“And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.”
One of the heads of the beast seemed to have a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed - one head receives a mortal wound yet is miraculously restored, perhaps reflecting a historical ruler's assassination and succession or Rome's apparent invincibility. The healed wound parodies Christ's resurrection and deepens the beast's claim to ultimate authority.
Church Fathers on Revelation 13:3
“And I saw a beast rising up from the sea, like a leopard.” This signifies the kingdom of that time of Antichrist, and the people mingled with the variety of nations. “His feet were as the feet of a bear.” A strong and most unclean beast, the feet are to be understood as his leaders. “And his mouth as the mouth of a lion.” That is, his mouth armed for blood is his bidding, and a tongue which will proceed to nothing else than to the shedding of blood. * * * * * * * *
Nicene & Post-Nicene / Ante-Nicene Fathers translations · public domain
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