Loaves and Fishes Decoded [continued (3)]}[13th July 1989]

[Redbook6:149][19890713:1847c]{Loaves and Fishes Decoded [continued (3)]}[13th July 1989]

19890713.1847

[(2)](b)* The numbers 7 and 4 in the 2^nd Miracle** are highly significant not only in C[ircles] A[nalysis &] S[ynthesis] but generally (for much the same reasons) and in Jewish lore and in Matthew particularly, whose whole Gospel is structured around the number and throws it*** up time and again (Only M[at]t[hew’s] of the 4 Gospels preserves M[ar]k’s 2 miracles of the loaves and fishes, and he does so in almost exactly the same context, including healing the Gentile woman’s daughter in between the two,**** together with an [oral] attack on the Pharisees and a repudiation of the laws on unclean food). The next incidents are: Pharisees ask for, and are refused, a sign; and Peter makes his profession of faith which is at the centre of [the Gospel of] Mark.

In summary, the overall message – highly important, to judge by Jesus’ stress on it in [the Gospel of] M[ar]k 8:14-21 – may be something like this:#

*[See last previous entry]

**[of the Loaves & fishes – see last previous entry but one, &f]

***[Unclear here which number out of 4 and 7]

****Mark [additionally] has healing a deaf and dumb man in between, and a blind man after.

#[See next entry]

[continues]

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