COMMMENT Seven significance

---- Forwarded Message ----

From: William J ....
To: Donald ...
Sent: Thu, 8 July, 2010 19:49:09
Subject: [Blog] The significance of number 'Seven'

Prosper Guéranger - “The sevenfold sacraments”

Dear Father Donald,

Your Blog article which describes the 'seven' sacraments in such a fascinating way set me pondering upon the significance of the number 'seven' which has quite often caught my attention in a note in the commentary on the Gospels in the Christian Community Bible. I found the particular reference: "Our Father - in Matthew’s text 6:9 there are twelve verses expressing seven petitions: two perfect numbers: Three (God’s number) that refers to God, Four (earth’s number) that refers to our needs". Might I ask if you have any source that explains further the significance of the sacred numbers employed in the Gospels?

… in Our Lord,

William

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THANK YOU, William,

It happens that Night Office seemed to draw a blank of inspiration from the Readings or Psalms until I was taken aback (ahead?). It was nothing else than the last Response, “It is the only Son who is nearest to the Father”, Jn. 1:18

Response:.

• No one has ever seen God.
• * It is the only Son, who is nearest the Father’s heart, who has made him known.
• V: No one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to the reveal him.
  

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While you are pondering about the significance of the number “seven”, the best quickie for the moment is from Collins GEM:

Seven. The only interest is in the sacred use of the numeral, a sanctity which is very ancient in the Middle East. Wisdom's House has 7 pillars (Prov. 9, I); Samson's hair was braided in 7 locks (Judg. 16, 13); to atone for a broken vow 7 sacrifices were needed (2 Sam. 21, 6). How 7 came to be so regarded is a moot point, but there were the 7 lights of heaven-sun, moon and 5 planets; and 7 is a quarter of the 28 days of the moon, which bas four phases. Its sanctity with the Jews, however, was due to their conviction that God at creation had hallowed the 7th day. See SABBATH.

Seven words. Jesus' words from the Cross. They are in order: 1. (Luke 23, 34). 2. (Luke 23, 43). 3. (John 19, 26 & 27). 4. (Mall. 27,46; Mark 15, 34). 5. (John 19, 28). 6. (John 19, 30). 7. (Luke 23,46).

Collins GEM. Dictionary of THE BIBLE.

I am just anticipating the surfing the Web to the boundless links.
Donald.