Blog 3 Jessica Sturino

One thing that I found particularly interesting about the gospel of Matthew was the author’s use of numbers as symbols. I understand that this numerology occurs throughout the Bible, but I feel that Matthew’s emphasis on the numbers is more acutely realized. For example, in class we discussed how Jesus takes seven trips between Jerusalem and Bethany in the gospel of Mark. The number seven in this case has significance, but the author of Mark does not point it out explicitly to the audience. In order for the reader to see the author’s intent, they must count the trips for themselves. In Matthew’s gospel, however, many of the instances in which the author is using numbers to convey significance, he plainly lays it out for the audience. For example, in Matt 2:17, the author is attempting to show that Jesus is the messiah based upon his genealogy and the significance of the number fourteen. He says “So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.”¹ The author makes this distinction to make it clear that Jesus was undoubtedly the messiah. Fourteen is significant because it is twice seven, which is the number which represents completeness or God. Another instance in which Matthew uses numbers as symbols is in the arrangement of his gospel. He rearranges the parables from his source in Mark in such a way that there are seven in a row rather than having two sections of parables. This is another example of Matthew using numbers to show completeness in his gospel. Although the author does not point out to the audience the significant number in this case, I find it interesting that the gospel was so deliberately changed from the source to reflect the importance of the number seven.

¹RSV Matthew 2:17