Bible Numbers 2.0

Perverse Generation

And behold, a man from the crowd cried, Teacher, I beg you to look upon my son, for he is my only child; and behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out; it convulses him till he foams, and shatters him, and will hardly leave him. And I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not. Jesus answered, O faithless and perverse generation, how long am I to be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here. While he was coming, the demon tore him and convulsed him. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. And all were astonished at the majesty of God. But while they were all marveling at everything he did, he said to his disciples, (Luke 9:38-43)1

A  faithless and perverse generation. That's what Jesus called humanity. Believers are to remember this. All is not well. The world is sick (Romans 8:22).

Simple and clear examples can be seen in the book of Proverbs. The basic act of buying and selling leads to dishonesty (Proverbs 20:14). The foreign exchange system of floating currencies is an abomination (Proverbs 20:10, 23). Anyone who thinks these man made rules are logical or sound does not see the injustice they impose. It is faithless and perverse.

Moses prophesied Jesus' coming, and said Jesus would be like him (Deuteronomy 18:15). As Moses was at first rejected (Exodus 2:14), so Jesus was rejected (Matthew 26:57). And as Israel tested Moses' patience until it broke (Numbers 12:3; 20:10-12), so a perverse generation tested Jesus' patience.

Jesus' patience did not break. He finished his course to sit at God’s right hand (Psalm 110:1). God now does everything for Jesus. This may mean Jesus no longer has to put up with a faithless and perverse generation. It may also mean he does not return to rule the world personally. That responsibility is given to someone else (see Revelation 12:1-6 and 19:12-14).

και ιδου ανηρ απο του οχλου ανεβοησε λεγων Διδασκαλε δεομαι σου επιβλεψον επι τον υιον μου οτι μονογενης εστι μοι και ιδου πνευμα λαμβανει αυτον και εξαιφνης κραζει και σπαρασσει αυτον μετα αφρου και μογις αποχωρει απ αυτου συντριβον αυτον και εδεηθην των μαθητων σου ινα εκβαλωσιν αυτο και ουκ ηδυνηθησαν αποκριθεις δε ο Ιησους ειπεν Ω γενεα απιστος και διεστραμμενη εως ποτε εσομαι προς υμας και ανεξομαι υμων προσαγαγε ωδε τον υιον σου ετι δε προσερχομενου αυτου ερρηξεν αυτον το δαιμονιον και συνεσπαραξεν επετιμησε δε ο Ιησους τω πνευματι τω ακαθαρτω και ιασατο τον παιδα και απεδωκεν αυτον τω πατρι αυτου εξεπλησσοντο δε παντες επι τη μεγαλειοτητι του Θεου Παντων δε θαυμαζοντων επι πασιν οις εποιεν ο Ιησους ειπε προς τους μαθητας αυτου (Luke 9:38-43 GNS) 2

Eight words are dropped from the beginning of verse 38. The segment begins with "Teacher-". The last fourteen words are dropped from verse 43. The segment ends with God.

1                                2                       3
144                              109                     350
1   2  3  4  5   6   7  8   9    10  11 12  13  14 15    16  17  18
4-  9- 4- 1- 90- 10- 1- 20- 5    4-  5- 60- 30- 1- 9     90- 60- 200
teacher,                         I beseech               thee

4                                   5            6
711                                 84           200
19  20  21 22 23  24 25   26  27    28 29  30    31   32  33
5-  70- 9- 2- 20- 5- 500- 60- 40    5- 70- 9     100- 60- 40
look                                upon         the

7                8             9            10
309              290           169          335
34   35 36 37    38  39 40     41 42  43    44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52
200- 9- 60-40    30- 60-200    60-100-9     30-60-40-60-3- 5- 40-7- 90
son              my,           for          an only child

11                 12            13           14
204                99            20           273
53  54  55   56    57  58  59    60  61 62    63  64 65  66
5-  90- 100- 9     30- 60- 9     10- 1- 9     9-  4- 60- 200
he is              to me         and          behold,

15                       16                           17
346                      108                          401
67  68  69 70  71  72    73  74 75  76 77 78 79 80    81 82  83  84 85
70- 40- 5- 200-30- 1     20- 1- 30- 2- 1- 40-5- 9     1- 200-100-60-40
a spirit                 takes                        him

18           19                              20
20           502                             111
86  87 88    89  90  91 92 93   94  95 96    97  98  99 100 101 102
10- 1- 9     5-  50- 1- 9- 300- 40- 7- 90    10- 80- 1- 6-  5-  9
and          suddenly                        he cries out,

21            22                                     23
20            436                                    401
103 04 105    106 107 08 109 10 111 112 113 114    115 116 117 118 119
10- 1- 9      90- 70- 1- 80- 1- 90- 90- 5-  9      1-  200-100-60- 40
and           it throws into convulsions           him

24                  25                      26
136                 641                     20
120 121 122  123    124 125  126 127 128    129 130 131
30- 5-  100- 1      1-  300- 80- 60- 200    10- 1-  9
with                foaming,                and

27                     28
192                    1225
132 133 134 135 136    137  138 139 140  141  142 143 144
30- 60- 3-  9-  90     1-   70- 60- 400- 600- 80- 5-  9
with difficulty        departs

29         30                     31
71         561                    621
145 146    147 148 149 150 151    152 153  154 155 156 157 158 159 160
1-  70     1-  200-100-60- 200    90- 200- 40- 100-80- 9-  2-  60- 40
from       him,                   bruising

32                       33             34
401                      20             76
161 162  163  164 165    166 167 168    169 170 171 172 173 174 175
1-  200- 100- 60- 40     10- 1-  9      5-  4-  5-  7-  8-  7-  40
him.                     and            I besought

35               36                               37
740              786                              350
176  177  178    179 180 181 182 183  184  185    186 187 188
100- 600- 40     30- 1-  8-  7-  100- 600- 40     90- 60- 200
the              disciples                        your

38             39                                      40
50             777                                     361
189 190 191    192 193 194 195 196 197  198 199 200    201 202 203 204
9-  40- 1      5-  10- 2-  1-  20- 600- 90- 9-  40     1-  200-100-60
that           they might cast out                     it,

41             42             43
20             270            404
205 206 207    208 209 210    211 212 213  214 215 216 217 218 219 220
10- 1-  9      60- 200-10     7-  4-  200- 40- 7-  8-  7-  90- 1-  40
and            not            they were able

44                                         45         46
342                                        9          60
221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230    231 232    233
1-  70- 60- 10- 80- 9-  8-  5-  9-  90     4-  5      60
and answering                              but        the

47                          48                     49
456                         129                    600
234 235 236 237 238  239    240 241 242 243 244    245
9-  7-  90- 60- 200- 90     5-  9-  70- 5-  40     600
Jesus                       said,                  oh

50                     51                              52
54                     420                             20
246 247 248 249 250    251 252 253 254 255  256 257    258 259 260
3-  5-  40- 5-  1      1-  70- 9-  90- 100- 60- 90     10- 1-  9
generation             unbelieving                     and

53                                                  54
401                                                 695
261 262 263 264 265  266 267 268 269 270 271 272    273 274  275
4-  9-  5-  90- 100- 80- 1-  30- 30- 5-  40- 7      5-  600- 90
perverted,                                          until

55                  56                         57
235                 195                        300
276 277 278  279    280 281 282 283 284 285    286 287 288 289
70- 60- 100- 5      5-  90- 60- 30- 1-  9      70- 80- 60- 90
when                shall I be                 with

58                  59             60
321                 20             196
290  291 292 293    294 295 296    297 298 299 300 301 302 303 304
200- 30- 1-  90     10- 1-  9      1-  40- 5-  50- 60- 30- 1-  9
you                 and            bear with

61                   62
870                  313
305  306 307  308    309 310 311 312 313 314 315 316 317
200- 30- 600- 40     70- 80- 60- 90- 1-  3-  1-  3-  5
you?                 bring

63              64              65                  66
609             200             309                 350
318  319 320    321  322 323    324  325 326 327    328 329 330
600- 4-  5      100- 60- 40     200- 9-  60- 40     90- 60- 200
hither          the             son                 your.

67             68        69
114            9         1180
331 332 333    334 35    336 37 338 39 40 341 342 43 344 45 346 47 348
5-  100-9      4-  5     70- 80-60- 90-5- 80- 400-60-30- 5- 40- 60-200
yet            but       as he was coming near

70                     71                          72
561                    267                         401
349 350 351 352 353    354 355 56 57 358 59 360    361 362 363 364 365
1-  200-100-60- 200    5-  80- 80-7- 50- 5- 40     1-  200-100-60- 40
him                    dashed down                 him

73          74                                     75
160         253                                    20
366  367    368 369 370 371 372 373 374 375 376    377 378 379
100- 60     4-  1-  9-  30- 60- 40- 9-  60- 40     10- 1-  9
the         demon                                  and

76                                      77
672                                     321
380 381 82 83 84 85 6 87 8 89 90 391    392 93 94 395 96 397 98 99 400
90- 200-40-5- 90-70-1-80 1-50-5- 40     5-  70-5- 100-9- 30- 7- 90-5
and threw him into convulsions          and rebuked

78         79     80                          81
9          60     456                         700
401 402    403    404 405 406 407 408  409    410  411
4-  5      60     9-  7-  90- 60- 200- 90     100- 600
but        the    Jesus                       the

82                              83         84
455                             700        801
412 13 14 415 416 17 418 419    420 421    422 423 24 25 26 27 428 429
70- 40-5- 200-30- 1- 100-9      100-600    1-  10- 1- 8- 1- 80-100-600
spirit                          the        unclean,

85             86                          87
20             261                         200
430 431 432    433 434 435 436 437  438    439  440 441
10- 1-  9      9-  1-  90- 1-  100- 60     100- 60- 40
and            healed                      the

88                     89             90
85                     20             735
442 443 444 445 446    447 448 449    450 451 452 453 454  455 456 457
70- 1-  9-  4-  1      10- 1-  9      1-  70- 5-  4-  600- 10- 5-  40
child,                 and            gave back

91                       92          93
401                      700         260
458 459  460  461 462    463  464    465 466 467  468 469
1-  200- 100- 60- 40     100- 600    70- 1-  100- 80- 9
him                      to          father

94                     95
561                    597
470 471 472 473 474    475 476 477 478 479 480 481 482 483 484 485 486
1-  200-100-60- 200    5-  50- 5-  70- 20- 7-  90- 90- 60- 40- 100-60
his.                   were astonished

96           97                          98             99
9            306                         84             107
487 488      489 490 491 492  493 494    495 496 497    498  499
4-  5        70- 1-  40- 100- 5-  90     5-  70- 9      100- 7
moreover     all                         at             the

100                                                  101
349                                                  360
500 501 502 503 504 505 506 507 508  509 510  511    512  513 514
30- 5-  3-  1-  20- 5-  9-  60- 100- 7-  100- 9      100- 60- 200
majesty                                              the

102
273
515 516 517 518
8-  5-  60- 200
of God.3

Numeric Features

Primary Features

(Derived from Revelation 1:8 and grouped for easy reference.)

A.1Numeric total: 32935 = 5 x 7 x 941. (See feature 2.)

A.5Number of letters: 518 = 2 x 7 x 37. (See feature 3.)

B.4Every other letter (odd): 15939 = 3 x 3 x 7 x 11 x 23. (See feature 5.1.)

B.4.2Every other letter (even): 16996 = 2 x 2 x 7 x 607. (See feature 5.2.)

C.2First and last verses: 5089 = 7 x 727. (See feature 1.1.)

C.2.2First and last word of each verse: 3325 = 5 x 5 x 7 x 19. (See feature 1.2.)

C.3.2First and last letter of each word: 12999 = 3 x 7 x 619. (See feature 6.3.)

D.2.3First letter of each verse: 35 = 5 x 7. (See feature 1.3.)

D.3.3First letter of each word: 4942 = 2 x 7 x 353. (See feature 6.1.2.)

E.2.3Last letter of each verse: 689 = 13 x 53. (See feature 1.4.)

E.3.3Last letter of each word: 8057 = 7 x 1151. (See feature 6.2.)

G.3.2Second third of the words: 10985 = 5 x 13 x 13 x 13. (See feature 4.)

Verse Features

1.1First and last verses: 5089 = 7 x 727. (The sum of the verse positions would be 7.)

1.1.1Verses that are not first or last: 27846 = 2 x 3 x 3 x 7 x 13 x 17.

1.2First and last words of each verse: 3325 = 5 x 5 x 7 x 19.

1.3First letter of each verse: 35 = 5 x 7.

1.4Last letter of each verse: 689 = 13 x 53.

Words And Letters

2Numeric total: 32935 = 5 x 7 x 941.

3Number of letters: 518 = 2 x 7 x 37.

4Divide the words into three equal sections. The middle section: 10985 = 5 x 13 x 13 x 13.

4.1Total of words with an odd number of letters: 17843 = 7 x 2549.

4.1.2Position total of words with an even number of letters: 2431 = 11 x 13 x 17.

4.2Total of words with an even number of letters: 15092 = 2 x 2 x 7 x 7 x 7 x 11.

5.1Total of odd positioned letters: 15939 = 3 x 3 x 7 x 11 x 23.

5.2Total of even positioned letters: 16996 = 2 x 2 x 7 x 607.

6.1Positions of the first letter of each word: 26250 = 2 x 3 x 5 x 5 x 5 x 5 x 7.

6.1.2Total of the first letter of each word: 4942 = 2 x 7 x 353.

6.2Total of the last letter of each word: 8057 = 7 x 1151.

6.3First and last letters of each word: 12999 = 3 x 7 x 619.

7Total of the letter positions where each letter first and last appeared: 11361 = 3 x 7 x 541.

8Total of the words where each letter of the alphabet first and last appeared: 19005 = 3 x 5 x 7 x 181. SF: 196 = 2 x 2 x 7 x 7.

9Divide the letters of the Greek alphabet that appear in the segment into two equal lists. Add up the positions of each letter where they first and last appeared in the segment.

9.1The total of positions for letters from 1 to 30: 5733 = 3 x 3 x 7 x 7 x 13.

9.2The total of positions for letters from 40 to 600: 5628 = 2 x 2 x 3 x 7 x 67.

10Add up the first and last words where each letter of the alphabet appears. Sort the letters from least to greatest using those totals. Divide the list into two equal parts.

10.1The first and last letter positions of the letters in the lesser list: 4991 = 7 x 23 x 31.

10.2The first and last letter positions of those in the greater list: 6370 = 2 x 5 x 7 x 7 x 13.

Conclusion

This incident also appears in Matthew 17:17. Repetition emphasizes the importance of remembering the fallen state of the world. It is easy to close our eyes and believe everything is okay. It is easy to think that most people are half decent (oxymoron!). The truth is much darker.

We also see Jesus' character. Yes he is gentle, compassionate and patient. But even he experiences frustration when people prove faithless and perverse (perverse to the point of negating all faith). Unlike Moses, Jesus passed the test of his patience. And having passed this trial, he no longer needs to undergo it any further. For his ultimate obedience and sacrifice, God does everything for him (Psalm 110:1).

Notes

  1. English reference quotes are from the Revised Standard Version, Thomas Nelson Inc., 1972.
  2. The Greek GNS text is from Bibleworks 3.0 by Hermeneutika, Michael S. Bushell, 1995, translated into HTML entities. Vowels and punctuation have been removed.
  3. English translation is from eSword 10.4.0 by Rick Meyers with Interlinear Greek New Testament Keyed to Strongs 1894 Scrivener Textus Receptus.bblx module. Some changes were made by this author so every Greek word would have an English word.

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