5 Books of well-known non-Catholic Bible scholars that prove the Pope is not the Beast in Revelation 13:18 but Nero Caesar

Various sects have long been criticizing the Pope of the Catholic Church using Revelation 13:18. 

"This calls for wisdom: let anyone with understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a person. Its number is six hundred sixty-six"(Revelation 13:18)

They say the Pope is the fulfillment of what is written in Revelation 13:18 that the Pope is the beast. 

Actually, there is no logical scholar even from the Protestants who will say the  Pope is the fulfillment of 666 in Revelation 13.

The Protestants who say this are only those who attack the Catholic Church and do not analyze properly. 

Here is what the books written by notable non-Catholic Bible scholars:

1.) Breaking the Code: Understanding the Book of Revelation by Bruce Metzger

“Who is the satanic beast, symbolized by the number 666? Over the centuries a very great deal of ingenuity has been expended in attempting to answer this question. A further complication arises from the fact that some ancient manuscripts of the book of Revelation give the number as 616 instead of 666. Among the names and titles have been proposed to solve the cryptogram, the most probable candidate is the Emperor Nero. If we add the numerical values in the Hebrew spelling of the name Neron Caesar we obtain 666; on the other hand, since his name can equally well be spelled without the last N, if we omit the final N, the total will be 616” (Breaking the Code: Understanding the Book of Revelation, Bruce Metzger, pp. 76-77).

2.) The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament by Craig S. Keener

“But one of the most popular proposals among scholars is “Nero Caesar.” Although his name comes out to 1,005 in Greek (which would have been obvious, because a familiar wordplay on that number of his name had circulated throughout the Empire’s graffiti), his name comes out to “666” if transliterated into Hebrew” (The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament, Craig S. Keener, p. 757).

3.) The Book of Revelation (The New International Commentary on the New Testament) by Robert H. Mounce

“The solution most commonly accepted today is that 666 is the numerical equivalent of Nero Caesar. It is held to be supported by the variant reading 616, which also yields the name of Nero when the Latinized spelling is followed” (The Book of Revelation (The New International Commentary on the New Testament) Robert H. Mounce, p. 262).

4.) Introducing the New Testament: Its Literature and Theology by Thompson, Green, and Achtemeier

When Nero Caesar is written in Hebrew characters, their sum is 666, so that he is that person. Other descriptions of the beast recall the legends of Nero’s mysterious death and expected return. According to 13:3, “One of its heads seemed to have received a death blow, but its mortal wound had been healed,” a cryptic statement referring to the expectation that Nero would return and the empire would continue to exert its power and influence” (Introducing the New Testament: Its Literature and Theology, p 570, by Marianne Meye Thompson, Joel B. Green, Paul J. Achtemeier).

5.) A Commentary on the Manuscripts and Text of the New Testament by Philip Comfort

Through gematria (a method whereby letters of an alphabet signify various numbers), the Hebrew translation of “Caesar Nero” is signified by “616,” and “Caesar Neron” is signified by “666.” Caesar Nero persecuted Christians. Those who received his “mark” were exempt from this persecution” (A Commentary on the Manuscripts and Text of the New Testament, p. 411, Philip Comfort ).

Through the comments of non-Catholic Bible scholars, whom shall we believe the non-Catholics who gave their own opinions or the scholars who carefully analyzed and have credibility in explaining the sacred scriptures?