The number three, primarily associated with the doctrine of the Trinity, is also associated with periods of specially significant divine activity (e.g., “on the third day”). Four and five have a variety of associations.
Three
The Trinity
Matthew 28:19 See also John 14:26, John 15:26; 1 Corinthians 12:4–6; 1 Peter 1:2
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
The triad of faith, hope and love
1 Corinthians 13:13 See also 1 Thessalonians 1:3
And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love; but the greatest of these is love.
Three days
Genesis 30:36 Three days is a common period, often indicating the length of a journey or a period leading to a critical point. See also Genesis 40:12–22; Exodus 3:18, Exodus 10:22; Numbers 10:33; Judges 14:14; 1 Kings 12:5 parallel 2 Chronicles 10:5
Then he put a three-day journey between himself and Jacob, while Jacob was shepherding the rest of Laban’s flocks.
Jesus Christ was raised after three days
Luke 24:46 See also Matthew 16:21 parallels Mark 8:31, Luke 9:22; Matthew 17:23 parallel Mark 9:31; Matthew 20:19 parallels Mark 10:34, Luke 18:33; Matthew 27:63–64; Luke 24:7, Luke 24:21; Acts 10:40; 1 Corinthians 15:3–4JON 1 Corinthians 1:17; Matthew 12:39–40 parallel Luke 11:29–30; Matthew 16:4
And He told them, “This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day,
Three brothers
Shem, Ham and Japheth: Genesis 6:10, Genesis 7:13, Genesis 9:19; 1 Samuel 2:21, 1 Samuel 31:6 parallel 1 Chronicles 10:6; 2 Samuel 2:18
Groups of three men
Job's friends: Job 2:11, Job 32:3, Job 32:5; Matthew 17:1 parallels Mark 9:2, Luke 9:28; Matthew 26:37 parallel Mark 14:33; Genesis 18:2; Ezekiel 14:14–18; Daniel 3:23–24; Zechariah 11:8; 2 Samuel 23:8–12 the Three in David's army; 2 Samuel 23:13–23 parallel 1 Chronicles 11:15–25 the three mighty men among David's chiefs
Three annual festivals
Exodus 23:14, Exodus 23:17, Exodus 34:23–24; Deuteronomy 16:16; 1 Kings 9:25; 2 Chronicles 8:13
Three and a half
Daniel 7:25 NIV footnote. See also Daniel 12:7; Revelation 11:2, Revelation 12:6, Revelation 13:5
He will speak out against the Most High and oppress the saints of the Most High, intending to change the appointed times and laws; and the saints will be given into his hand for a time, and times, and half a time.
Four
Four representing the complete created order
Revelation 7:1 This symbol is probably based on the four points of the compass. See also Jeremiah 49:36; Ezekiel 37:9; Daniel 7:2; Matthew 24:31 parallel Mark 13:27
After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back its four winds so that no wind would blow on land or sea or on any tree.
Four living creatures
The four living creatures in Ezekiel and Revelation represent the whole animate creation glorifying God: Ezekiel 1:5–10; Revelation 4:6–7, Revelation 5:6, Revelation 5:8, Revelation 14:3
Four kingdoms
Human history before the coming of God's kingdom is spanned by four great human kingdoms, often understood to refer to the empires of Babylon, Persia, Greece and Rome: Daniel 2:39–40, Daniel 7:17
Five
Fives in Jesus Christ's teaching
Matthew 25:2, Matthew 25:15–20; Luke 12:6, Luke 12:52, Luke 14:19, Luke 16:28, Luke 19:18–19; John 4:18
Five loaves
1 Samuel 21:3; Matthew 14:17–19 parallels Mark 6:38–41, Luke 9:13–16, John 6:8–13; Matthew 16:9 parallel Mark 8:19
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.