Just very simple math
SUMMARY
At least seven number sets from both
the New Testament and Hebrew Bible, when manipulated with Sower’s
parables numbers (30-60-100 or 100-60-30), yield an unexpected “seventy
times seven” or other result with multiple sevens, a special number in the Bible,
suggesting a shared numerical foundation for those passages. A popular
idea is that the books of the Gospel were written independently.
However, three of the seven-solutions are gained by combining
various books. Maybe the Sower’s-derived sevens are just a coincidence,
but the odds are overwhelmingly against it. Are they instead a lucky
charm, a secret code, or a lesson in awareness?? I don’t know. If
you find other Sower’s-derived sevens in the Bible, please let me know.
OUTLINE
The same factor (24 x
5 x 72) can be derived from both the Ezekiel temple
measurements and the numerical values of the Greek first-letters of apostles’
names and appellations (combining Mark and Luke).
(For those who cannot view
exponentials, the factor is 2 to the fourth power times 5 times seven-squared.)
First I manipulate the number sets
with the numbers found in the Sower’s parables: 100, 60 30. (Sower’s verses one click) Then I discover
(surprise!) that the resultant sums are evenly divisible by “seventy times
seven,” found in Matthew 18:22 (footnote NRSV). -18:22-
A bonus: the apostles’ values
produce a sum for every integer up through the set total – like magic!
In Ezra chapter 2,
application of Sower’s numbers results in a factor of “seventy times seven.”
All three parts, Ezra, Ezekiel, and apostles, have in common the
Sower’s-derived factor 40 x 7 x 7, special numbers in the Bible.
In Revelation chapters 11-13,
application of Sower’s numbers results in a factor of seven-cubed.
Among the combined six
loaves and fishes stories, Sower’s numbers reveal “seventy times seven.”
In 1 Esdras, Sower’s numbers
yield 70 x 7, or seven-squared and 2 to the seventh power.
Sower’s numbers reveal a “seventy
times seven” in 1 Corinthians.
Revelation’s cube-city gemstones in chapter 21, yield a “seventy
times seven” plus other factors that are special numbers such as “144” (12
x 12) and a variant form of the number of a beast (616).
HOW TO USE THE SOWER’S PARABLES
NUMBERS
The method common to the various
parts of the Bible is this:
(1) Divide a discrete number set
into three equal parts;
(2) Multiply by the first part by
100, the second part by 60, the third part by 30;
(3) Sum the products;
(4) Divide by 7, then by 70, (does
it divide evenly?), and repeat with the reverse 30-60-100;
If that doesn’t work, improvise.
If the biblical authors intended to make puzzles, then each solution
might be expected to vary slightly from another, otherwise it would be too
easy.
EZEKIEL
Here are 81 values taken from Ezekiel
temple measurements, chapters 40 through 43 (NRSV), in cubits, arranged
in three sets of 27, in the order in which they appear:
Set 1
5, 1, 8, 2, 10, 13, 1, 6, 25, 20,
50, 50, 25, 100, 50, 25, 100, 50, 25, 25, 5, 50, 25, 50, 25, 1, 1,
Sum = 748
Set 2
100, 100, 5, 14, 3, 20, 12, 6, 10,
5, 40, 20, 2, 6, 7, 20, 20, 6, 4, 5, 20, 5, 70, 5, 90, 100, 100,
Sum = 795
Set 3
100, 100, 3, 2, 50, 20, 10, 100, 50,
50, 100, 500, 500, 500, 500, 500, 500, 1, 1, 2, 1, 4, 1, 4, 12, 14, 1,
Sum = 3626
Notes on how to select the cubits values:
Use only cubits that are measures,
not “a cubit,” not “the cubit.” Half is not counted as a number.
“Long cubit” is not counted as a cubit. “14 cubits and 14” counts as only
one cubits measure, “14 cubits,” and so on. Heed warning in Revelation
11:2 about the outer court and do not use the value of 100 that follows “outer
court” in Ezekiel 40:17; and do not use the value of 100 that follows
“outer court” in Ezekiel 42:1. Do not use the value 2 that the NRSV
says is in the Greek but not in the Hebrew. Of course I can only guess
how to build a group of 81 values and such may not have been intended by the
biblical author.
Using the “100, 60, 30” in the
Sower’s Parables ((1) Matthew 13:8 – 100, 60, 30; (2) Matthew
13:23 – 100, 60, 30; (3) Mark 4:8 – 30, 60, 100; (4) Mark
4:20 – 30, 60, 100; (5) Luke 8:8 – 100):
100 x sum 1 = 100 x 748 = 74,800
60 x sum 2 = 60 x 795 = 47,700
30 x sum 3 = 30 x 3626 = 108,780
Sum of products = 231,280
231,280 = 59 x (24 x 5
x 72)
APOSTLES
Here are the 27 values of Greek
first-letters of apostle names and appellations taken from Mark AND Luke
and the numerical values of these characters (background below):
8 of Ἰ (each 10), 4 of Ἁ (each 1), 3
of Σ (each 200), 2 of Θ (each 9), 2 of Ζ (each 7), 2 of Β (each 2), 1 of Μ (40),
1 of Υ (400), 1 of Κ (20), 1 of Φ (500), 1 of Π (80), 1 of Τ (300),
Here are the 27 apostles’ values
arranged in order of ascent, in three subsets of 9 values each:
Subset 1
1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 7, 7, 9,
Sum = 31
Subset 2
9, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10,
Sum = 89
Subset 3
20, 40, 80, 200, 200, 200, 300, 400,
500,
Sum = 1940
Using the Sower’s parable numbers
(100, 60, 30) do the following calculation:
100 x sum 1 = 100 x 31 = 3,100
60 x sum 2 = 60 x 89 = 5,340
30 x sum 3 = 30 x 1940 = 58,200
Sum of products = 66,640
66,640 = 17 x (24 x 5
x 72)
ODDS AGAINST A SHARED FACTOR
Now I am not suddenly going to
become an expert on probability but please bear with me.
We can readily see that the value 24
x 5 x 72 = 3920, will occur only once in every 3920 integers in
sequence. The probability of this happening in both Ezekiel and with the
apostles (twice), is 1 in 3920 multiplied by 1 in 3920 or 1 in
15,366,400. Odds against are better than 1 in 15 million!
Does this prove that the biblical
author must have deliberately constructed the apostles’ names and appellations
(last names, nicknames, etc.) to achieve a certain result with the numerical
values of the Greek first-letters? It doesn’t prove anything to me
because I know that on any given day, somebody somewhere may have won the
lottery against all odds. Coincidences can happen. But I admit the
numbers are intriguing.
I think it is a valid question
to ask if the New Testament author(s) copied a numerical structure from
the Hebrew Bible in order to construct apostles’ names and
appellations. After all, much was borrowed, even explicitly, as when it
says, “according to the scriptures.” It is a question which presupposes
that I have correctly assembled the sets of numerical values in each case – a
huge assumption – because the sets are just a careful guess. It is a
question that has no answer because we do not have the privilege of consulting
with the biblical author(s) to ask what he or she or they intended.
BONUS APOSTLES’ FEATURE
The 27 numbers in the apostles’ set
add up to 2060. I believe the real magic is that any
number, 1 through 2060, may be generated by taking/adding one or more of the
numbers in the set, using each of the 27 set numbers not more than once.
Why is this remarkable? Because there are only 12 types of characters in
the set out of a possible total of 24 Greek letter-characters used for
numerals. Isn’t it a nice feature that the numerical values of the
first-letters of apostle names and appellations allow these sums to be
generated?
Having every value up through 2060
is like the checker’s math problem: what bills and coins do you put in
your change drawer to make change for a 100 dollar bill, for every possible
dollar and cents total up to $99.99? This means that a certain number of
1’s, 2’s, 10’s, etc., are necessary as part of the set to achieve each sum
sought.
I admit that I did not try to add up
the number(s) for each and every sum, 1 through 2060, but I do believe that it
can be done without using any of the 27 numbers more than once. At least
I have yet to find a sum (1 – 2060) that cannot be generated within the set
this way. But certainly any other number can be generated if you use one
or more of the 27 numbers more than once (given the presence of 1’s).
And what are the odds against having
a set of 27 values which can sum to each and every integer up to and including
the total value, as do the numerical values representing the first-letters of
apostle names and appellations? The odds against picking up a particular
Greek letter character are 1 in 24 as there are 24 characters with
sounds. Odds against gaining two critical letters are 1 in 24 multiplied
by 1 in 24, or 1 in 576, and so on. The odds against gaining critical
letters (enough of values 1 and 2, etc.) is multiplied by the odds against a
factor of 7-7-4-4-5 in two places. So 1 in 3920 x 1 in 3920 x 1 in 24 x 1 in 24
= very conservatively, 1 in 8,851,046,400. So the overall odds against
the apostles’ names are at least 1 in 8 billion.
Nothing is proven by this of course,
because we know from experience that people do sometimes win the lottery!
Coincidences can happen.
Also, the apostle values less than
10 add up to 40, a very special number in the Bible. I had to
throw that in.
EZRA CHAPTER 2
As a result of manipulation with
Sower’s numbers (100, 60, 30), a sum of products is obtained from Ezra
2:1-60, the list of numbers of returning exiles, that contains the factor “seventy
times seven,” found in Matthew 18:22 (footnote NRSV).
This Ezra result has something in common with the results for the
apostles’ lists and the Ezekiel temple measurements above: all
results contain the common factor 40 x 7 x 7, special numbers in the Bible.
Here is a block of 42 numbers, in
the order presented in Ezra chapter 2 (NRSV), arranged in three
sets of 14 numbers each, and summed:
Set 1
2172, 372, 775, 2812, 1254, 945,
760, 642, 623, 1222, 666, 2056, 454, 98,
Sum 1 = 14,851
Set 2
323, 112, 223, 95, 123, 56, 128, 42,
743, 621, 122, 223, 52, 156,
Sum 2 = 3,019
Set 3
1254, 320, 725, 345, 3630, 973,
1052, 1247, 1017, 74, 128, 139, 392, 652,
Sum 3 = 11,948
None of these sums are evenly
divisible by 7.
Using the “100, 60, 30” in the
Sower’s Parables, Matthew 13:8 and Matthew 13:23:
100 x sum 1 = 100 x 14,851 =
1,485,100
60 x sum 2 = 60 x 3,019 = 181,140
30 x sum 3 = 30 x 11,948 = 358,440
Sum of products = 2,024,680
2,024,680 = 1033 x (23
x 5 x 72)
Or 1033 x 7 x 7 x 40; seven and
forty being special numbers in the Bible.
What are the odds against a common
factor of “7 x 7 x 40” happening in three different parts of the Bible:
Ezra chapter 2 – the list of returning exiles, Ezekiel temple
measurements, and the combined lists of apostles in both Mark and Luke?
We can readily see that the value 23
x 5 x 72 = 1960, will occur only once in every 1960 integers in
sequence. The probability of this happening in three different parts of
the Bible is 1 in 1960 multiplied by 1 in 1960 multiplied by 1 in 1960
or (1/1960)3 or 1 in 7,529,536,000. Odds against are more than
1 in 7.5 billion!
It is interesting to see these
sevens appearing, but I remind myself that coincidences can happen!
REVELATION CHAPTERS 11-13
As a result of manipulation with
Sower’s numbers (100, 60, 30), a sum of products is obtained from Revelation
11:2-13:5 (NRSV), that contains not the factor “seventy
times seven,” but a grand 7 x 7 x 7 or seven-cubed!
Taking a clue from my Ezra
chapter 2 experience above, where the block of 42 numbers is immediately
followed by the words, “forty-two,” I searched for the two instances of “42” in
Revelation I had noticed earlier. These mark the beginning and end
of a group of 21 numbers arranged here in the order presented in Revelation,
in three sets of 7 numbers each, and summed. For this group (unlike Ezekiel
above) “half” is a number:
Set 1
42, 2, 1260, 2, 2, 3.5, 2
Sum 1 = 1,313.5
Set 2
3.5, 7000, 24, 12, 7, 10, 7
Sum 2 = 7,063.5
Set 3
1260, 2, 0.5, 10, 7, 10, 42
Sum 3 = 1,331.5
None of these sums are evenly
divisible by 7.
Using the “100, 60, 30” in the
Sower’s Parables, Matthew 13:8 and Matthew 13:23:
100 x sum 1 = 100 x 1,313.5 =
131,350
60 x sum 2 = 60 x 7,063.5 = 423,810
30 x sum 3 = 30 x 1,331.5 = 39,945
Sum of products = 595,105 = 347 x 5
x 7 x 7 x 7
Seven-cubed! The context here
is that seven is a special number in the Bible.
What are the odds against a common
factor of “5 x 7 x 7” happening in four different parts of the Bible:
in Ezra chapter 2 – the list of returning exiles, in the Ezekiel
temple measurements, in the combined lists of apostles in both Mark and Luke,
and in Revelation?
We can readily see that the value 5
x 72 = 245, will occur only once in every 245 integers in
sequence. The probability of this happening in four different parts of
the Bible, is 1 in 245 raised to the fourth power or 1 in
3,603,000,625. 1 in 3.6 billion!
Now with this fourth instance of
multiple sevens appearing with the application of Sower’s numbers (100, 60,
30), I have to ask myself if it could just be a coincidence. Yes, of
course it could just be a coincidence!
LOAVES AND FISHES
This next finding comes from combining
the six loaves and fishes stories in all four books of the Gospel
together. This certainly challenges the prevailing popular theory that
all four books were written independently. (Recall that the apostles’
lists above likewise are based on more than one book.) So yes, it may be
important to read the books of the Gospel together!
I had written about the six loaves
and fishes stories before, but I had not noticed until now that there are 49
numbers in those stories. Realizing I had 49 values gave me encouragement
to proceed further – as 49 = 7 x 7, and seven is a special number in the Bible.
Here are the 49 values in the order
presented in the text (NRSV including footnote):
Matthew 14: 5, 2, 5, 2, 12, 5000,
Matthew 15: 3, 7, 7, 7, 4000
Matthew 16 (a summary of two feedings): 5, 5000, 7, 4000
Mark 6: 200, 5, 2, 100, 50, 5, 2, 2, 12, 5000
Mark 8: 3, 7, 7, 7, 4000
Mark 8 (a summary of two feedings): 5, 5000, 12, 7, 4000,
7
Luke 9: 5, 2, 5000, 50, 5, 2, 12
John 6: 200, 5, 2, 5000, 5, 12
However, how was I to get three sets
of numbers from 49, when 49 is not evenly divisible by 3? As with the
group of 49 in Exodus above, I tried to find ways to consolidate, but to
no avail. As I was shutting down my computer, disappointed, this text appeared
on the screen (because I had been looking at it earlier):
Jesus is reported saying, “Do you
still not perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand,
and how many baskets you gathered? Or the seven loaves
for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered?” (Matthew
16:9-10 (NRSV))
How many baskets? How many
baskets? Well, I suddenly realized that two numbers were missing and I
had to supply the missing numbers – the numbers for the baskets. These
basket numbers are in other verses and are given below in brackets.
I also found that I needed to cast
off the “thousands” as I had done in an earlier post when I found that the
numbers in Mark’s summary statement in 8:19-20, sum to 40, a very
special number in the Bible, if the thousands are cast off; 5000 becomes
5 and 4000 becomes 4, and you get forty: 5 + 5 + 12 + 7 + 4 + 7 = 40
So here are the loaves and fishes
group of 49 values with two added “basket” values in brackets for a total of 51
values, with thousands cast off, arranged in the order presented in the text,
in three sets of 17 values each, summed:
Set 1
5, 2, 5, 2, 12, 5…, 3, 7, 7, 7, 4…,
5, 5…, [12], 7, 4…, [7],
Sum 1 = 99
Set 2
200, 5, 2, 100, 50, 5, 2, 2, 12, 5…,
3, 7, 7, 7, 4…, 5, 5…,
Sum 2 = 421
Set 3
12, 7, 4…, 7, 5, 2, 5…, 50, 5, 2,
12, 200, 5, 2, 5…, 5, 12,
Sum 3 = 340
None of these sums are evenly
divisible by 7.
Now for the first time in this post,
instead of using the “100, 60, 30” in the Sower’s Parables to bring forth
biblical sevens, I use the reverse in the Sower’s Parables, 30, 60, 100 (Mark
4:8 and 4:20).
30 x sum 1 = 30 x 99 = 2,970
60 x sum 2 = 60 x 421 = 25,260
100 x sum 3 = 100 x 340 = 34,000
Sum of products = 62,230 = 7 x 7 x 5
x 2 x 127
Once again, I get a resultant sum
that is evenly divisible by “seventy times seven,” found in Matthew
18:22 (footnote NRSV). -18:22-
What are the odds of finding
“seventy times seven” four times: (1) in the loaves and fishes, (2) in Ezra
chapter 2, (3) in Ezekiel temple measurements, and (4) in the apostles’
lists?
We can readily see that the value 2
x 5 x 72 = 490, will occur only once in every 490 integers in
sequence. The probability of this happening in four different parts of
the Bible, is (1/490)4 or 1 in 57,648,010,000. Odds
against are more than 1 in 57 billion! That’s astronomical!
But I am not getting excited about
this, because I know that coincidences can happen, and all this could be just a
coincidence.
Some more notes on the loaves and
fishes: I was not sure if Matthew should be considered the first
book of the Gospel or Mark (which says it is first (Mark
1:1)). No matter whether I place Mark’s or Matthew’s
numbers first, no matter whether I calculate 100, 60, 30 or the reverse, there
are resultant seventies, and in the case of Mark-first with 100, 60, 30,
also a “2 to the seventh power”! Believe me, I feel that
there is something very unusual about the loaves and fishes numbers; if it is
not all just a coincidence.
1 ESDRAS CHAPTER 9 ON MIXED MARRIAGES
1Esdras Chapter 9:19-35 (NRSV) lists the names and clan
names of those men who had married Pagan women. At first it would seem to
be a set of 120 values, deceptively easy to decipher, the values being the numerical
values of the Greek first-letters of each name; 120 being auspicious as 3 x 40,
special numbers in the Bible.
There may be actually as many as 124
values. Notes on which values to select: Do not include Levites, or
singers, or gatekeepers as these are group names, not individual names.
Include Israel, which can be a person’s name as well as a group name. Do
not include Kelita, an alternative name for Kelaiah. For the “brothers”
count two brothers (each Greek first-letter Α, value 1); this is compatible
with the apostles’ set above where each “brother” is counted.
Only one of the listed names is a
double name (Σιμων Χοσαμαιος) translated as Simon Chosamaeus (1Esdras 9:32).
This is the only guy with a last name. I teased the Greek last name apart
in the Google translator and got three modern Greek words: Χοσ
“audio,” σαμ “sum,” and μαιος “May” (the month). Could “sum” be a
clue? “Audio”? “’Some fell into good soil, and when it grew, it
produced a hundredfold.’ As he said this, he called out, ‘Let anyone with ears
to hear listen!’” (Sower’s parable in Luke 8:8)
The word “sum” is particularly intriguing but I don’t know enough about Greek
to know for sure if this could be a clue urging me to make some sums??
The numerical value of the Greek first-letter
of each of these 120 names is shown here in brackets (for more information see
the Greek numerals chart under “Background” further below). The bracketed
value for a name is shown after it. Three subsets of 40
first-letter-name-values are arranged here in the order in which they occur,
and summed:
Subset 1
19 ἐκ τῶν υἱῶν Ἰησοῦ [10] τοῦ
Ιωσεδεκ [10] καὶ τῶν ἀδελφῶν [1, 1 (two brothers)] Μασηας [40] καὶ Ελεαζαρος
[5] καὶ Ιωριβος [10] καὶ Ιωδανος [10] 20 καὶ ἐπέβαλον τὰς χεῖρας ἐκβαλεῖν
τὰς γυναῖκας αὐτῶν καὶ εἰς ἐξιλασμὸν κριοὺς ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀγνοίας αὐτῶν 21 καὶ
ἐκ τῶν υἱῶν Εμμηρ [5] Ανανιας [1] καὶ Ζαβδαιος [7] καὶ Μανης [40] καὶ Σαμαιος
[200] καὶ Ιιηλ [10] καὶ Αζαριας [1] 22 καὶ ἐκ τῶν υἱῶν Φαισουρ [500]
Ελιωναις [5] Μασσιας [40] Ισμαηλος [10] καὶ Ναθαναηλος [50] καὶ Ωκιδηλος [800]
καὶ Σαλθας [200] 23 καὶ ἐκ τῶν Λευιτῶν [(Levites not selected] Ιωζαβδος
[10] καὶ Σεμεϊς [200] καὶ Κωλιος [20] οὗτος Καλιτας [alternate name not
selected] καὶ Παθαιος [80] καὶ Ωουδας [800] καὶ Ιωανας [10] 24 ἐκ τῶν ἱεροψαλτῶν
Ελιασιβος [5] Βακχουρος [2] 25 ἐκ τῶν θυρωρῶν Σαλλουμος [200] καὶ Τολβανης
[300] 26 ἐκ τοῦ Ισραηλ [10] ἐκ τῶν υἱῶν Φορος [500] Ιερμας [10] καὶ Ιεζιας [10]
καὶ Μελχιας [40] καὶ Μιαμινος [40] καὶ Ελεαζαρος [5] καὶ Ασιβιας [1]
Sum of subset 1 = 4,199
Subset 2
καὶ Βανναιας [2] 27 ἐκ τῶν υἱῶν Ηλαμ
[8] Ματανιας [40] καὶ Ζαχαριας [7] Ιεζριηλος [10] καὶ Ωβαδιος [800] καὶ Ιερεμωθ
[10] καὶ Ηλιας [8] 28 καὶ ἐκ τῶν υἱῶν Ζαμοθ [7] Ελιαδας [5] Ελιασιμος [5]
Οθονιας [70] Ιαριμωθ [10] καὶ Σαβαθος [200] καὶ Ζερδαιας [7] 29 καὶ ἐκ τῶν υἱῶν
Βηβαι [2] Ιωαννης [10] καὶ Ανανιας [1] καὶ Ζαβδος [7] καὶ Εμαθις [5] 30 καὶ ἐκ
τῶν υἱῶν Μανι [40] Ωλαμος [800] Μαμουχος [40] Ιεδαιος [10] Ιασουβος [10] καὶ
Ασαηλος [1] καὶ Ιερεμωθ [10] 31 καὶ ἐκ τῶν υἱῶν Αδδι [1] Νααθος [50] καὶ Μοοσσιας
[40] Λακκουνος [30] καὶ Ναϊδος [50] καὶ Βεσκασπασμυς [2] καὶ Σεσθηλ [200] καὶ
Βαλνουος [2] καὶ Μανασσηας [40] 32 καὶ ἐκ τῶν υἱῶν Ανναν [1] Ελιωνας [5] καὶ
Ασαιας [1] καὶ Μελχιας [40]
Sum of subset 2 = 2,587
Subset 3
καὶ Σαββαιας [200] καὶ Σιμων [200] Χοσαμαιος
[600] 33 καὶ ἐκ τῶν υἱῶν Ασομ [1] Μαλτανναιος [40] καὶ Ματταθιας [40] καὶ
Σαβανναιους [200] καὶ Ελιφαλατ [5] καὶ Μανασσης [40] καὶ Σεμεϊ [200] 34 καὶ ἐκ
τῶν υἱῶν Βαανι [2] Ιερεμιας [10] Μομδιος [40] Μαηρος [40] Ιουηλ [10] Μαμδαι
[40] καὶ Πεδιας [80] καὶ Ανως [1] Καραβασιων [20] καὶ Ελιασιβος [5] καὶ
Μαμνιταναιμος [40] Ελιασις [5] Βαννους [2] Ελιαλις [5] Σομεϊς [200] Σελεμιας
[200] Ναθανιας [50] καὶ ἐκ τῶν υἱῶν Εζωρα [5] Σεσσις [200] Εζριλ [5] Αζαηλος
[1] Σαματος [200] Ζαμβρις [7] Ιωσηπος [10] 35 καὶ ἐκ τῶν υἱῶν Νοομα [50]
Μαζιτιας [40] Ζαβαδαιας [7] Ηδαις [8] Ιουηλ [10] Βαναιας [2]
Sum of subset 3 = 2,821
Greek taken from: http://en.katabiblon.com/us/index.php?text=LXX&book=1Esd&ch=9
Applying the Sower’s numbers
100-60-30 and 30-60-100 (Sower’s verses one click):
100 x sum 1 = 100 x 4,199 = 419,900
60 x sum 2 = 60 x 2,587 = 155,220
30 x sum 3 = 30 x 2,821 = 84,630
Sum of products = 659,750; factor 70
30 x sum 1 = 30 x 4,199 = 125,970
60 x sum 2 = 60 x 2,587 = 155,220
100 x sum 3 = 100 x 2,821 = 282,100
Sum of products = 563,290; factor 70
Add both sums together
659,750 + 563,290 = 1,223,040 = 7
x 7 x 5 x 3 x 13 x (2 to the seventh power)
Well, I don’t know if 2 to the
seventh power could be special. Is seven of two as special as two of
seven? Well, I have both. Also in there is the factor 70 x 7.
I’m particularly glad for the appearance of 70 x 7 reminding me of “seventy
times seven,” found in Matthew 18:22 (footnote NRSV).
-18:22-”
You know, I almost missed that 2 to
the seventh power. Then I took the clue “month of May” and divided by
5. (May was the fifth month in the Julian calendar?)
Odds of gathering a 70 x 7 and also
a 27? Perhaps 1 in 62,720.
Maybe all just a coincidence.
1 CORINTHIANS LOVE RIDDLE
“And now faith, hope, and love
abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.” (1
Corinthians 13:13 (NRSV)) The previous verse (13:12) contains
the word “riddle” (NRSV footnote)
How can I resist looking for a
number puzzle when I see “riddle” and “three”?
Here are faith, hope, love in Greek:
πίστις, ἐλπίς, ἀγάπη (from 1
Corinthians 13:13 (SBL Greek New Testament))
This puzzle, by Paul the Apostle, is
short and sweet:
I take the numerical value of the
Greek first-letter from each of “faith, hope, love.”
Π = 80
Ε = 5
Α = 1
Using the Sower’s numbers 30-60-100
and 100-60-30 (Sower’s verses one click):
30 x 80 = 2,400
60 x 5 = 300
100 x 1 = 100
Sum of products = 2,800 = 70
x 40; both special numbers in the Bible.
100 x 80 = 8,000
60 x 5 = 300
30 x 1 = 30
Sum of products = 8,330 = 70
x 7 x 17
A factor of 490 or “seventy
times seven” (found in Matthew 18:22 (footnote NRSV)
-18:22-”).
The 17 maybe is a bonus seven (10 +
7).
Probability of finding the 7 x 7
factor in a sum of products is, very conservatively, 1 in 7-squared or 1 in
49. Less conservatively, the odds against finding two instances of 70 x 7
are (1 in 490)2 or 1 in 240,100.
But of course finding sevens and
seventies could be just a coincidence.
REVELATION’S CUBE-CITY GEMSTONES
I thought that the list of 12
precious stones on the cube-city’s foundation-facades (Revelation
21:19-20) might be a puzzle in some way, especially when I read the TNIV
footnote that the “identification of some of these precious stones is
uncertain.” So the spelling is off?? Since Greek numerals at that
time were written with letters (see Greek numerals chart further below), it
seems that the spelling of the gemstones may have been altered to correspond to
certain numbers.
Unlike other solutions above where
only the numerical values of the Greek first-letters are used, here I sum the
numerical values of all letters in each gemstone name to gain 12 values for the
12 gemstones. These values are shown next in brackets after each
gemstone, arranged in three sets of four values in the order in which they
appear in the text, and each set summed.
Set 1
οἱ θεμέλιοι τοῦ τείχους τῆς πόλεως
παντὶ λίθῳ τιμίῳ κεκοσμημένοι· ὁ θεμέλιος ὁ πρῶτος ἴασπις, [501] ὁ δεύτερος
σάπφιρος, [1161] ὁ τρίτος χαλκηδών, [1513] ὁ τέταρτος σμάραγδος, [619]
Sum 1 = 3,794
Set 2
ὁ πέμπτος σαρδόνυξ, [885] ὁ ἕκτος
σάρδιον, [435] ὁ ἕβδομος χρυσόλιθος, [1689] ὁ ὄγδοος βήρυλλος, [840]
Sum 2 = 3,849
Set 3
ὁ ἔνατος τοπάζιον, [588] ὁ δέκατος
χρυσόπρασος, [2021] ὁ ἑνδέκατος ὑάκινθος, [760] ὁ δωδέκατος ἀμέθυστος [1225]
Sum 3 = 4,594
From the SBL Greek New Testament-SBL-
Only the first sum is evenly
divisible by 7.
Using “100, 60, 30” in the Sower’s
Parables, Matthew 13:8 and Matthew 13:23:
100 x sum 1 = 100 x 3,794 = 379,400
60 x sum 2 = 60 x 3,849 = 230,940
30 x sum 3 = 30 x 4,594 = 137,820
Sum of products = 748,160 = 7 x 5 x
167 x 27
There is a factor of 70, and
also a factor of 2 to the seventh power.
Is seven of two just as desirable as
2 of 7?
Then I use the reverse in the
Sower’s Parables numbers, 30, 60, 100 (Mark 4:8 and 4:20):
30 x sum 1 = 30 x 3,794 = 113,820
60 x sum 2 = 60 x 3,849 = 230,940
100 x sum 3 = 100 x 4,594 = 459,400
Sum of products = 804,160; factor of
70
But watch what happens when I add
the two sums of products together:
748,160 + 804,160 = 1,552,320;
factor of 70 x 7
This joint sum is evenly divisible
by “seventy times seven,” (Matthew 18:22 (footnote NRSV).
-18:22-).
It is also evenly divisible by “144”
(found in Revelation 21:17, just a couple of verses earlier, and found
also as 144,000); 144 is equal to 12 x 12, a special number in the Bible.
It is evenly divisible by “616” (a
variant for the number of the beast in Revelation 13:18).
It is evenly divisible by “1,260”
(found in Revelation 11:3 and 12:6).
It is evenly divisible by “24 x 24”
(24 thrones and 24 elders being found in Revelation).
It is evenly divisible by “42 x 42”
(42 being found twice in Revelation).
It is evenly divisible by “60,” a
special number in the Bible.
It is evenly divisible by “40,” a
special number in the Bible.
It is evenly divisible by “30,” a
special number in the Bible.
It is evenly divisible by “11,” the
name of the Twelve after Judas left (six citations).
When I see how versatile the joint
sum of 1,552,320 is, I have some more confidence that the biblical author may
have wanted it to be discovered by readers; at least by those readers ready to
engage in a valuable exercise to promote awareness, and what else do we hope to
achieve in this life?
Now with this seventh instance of my
discovering a “seventy times seven” in the Bible with Sower’s
Parables numbers, I have to ask, what are the odds of gaining seven instances
of “seventy times seven”? We can readily see that the odds of a factor of
7 x 7 are 1 in 49. The probability of seven instances of this is 1 in 49
to the seventh power, or 1 in 678,223,072,849. That is 1 in 678
billion. Likewise, the probability of gaining seven of “seventy times
seven” is 490 to the seventh power, or 6,782,230,728,490,000,000 (or 6.78e+18).
Astronomical!
There does appear to be a non-random
repeating numerical pattern in the Bible, but of course, it could just
be a coincidence.
Caveat: If the occurrence of
sevens is not just a coincidence, then I’ll guess there is some mathematical
method involved, but not necessarily the method I have explained in this post.
________________________________
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Compare Matthew 10:1-4, Mark
3:13-19, Luke 6:12-16, Acts 1:13 (NRSV) one click
NAMES
OF TWELVE APOSTLES
|
|||
Matthew
10:1-4
|
Mark
3:13-19
|
Luke
6:12-16
|
Acts
1:13
|
1 – Simon, also known as
Peter
[Σ]ίμων ὁ λεγόμενος [Π]έτρος
|
1 – Simon (to whom he gave
the name Peter)
Σίμωνι Πέτρον
|
1 – Simon, whom he named
Peter
Σίμωνα ὃν καὶ ὠνόμασεν
Πέτρον
|
1 – Peter
Πέτρος
|
2 – and his brother Andrew
[Ἀ]νδρέας ὁ [ἀ]δελφὸς αὐτοῦ
|
4 – Andrew
Ἀνδρέαν
|
2 – and his brother Andrew
Ἀνδρέαν τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ
|
4 – Andrew
Ἀνδρέας
|
3 – James, son of Zebedee
[Ἰ]άκωβος ὁ τοῦ [Ζ]εβεδαίου
|
2 – James, son of Zebedee
Ἰάκωβον τὸν τοῦ Ζεβεδαίου
|
3 – James
Ἰάκωβον
|
3 – James
Ἰάκωβος
|
4 – and his brother John
Ἰωάννης ὁ ἀδελφὸς αὐτοῦ
|
3 – John, the brother of
James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of
Thunder)
[Ἰ]ωάννην τὸν [ἀ]δελφὸν τοῦ [Ἰ]ακώβου
(καὶ ἐπέθηκεν αὐτοῖς ὀνόματα (ὄνομα) Βοανηργές, ὅ
ἐστιν [Υ]ἱοὶ [Β]ροντῆς)
|
4 – John
Ἰωάννην
|
2 – John
Ἰωάννης
(SBL Greek NT
footnote has an alternate reverse order James and John)
|
5 – Philip
[Φ]ίλιππος
|
5 – Philip
Φίλιππον
|
5 – Philip
Φίλιππον
|
5 – Philip
Φίλιππος
|
6 – Bartholomew
[Β]αρθολομαῖος
|
6 – Bartholomew
Βαρθολομαῖον
|
6 – Bartholomew
Βαρθολομαῖον
|
7 – Bartholomew
Βαρθολομαῖος
|
7 – Thomas
[Θ]ωμᾶς
|
8 – Thomas
Θωμᾶν
|
8 – Thomas
Θωμᾶν
|
6 – Thomas
Θωμᾶς
|
8 – Matthew the tax
collector
[Μ]αθθαῖος ὁ [τ]ελώνης
|
7 – Matthew
Μαθθαῖον
|
7 – Matthew
Μαθθαῖον
|
8 – Matthew
Μαθθαῖος
|
9 – James, son of Alphaeus
[Ἰ]άκωβος ὁ τοῦ [Ἁ]λφαίου
|
9 – James, son of
Alphaeus
Ἰάκωβον τὸν τοῦ Ἁλφαίου
|
9 – James, son of Alphaeus
Ἰάκωβον Ἁλφαίου (+ τὸν τοῦ)
|
9 – James, son of Alphaeus
Ἰάκωβος Ἁλφαίου
|
10 – Thaddaeus (Other
ancient authorities read Lebbaeus,* or Lebbaeus
called Thaddaeus)
[Θ]αδδαῖος (Λεββαῖος ὁ ἐπικληθεὶς Θαδδαῖος)
|
10 – Thaddaeus
Θαδδαῖον
|
||
11 – Simon the Cananaean
[Σ]ίμων ὁ [Κ]αναναῖος (Κανανίτης)
|
11 – Simon the Cananaean
Σίμωνα τὸν Καναναῖον
(Κανανίτην)
|
||
10 – Simon, who was called
the Zealot*
[Σ]ίμωνα τὸν καλούμενον [Ζ]ηλωτὴν
|
10 – Simon the Zealot
Σίμων ὁ ζηλωτὴς
|
||
11 – Judas son of James*
[Perhaps this should have
the same NRSV footnote as in Acts, “Or the
brother of.”]
[Ἰ]ούδαν [Ἰ]ακώβου
|
11 – Judas son of James
(Or the brother of)
Ἰούδας Ἰακώβου
|
||
12 – Judas Iscariot, the one
who betrayed him
[Ἰ]ούδας ὁ [Ἰ]σκαριώτης
|
12 – Judas Iscariot, who
betrayed him
Ἰούδαν Ἰσκαριώθ (Ἰσκαριώτην)
|
12 – Judas Iscariot, who
became a traitor
Ἰούδαν Ἰσκαριὼθ (Ἰσκαριώτην)
|
Acts 1:26 Matthias replaces Judas Iscariot
Μαθθίαν
|
English names are from the NRSV.
Greek is from the SBL Greek New
Testament.
The number shown is that name’s
order in the list of names in that book.
Inconsistent names are shown with
an asterisk (*).
Bracketed, bolded first-letters of
names and appellations comprise the set of 27.
|
|||
When I make the apostles’ names set
of 27, I use the first-letter only of each name and appellation.
I count Simon-Cananaean and I count
Simon-Zealot, and I count Simon-Peter as a Simon.
I count “brother” (ἀδελφὸς)
appellations, one each for Andrew and John. I count the explanation of
the meaning “Sons of Thunder” (Υἱοὶ) and (Βροντῆς). As far as I can tell
(and I don’t know much about Greek), these are the only “son” or “brother”
words actually found in the Greek apostle lists, although the translators add
plenty more usually, where the Greek only says “of,” “him of,” or is silent.
The chart above shows the various
names and appellations for the 12 apostles in four books of the New Testament.
The first-letters of 27 Greek names and appellations I selected for the set are
bolded and bracketed. When I pick a first-letter for a particular name or
appellation, I do not pick it again when it is repeated in a different
book. But names and appellations that are found only in either Mark
or Luke must be combined, otherwise this set does not
exist. All those I picked in Matthew are also in either Mark
or Luke.
How many names are there for the
twelve apostles? There are more than 12 names for these 12 men.
Compare Matthew 10:1-4, Mark
3:13-19, Luke 6:12-16, Acts 1:13 (NRSV) one click
Thaddaeus vs. Judas-James (13th name
for 12 apostles): Thaddaeus is listed in Matthew
and Mark only. Perhaps this person is the same person as Judas,
son (or brother) of James in Luke and Acts. Perhaps
not. Some like to conflate the names making a person named St. Jude
Thaddaeus.
Thaddaeus vs. Lebbaeus (14th name
for 12 apostles): In some manuscripts it is
“Lebbaeus” instead of Thaddaeus OR “Lebbaeus called Thaddaeus” (NRSV
footnote for Matthew 10:3). Since the names are associated in one
(or more?) manuscripts but not elsewhere, that is not conclusive.
Thaddaeus and Lebbaeus may be two different men. But because one of them
may have been added later by an editing copyist, I chose only one of them for
the set and I chose Thaddaeus because his first letter (Greek Θ) matches that
of Thomas. Basically, I like the way the set works without Lebbaeus.
Simon-Cananaean vs. Simon-Zealot
(15th name for 12 apostles):
Notice that in addition to the first Simon listed (who was renamed Peter),
there are two other Simons. These are Simon the Cananaean (Matthew,
Mark) and Simon called the Zealot (Luke, Acts).
Could these two be the same man? “Zealot” means a Jew in rebellion
against the Roman occupation. A Cananaean or Canaanite was a non-Jew; an
inhabitant of the Land of Canaan. A non-Jew could be in rebellion also,
but I rather doubt he would be called a “Zealot.”
I did notice that the last name of
Judas Iscariot is spelled two different ways in the Greek (judging from the
footnote??), but I am too clever to be tricked into thinking that he could be
two – there is only one betrayer.
________________________________
Wikipedia Greek numerals
Letter
|
Value
|
Letter
|
Value
|
Letter
|
Value
|
||
αʹ
|
ιʹ
|
ρʹ
|
|||||
βʹ
|
κʹ
|
σʹ
|
|||||
γʹ
|
λʹ
|
τʹ
|
|||||
δʹ
|
μʹ
|
υʹ
|
|||||
εʹ
|
νʹ
|
φʹ
|
|||||
ϝʹ or ϛʹ or στʹ
|
ξʹ
|
χʹ
|
|||||
ζʹ
|
οʹ
|
ψʹ
|
|||||
ηʹ
|
πʹ
|
ωʹ
|
|||||
θʹ
|
ϟʹ
|
ϡʹ
|
More Greek numerals http://www.foundalis.com/lan/grknum.htm
________________________________
DECONSTRUCTING THE SPECIAL NUMBER
(Ezekiel and apostles)
It was my decision to use the
biblical refrain 100, 60, 30, to construct sums of products, and perhaps such a
step might not have been foreseen by the biblical authors. But it is not
enough to merely have a sum of products derived from 100, 60, 30 (each product
including factors 2 and 5 contributed by these numbers). Rather the sum
of products must have combined factors of 24 x 5 x 7.2
Sower’s sums take the form of:
190 + 30x; or 290 + 30x; or 390 + 30x. This is because excess multiples
of 100 in blocks of 300 can be evenly divided by 30. Once I have a
special number with factors of 24 x 5 x 7,2 how
can I deconstruct the special number to obtain three sets of other numbers to be
multiplied by 30, 60, 100?
Let numbers containing the factor 24
x 5 x 72 take the form of (3920)y.
The following formula shows the
intersection of values with both desired features, (1) having a factor of 24
x 5 x 7,2 and (2) being a sum of 30, 60, 100, products:
190* + 30x = 3920y
x = (3920y – 190*)/ 30
* either 190, 290, or 390
The possible values that have both
desired features are as follows:
3920, 7840, 11760, 15680, 19600,
23520, 27440 . . . . . and so on.
Example:
Let y = 2; then x = ((3920)(2) –
190)/30 = 255
The sum of products in this example
is 7840 and there must be at least 1 of 30, 1 of 60, 1 of 100, for a subtotal
of 190. Then the remaining subtotal is 255 x 30, and this can be broken
down further as I decide, into 30, 60, and 100 products; as follows, 100 of 30
(equivalent to 30 of 100 – need blocks of 300 here), 140 of 30 (equivalent to
70 of 60), and 15 of 30.
So not forgetting the 190 subtotal
above (1 of 30, 1 of 60, 1 of 100), my sum of products in this example is (30
x 16) + (60 x 71) + (100 x 31) = 7840
I can select many other combinations
of products, as I wish, to gain the example sum 7840. Once I have three
products I like, then I can arbitrarily break each down into any “measures” or
values I wish.
The special number with factor 24
x 5 x 72 will magically appear with divisor “seventy times
seven” as long as that was the special number I started with. (Both
sums of products above (66,640 and 231,280) are evenly divisible by “seventy
times seven,” found in Matthew 18:22 (footnote NRSV))
Notice how many times “seven”
appears in the New Testament, especially in Revelation!
-7- Certainly “seven,”
“seventy,” and “seventh,” are special to the biblical authors. And this
is the context for the appearance of a common factor of seven
times seven. Nothing is proven, as all may be just coincidence, but I am
bothering to write this up nevertheless.
________________________________
NRSV used throughout this page unless otherwise noted.
________________________________
Posted on: December 26, 2013
Updated on: September 24, 2016
1 comment:
This post is continued at http://cookies-and-tea.blogspot.com/p/revelations-anomalous-tribei-thought.html
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