HyperPreterists have got it wrong AGAIN on identifying the beast of Revelation. They try to identify the "number of A MAN" as a historical figure to fit their bogus claims that the book of Revelation is about a historical struggle between Rome and Jerusalem (which their whole theology boils down to). Indeed their hermeneutic becomes absolutely critical to make the book of Revelation about history so they can indeed make it about past events.
Yet in the Greek (Revelation 13:18) ῟Ωδε ἡ σοφία ἐστίν. ὁ ἔχων νοῦν ψηφισάτω τὸν ἀριθμὸν τοῦ θηρίου, ἀριθμὸς (number is) γὰρ (for) ἀνθρώπου (man's) ἐστίν, καὶ ὁ ἀριθμὸς αὐτοῦ ἑξακόσιοι ἑξήκοντα ἕξ.
It is very interesting that The Greek does not use "A MAN" but uses the number 666 to describe "MAN". So again Preterist have used this verse to show that "A MAN" is a historical figure living at that time, so they can make the entire book about past events rather than a portrayal of man.
Don Preston "The Beast in Revelation was probably none other than Nero. He name calculates properly to the 666. The countdown of the kings in Revelation 17 fits the time line. And, Revelation posits a partnership of persecution between the Beast and the city Babylon, in which they persecute the church. Then, the Beast turns on the Woman, slays her, and destroys her. The one and only time under the Roman empire that this fits is under Nero."
FOOTNOTE:
John Kitto, Henry Burgess. The Journal of Sacred Literature. 1860
"For it is the number of A MAN; and his number is six hundred threescores and six." This rendering unfortunately conveys an INACCURATE IDEA OF THE MEANING OF THE ORIGINAL. "THE NUMBER OF A MAN" IS CERTAINLY NOT A CORRECT TRANSLATION, FOR THE ARTICLE IS WANTING BEFORE THE WORD "NUMBER:" THE RENDERING OUGHT DECIDEDLY TO BE "MAN'S NUMBER." Of this, any one may satisfy himself, who will take the trouble to examine, in the Septuagint translation of the Old testament, the phrases, "man's blood" (Gen ix.6) and "man's flesh" (Exod. xxx.32); in both of which passages THE FORM OF EXPRESSION EMPLOYED IN THE GREEK IS EXACTLY THE SAME AS THAT WHICH WE FIND HERE; NEITHER DOES THE VERB OCCUR TWICE IN THE SENTENCE, AS, FROM OUR OWN TRANSLATION, IT APPEARS TO DO. THE MOST LITERAL AND STRICT RENDERING WOULD BE, "FOR MAN'S NUMBER IS, AND HIS NUMBER 666." AND THIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST ACCURATE, AS WELL AS THE MOST LITERAL TRANSLATION." (PAGE 285)
Darrell W. Johnson. Discipleship on the Edge: An Expository Journey Through the Book of Revelation. 2004.
"Literally John writes, "a number of man." John DOES NOT USE THE ARTICLE "A"; HE DOES NOT SAY, "THE NUMBER OF A MAN." John uses no article; just "man," anthropos, "human." Meaning, not "a number of a specific human," but "a human number" - an analogy. It is as if John were saying "This beast is a supra-human force, but I can give it a human number - 666." (page 249)
Philip Mauro. The Number of Man, The Climax of Civilization.
"The explanation contained in the verse itself is that the number "is the number OF MAN" MAN'S NUMBER."
Anthony Charles Garland. A Testimony of Jesus Christ - Volume 1: A Commentary on the Book of Revelation - Page 539
"MANY. . . take the view that the number 666 represents man's falling short of perfection . . NO GREEK ARTICLE appears before the word "man," so one could render the statement, 'it is the number of man.' Wong, "The Beast From the Sea in revelation 13," 338n2.
