Matthew

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Bible Question: The book of Mathew,alongside other books,talks of numbers that seem significant.In mathew 1:17,he says there were 14 generations.Elsewhere,the number 3 is significant and so is the number 40-Jesus fasting 40 days and 40 nights etc.Could you kindly explain the significance of numbers 3,14 and 40 for starters?

Bible Answer: There are two answers (at least) to your question.
Dear Anjao,
A minority of the members of our forum believe that there is more significance to the numbers in the Bible than just the literal meaning. One of these members has recently defined the meanings of two of the numbers you asked about. (Three -Resurrection,Divine Completeness and Perfection, Forty - Trials, Probation, and Testings). I have also heard other definitions for the meanings of these numbers.

That brings us to the second answer to your question. How do we know for sure what the real meaning is? Since it is not explicitly told in the Bible, the majority of the members here at the forum believe that it is pure speculation to assign figurative meanings to these and all numbers in the Bible. They would say that if a verse says that Jesus was in the desert for 40 days, that it only means that He was in the desert for a period of 40 days.

I hope this helps, and suspect that further answers will allign with one of these two views. I also hope that proponents of these two perspectives will not generate too large of an argument over the issue.

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Matthew

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