TIP OF THE DAY 28: Name.meaning > Gematria

MJ. Smith
MJ. Smith MVP Posts: 53,880
edited November 2024 in English Forum

link to next post TIP OF THE DAY 29: Name.meaning > Allegoric, Symbolic - Logos Forums

Since the forum change has been delayed, I've started adding these posts to the previous tip list. See L/V 10 Tip of the Day

TOPIC: Name.gematria

QUESTION: What is gematria?

SOFTWARE: Using “gematria” as the search argument in an all search, Logos/Verbum provides the following synopsis:

Gematria is a numerological technique that involves calculating the numerical value of words or phrases by adding up the values assigned to their individual letters. This practice, which originated in the Greek world and was later adopted by Jews, is used to find or demonstrate supposed relationships between different words and concepts based on their equivalent gematria values. In Jewish tradition, gematria is considered a method for interpreting the deeper meaning of words. The technique appears in some ancient texts, including the New Testament book of Revelation, where the famous "number of the beast" (666) is thought to be derived from the gematria of Nero Caesar's name in Hebrew. While gematria has been used in attempts to uncover hidden meanings in biblical texts, many scholars find most examples unconvincing, arguing that they rely on obscure interpretations and may contradict the idea that God communicates clearly.[1]

This is an example of the gratuitous insertion of evangelical theology into the Logos/Verbum response. This can be confirmed by asking:

QUESTION: Which Judeo-Christian theological traditions require the premise that "God communicates clearly" and which treat the premise as limited in coverage?

ANSWER: presenting that question to Perplexity:

Based on the search results and my knowledge of theological traditions, here's an overview of how different Judeo-Christian traditions approach the idea of God's clear communication:

Traditions that strongly emphasize "God communicates clearly":

1. Protestant Evangelicalism: Emphasizes the doctrine of "perspicuity of Scripture" - the idea that the Bible's core message is clear and understandable to the average reader. This is evident in result which discusses "biblical clarity."

2. Reformed/Calvinism: Upholds the clarity of Scripture while acknowledging some difficult passages. This is seen in the quote from John Calvin in result.

3. Fundamentalism: Tends to take a very literal approach to Scripture, assuming God's message is plainly stated and easily understood.

Traditions that view the premise as more limited:

1. Roman Catholicism: While affirming Scripture's importance, it emphasizes the role of Church tradition and magisterium in interpreting Scripture, suggesting God's communication may not always be immediately clear to individuals.

2. Eastern Orthodoxy: Similar to Catholicism, it places emphasis on Church tradition and the interpretive role of councils and Church fathers.

3. Some forms of Liberal Protestantism: May view Scripture more as a human record of encounters with the divine rather than direct, clear communication from God.

4. Mystical traditions (across denominations): Often emphasize the mystery of God and the limits of human understanding, suggesting that God's communication may not always be clear or fully comprehensible.

5. Some strands of Judaism: Emphasize the need for ongoing interpretation and discussion of Torah, as seen in the Talmudic tradition, suggesting that God's communication is not always immediately clear.

The search results, particularly and, suggest that even traditions that affirm God's clear communication acknowledge that there are aspects of divine revelation that remain mysterious or difficult to understand. This indicates that the premise of "God communicates clearly" is often qualified or limited in scope across many traditions.[2]

 

QUESTION: What are the major forms of gematria?

ANSWER: from Perplexity:

Based on the search results, there are several major forms of Biblical gematria:

Standard Gematria

This is the most common and fundamental form of gematria. In this system, each Hebrew letter corresponds to a specific numerical value. For example, aleph = 1, bet = 2, gimel = 3, and so on. Words and phrases can be analyzed by adding up the numerical values of their letters. If two words have the same numerical value, they are believed to share a significant connection.

Atbash

Atbash is a substitution cipher where letters are replaced with different letters following a set scheme. In this method, the first letter of the alphabet (aleph) is replaced by the last letter (tav), the second letter (beth) by the second-to-last (shin), and so on. This technique is rarely used in the Hebrew Bible, with a notable example found in Jeremiah 25:26 and 51:41.

Notarikon

This form of gematria involves treating each letter of a word as an acronym or abbreviation for other words. For example, the name "Adam" is interpreted as an acronym representing the soul's journey: Adam, David, Messiah.

Milui

Milui, meaning "filling out," involves spelling out the full names of the letters in a word to reveal hidden layers of meaning. This method is often combined with standard gematria for deeper interpretation.

While these are the major forms of Biblical gematria, it's important to note that:

1. Gematria appears to have developed later in Jewish tradition, likely through Greek influence, and became more prominent in the New Testament and early rabbinic period.

2. The use of gematria in the Hebrew Bible itself is limited, with most examples coming from later interpretations applied to the text.

3. Gematria gained significant importance in Jewish mystical texts, particularly in Kabbalah during the later Middle Ages.

4. The practice of gematria extends beyond Biblical interpretation and is used in various aspects of Jewish mysticism and spiritual practice.[3]

 

QUESTION: Provide some examples of the various types of gematria.

SOFTWARE: Used the query “What is the meaning of the name Adam in standard gematria, atbash, notarikon, and milui?” in Perplexity. My library is such that Logos/Verbum did not provide useful answers. However, Logos offers several gematria resources, none of which do I own.

ANSWER: from Perplexity:

Adam

Based on the information provided in the search results, here's the meaning of the name Adam using different Kabbalistic interpretive methods:

1. Standard Gematria:

The name Adam (אדם) in Hebrew gematria equals 36:

א (Aleph) = 1

ד (Dalet) = 4

ם (Mem) = 30

Total: 1 + 4 + 30 = 35 (Note: The final result of 36 given in the search results may include a kollel, adding 1 for the word itself)

2. Atbash:

The search results don't provide a specific atbash interpretation for Adam. In atbash, each letter is replaced with its opposite in the Hebrew alphabet. For Adam (אדם), this would result in:

א -> ת

ד -> ר

ם -> י

Resulting in תרי (Tav-Resh-Yod)

3. Notarikon:

The name Adam is interpreted as an acronym for three incarnations of his soul:

א (Aleph) - Adam (the first man)

ד (Dalet) - David (King David)

ם (Mem) - Messiah (Moshiach)

This notarikon suggests that the soul of Adam will eventually reincarnate as the Messiah.

4. Milui:

While the search results don't provide a specific milui interpretation for Adam, the process would involve spelling out each letter fully:

א - אלף (Aleph-Lamed-Peh)

ד - דלת (Dalet-Lamed-Tav)

ם - מם (Mem-Mem)

The gematria of these spelled-out letters could then be calculated for further interpretation.

Additionally, the name Adam is interpreted more broadly to mean:

- Red or ruddy

- One from the soil

- Corporeal One or Dustling

- Product or likeness-made-from-soil

- Blood Man or Life Man

These interpretations connect Adam to his earthly origins, his potential for growth and productivity, and his role as the first human being.[4]

David

Based on the search results and the information provided, here's an analysis of the name David using different Kabbalistic interpretive methods:

 

1. Standard Gematria:

The name David (דוד) in Hebrew gematria equals:

ד (Dalet) = 4

ו (Vav) = 6

ד (Dalet) = 4

Total: 4 + 6 + 4 = 14

2. Atbash:

In atbash, each letter is replaced with its opposite in the Hebrew alphabet. For David (דוד), this would result in:

ד -> ג

ו -> י

ד -> ג

Resulting in גיג (Gimel-Yod-Gimel)

3. Notarikon:

The name David is interpreted as an acronym for his soul's journey:

ד (Dalet) - David (King David himself)

ו (Vav) - Often represents connection or "and"

ד (Dalet) - Could represent a future incarnation or aspect

Some interpretations see David as a link between Adam and the Messiah, though this specific notarikon isn't mentioned for David in the search results.

4. Milui:

Spelling out each letter of David (דוד) fully:

ד - דלת (Dalet-Lamed-Tav)

ו - וו (Vav-Vav)

ד - דלת (Dalet-Lamed-Tav)

The gematria of these spelled-out letters could then be calculated for further interpretation.

Additional notes:

- The name David is often interpreted to mean "beloved" from the Hebrew root דוד (dwd).

- There's some scholarly debate about the exact etymology and meaning of the name.

- In biblical contexts, David is frequently referred to as the "beloved" king and is central to messianic prophecies.

These interpretations demonstrate how Kabbalistic methods can be applied to derive deeper meanings from names, though it's important to note that some of these are speculative applications of general principles rather than widely established interpretations for the name David specifically.[5]

Jeremiah:

Based on the search results and the information provided, here's an analysis of the name Jeremiah using different Kabbalistic interpretive methods:

1. Standard Gematria:

The name Jeremiah (ירמיה or ירמיהו) in Hebrew gematria would be:

י (Yod) = 10

ר (Resh) = 200

מ (Mem) = 40

י (Yod) = 10

ה (Heh) = 5

(ו (Vav) = 6, if using the longer form)

Total: 265 (or 271 with the longer form)

2. Atbash:

In atbash, each letter is replaced with its opposite in the Hebrew alphabet. For Jeremiah (ירמיה), this would result in:

י -> מ

ר -> ג

מ -> י

י -> מ

ה -> ת

Resulting in מגימת (Mem-Gimel-Yod-Mem-Tav)

3. Notarikon:

While the search results don't provide a specific notarikon for Jeremiah, we can interpret each letter as representing a word or concept:

י (Yod) - YHWH (God's name)

ר (Resh) - Exalted or High

מ (Mem) - From

י (Yod) - YHWH (again)

ה (Heh) - The (definite article)

This could be interpreted as "YHWH exalts from YHWH the..."

4. Milui:

Spelling out each letter of Jeremiah (ירמיה) fully:

י - יוד (Yod-Vav-Dalet)

ר - ריש (Resh-Yod-Shin)

מ - מם (Mem-Mem)

י - יוד (Yod-Vav-Dalet)

ה - הא (Heh-Aleph)

The gematria of these spelled-out letters could then be calculated for further interpretation.

Additional notes:

- The name Jeremiah is interpreted to mean "Yahweh will exalt" or "Exalted of the Lord."

- It's derived from the Hebrew name "Yirmiyahu" (ירמיהו).

- The root רום (rum) meaning "to be high, lofty" is associated with the name's etymology.

These interpretations demonstrate how Kabbalistic methods can be applied to derive deeper meanings from names, though it's important to note that some of these are applications of general principles rather than established interpretations for the name Jeremiah specifically.Devil

 

QUESTION: What resources does Logos/Verbum have to support gematria?

ANSWER: from gematria as search term on Logos.com. Note this list is not exhaustive.

 

QUESTION: What tools does Logos/Verbum have to support gematria?

SOFTWARE: The gematria  tool may be opened by:

Method 1: Help Center FAIL

  1. Open Help Center via the question mark icon on the application toolbar.
  2. Enter “gematria” in Search box.
  3. Note that none of the results lead you to a geomatria tool.

Method 2: Help Center – extraordinary memory version NEAR FAIL

  1. Open Help Center via the question mark icon on the application toolbar.
  2. Enter “numeric converter” in Search box.
  3. Note the entry from the Logos/Verbum Help File:” Numeric Converter Interactive: Numeric Converter A conversion utility that takes a number in Arabic numerals, Roman numerals, Greek numerals, or Hebrew numerals and converts it to the equivalent numerals in the other systems. It also displays the numeric values of Greek or Hebrew letters and words.”
  4. Note that there is no path to the tool in the reference.

Method 3: Command Line

  1. In the Command Box (the system icon at the top of the application toolbar) enter “Open Numeric Converter”.
  2. The tool opens in a panel of the application’s choosing.
  3. Once the tool is open, enter the name in the input box on the upper left.
  4. Results will appear below for each of the supported conversions.

Method 4: Tools Menu

  1. Open Tools Menu on the Application Toolbar.
  2. Either type “Numeric Converter” into the Search box or navigate Tools > Interactive Media > Numeric Converter
  3. Once the tool is open, enter the name in the input box on the upper left.
  4. Results will appear below for each of the supported conversions.

 


[1] Gideon Bohak, “Gematria,” in The Eerdmans Dictionary of Early Judaism, ed. John J. Collins and Daniel C. Harlow (Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2010), 661 and Matthew S. DeMoss, Pocket Dictionary for the Study of New Testament Greek (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2001), 59. and Tremper Longman III, Peter Enns, and Mark Strauss, eds., The Baker Illustrated Bible Dictionary (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2013), 1224.

[2] https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/essay/divine-revelation-god-making-known/ and https://specs12.wordpress.com/2021/09/20/how-god-speaks-to-us-across-the-ages/ and https://thecripplegate.com/why-does-the-bible-seem-unclear-the-clarity-of-scripture-part-3/ and  https://ehyde.wordpress.com/2024/06/17/does-god-have-a-communication-problem/ and https://www.icr.org/article/need-for-biblical-clarity/ and https://tabletalkmagazine.com/posts/communicating-to-the-glory-of-god/

[3] https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/gematria/ and https://www.gotquestions.org/gematria.html and https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/5541252/jewish/What-Is-Gematria.htm and https://fr.bibleodyssey.com/articles/gematria/ and https://matthewponak.com/2024/04/03/4-types-of-gematria/

[4] https://www.gematrix.org/?word=adam and https://www.abarim-publications.com/Meaning/Adam.html and https://aish.com/48956911/ and https://matthewponak.com/2024/04/03/4-types-of-gematria/

[5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atbash and https://www.gematrix.org/?word=david and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notarikon and https://matthewponak.com/2024/04/03/4-types-of-gematria/ and https://www.abarim-publications.com/Meaning/David.html

Devil https://www.abarim-publications.com/Meaning/Jeremiah.html and https://bam.sites.uiowa.edu/hello/jeremiah and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methods_of_Hebrew_gematria and https://ca.bidiboo.com/name/j/jeremiah and https://matthewponak.com/2024/04/03/4-types-of-gematria/ and https://specs12.wordpress.com/2021/09/20/how-god-speaks-to-us-across-the-ages/

Orthodox Bishop Alfeyev: "To be a theologian means to have experience of a personal encounter with God through prayer and worship."; Orthodox proverb: "We know where the Church is, we do not know where it is not."

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