Wednesday, August 12, 2009

NT Pod 8: The Alternative Number of the Beast

NT Pod 8 discusses the famous number of the beast, 666, in Revelation 13:18, and an early variant, 616.

It is nine and a half minutes long. Feel free to leave your comments below.



NT Pod Episode 8: The Alternative Number of the Beast (mp3)

Key texts: Revelation 13:18

Programme Notes: NT Blog.

Thanks to Ram2000, Me and You, for the opening theme, released under a Creative Commons agreement.

5 comments:

  1. I was tracking with you on the textual variant possibility until I remembered my Doctor Who. 'The Satan Pit' episode has the name of the base transforming into the number 666. So, if the sanctuary base were transforming into 616 then I would give the variant more credibility because RTD couldn't get it wrong.

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  2. Excellent point, Brian. 666 it is, then.

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  3. Hi Mark,
    Very smooth.
    Just a note: Not all manuscripts use a letter-based numerical abbreviation system (which seems to be implied about half way through). Some mss do write out the words in full (as suggested in NA27, and I just confirmed Sinaiticus from the images on the web) [of course they are still using Greek letters!].

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  4. Oh, of course! D'Oh! Thanks for the clarification. It's easier to get away with such things in teaching!

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  5. Good discussion. Revelation is a doosey to get through, but when done with careful exegesis, it provides some beautiful images of we have to look forward to. As far as 666 vs 616, I would ask Dr. Marvin Pate to write a book about it. I'm sure he'd be delighted.

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