the ingenious system of synchronism, in his Clavis Apocalyptica, 1627), Coccejus (1696), Vitringa
(a very learned and useful commentator, 1705, 3d ed. 1721), and Joh. Albrecht Bengel (in his
Gnomon, his Ordo Temporum, 1741, and especially his Erklärte Offenbarung Johannis, 1740, new
ed. 1834). This truly great and good man elaborated a learned scheme of chronological interpretation,
and fixed the end of the anti-Christian (papal) reign at the year 1836, and many pious people among
his admirers in Würtemburg were in anxious expectation of the millennium during that year. But
it passed away without any serious change, and this failure, according to Bengel’s own correct
prediction, indicates a serious error in his scheme. Later writers have again and again predicted the
fall of the papacy and the beginning of the millennium, advancing the date as times progress; but
the years 1848 and 1870 have passed away, and the Pope still lives, enjoying a green old age, with
the additional honor of infallibility, which the Fathers never heard of, which even St. Peter never
claimed, and St. Paul effectually disputed at Antioch. All mathematical calculations about the
second advent are doomed to disappointment, and those who want to know more than our blessed
Lord knew in the days of his flesh deserve to be disappointed. "It is not for you to know times or
seasons, which the Father hath set within his own authority" (Acts 1:7). This settles the question.
Mystical and Symbolical Interpretations.
The number is neither alphabetical nor chronological, but the mystical or symbolical name
of Antichrist, who is yet to come. Here we meet again with different views.
Primasius, the African commentator of the Apocalypse (a pupil of Augustin), mentions two
names as giving the general characteristics of Antichrist: Ἀντεμοςand ἀρνουμε, the former honori
contrarius the other from ἀρνέομαι, to deny, by which the Antichrist is justly described, "utpote
per duas partes orationis, nominis scilicet et verbi, et personae qualitas et operis insinuatur
asperitas." Utterly worthless. See Lücke, p. 997. Züllig finds in the figure the name of Bileam. Not
much better is Hengstenberg’s explanation: Adonikam, i.e., "The Lord arises," a good name for
Antichrist (2 Thess. 2:4)! He bases it on Ezra 2:13: "The children of Adonikam, six hundred and
sixty-six." Ezra gives a list of the children of Israel who returned from the captivity under Zerubbabel.
What this has to do with Antichrist is difficult to see.
Von Hofmann and Füller think that the number implies the personal name of Antichrist.
Another view is this: the number is symbolical, like all other numbers in the Apocalypse,
and signifies the anti-Christian world-power in all its successive forms from heathen Rome down
to the end. Hence it admits of many applications, as there are "many Antichrists." The number six
is the number of human work and toil (six days of the week), as seven is the number of divine rest.
Or, six is the half of twelve—the number of the church—and indicates the divided condition of the
temporal power. Three sixes signify worldliness (worldly glory, worldly wisdom, worldly
civilization) at the height of power, which with all vaunted strength is but weakness and folly, and
falls short of the divine perfection symbolized by the numbers seven and twelve. Such or similar
views were suggested by Herder, Auberlen, Rösch, Hengstenberg, Burger, Maurice, Wordsworth,
Vaughan, Carpenter, etc.
The Messiah of Satan.
To the class of mystical interpretation belongs the recent view of Professor Godet, of
Neuchatel, which deserves special mention. This eminent commentator sees in 666 the emblematic
name of The Messiah of Satan in opposition to the divine Messiah. The number was originally
represented by the three letters χξς’. The first and the last letters are an abridgment of the name ofA.D. 1-100.