TallBill Member Posts: 298 From: St. Louis, MO Registered: 11-22-2002 |
While reading a book on ancient history (one that quotes myriad ancient authors) I found a quote from Tertullian (an ancient Christian writer) that apparently makes a link between the Beast of Revelation 13:18 and Nero: Revelation 13:18 Tertullian: The quote is cited from Tertullian's "Apology" ------------------ "...prayer itself is an art which only the Holy Ghost can teach us. He is the giver of all prayer. Pray for prayer---pray till you can pray; pray to be helped to pray, and give not up praying because you cannot pray, for it is when you think you cannot pray that you are most praying. Sometimes when you have no sort of comfort in your supplications, it is then that your heart---all broken and cast down---is really wrestling and truly prevailing with the Most High." |
ArchAngel Member Posts: 3450 From: SV, CA, USA Registered: 01-29-2002 |
I fail to see any connection ------------------ |
Ereon Member Posts: 1018 From: Ohio, United States Registered: 04-12-2005 |
I fail to see much connection as well. One is talking about a number, another is talking about a person's actions. ------------------ |
leet hacker Member Posts: 118 From: Hobbiton, Shire, Middle-Earth Registered: 07-30-2007 |
quote: a man's number. that could mean nero.
quote: yeah, yeah, it's from a catholic site. but as far as i know that has nothing to do with this ^ quote. i didn't understand the numbers, but they could mean something. i don't see any connection between the understands, but i can see a connection between nero and 666. ------------------ [This message has been edited by leet hacker (edited September 23, 2007).] |
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TallBill Member Posts: 298 From: St. Louis, MO Registered: 11-22-2002 |
Without knowing the original language text of the Tertullian quote it is difficult to say for sure. But Tertullian was a Christian, and would have read John's massive letter to the seven churches in Asia, in which the reference to the number was originally given. Tertullian’s choice of wording could have been a coded way to alert the Christian masses of the day to the identity of the one John was referring to as the beast, or it could have been a coded message to John (who, since Tertullian was writing as though he were in fact going through that horrible tribulation, would still have been alive at the time) to say in effect, “Yeah, we get it. It’s Nero,” without putting your life on the line by actually coming right out and calling the Roman emperor a beast (even though he was; you should read about the horrible things this man did to Christians—all to quell a rumor that might or might not have been true; although as insane as the man was that rumor probably was true). ------------------ "...prayer itself is an art which only the Holy Ghost can teach us. He is the giver of all prayer. Pray for prayer---pray till you can pray; pray to be helped to pray, and give not up praying because you cannot pray, for it is when you think you cannot pray that you are most praying. Sometimes when you have no sort of comfort in your supplications, it is then that your heart---all broken and cast down---is really wrestling and truly prevailing with the Most High." [This message has been edited by Tallbill (edited September 24, 2007).] |
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ArchAngel Member Posts: 3450 From: SV, CA, USA Registered: 01-29-2002 |
Still seems like a huge jump. and the number thing really means nothing. I can make it match up to any number I want if I get to assign numbers like 50 and 200 to different letters. ------------------ |
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TallBill Member Posts: 298 From: St. Louis, MO Registered: 11-22-2002 |
By using the then current Hebrew numbering system for certain Hebrew letters, John was, in a coded manner, telling the Christians who the beast of revelation was. Remember, he was writing to a 1st Century audience, and told them that with understanding, they could calculate the number of the beast, for it is a man's number. As a bit of translation, "OK. I'm talking about one particular man, and you guys can figure this out. Here's his number. Now, compare his actions with those of the beast, figure out the number, and you got him." ------------------ "...prayer itself is an art which only the Holy Ghost can teach us. He is the giver of all prayer. Pray for prayer---pray till you can pray; pray to be helped to pray, and give not up praying because you cannot pray, for it is when you think you cannot pray that you are most praying. Sometimes when you have no sort of comfort in your supplications, it is then that your heart---all broken and cast down---is really wrestling and truly prevailing with the Most High." |
