St. Augustine and the Mystery of Numbers
There is one feature in the homilies of St. Augustine, as likewise in those of St. Ambrose, St. Gregory the Great, St. Bede, etc., which is apt to bring a smile to the sophisticated modern reader, namely, his fondness for discerning doctrinal significance in numbers. This habit is of course based on the Bible itself, where certain numbers 1, 3, 7, 12, 40-are considered sacred. Several early Christian writers, such as the author of the Epistle of Barnabas and the Alexandrines, went to incredible extremes in playing with numbers in this way. As regards St. Augustine, he follows a definite system of numerical interpretation.
The numbers he quotes have a well ascertained meaning, as will be seen from the following list:
(1) - Mysterium unitatis: A sacred number, because of the Oneness of God.
(2) - Numerus caritatis: Sacred on account of the twofold precept: Love God, Love thy neighbour.
(3) - Numerus Trinitatis: Sacred because of the mystery of the Holy Trinity. The same applies to multiples of 3.
(4) - Numerus multitudinis: Because of the four parts of the earth-Ab Oriente et Occidente, ab Aquilone et Austro. A quatuor ventis ...
(7) - Numerus sanctitatis: The Sacred Number par excellence: Seven Sacraments, Seven gifts, Seven days of creation, etc.
(8) - Numerus perfectionis: Octava perfectio est quia consummatum perfectumque ostendit et probat-referring to the Eight Beatitudes.
(10) - Numerus mercedis: The Denarius.
(12) - Numerus universitatis: Sacramentum magnum bujus duodenarii significatio est numeriSacramentum est cuiusdam universitatis.
(40) - Numerus perfectus: Because it is commemorative of the Forty Days of Moses in the mountain, of Elias in the desert and of Our Lord's Fast.
(50) - Numerus laetitiae: viz. number 10, the reward, added to number 40, perfection. Commemorative of the Fifty Days of Eastertide.
By the same process St. Augustine calls number 38 a numerus languoris, that is, by subtracting number two-the twofold precept of love from number 40, a number implying perfection.
