguing
textual variant that appeared very early in Revelation’s manuscript
history. That variant preserved the number of the Beast as “616.”
There is not only some slight manuscript evidence for this variant,
but also the historical record of it in Irenaeus and the Donatist
Tyconius. 39 Upon a careful consideration of this variant, we can fairly
draw the conclusion that this variant points to Nero as well.
In the discipline of textual criticism, the critic’s task is to discover
the original reading of a handwritten text by analysis of available
36. Kiddie, Revelation, p. 261.
37. One vain and amusing attempt at relevance by a futurist is found in a dispensational
work by Raymond Schafec “At all times Satan has had to have one or more
Antichrist candidates waiting in the wings, lest the Rapture come suddenly and find him
unprepared. That is why so many malevolent world leaders have had names whose
letters added up to 666 when combined in certain ways. (Depending on which 666
formula is used, at any given moment there are several hundred thousand men in the
world whose names added up to 666. It is from this large pool of candidates that Satan
has traditionally chosen his ‘man of the moment’)” (Schafer, Aj2eY ti Ra@re [Santa
Ana, CA: Vision House, 1977], p. 55).
38. Morris, Revelation, p. 174.
39. See textual apparatus, ad. 10C., in Kurt Aland, Matthew Black, et. al, 2% Greek New
Tedamemt, 3rd ed. (London: United Bible Societies, 1975), p. 869. Also see Metzger,
Textual Commentary, pp. 751-752.