Belated thoughts RE: (urth) Shadowy reflections on an

James Jordan · 19 Apr 2002, 19:12 · from urth-v0204.mbox · original

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From: James Jordan <jbjordan4 at cox.net>
Subject: RE: Belated thoughts RE: (urth) Shadowy reflections on an
Date: Fri, 19 Apr 2002 14:12:08 -0500
Message-ID: <urth-v0204-703 at digest.urth.net>
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At 12:45 PM 4/19/2002, you wrote:

(A numerological reflection relevant also to 5HC: "666," the Number of the
>Beast, is "the number of a man." Kaballistically, 6 is a man and 3 is
>God; 666 is Man making a God of himself.)

         Don't know what Wolfe thought about this, if anything, but FWIW=20
for those interested:
         In Rev. 13 the number is six hundred, sixty, six, not three 6s. A=20
lot of people are confused on this, simply because we say "sixsixsix" and=20
the English could be read either way. The number has to do with rulers who=20
turn against God, and comes from Solomon's defection from God in 1 Kings=20
10:14, where it signals Solomon's breaking the "three laws of kingship"=20
(Deuteronomy 17:16-17; 1 Kings 10:14ff., 26ff., and 11:1ff.).
         "The number of a man" also trips up English readers, and many=20
others. In Greek, "aner" means a specific male person, and "anthropos" a=20
member of humankind. The word here is "anthropos." So, contrary to many=20
attempt to make 666 out to be a numerical code for Nero or someone else=20
whose name gematrically adds up to 666, it really only says, "a human=20
number." Beyond that, it depends on how you take Revelation. I take it as=20
describing, down to chapter 20, the fall of Jerusalem and of Rome. In=20
Revelation, gentiles are called "peoples, nations, tribes, and tongues,"=20
while Jews are called "men, anthropoi." Thus, IMO, when Rev. 13 says, IMO,=20
is that the number is an "anthropic" number, it means a "Jewish" number,=20
and again points back to Solomon. The two evil beast powers (Sea and Land)=20
are like Solomon: rulers who turn against God and oppress the people.
         More than most wanted to know, I'm sure, but I thought a few might=20
like to see it.
         Beyond that: I unfairly wrote:

 > Hence I don't think Wolfe is being "deceptive" when he says Severian is=20
not a Christ-figure.

And you answered:

>H'mmm. Did I say deceptive? (Checks mail archive.) No, I didn't.

         My apologies. Did not intend to overstate your case. I wasn't=20
really thinking of your particular sentence when I wrote that, and the=20
quotation marks were not intended as a citation from you but just as a way=20
of generalizing the opinion.
         Enjoyed your post muchly.

>--Blattid/Dan'l

Nutria/Jim


--=20

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