It has been argued that the title of the popes should be reckoned according
to the Greek gematria, since John wrote in Greek, but since the title appears
in Latin, and Latin is the official language of the Church of Rome and the
language of its adopted Bible, the Vulgate, such a procedure would destroy the
numerical value of that title in its own language. It would seem reasonable
that a Latin title should exhibit its Latin numerical values rather than Greek
values.
[43] Matthew Henry, Commentary, Vol. III, p. 1065, note on Revelation 13:18
"Representing numbers by letters of the alphabet gave rise to a practice
among the ancients of representing names also by numbers. Examples of this kind
abound in the writings of heathens, Jews, and Christians."
[44] Adam Clarke, Commentary on the New Testament, Vol. II, p. 1025, note on
Revelation 13: 18.
"It was a method practiced among the ancients, to denote names by numbers:
as the name of Thouth or the Egyptian Mercury was signified by the number 1218.
. . . It hath been the usual method in all God's dispensations, for the Holy
Spirit to accommodate His expressions to the customs, fashions, and manners of
the several ages. since then this art and mystery of numbers was so much used
among the ancients, it is less wonderful that the beast also should have his
number, and his number is 666."
[45] Thomas Newton, Dissertations on the Prophecies, Vol. II, p. 298, 299.