While discussing the heads, horns and modern commentators, I would like to point out how opinions change. First contrast the ideas about the seven heads in Revelation 17:10 between Hippolytus early in the third century to Victorinus later in that century.
4. But that we may not leave our subject at this point undemonstrated, we are obliged to discuss the matter of the times, of which a man should not speak hastily, because they are a light to him. For as the times are noted from the foundation of the world, and reckoned from Adam, they set clearly before us the matter with which our inquiry deals. For the first appearance of our Lord in the flesh took place in Bethlehem, under Augustus, in the year 5500; and He suffered in the thirty-third year. And 6,000 years must needs be accomplished, in order that the Sabbath may come, the rest, the holy day “on which God rested from all His works.” For the Sabbath is the type and emblem of the future kingdom of the saints, when they “shall reign with Christ,” when He comes from heaven, as John says in his Apocalypse: for “a day with the Lord is as a thousand years.” [Ps. xc. 4.] Since, then, in six days God made all things, it follows that 6,000 years must be fulfilled. And they are not yet fulfilled, as John says: “five are fallen; one is,” that is, the sixth; “the other is not yet come.”
5. In mentioning the “other,” moreover, he specifies the seventh, in which there is rest. But some one may be ready to say, How will you prove to me that the Saviour was born in the year 5500? Learn that easily, O man; for the things that took place of old in the wilderness, under Moses, in the case of the tabernacle, were constituted types and emblems of spiritual mysteries, in order that, when the truth came in Christ in these last days, you might be able to perceive that these things were fulfilled. For He says to him, “And thou shalt make the ark of imperishable wood, and shalt overlay it with pure gold within and without; and thou shalt make the length of it two cubits and a half, and the breadth thereof one cubit and a half, and a cubit and a half the height;” [Ex. xxv. 10.] which measures, when summed up together, make five cubits and a half, so that the 5500 years might be signified thereby. Hippolytus, The visions of Daniel and Nebuchadnezzar, 4-5
The time must be understood in which the written Apocalypse was published, since then reigned Cæsar Domitian; but before him had been Titus his brother, and Vespasian, Otho, Vitellius, and Galba. These are the five who have fallen. One remains, under whom the Apocalypse was written—Domitian, to wit. “The other has not yet come,” speaks of Nerva; “and when he is come, he will be for a short time,” for he did not complete the period of two years. - Victorinus
Irenaeus in the second century, who understood the Revelation as being allegorical and about Christ and the Church.
And it is not only from the writings of the evangelists and the apostles that they endeavour to derive proofs for their opinions by means of perverse interpretations and deceitful expositions: they deal in the same way with the law and the prophets, which contain many parables and allegories that can frequently be drawn into various senses, according to the kind of exegesis to which they are subjected. Heresies, Book I.iii.vi
For the prophet neither speaks concerning a day which includes the space of twelve hours, nor of a year the length of which is twelve months. For even they themselves acknowledge that the prophets have very often expressed themselves in parables and allegories, and [are] not [to be understood] according to the mere sound of the words. Heresies, Book II.xxii.i
Some modern writers.
Our great fundamental proposition - which we may as well state at once - is, that The Church is not the subject of the Apocalypse. However startling this may sound and may seem to some of our readers, we implore you not to dismiss it, but to test the reasons we shall give by the Word of God itself, and to weigh them in "the balances of the sanctuary." Try to forget all that you have "received by tradition," and ask from whom you learned this or that. Be prepared and ready to unlearn anything that you may have received from men, and learn afresh from the Word of God itself.
Commentary on Revelation
by E.W. Bullinger
1909
Introduction
This, then, marks a period when the traditions and opinions of men are substituted for the word of God. With Origen was introduced a new mode of interpreting scripture, which afterwards became prevalent. The scriptures, instead of being received in their natural and obvious sense, were regarded as mystical and allegorical. Milner, in his Church History, says: “From the fanciful mode of allegory, introduced by him, and uncontrolled by scriptural rule and order, there [pg 062] arose a vitiated method of commenting on the sacred pages.” And Mosheim says: “The few who explained the sacred writings with judgment and a true spirit of criticism, could not oppose, with any success, the torrent of allegory that was overflowing the church.” Following this example, Luther says, “men make just what they please of the Scriptures, until some accommodate the word of God to the most extravagant absurdities.”
A BRIEF COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE
By SYLVESTER BLISS,
1853
3rd seal
The Platonic idea concerning sin having its seat in the flesh was adopted, and therefore [pg 107] perfect victory or sanctification was made to consist in the mortification of the natural appetites and desires of the body, with the result that a life of fasting, celibacy, or self-inflicted torture was looked upon as the surest means of obtaining the favor of Heaven. The writings of such eminent church Fathers as Tertullian, Origen, Cyprian and others now lying before me, contain the surest evidences of the woeful extent to which this dark cloud of superstition and error had settled down over the world during the period of which I write.
The Revelation Explained
An Exposition, Text by Text, of the Apocalypse of St. John
By F.G. SMITH
1918.
Some modern writers blame Origen for bringing allegory into the church in the third century.
What can be accepted as truth isn't different from what was taught to the early church in the apostolic tradition.
Changing opinions
While discussing the heads, horns and modern commentators, I would like to point out how opinions change. First contrast the ideas about the seven heads in Revelation 17:10 between Hippolytus early in the third century to Victorinus later in that century.
4. But that we may not leave our subject at this point undemonstrated, we are obliged to discuss the matter of the times, of which a man should not speak hastily, because they are a light to him. For as the times are noted from the foundation of the world, and reckoned from Adam, they set clearly before us the matter with which our inquiry deals. For the first appearance of our Lord in the flesh took place in Bethlehem, under Augustus, in the year 5500; and He suffered in the thirty-third year. And 6,000 years must needs be accomplished, in order that the Sabbath may come, the rest, the holy day “on which God rested from all His works.” For the Sabbath is the type and emblem of the future kingdom of the saints, when they “shall reign with Christ,” when He comes from heaven, as John says in his Apocalypse: for “a day with the Lord is as a thousand years.” [Ps. xc. 4.] Since, then, in six days God made all things, it follows that 6,000 years must be fulfilled. And they are not yet fulfilled, as John says: “five are fallen; one is,” that is, the sixth; “the other is not yet come.”
5. In mentioning the “other,” moreover, he specifies the seventh, in which there is rest. But some one may be ready to say, How will you prove to me that the Saviour was born in the year 5500? Learn that easily, O man; for the things that took place of old in the wilderness, under Moses, in the case of the tabernacle, were constituted types and emblems of spiritual mysteries, in order that, when the truth came in Christ in these last days, you might be able to perceive that these things were fulfilled. For He says to him, “And thou shalt make the ark of imperishable wood, and shalt overlay it with pure gold within and without; and thou shalt make the length of it two cubits and a half, and the breadth thereof one cubit and a half, and a cubit and a half the height;” [Ex. xxv. 10.] which measures, when summed up together, make five cubits and a half, so that the 5500 years might be signified thereby. Hippolytus, The visions of Daniel and Nebuchadnezzar, 4-5
The time must be understood in which the written Apocalypse was published, since then reigned Cæsar Domitian; but before him had been Titus his brother, and Vespasian, Otho, Vitellius, and Galba. These are the five who have fallen. One remains, under whom the Apocalypse was written—Domitian, to wit. “The other has not yet come,” speaks of Nerva; “and when he is come, he will be for a short time,” for he did not complete the period of two years. - Victorinus
Irenaeus in the second century, who understood the Revelation as being allegorical and about Christ and the Church.
And it is not only from the writings of the evangelists and the apostles that they endeavour to derive proofs for their opinions by means of perverse interpretations and deceitful expositions: they deal in the same way with the law and the prophets, which contain many parables and allegories that can frequently be drawn into various senses, according to the kind of exegesis to which they are subjected. Heresies, Book I.iii.vi
For the prophet neither speaks concerning a day which includes the space of twelve hours, nor of a year the length of which is twelve months. For even they themselves acknowledge that the prophets have very often expressed themselves in parables and allegories, and [are] not [to be understood] according to the mere sound of the words. Heresies, Book II.xxii.i
Some modern writers.
Our great fundamental proposition - which we may as well state at once - is, that The Church is not the subject of the Apocalypse. However startling this may sound and may seem to some of our readers, we implore you not to dismiss it, but to test the reasons we shall give by the Word of God itself, and to weigh them in "the balances of the sanctuary." Try to forget all that you have "received by tradition," and ask from whom you learned this or that. Be prepared and ready to unlearn anything that you may have received from men, and learn afresh from the Word of God itself.
Commentary on Revelation
by E.W. Bullinger
1909
Introduction
This, then, marks a period when the traditions and opinions of men are substituted for the word of God. With Origen was introduced a new mode of interpreting scripture, which afterwards became prevalent. The scriptures, instead of being received in their natural and obvious sense, were regarded as mystical and allegorical. Milner, in his Church History, says: “From the fanciful mode of allegory, introduced by him, and uncontrolled by scriptural rule and order, there [pg 062] arose a vitiated method of commenting on the sacred pages.” And Mosheim says: “The few who explained the sacred writings with judgment and a true spirit of criticism, could not oppose, with any success, the torrent of allegory that was overflowing the church.” Following this example, Luther says, “men make just what they please of the Scriptures, until some accommodate the word of God to the most extravagant absurdities.”
A BRIEF COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE
By SYLVESTER BLISS,
1853
3rd seal
The Platonic idea concerning sin having its seat in the flesh was adopted, and therefore [pg 107] perfect victory or sanctification was made to consist in the mortification of the natural appetites and desires of the body, with the result that a life of fasting, celibacy, or self-inflicted torture was looked upon as the surest means of obtaining the favor of Heaven. The writings of such eminent church Fathers as Tertullian, Origen, Cyprian and others now lying before me, contain the surest evidences of the woeful extent to which this dark cloud of superstition and error had settled down over the world during the period of which I write.
The Revelation Explained
An Exposition, Text by Text, of the Apocalypse of St. John
By F.G. SMITH
1918.
Some modern writers blame Origen for bringing allegory into the church in the third century.
What can be accepted as truth isn't different from what was taught to the early church in the apostolic tradition.