Lateinos 666: The Pagan Roman Empire and the Papacy as the Beast

 **Lateinos 666: The Pagan Roman Empire and the Papacy as the Beast**  

**Revelation 13:18 – The Number of the Beast**  

Revelation 13:18 states:  

*"Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six."* (KJV)  

The earliest interpretation of the number 666 as *Lateinos* comes from Irenaeus (*Against Heresies*, Book V, Chapter 30). Irenaeus suggested that *Lateinos* (ΛΑΤΕΙΝΟΣ) adds up to 666:  

- L (30), A (1), T (300), E (5), I (10), N (50), O (70), S (200) = 666  

Irenaeus associated this with the Latin-speaking Roman Empire, identifying it as the kingdom that would be tied to the Antichrist. Later Protestant scholars took this interpretation and applied it to the papacy, seeing a direct link between the pagan Roman Empire and the ecclesiastical power of the Roman Church.  

**The Pagan Roman Empire as the Dragon – Revelation 12:3-4**  

Revelation 12:3-4 describes the Dragon:  

*"And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born."*  

The Dragon in this passage represents the pagan Roman Empire. Historically, the Roman Empire persecuted early Christians, as seen in the martyrdoms under Nero, Domitian, and Diocletian. The seven heads and ten horns align with the structure of Rome, later reflected in the division of its territory.  

**The Dragon Gives Power to the Papacy – Revelation 13:2**  

Revelation 13:2 describes the transfer of power:  

*"And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority."*  

This verse reflects the historical reality that the pagan Roman Empire gave its authority to the papacy. The transition was not to the Holy Roman Empire but to the Bishop of Rome, who gradually gained supremacy. The collapse of the Western Roman Empire in 476 AD left a power vacuum. Over time, the popes took on the role of rulers, exercising both spiritual and temporal power.  

Even the Byzantine Empire, though an Eastern continuation of Rome, recognized the growing influence of the papacy. Emperor Justinian (527-565 AD) legally recognized the pope as "head of all the holy churches," further solidifying papal authority. This corresponds with the Beast receiving power from the Dragon.  

**The Papacy as the Beast – The Holy Roman Empire**  

The papacy, through its political and religious control, became the Beast of Revelation 13. The Holy Roman Empire, established in 800 AD under Charlemagne, was a direct result of papal influence. This empire was not a continuation of the pagan Roman Empire but an entity that existed due to papal coronation and authority. The Protestant Reformation reaffirmed this identification, with reformers like Martin Luther, John Calvin, and others calling the papacy the Antichrist.  

**2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 – The Man of Sin**  

Paul warned about the rise of a great deceiver:  

*"Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God."* (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4)  

The pope, claiming authority over all Christians and being addressed as *Vicar of Christ*, fits this description. The papacy exalted itself above kings and claimed divine authority, fulfilling Paul's prophecy.  

**2 Thessalonians 2:9-10 – Deception and False Miracles**  

Paul continues:  

*"Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved."* (2 Thessalonians 2:9-10)  

The papacy, through its false doctrines, indulgences, and corruption, deceived many. The Roman Church's claims of miracles and authority over salvation align with this warning.  

**Revelation 19:20 – The End of the Beast**  

Revelation 19:20 foretells the Beast’s judgment:  

*"And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone."*  

The Protestant interpretation sees this as the eventual downfall of the papacy. Many reformers believed the papacy’s power would end before Christ’s return, leading to the restoration of true Christianity.  

** Transition of power to the papacy**  

There was no transition from the pagan Roman Empire to the Holy Roman Empire. Instead, power passed from the pagan Roman emperors to the papacy, with the popes assuming control over Rome and Europe. This can be seen from the decrees of Justinian and Phocas, both of whom legislated in support of the Papacy. The former was the period 529-533, when Justinian proclaimed the supremacy of the Pope of Rome over all other bishops. The latter was the period 606-610 when Phocas endorsed the proclamation of Justinian. The Holy Roman Empire only formed later under the papacy’s influence in 800 AD.  

**Conclusion**  

The traditional Protestant interpretation, rooted in Irenaeus’ identification of *Lateinos*, shows that the number 666 originally pointed to the Latin-speaking Roman Empire. Over time, as the Roman Empire decayed, this identity shifted to the papacy, which took on the power and authority of the Dragon.  

This interpretation does not look to a future eschatological figure but recognizes the papacy as the fulfillment of the prophecies concerning the Beast, the Antichrist, and the Man of Sin.