שְׁמוֹנֶה the Hebrew word for the number eight has a numerical value of (300) + (40) + (6) + (50) + (5) = 401 which is the value of the first and last Hebrew letters added together (1) + (400).
In short, שְׁמוֹנֶה or 8 is the embodiment of the Hebrew equivalent of 'τὸ Α καὶ τὸ Ω' which is in turn Jesus [Rev. 1:8, 21:6, and 22:13]
As such, seen from this perspective Jesus might well have originally been 'Simon Magus.'
Now consider this statement in Irenaeus regarding the kabbalah of the followers of Mark (which included Clement and his Alexandrian tradition) "since He was the illustrious Ogdoad, and contained in Himself the entire number of the elements, which the descent of the dove (who is Alpha and Omega) made clearly manifest, when He came to be baptized; for the number of the dove is eight hundred and one." [AH i.14.6]
It is impossible not to believe that the Marcosian 'ogdoad' was developed from שְׁמוֹנֶה given Irenaeus's explicit statement regarding their 'repetition of Hebrew words in order the more thoroughly to bewilder those who are being initiated" [AH i.21.3] It is worth noting that the word אֶת (plural אֶתינ) means 'letter' or letters in Aramaic as well as 'sign.'
I don't believe that Jesus ever came down as a 'dove.' I think this word was chosen by the Greek editors of the canon to replace אֶת (because the Greek letters ΑΩ don't actually form a word). But more work needs to be done with this ...
