It’s easy to get lost in Biblical numerological speculation, as even a cursory study of the Church Fathers proves. St. Irenaeus attempted to explain the number of the beast from Revelation 13:17–18 by adding the numerical value of the Greek letters in the names “Evanthas,” “Lateinos,” and “Teitan” to get the ominous 666. St. Augustine argues that the meaning of 153 fish caught by the Apostles (John 21:11): there are Ten Commandments, the number seven signifies holiness, ten plus seven equals seventeen, and if all the numbers from 1 to 17 are added together (e.g. 1+2+3, etc.) they equal 153. St. Cyril in contrast breaks the number 153 into 100 (the large number of Gentiles to be saved), 50 (the small number of Jews to be saved) and 3 (the Trinity).
Given such seemingly unsubstantiated speculation, it’s easy to be tempted to throw up one’s hands and conclude that looking for spiritual significance in the various numbers of Holy Scripture is not a particularly fruitful enterprise. The writings of the church father and Doctor of the Church St. Isidore of Seville (560-636) – whose feast day we celebrated earlier this month – should, however, give us pause. His work The
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