Review: Cracking the Bible Code

Michael C Newman, Cracking the Bible Code, (Interdisciplinary Biblical Research Institute, 2012)

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/8715394615

One wacky mathematical formula

This is all about numerology, and in that way lies madness. Nevertheless, numerology systems called gematria were extensively used in the composition of both the Old Testament and the New, so any comprehensive exegesis must involve taking a look at them.

Pythagoras in the 6^th C BCE used isopsephy, and believed everything in the universe has a numerical value. Rabbi Eliezer ben Rabbi Yosei HaGelili codified Jewish gematria systems, and the 2^nd C Kabbalah was greatly based on gematria. The writers of the Books of Matthew and Revelation used gematria extensively.

Trouble is, being numbers, which you could rearrange in any configuration you desire, you could make them mean anything you wanted them to mean. Is 72 60+12 or 7×10? Are we looking at numerical values of words or letters? In Hebrew or Greek? Do we consider the spaces between words or the Hebrew vowel points? Bear in mind that vowel points are flexible. Bk in English could be read either ‘book, back’ or ‘bike’. The vowels ‘oo’, ‘a’ and ‘I’ would have differing numerical values. Or do only certain ‘code words’ (as determined by whom?) have import?

To conduct this research without going crazy, I suggest we look at a) what the author probably intended b) what readers at the time probably believed.

As an atheist I reject the idea that ‘God has given us a secret message’ as well as any promises of predicting future events. Having said that, it is not crazy, and is accepted by many serous scholars, that Biblical writings had several layers of meaning. We are familiar with Jesus implying that his parables, on top of their literal meanings, had further esoteric meanings to be understood more clearly by those who ‘had eyes to see and ears to hear’.

This author has used a computer to come up with one wacky mathematical formula for finding ‘secret meanings’ in, say, the Gettysburg Address or the Bible. Of course, you could just as easily use a different mathematical formula. To preserve my sanity, I skipped over a lot.

I think the best way of using gematria for exegesis in a scholarly manner is to consult ancient writers and look at how they interpreted the numbers. We can expect more meaning from these ancient interpretations, as those writers were trying to convey a specific religious message. Why would I care if Abraham Lincoln apparently secretly predicted the assassination of JFK (someone he didn’t even know would in the future exist)?

I was immensely disappointed to discover that this book does not include any discussion whatsoever of hidden meaning in the Bible. It only talks about the Gettysburg Address. Checking out other offerings on Amazon using the search ‘Bible code’, the one at the top is The Bible Code by Michael Drosnin, and there are numerous others. They all cost around £12, so I’ve decided to save my eyes and ears for Irenaeus or Rabbi Eliezer.