So, Revelations is one of my favorite books of the Bible I would like Christian thoughts on what the Mark Of The Beast actually is, it says those with wisdom will know what the Mark Of The Beast is, do you count yourself wise?
The most important thing to understand about the book of the Revelation is that it is in a category of genre literature known as
apocalyptic. The word "apocalypse" comes from the Greek
apokalypsis, literally meaning "an unveiling" or "revelation". This is also why the traditional and older name for the book is
The Apocalypse, specifically
The Apocalypse of St. John.
The author, a man who calls himself simply "John", tells us that when he was exiled to the island of Patmos he experienced a series of visions, the Revelation is those visions written down. It is addressed to seven local Christian communities in the Roman province of Asia, often called "Asia Minor", roughly corresponding with south-western Turkey today.
This is important, because the text had a specific audience in mind--the seven churches in Asia. And the text is written in a specific kind of literary style--apocalyptic. A very common literary style within 2nd Temple period Judaism. In the Christian Bible the only other apocalypse is the book of Daniel, though the book of the Prophet Ezekiel is often considered a kind of "proto-apocalypse" as it contains many elements that would become defining features of apocalyptic literature.
Common themes in apocalyptic literature: The author, sometimes a pseudonymous person, is granted privilege to be escorted by a heavenly agent to behold visions and wonders from a heavenly perspective. And the things they see are highly graphic, complicated, big loud symbolic imagery.
So, for example, in John's Revelation here, he describes seeing a beast rising out of the sea, and he talks about "the Beast" suffering from a mortal wound and then being brought to life again by the power of "the dragon". That's weird stuff. But it's all intentional symbolic imagery as well.
In the ancient world a mark was often associated with allegiance and ownership. Thus the "mark of the Beast" is foremost about one's loyalty to "the Beast". It's not about a literal mark, but rather about being marked by, being owned by.
So, for example, in the Torah God instructed the Jews to be "marked" by His Torah, saying that His Law should be in their hearts, on their right hands, and between their eyes on their forehead. By this what is meant is that God's people are a people whose identity is with His Torah, with His Law, and the Covenant He established with them.
In St. Paul's letter to the Ephesian church he writes that Christians have been sealed by the Holy Spirit through the Gospel. The Holy Spirit as God's mark and seal on His people.
Even later on in the Revelation we read that God's people receive a mark on their foreheads, a seal that they are His.
So this is the first thing to understand about the "mark of the Beast", is that it's about belonging to, being identified with, one's loyalties or allegiance, etc.
What is really important is to ask the question who is John talking about? Who is "the Beast"? John is very careful not to give us too much information, he gives just enough to help his readers make sense of things. That is what the meaning of "let him who has wisdom understand", that is, "use your brain and see what I'm telling you". John's clue that he offers is the number of the Beast's name.
A number of a name sounds weird to us today, but it made perfect sense in the ancient world. In Greek, Aramaic, Hebrew, even Latin numbers were written using characters from one's writing system. Hence Roman numerals.
As such you could take any word or name and simply add the numerical values of the individual characters together to reach a number. So, for example, the Greek word for "God" is Theos (θεός), let's break that down:
ΘEΟΣ
Θ = 90
E = 5
Ο = 70
Σ = 200
ΘEΟΣ = 90+5+70+200 = 365
This is what John is doing here, he gives us the sum of the name, it's final number, which is six hundred and sixty-six (
not six six six); though some manuscripts give an alternative number of six hundred and sixteen.
So the name of the Beast, when added together, adds up to six hundred and sixty-six.
Thus John's readers were being expected to be able to use this clue to understand who "the Beast" is.
I could offer my own understanding and how I've come to read the text, but the thing about the Revelation of St. John is that it is the most highly contentious book in the entire Christian Canon.
Everyone and their uncle has an opinion about it. And, this might seem odd, but unlike most of the books of the Bible, "official" views on the Revelation are basically non-existent in most historic/traditional Christian circles. Outside of the Revelation as being a kind of "peek" into the liturgical worship of heaven--which has become a deep influence in historic Christian worship throughout history--there really aren't any official positions on the meaning(s) of the text here.
It is really only among a few relatively modern Christian groups, and certain "end times" focused religious circles where the Revelation is given a major dogmatic position.
It's a fascinating book, but I'd never tell someone new to the faith or outside the faith, or even someone who has been a Christian for a long time to go and try and "figure out" the Revelation, especially by themselves. That's a nightmare.
And that's also a really good way to get people to come up with any idea they happen to want, and run with it, regardless of whether it has any merit or not.
To put it another way, most Christians don't get their eschatology from the book of the Revelation; and those groups of Christians who do have, historically, always been on the fringes. Usually associated with apocalyptic, and at times, even violent cults--such as the apocalyptic groups in the 16th century that tried to establish "the New Jerusalem" and "the Millennium" on earth through violent revolution.
And, to be frank, that still holds true today.
-CryptoLutheran
