E.W. Bullinger — Christology
b1 — Number in Scripture
First Words of Christ (Prophetic Office)
Bullinger devotes particular attention to the first recorded words of the Lord Jesus as an illustration of the significance of numbers in Scripture:
“THE FIRST RECORDED WORDS OF THE LORD JESUS are full of significance. The Lord Jesus must have spoken from the time that all children spoke; but not one syllable that He uttered has the Holy Spirit been pleased to record in the Scriptures, until He was twelve years of age. And then only this one utterance from His birth till He entered on His ministry at His baptism. Only one sentence out of all those twenty-nine years. Surely words thus singled out by the Holy Spirit must be full of significance. What were they? They are written down for us in Luke 2:49: ‘WIST YE NOT THAT I MUST BE ABOUT MY FATHER’S BUSINESS?’ Solemn words! Significant words! Especially in the light these first words throw up His last words.”
Source: E.W. Bullinger, Number in Scripture, Part II — ONE (ca. char. 102,860–103,743).
Interpretation: Bullinger reads the fact that only one sentence from Jesus’ first 29 years is preserved as a deliberate numerical and redemptive-historical signal of the Holy Spirit. The content of Luke 2:49 — the Father’s house as calling — he interprets as a prophetic anticipation of Christ’s entire ministry.
Redemptive Work and the Number Seven
Bullinger sees the number seven as divinely stamped upon the work of redemption:
“When He ordained the ritual for Israel which should show forth His work of Redemption, seven is again stamped upon it in all its times and seasons. The seventh day was the holy day; the seventh month was specially hallowed by its number of sacred festivals; the seventh year was the Sabbatic year of rest for the land: while 7 x 7 years marked the year of Jubilee (Lev 25:4,8).”
Source: E.W. Bullinger, Number in Scripture, Part I, Chapter I — Chronology (ca. char. 11,950–12,060).
“Thirty jubilees bring us from the Exodus to the opening of Christ’s ministry, when, opening Isaiah 61:2, He proclaimed ‘the acceptable year of the Lord’ in a seven-fold prophecy (see Luke 4:18-21).”
Source: E.W. Bullinger, Number in Scripture, Part I, Chapter I — Chronology (ca. char. 12,300–12,650).
Interpretation: Bullinger connects the jubilee year (Lev. 25) with Christ’s entry into His ministry, placing Jesus as fulfilment of the jubilee tradition — a christological theme also known as ‘Jesus as jubilee.‘
Messiah Cut Off (Dan. 9) — Substitutionary Death
Bullinger treats Dan. 9:24-27 as the central messianic prophecy of Christ’s death:
“4. From Nehemiah’s return to ‘cutting off’ of ‘Messiah the Prince’ (Dan 9:24-27). The ‘Seven weeks’ (7x7) 49. The ‘Threescore and two weeks’ (62x7) 434. ‘After’ this, Messiah was to be ‘cut off,’ and then comes this present interval, the longest of all, now more than 1890 years, to be followed, when God again deals with His people Israel, by ‘One week’ 7. [Total] 490.”
Source: E.W. Bullinger, Number in Scripture, Part I, Chapter I — Chronology, 4th period (ca. char. 17,750–18,100).
Bullinger distinguishes sharply between Christ and Antichrist in the interpretation of Dan. 9:
“This ‘one week’ must be future, because since Messiah was ‘cut off’ no prince has come and made a covenant with the Jews and in the ‘midst of the week’ caused ‘the sacrifice and the oblation to cease.’ This is specially stated to be the work of ‘the Prince that shall come.’ […] All these four passages are the work of the same person, and that person is not Christ, but Antichrist.”
Source: E.W. Bullinger, Number in Scripture, Part I, Chapter I — Chronology footnote (ca. char. 18,700–19,300).
High-Priestly Office — Order of Melchizedek
Bullinger notes that the phrase ‘after the order of Melchizedek’ occurs seven times in Scripture:
“‘After the order of Melchizedek’: Old Testament 1 [total] 7. New Testament 6. (Psa 110:4, quoted in Heb 5:6,10, 6:20, 7:11,17,21.)”
Source: E.W. Bullinger, Number in Scripture, Part I, Chapter II — The Old and New Testaments Combined (ca. char. 86,860–86,980).
Interpretation: The number seven (= completeness / divine stamp) on the Melchizedek texts signals for Bullinger the divine confirmation of Christ’s eternal high-priesthood.
Kingly Office — Fifth Monarchy
Bullinger describes Christ’s royal dominion in terms of the fifth monarchy:
“…and presently, the ‘power’ which was committed to the Gentiles shall be given to Him ‘whose right it is,’ and the fifth monarchy (illustrated by the Rock out of which all the others proceed) shall swallow all up when the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ.”
Source: E.W. Bullinger, Number in Scripture, Part I, Chapter I (ca. char. 30,670–30,900).
Interpretation: Bullinger connects Dan. 2 (the image and the Stone) with the future universal kingship of Christ — an expression of the kingly office in eschatological perspective.
Second Coming (Second Advent)
Bullinger divides redemptive history into four prophetic periods of 490 years, the fourth running:
“The 4th. From Nehemiah to the Second Advent.”
Source: E.W. Bullinger, Number in Scripture, Part I, Chapter I — Chronology (ca. char. 13,500–13,560).
Interpretation: The Second Advent is for Bullinger a fixed chronological anchor in the redemptive-historical structure of 490-year periods.
The Lamb (arnion) — Christ in Revelation
“‘The Lamb,’ a peculiar word αρνιον (arnion) as used of Christ, 28 times (4x7). [Note: The Concordance gave 29; but, on examination, one of these was found to belong to Antichrist, Revelation 13:11.]”
Source: E.W. Bullinger, Number in Scripture, Part I, Chapter II — Words in the New Testament (ca. char. 62,000–62,250).
Resurrection (anastasis)
Bullinger tabulates the total occurrences of the word ‘resurrection’:
“αναστασις (anastasis) — resurrection 39; raised to life again (with εκ) 1; the first that should rise (with πρωτος εξ) 1; rising again 1. Total: 42.”
Source: E.W. Bullinger, Number in Scripture, Part I, Chapter II — Words in the New Testament (ca. char. 62,450–62,700).
Christ as Cornerstone
“‘The stone which the builders refused is become the head of the corner’: Old Testament 1 [total] 7. New Testament 6. (Psa 118:22, quoted in Matt 21:42; Mark 12:40; Luke 20:17; Acts 4:11; 1 Peter 2:4,7.)”
Source: E.W. Bullinger, Number in Scripture, Part I, Chapter II — The Old and New Testaments Combined (ca. char. 86,990–87,120).
Christ as Shepherd
“‘Shepherd,’ used of God or of Christ: (h(r), 12 in Old Test. (2²x3) [total] 21 (3x7). (ποιµην) 9 in New Test. (3²). [NT references: Matt 26:31; Mark 14:27; John 10:11 (twice), 14,16; Heb 13:20; 1 Peter 2:25, 5:4.]”
Source: E.W. Bullinger, Number in Scripture, Part I, Chapter II — The Old and New Testaments Combined (ca. char. 85,570–85,850).
Christ at the Right Hand of God
“Christ spoken of at the right hand of God: Old Testament 2 (Psa 110:1,5) [total] 21 (3x7). New Testament 19.”
Source: E.W. Bullinger, Number in Scripture, Part I, Chapter II — The Old and New Testaments Combined (ca. char. 86,730–86,850).
Son of David — Davidic Line
“‘Son of David,’ used of Christ, 14 times; with slightly different wording, 7 = 21 (3x7). [Variants: Matt 22:42; Luke 1:32; John 7:42; Rom 1:3; 2 Tim 2:8; Rev 5:5, 22:16.]”
Source: E.W. Bullinger, Number in Scripture, Part I, Chapter II — Phrases of the Bible (ca. char. 77,000–77,200).
Jesus as Last Adam (tol’doth)
Bullinger discusses the 14 occurrences of the phrase ‘these are the generations’ (tol’doth):
“Matthew (1:1) 1 [of Jesus = total 14]. The first and last are used only of the ‘first Adam’ and of the ‘last Adam.’ But these have the additional formula, ‘This is the book of,’ etc. (Gen 5:1 and Matt 1:1). […] the last, which relates to Pharez (Ruth 4:18), contains the first mention of the name of David, and tells of the Perfect One — David’s Son and David’s Lord, who shall restore perfection to His people as well as to the new heavens and the new earth.”
Source: E.W. Bullinger, Number in Scripture, Part I, Chapter II — Phrases of the Bible (ca. char. 72,970–74,550).
Interpretation: Bullinger sees Matt. 1:1 as the deliberate closure of the tol’doth series: Jesus as the ‘last Adam’ who restores creation and covenant.
Gematria of the Name Christos / Deity of Christ
Bullinger connects the numerical value of Χριστος (Christos) with the number 666:
“This letter ς (called Stigma) is used for the number 6. Why this letter and number should be thus associated we cannot tell, except that both are intimately connected with the ancient Egyptian ‘mysteries.’ The three letters SSS (in Greek ΣΣΣ) were the symbol of Isis, which is thus connected with 666. Indeed the expression of this number, Χξς, consists of the initial and final letters of the word Xριστος (Christos), Christ, viz., X and ς, with the symbol of the serpent between them, X—ξ—ς.”
Source: E.W. Bullinger, Number in Scripture, Part II — Introduction (ca. char. 97,700–98,050).
Interpretation: Bullinger points out that 666 incorporates the initials of Christos but with the serpent-sign between them — he sees this as evidence that the Beast/Antichrist is a false imitation of Christ.
Deity of Christ — “No Saviour but Me”
Bullinger cites the great ‘I am’ declarations and applies them to the deity of Christ:
“‘Thus saith the LORD, the King of Israel, And his redeemer the LORD of hosts: I am the first, and I am the last; And beside Me there is no God.’ (Isa 44:6) […] ‘Before Me there was no God formed, Neither shall there be after Me. I, even, I, am the LORD; And beside Me there is no Saviour.’ (Isa 43:10,11) […] ‘I am Alpha and Omega, The first and the last.’ (Rev 1:11,17, 2:8, 22:13)”
Source: E.W. Bullinger, Number in Scripture, Part II — ONE (ca. char. 101,320–101,900).
Interpretation: Bullinger connects the ‘first and the last’ titles in Isaiah with the same declarations in Revelation and applies them to the Lord Jesus Christ — an affirmation of His full deity.
Redemption is of the LORD — Soteriological Foundation
“Redemption and salvation began with God. His was the word which first revealed it (Gen 3:15). His was the will which first purposed it (Heb 10:7). His was the power that alone accomplished it. Hence ‘Salvation is of the LORD’ (see Exo 14:13; 2 Chron 20:17; Jonah 2:9; etc.). His is the will from which it all proceeds. ‘Lo, I come to do Thy will,’ said the Redeemer (Psa 40:7,8; Heb 10:7) when He came to do that ‘will.‘”
Source: E.W. Bullinger, Number in Scripture, Part II — ONE (ca. char. 102,430–102,860).
Interpretation: Bullinger grounds redemption explicitly in the trinitarian will of God: the Father purposes it, the Son accomplishes it, the Holy Spirit reveals it. Christ’s obedience (‘Lo, I come to do Thy will’) stands central as the soteriological motive.