Introduction
By Paul Anderson
I am a stat guy. In Little League, I had more fun sitting in the announcer's booth filling in the score sheet than being on the field. I would be the one guy in the stands at Wrigley Field filling in the program and having my mom get my hot dog with ketchup so I didn't miss a pitch. Actually, last time I was there, I skipped the stats and snuck onto the field and had center fielder, number 37, Michael Hermosillo, take my photo at the Friendly Confines. Here are his stats this year:
Year | Team | GP | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | HR | Avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2022 | 31 | 61 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 7 | 27 | 0 | .115 | |
 |
| Wrigley Field, Home of the 2016 World Champion Chicago Cubs |
Now, my obsession with collecting stats is paying dividends with counting my steps and logging everything I eat. It has helped me lose 120 pounds and got my health goals on track. But the health goals aren't the only thing I track. With the increased amount of exercise, I have started listening to books as I walk. So, I track that too. This year, I have listened to 16 books for 203 hours.
My favorite book has to be The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. He was a tracker too. He used a spread sheet to track his list of 13 virtues: Temperance, Silence, Order, Resolution, Frugality, Industry, Sincerity, Justice, Moderation, Cleanliness, Tranquility, Chastity and Humility. While he failed to achieve his lofty goal, he felt that he benefited from the effort of collecting statistics.
“On the whole, tho’ I never arrived at the Perfection I had been so ambitious of obtaining, but fell short of it...Yet as I was, by the Endeavor, a better and a happier Man than I otherwise should have been if I had not attempted it.”
- Benjamin Franklin
So, I thought I would see what the Bible says about statistics.
Here are my top 12 verses on Statistics:
Jesus On Statistics
Matthew 10:30 King James Version
30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
Mark 8:19-20 King James Version
19 When I brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve.
20 And when the seven among four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? And they said, Seven.
Luke 14:31-32 King James Version
31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?
32 Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.
John 21:10-13 King James Version
10 Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught.
11 Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.
12 Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord.
13 Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise.
Statistics In The New Testament
Luke 2:3 King James Version
3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
Acts 2:41 King James Version
41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
Galatians 4:10 King James Version
10 Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.
Revelation 13:18 King James Version
18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.
Statistics In The Old Testament
Exodus 30:11-12 King James Version
11 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
12 When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel after their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the Lord, when thou numberest them; that there be no plague among them, when thou numberest them.
Numbers 1:2-3 King James Version
2 Take ye the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, after their families, by the house of their fathers, with the number of their names, every male by their polls;
3 From twenty years old and upward, all that are able to go forth to war in Israel: thou and Aaron shall number them by their armies.
2 Samuel 24:9-10 King James Version
9 And Joab gave up the sum of the number of the people unto the king: and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword; and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.
10 And David's heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And David said unto the Lord, I have sinned greatly in that I have done: and now, I beseech thee, O Lord, take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.
Job 14:16 King James Version
16 For now thou numberest my steps: dost thou not watch over my sin?
Conclusion Of The Whole Matter
Statistic is another word that is difficult to study in the Bible. It has zero occurrences in most, if not all, translations. The closest synonyms are Number or Count. However, these words return so many results that you can get overwhelmed with the data. The search engine I use also returns words that include the search term. So, Count is highly inflated due to occurrences of Country and Countenance. However, I did find one of my favorite verses that includes the idea of counting and reminds me of chess. The parable of Two Kings is part of Jesus' teaching on Counting The Cost of being a disciple. This not the first time in the Bible that people are counted. From the number of men eligible to fight in war to the number of believers who were baptized, population is the most common statistic in the Bible.
The Number search returns more items that relate to statistics than Count. From hairs on your head, to the steps you take, to the counting of food, the Bible includes many areas where statistics are collected. However, it also highlights a possible warning about whether numbering things is a good idea or not. David was smitten when he numbered the people of Israel, yet it was God who moved
David to do it. Why would God move David to do something that was wrong?
Perhaps the answer come from Exodus 30. This commandment seems to allow taking a census. However, there is a condition attached. A ransom must be included for their souls of the men who are counted. In the incident when David numbered the people, there is no mention that he included a ransom. This could be the reason why this numbering was punished with a plague while other numberings seem to be perfectly acceptable.
274 Bible results for “number” from King James Version.
346 Bible results for “count” from King James Version.
0 result for “statistics” from previous Solomon's Colonnade studies.
Hill of Ares - Acts 17:18-19
The stoics had four key virtues: wisdom, justice, courage, and temperance. Ben Franklin expanded that list into 13 virtues he tracked. While he included a couple of the stoic virtues, he did leave off courage and wisdom. It is interesting to me that he included the imitation of Socrates, a precursor to Stoicism.
- Temperance. Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.
- Silence. Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.
- Order. Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.
- Resolution. Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.
- Frugality. Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing.
- Industry. Lose no time; be always employ'd in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.
- Sincerity. Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly.
- Justice. Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.
- Moderation. Avoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.
- Cleanliness. Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, cloaths, or habitation.
- Tranquillity. Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.
- Chastity. Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another's peace or reputation.
- Humility. Imitate Jesus and Socrates.
Scripture contributions for October 2022 by: Paul Anderson, Matthew Anderson
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