My co-workers and I were discussing the 10 commandments and I said that there are, I believe 605 commandments and that they equal the number of days in the year, the number of bones in the human body and the number of teeth in our mouths. Am I correct? And are they listed in the Bible?
“Following the return from Babylon, the development of the synagogue gave rise to interpretations of the law by leading rabbis, which after a time were collected into 613 precepts. Considered part of the Torah [“the body of wisdom and law contained in Jewish Scripture and other sacred literature and oral tradition” (Merriam)], they were as binding as the law itself. Jesus referred to these additions to the original law of Moses as ‘the traditions of men'” (“Torah”). “The Talmud [“the authoritative body of Jewish tradition” (Merriam)] reckoned the positive laws of Moses at 248, the negative at 365, in all 613″ (Johnson). One Internet site lists the 613 Jewish commandments (“613 Commandments”). The Jews imagined that there was a relationship between the number of these commandments and the number of body parts; “They also mention 248 affirmative precepts, or in all 613, according to the supposed number of members in the human body” (Edersheim).
The complete set of adult teeth number 32 (“Truth About”), and “the adult human body has 206” bones (“Big Story”). There are 365 days in a year. None of these numbers are mystical numbers in any combination respecting the Old Testament laws of God under Judaism. Likewise, any coincidence respecting the supposed numbers of laws in the Jewish Old Testament, oral traditions and commentaries corresponding to some method of numbering body parts is happenstance.
The Ten Commandments (literally “ten words”) were so named by God (Exodus 34:28; Deuteronomy 4:13; 10:4) and given by God to the Israelite nation on Mount Sinai at the initiation of Judaism (Exodus 20; Deuteronomy 5). Jesus and the apostle Paul concurred that they were essentially commandments (Matthew 15:3; 19:17; Romans 13:9; Ephesians 6:2). “The Ten Commandments form the heart of the special COVENANT between God and His people” (“Commandments, Ten”). So, the Ten Commandments were not all the divine instructions for the Israelite nation, as evidenced by the balance of the Old Testament.
The Old Testament, including the Ten Commandments, have been superceded by the New Testament. Nine of the Ten Commandments appear as part of the New Testament as well; only keeping the Sabbath (seventh day) has not been re-instituted in the New Testament. Under Christianity, the first day of the week is the special religious day of the week (Matthew 28:1-2; Acts 2:1; 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:1-2).
Not the Ten Commandments, 613 precepts, the Old Testament in general or the New Testament (Gospel) as inanimate objects have any significance in some sort of a mystical way. For people living today, obeying that form of doctrine, which is the Gospel or New Testament, has significance, resulting in salvation. “But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness” (Romans 6:17-18).
Works Cited
“613 Commandments.” Jewish Literacy. 17 Apr. 2006 <https://www.aish.com/literacy/mitzvahs/The_613_Commandments.asp>.
“Big Story on Bones, The.” Kidshealth. 17 Apr. 2006 <https://kidshealth.org/kid/body/bones_noSW.html>.
Edersheim, Alfred. Temple, The: Its Ministry and Services. CD-ROM. Escondido: Ephesians Four Group, n.d.
Johnson, B.W. People’s New Testament, The. St. Louis: Christian Publishing, 1891. CD-ROM. Austin: Wordsearch, 2004.
Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary. CD-ROM. Springfield: Merriam-Webster, 1993.
“Commandments, Ten.” Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary. CD-ROM. Nashville: Nelson 1986.
“Torah.” Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary. CD-ROM. Nashville: Nelson, 1986.
“Truth About Teeth, The.” Kidshealth. 17 Apr. 2006 <https://kidshealth.org/kid/body/teeth_noSW.html>.
