22). What a vast drama! What a magnificent conclusion to the Scriptures opening with Genesis!
The first creation made man free; the second shall make him holy, and then the work of God is
accomplished.
Conclusion.
A very ingenious interpretation, with much valuable truth, but not the last word yet on this
mysterious book, and very doubtful in its solution of the numerical riddle. The primary meaning
of the beast, as already remarked, is heathen Rome, as represented by that monster tyrant and
persecutor, Nero, the very incarnation of satanic wickedness. The oldest interpretation (Lateinos),
known already to a grand-pupil of St. John, is also the best, and it is all the more plausible because
the other interpretations which give us the alphabetical value of 666, namely, Nero and Caesar
Augustus, likewise point to the same Roman power which kept up a bloody crusade of three hundred
years against Christianity. But the political beast, and its intellectual ally, the false prophet, appear
again and again in history, and make war upon the church and the truth of Christ, within and without
the circle of the old Roman empire. Many more wonders of exegetical ability and historical learning
will yet be performed before the mysteries of Revelation are solved, if they ever will be solved
before the final fulfilment. In the meantime, the book will continue to accomplish its practical
mission of comfort and encouragement to every Christian in the conflict of faith for the crown of
life.§ 102. Concluding Reflections. Faith and Criticism.
There is no necessary conflict between faith and criticism any more than between revelation
and reason or between faith and philosophy. God is the author of both, and he cannot contradict
himself. There is an uncritical faith and a faithless criticism as there is a genuine philosophy and a
philosophy falsely so called; but this is no argument either against faith or criticism; for the best
gifts are liable to abuse and perversion; and the noblest works of art may be caricatured. The apostle
of faith directs us to "prove all things," and to "hold fast that which is good." We believe in order
to understand, and true faith is the mother of knowledge. A rational faith in Christianity, as the best
and final religion which God gave to mankind, owes it to itself to examine the foundation on which
it rests; and it is urged by an irresistible impulse to vindicate the truth against every form of error.
Christianity needs no apology. Conscious of its supernatural strength, it can boldly meet every foe
and convert him into an ally.
Looking back upon the history of the apostolic age, it appears to us as a vast battle-field of
opposite tendencies and schools. Every inch of ground is disputed and has to be reconquered; every
fact, as well as every doctrine of revelation, is called in question; every hypothesis is tried; all the
resources of learning, acumen, and ingenuity are arrayed against the citadel of the Christian faith.
The citadel is impregnable, and victory is certain, but not to those who ignorantly or superciliously
underrate the strength of the besieging army. In the sixteenth century the contest was between
Roman Catholicism and Evangelical Protestantism; in the nineteenth century the question is
Christianity or infidelity. Then both parties believed in the inspiration of the New Testament and
the extent of the canon, differing only in the interpretation; now inspiration is denied, and the
apostolicity of all but four or five books is assailed. Then the Word of God, with or without tradition,
was the final arbiter of religious controversies; now human reason is the ultimate tribunal.A.D. 1-100.