NUMBEES
XVMPHA, XYMPHAS
Gospels in wliich some kind of symbolical meaning may lurk in the fact or mention of the number 3 are: '3 measures of meal'lMt 13^), 'these 3' (T-k lU^), 'these 3 years' (13'), '3 temptations' (Mt 4'"-), 3 agonized prayers ('26""- ^'^ " || ; cf.
2 Co 12*), 3 denials and charges of Simon Peter (Mt 26™"- II Jn SI"*-). Of these perhaps the most relevant are the 3 temptations of Jesus and the 3 years of patience with the barren lig-tree. In lioth instances the number may be suggested by 3J as the common apocalyjitic number for a period of trial or probation. In regard to the 155 of Jn 21" Cahnn has perhaps said the last word : ' Quantum ad piscium numerum spectatnon est sublime aliquid in eoi|u;crendum mysterium' {Cotn. adloc). 'Peter never landed a haul of fish without counting them ' (M. Dods, in EOT, London, 1897, adloc).
3. Three and a half a|)pears instructively in Lk 4^ (cf. Ja 5"). The addition of the 1 to iha 3 of 1 K 18' is evidently due to apocalyptic tradition.
ii. The Acts of the Apostle.s.— Apart from the instances already referred to, the most relevant seem to be : 7 deacons (6^), 7 ' sons of one Sceva a Jew,' using the name of Jesus (19'*), the 3 forties in the history of Moses and the Israelites (7'"- ""• ""),
3 days without sight and food (9*), ' 4 corners of the earth' (10").
iii. The Pauline Epistles. — 1. Oratorical rhythm. — It occurred to the present writer* to study the rhetorical sentences of St. Paul with the view of discovering whether any sort of preference was given to particular numbers in lists of words, phrases, or sentences. The investigation seems to show that if a preference, instinctive or conscious, is given to any number above another, it is rather to 5, 3, or even 6, than to 7. Thus in Ro 8="- there are 5 steps (including the terminus a quo) from 'foreknowledge' to 'glory,' in Ro lO'^"'" the number from ' call ' to ' sent ' is 5. St. Paul would rather speak '5 words with understanding than 10,000 in a tongue' (1 Co W% The grace in which the Corinthians abound and the things they are to put up with are 5 (2 Co 8' 11-"). There are 5 things to be mortified (Col 3°), 5 things to be put otr, and 5 to be put on (with love as 6th) (Col 3'- "), 5 good works of a widow ( 1 Ti 5'").
Instances of 3, single or multiple, are ' faith, hope, love, these 3' (1 Co 13"), the 9 fruits of the spirit in Gal S^^"-. The rhetorical questions at 6'^'- are 3. In the remarkable passage 2 Co 6**- the phrases beginning with iv are 18, those beginning with Si.& are 3, while the adversative phrases begin- ning with Ci% are 7.
In the passage in Romans already alluded to (8-*°'-) the number from 'tribulation' to 'sword' (v.^) is 7, and at 2 Co 7" there are 7 exhibitions of sorrow. But, on the other hand, the number is absent where we might most expect it. Thus the weapons of the spiritual warfare in Eph 6"^*- are 6, and the things to be thought on in Ph 4' are also 6 (cf. 1 Ti 4'^ 6").
Rhetorical examples of 4 are : Eph 6'^ (4 powers to be resisted), Ph 3" (4-fold description of the enemies of the Cross), 2 Ti S" (the profit of Scrip- ture in 4 particulars), 2"-'' (a faithful saying in 4 conditional clauses), 2" {•f things to follow after).
2. Symbolical suggestion. — Apart from rhetorical connexions it would appear that the numbers 3 and 4 occur most frequently, if also in part uncon- sciously, in a sacred connexion. In 2 Co 13''' we have the trinitarian benediction, and in the descriptions of God and the company in heaven a preference seems to be given to the number 3 (1 Ti 1" 5^'). Along with the 3 graces (1 Co 13'') may be placed the 3 gifts (2 Ti I'j. On the other hand, in the usual form of greeting there is no reference
* Unaware at the time that Zdckler had carried out the same idea in his art. 'Siebenzahl' in PRE? xviii. 310 ff.
to the Holy Spirit, but only to 'God our Father' and the 'Lord .l(s\is Chri.st ' (Ho 1' and all the Kpistles to Cliurches except Galatians). In all but the three Pastoral Kpistles the ingredients of the blessing are 2 (grace and peace), in the Pastorals they are 3 (grace, mercy, and peace). The better text, however, in Tit I'' omits fXeos. The apocalyptic suggestions in the '3rd heaven' of 2 Co 12-, and in the 4 dimensions of the im- measuralilc in Eph 3'", should be noticed.
iy. TiiK Epistle to the HKiiiticws.— The ora- torical stj-Ie of this book, where the clauses and phrases are more carefully balanced than in St. Paul's writings, would lead us to expect a prefer- ence for the perfect number 7. Hut here, as in the Pauline Ei>istles, other numbers (k.ii. 5 and 6) are just as frequent. Thus in IP- there are 7 from 'Gideon' to 'the prophets' ; in 12'*, 7 things to which 'ye have not come.' But, on the other hand, in 7' we have a 5-fold description of the King of Peace ; in 7^', 5 adjectives describe the High Priest, Christ ; in 6"' we have the ' founda- tions' of Christian faith in 6 particulars; in 12°^, there are 8 or, reckoning ' Mount Zion ' and the 'city of the living God' separately, 9 things to which 'ye have come.' This is the more remark- able that the author seems, pretty clearly, to associate a mystical significance with the number 7 (4-').