The fear for many likely doesn't even come from the book of Revelation but rather from a popular Christian series of novels based on one person's interpretation of Revelation. I'd bet most people afraid of the mark of the beast haven't even read Revelation.
> The fear for many likely doesn't even come from the book of Revelation but rather from a popular Christian series of novels based on one person's interpretation of Revelation.
If you are referring to the Left Behind series by LaHaye & Jenkins, they are two people, and the fear was widespread in the community before that series became popular; the relevant interpretation in the book is based on what were already widespread concepts.
> I'd bet most people afraid of the mark of the beast haven't even read Revelation.
I dunno, the segment in which the fear is concentrated is pretty much the same segment that fetishizes personal reading of the Bible, so I suspect you'd be surprised.
OTOH, I don't think for most of them there is a relationship between independent reflection on the source material and it's context and the fear being discussed, it's definitely something that is usually taken on the same type of top down interpretive authority that the Protestantism was in significant part a reaction against existing in Catholicism.
"The second beast [...] forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads."
Revelation 13:15-16
