Cees and Anneke Noordzij — Numerology
b8 — Jesus’ Signs in the Gospel of John
The Number Six as Humanity and Fullness
The wedding at Cana (the first sign, John 2:1-12) reveals the pattern of six. “Six stone water jars were standing there” (John 2:6). Noordzij explains that six is the number of humanity—both the “old” and the “new.” Pharaoh had “six hundred chariots” (Ex. 14:6), Philistine giants were associated with the number six (1Sam. 17:4, 2Sam. 21:20), and “the number of the beast” is “six hundred and sixty-six” (Rev. 13:18).
In the positive sense, six denotes the new person used by God. “The tabernacle, a figure of the fullness of Christ, was six boards broad” (Ex. 26:22). “Solomon’s temple was sixty cubits long” (1Kgs. 6:2). “There are 12 apostles, 24 elders, 72 sent ones, 144,000 firstfruits for God and the Lamb—all multiples of six”—indicating that six is a number of fullness when it concerns God’s people.
Jesus fills the vessels “to the brim” (John 2:7). This fullness in the six vessels does not prefigure a Pentecost experience, but rather “the coming of the full glory of the Feast of Tabernacles, of the full harvest.” Water becomes wine—the Word becomes Life.
The Number Seven as Divine Fullness
The feeding of the five thousand (the fourth sign) displays seven in a dual role. The first feeding was with “five” loaves for “five thousand” people (John 6:9), but “the seven loaves of the second feeding point to the fullness of the bread of life.” “Four thousand people” (representing “people from all directions, the number 4”) and “seven baskets left over”—this points to abundance and perfection.
Noordzij connects this to the eschatological future: “They will come from east and west, from north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God” (Luke 13:29).
The Number Five as Grace and Mercy
The healing at Bethesda (the third sign, John 5:1-18) occurred “near the Sheep Gate. By this gate is a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda. Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. Five covered colonnades surrounded the pool” (John 5:2-3). “Five is the biblical number of grace, mercy.”
Jesus healed here “a man there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years” (John 5:5)—precisely the number of years Israel wandered in the wilderness (Deut. 2:14) as a result of unbelief. “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk” (John 5:8). This healing took place on “the day of Atonement” (Lev. 16:29-31), which underscores divine forgiveness and complete atonement.
The Number Twelve as Royal Priesthood
Though not explicit in a single sign, twelve forms a warning web through the signs. “Twelve is the biblical number for being called to a royal priesthood.” In the first feeding, “twelve baskets of pieces were left over” (Matt. 14:20)—“twelve baskets for all Israel” (Rom. 11:26). This number speaks of complete restoration and recovery of God’s people.
The Number Eight as Resurrection Life
The eighth and final sign (John 21:1-14) reveals eight as the number of “new life, resurrection life.” During the Flood, “eight persons were saved through water” (1Pet. 3:20). “In Israel, everything that was male was to be circumcised on the eighth day” (Ex. 22:29-31). “The west side of the tabernacle, which was made of six boards, became eight boards wide through the addition of two corner boards” (Ex. 26:22-25).
The Number 153 and the Composition of Perfection
After the resurrection, Jesus appears and the disciples cast their net. “Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn” (John 21:11).
This number is not random. “First, it is 144+9: the square (=perfection) of twelve (12×12) and the square of three (3×3). Twelve is the biblical number for being called to a royal priesthood. Three is the number of completeness.” Moreover, 153 is the sum of all numbers from 1 to 17. “Seventeen is the sum of ten and seven. Ten denotes quantitative fullness; seven denotes qualitative fullness. Among these 153 great fish, not one is missing!”
This speaks of the perfect and complete renewal of God’s people—no loss, complete recovery in the resurrection.
Three as Fulfillment and Completion
The number three runs through the signs in sign and fulfillment. “On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee” (John 2:1), which Noordzij links to the Jewish Pentecost, “the feast of the third month.” The raising of Lazarus (the seventh sign) speaks of the “third day” resurrection for the whole Body of Christ: “Lazarus, come out!” (John 11:43). This prefigures Jesus’ own resurrection on the third day and the future resurrection of all believers.
Four as Universality and All Directions
In the feeding signs, the number four represents universality: “people from all directions.” This becomes clear when Jesus says that believers “will come from east and west, from north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God” (Luke 13:29).