Properties of the number 51

51 - REPENTANCE

Fifty-one has the meaning of repentance in the Bible. The number gets its meaning from Psalm 51, king David's Psalm of repentance after his adultery with Bathsheba. The number 51 is confirmed by the 153 fishes (3 x 51) the disciples caught in John 20. Peter had denied Jesus tree times. After the catch he was asked three times by Jesus, if he loved him. The three times 51 fishes stand for Peter's threefold repentance, for the three questions and for the three denials. The Old Testament also gives an example of 3 times 51, with the third 51 being the repentance. Elijah sits on a mountaintop (2Kings 1)and is summoned to come down by a captain of fifty and his fifty (51). 'Man of God' says the captain, 'the kings summons you to come down.' Not in the mood Elijah says that if he is a man of God, let fire come down and destroy them all. And 51 charred bodies are the result. The second captain and his fifty undergo the same lot. When the third 51 arrive - 153 soldiers in total - the third captain starts pleading with Elijah. Repentance saves his skin. Most likely the 51 for repentance comes from the Jubilee Year (50th). When the people got their property back they would say in the 51st year: Let's not mess up now!

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