My Thoughts on John 6:66 and the Number of the Beast

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It's been some time since I paid John 6:66 some attention. Try to notice that the verse is from Chapter 6 and it is verse 66. You get the number 666 which is the number of the Beast. Though Psalm 66:6 doesn't have a negative message. Isaiah 66:6 talks about the LORD's judgment on His enemies. In this case, the Apostle John wrote the verse that really seems to show the upcoming apostasy. However, take note that Stephen Langton created the chapters and verse system. Later on, John Wycliffe used the chapter pattern from Langton. This helped us find the verse so easily. Was it a deliberate attempt to link 666 in Revelation to John 6:66? It seems like it or it isn't.

But what we can't deny is that John 6:66 addresses the negative message with the crowd. There were some members in the crowd who went to Jesus, not because of the miracles but because they were fed. They were shallow seekers (John 6:26-27). It's part of the Bread of Life Discourse in verses 22-59. There's so much language that offended the Jews such as the figures of speech of eating Jesus' flesh and drinking Jesus' blood. Of course, it wasn't meant to be literal. Today, you've got people who think it's all about transubstantiation. Then we move forward to verses 60-71 to conclude the chapter.

John 6:60-66 says the following:

60 Many therefore of His disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it? 61 When Jesus knew in Himself that his disciples murmured at it, He said unto them, Doth this offend you? 62 What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where He was before? 63 It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. 64 But there are some of you that believe not. (For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray Him). 65 And He said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto Him of my Father.

66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with Him.

Verse 65 really throws back to verse 44 which Jesus says that no man can come unto Him except by the power of God the Father. Now, we read that after verse 65, verse 66 tells us the sad truth of apostasy. Many of the followers went back and walked no more with Jesus. This was truly the mark of apostasy. Many were shallow seekers and they all left. It's verses like this that make me think it's possible to lose your salvation not by sinning (as people like Dan Corner suggests) but by choosing to stop trusting Christ. We find out that Jesus had already revealed the fake followers. Many of them left though Judas Iscariot still stayed behind until the time is right to fulfill prophecy. Maybe, that's why Langton and Wycliff decided to deliberately number that verse under 66 for an easier reference towards apostasy. 

The next verses as follows would show that Jesus already predicted the betrayal of Judas Iscariot. I was thinking that this was probably John's date with destiny. John was going to be the last apostle to die so he could write the Book of Revelation. 666 was also said to be the numerical equivalent or codename of the vile Emperor Nero. Consequently, 18 is comprised of three sixes (6 x 3) and Revelation 13:18 tells us the number of the Beast. It is the number of a man and we know mankind isn't basically good. The Hebrew spelling of Kaiser Neron was equal to 666. Though many people had a numerical equivalent to 666 (such as Martin Luther and the cult leader, Ellen G. White) yet they were just common names. People have been trying to figure out who the Antichrist is to no avail. It's because the Antichrist doesn't show up until the Rapture hits! 

Later on, John wrote in 1 John 2:18-19 the following verses:

18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that Antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

John uses the word "antichrist" derived from the Greek word "antichristos" meaning adversary of the Messiah. To be anti is against or in the place of. The word "antichristos" takes place three times in 1 John (2:18, 2:22, 4:3), and in 2 John 7. There is a distinction between the Antichrist and an antichrist. John was writing these letters before he wrote Revelation in Patmos. It seems to be that biblical scholars really would've purposely numbered John 6:66 as such to make an easy reference to 1 John 2:18 and revelation 13:18 which have the number 18 which is equivalent to three sixes.

We can see that Jesus declared that no man comes unto Him for salvation except that God the Father draws them. Now, Revelation 13:8 says that those whose names are not written in the Book of Life will worship the Antichrist. The elect during the Tribulation Period will not receive the mark or worship the Beast. Those who are chosen unto salvation during the Tribulation Period will certainly endure to the end as a result of it. In short, that verse alone can tell you that those who accept Jesus in the Tribulation Period will endure to the end. It made me think of how it was often possible to lose your salvation by no longer trusting in Jesus. Though part of me started to think that those who truly believe will endure to the end and that those who will accept the mark after a supposed conversion are fake converts. However, the Tribulation Period will really show who's going to believe and who won't. It's a grand showdown. 

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