* Instances in which, apart from mention of the numeral, a preference for it may lie fairly considered implicit are the 7 petitions in the Lord's Prayer (Mt (fxi-), the 7 parables of Mt 13, the 7+ 1 woes of Mt 23i3ir.. "
number comes to lip and pen involuntarily through a usage that may have its lia.sis or confirmation there.** Again, in considering the accounts of the two miraculous feedings in Mark, chs. 6 and 7 ||, it is difficult to exclude the idea that the numbers emplojed, especially 7, 5 -f 2, and 12,t may have to the writers a certain sacred and sacra- mental significance. The sacramental association — apart from the numbers — is obvious in the nar- rative of the Fourth Evangelist (Jn 6), but is it not suggested even in the Synoptic account ? The Divine sujiply is perfect (5-1-2 or 7). What is left of it may be as great as or even greater than what is taken (7 to 7, or 12 to 7). And where the company is largest most may be left. See especially the commentary on the double incident in Mk 7'*--' (cf. Mt 16'-'=). Ac \-'«- (filling of the vacancy in tiie apostolate), and 1 Co 15^t where ' the 12 is used of the company that was only 11, seem to imply that to the mind both of our Lord and the apostles the number 12 signified His intention and ability to recover completely what was lost (Lk 19'" ; ct. with Mt 15=^ See also Jn 10=8'- 17'=, Ac 26' [' our 12 tribes']).
2. Three. — The chief instance of this numeral in a suggestion of sense other than strictly literal is that of the resurrection of our Lord on the 3rd day (Mk 10", etc.ll ; cf. Ac 10", 1 Co 15^). There is no reason to doubt either the definite prophecy or the definite fulfilment. It is not so easy to state pre- cisely the reason of the choice of the number. It has been customary to refer, for a proximate reason, to the influence of Hos 6%§ and, for one more remote, to the ancient idea that the spirit hovered beside the body it had inhabited for 3 days, depart- ing on the 3rd day because in the decaying flesh it no longer recognized its own likeness. Perhaps only the former of these associations is worth more than mention. It may fairly be argued that St. Luke, St. John, and St. Paul thought of Hos 6- when they referred to the Resurrection on the 3rd day as taking place according to the Scriptures (Lk 24-'6, Ac 10'», Jn 2", lCol5*), as this is the only pas- sage discoverable where the collocation of ' revival from the dead' and 'the 3rd day' occurs.|| It is another thing, however, to ascribe such definiteness of emphasis upon the 3rd day to our Lord. Even if He thought of the passage in Hosea, He may have regarded the numbers 2 and 3 simply as the natural equivalent for a very short time that was yet a real interval. If one reckons in days, there can hardly be a sliorter interval than one day. It is not surprising that after the event of the Resur- rection the more definite emphasis upon the numeral 3 or 3rd became common. H Other mstances in the
* Proof that the sacredness of 7 wa8 a subject of speculation among Jews of the Ist cent, may be found in Slav. En. xxx. 3. See also Josephus, Ant. \\\. vi. 7, along with the parallel passage in BJ v. V. 5, cited above under I. 4, note.
t Other instances of 1'2, worth mentioning, are * the 12 legions of angels ■ (Mt 2G5^), and the age of the child Jesus when He was found in the Temple (Lk 2-1-). In regard to the latter, Josephus {Ant. V. X, 4) gives Samviel the same age when the Lord called him(l S 3^ff-), and pseudo-Ignatius (ad Matjn. 3) makes Solomon 12 when he delivered the famous judgment (1 K 3it»f).
I W. Taylor Smith notices that 'the 12 'occurs twenty-two times in the Gospels (art. ' Numbers' in DCG).
§ Taken as an expression of real faith, not of delusive hope (see the Commentaries). The prophet's faith for the holy nation, the Servant of God, decided, it might be supposed, the terms of our Lord's faith for Himself as One ' torn ' and 'smitten ' for their sins.
II See E. A. Abbot's Message 0/ the Son o.f Man^ London, 1909, ch. ix. There is also a reference in his The Son of Man, Cam- bridge, 1910, p. 200 (Addendum on ' The Third Day ').
il The strongest argument, perhaps, in favour of distinguish- ing, in reference to the ' 3rd day,* between Jesus and His re- porters, is that supplied by Mt 12^0. This verse is an obvious gloss on the part of the Evangelist, who thinks that the ' sign ' referred to is the death and resurrection of Jesus, and naturally finds the point of comparison between Him and Jonah in the ' 3 days.' He is not disturbed by the fact that in Jonah's case there are ' 3 nights ' as well (Jon ll'O. The sign intended by our Lord is that explained in v.4i.
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