God-Inspired Words, Numbers, and Amino Acids: The Building Blocks of Life KEN CHEUNG The clock was winding down. The Sunbird right-winger dribbled past one defender after another in a flash, her heart pounding, the goal on sight, hamstring muscles flexed her right knee and then extended to connect the foot to the underside of the ball. A brilliant crossing, following a Newtonian parabolic trajectory, the ball sailed past several defenders in front of the goal. The Sunbird center-forward with both hands swinging upwards and feet pushing away from the groundGod-Inspiredlaunched herself Words,up into the Numbers, air, aligning her and body Amino with her own momentum, connected Acids: The Building Blocks of Life her headKEN toCHEUNG the right -half of the ball, and knocked the ball through the outstretched arms of the opposingThe clock goalie wasinto winding the right down. bottom The Sunbirdcorner of right-winger the goal. dribbled past one defender after another in a flash, her heart pounding, the goal on sight, ham- stringDuring muscles the flexed football her right(soccer) kneegame, and then biochemistry extended to andconnect the energythe foot metabolism to of the body the underside of the ball. A brilliant crossing, following a Newtonian parabolic musclestrajectory, functioned the ball sailedautomatic past allyseveral, gravity defenders functioned in front asof usual,the goal. and The the Sun volume- of the ball was bird center-forward with both hands swinging upwards and feet pushing away relatedfrom tothe π ground. Even thelaunchedellipsoid herselfal alternate up into thefoot air,ball aligning, which her is playedbody with with her the hands by throwing own momentum, connected her head to the right-half of the ball, and knocked andthe catching ball throughinstead the outstretchedof kicking witharms theof the foot opposing, except goalie for a intohandful the right of set bot play- s, is related to π. tom corner of the goal. AlbertDuring Einstein’s the football field (soccer)equations game, for cosmologybiochemistry also and containthe energy the metabolism irrational number π, but there is of the body muscles functioned automatically, gravity functioned as usual, and nothingthe volume irrational of the about ball was π ’s relatedrelation to to. Eventhe cosmos the ellipsoidal and the alternateintelligent footballCreator., The human body which is played with the hands by throwing and catching instead of kicking is “fearfullywith the foot, and except wonderfully for a handful made” of set(Ps plays,139:14) is relatedwith to all the. Albert intricate Einstein’s physiology and field equations1 for cosmology also contain the irrational number , but there is biochemistry.nothing irrational about ’s relation to the cosmos and the intelligent Creator. The human body is “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Ps 139:14) with all the 1 intricateGematria physiology2 is a andform biochemistry. of cryptography where Hebrew and Greek alphabets have standard value. Ancient Jewish sages used gematria for rabbinicstandard writings value.2 andAncient for biblical Jewish sages used gematria for rabbinic writings and for biblical 22 Gematria is a form of cryptography where Hebrew and Greek alphabets have standardstandard valuevalue.. AncientAncientalphanumerical JewishJewish sagessages equivalents, usedused gematriagematria e.g., α forfor rabbinicrabbinicβ writingswritingsω andasand the forfor 24thbiblicalbiblicalth Greek ,for alphabet literal interpretationor 800 as the ( פְּ שָׁ Greekט) hermeneuticalphanumericals usingequivalents, the PaRDeS e.g.,approach, = 1, =which 1, … stand = 24 for asPeshat the 24 ,for literal interpretation ( פְּ שָׁ ט) standard value.2 Ancient Jewish sages usedalphabet gematria or for800 rabbinic as the standard writings value. and 2 Ancientfor biblical Jewish sageshermeneutic used gematrias forusing the PaRDeS approach, which stand for Peshat ,, PaRDeS forfor literalliteral approach,interpretationinterpretation ( (פְּ פְּ theשָׁ שָׁ טט)) hermeneutichermeneuticss usingusing rabbinic thethePaRDeSPaRDeS writingsapproach,approach, and for whichwhichbiblical standstand hermeneutics forforPeshatPeshat using for inquiry into ( מִ דְ רָ שׁ) or Midrash ( דְּ רַ שׁ) allegorical) for inquiryinterpretation into , Drash מִ דְ forרָ for (שׁרֶ )מֶ ז) or Remez Midrash ( דְּ רַ שׁ),for for allegorical Peshat interpretationfor literal, Drash interpretation ( רֶ standמֶ ז)Remezwhich ,for literal interpretation ( פְּ שָׁ ט) hermeneutics using the PaRDeS approach, which stand for Peshat forforfor inquiryinquiry into intointo ((מִ מִ דְ דְ רָ רָ שׁשׁ)) or oror MidrashMidrash ((דְּ דְּ רַ רַ שׁשׁ)) forfor allegoricalallegoricalallegoricalinterpretationinterpretation interpretation,,,Drash DrashDrash ((רֶ רֶ מֶ מֶ זז))RemezRemez forfor esoteric meaning meaning through through inspirainspiration- or direct (סוֹד) ancientancient rabbinic rabbinic writings, writings, and and SodSod for esoteric meaning through inspiration or direct (סוֹד) for inquiry into ancient rabbinic writings, and Sod ( מִ דְ רָ שׁ) or Midrash ( דְּ רַ שׁ) for allegorical interpretation, Drash ( רֶ מֶ ז) Remez forfor The esotericesoteric Apostle meaningmeaning John used throughthrough gematriainspirationinspiration to code the oror namedirectdirect of ((סוֹדסוֹד)).ancientancient rabbinicrabbinic writings,writings,tion or anddirectand SodSod revelation the “beast” in Rev 13:18. To minimize overly subjective interpretation of the revelation. The Apostle John used gematria to code the namerevelation. of the “ beastThe Apostle” in RevJohn13:18.usedTo gematria to code the name of the “beast” in Rev 13:18. To forgematria esoteric values,meaning it is through importantinspiration that all deciphered or direct words be the original ones (סוֹד) ancient rabbinic writings, and Sod revelation.revelation. TThehe ApostleApostleJohnJohnusedused gematriagematria toto codecode thethenamename ofof thethe ““beastbeast””inin RevRev13:18.13:18. ToTo minimizeused in overthe Bible.ly subjective interpretation of the gematria valuesminimize, it isover importantly subjective that allinterpretation of the gematria values, it is important that all revelation. The Apostle John used gematria to code the name of the “beast” in Rev 13:18. To minimizeminimizeoveroverlyly subjectivesubjectiveinterpretationinterpretation ofof thethe gematriagematria valuesvalues,,itit isis importantimportant thatthat allall deciphered words be the original ones used in the Bible. deciphered words be the original ones used in the Bible. minimize overly subjective interpretation of the gematria values, it is important that all 87 deciphereddeciphered wwordsords bebe thethe originaloriginal onesonesusedusedinin thethe Bible.Bible. deciphered words be the original ones used in theAft Bible.er the Reformation, the grammatico-historical interpretationAfter wathes Reformation, preferred over the other grammatico -historical interpretation was preferred over other AftAfterer thethe Reformation,Reformation, thethe grammaticogrammatico--historicahistoricall interpretationinterpretation wawass preferredpreferredoverover otherother approaches. This article questions whether interpreting theapproaches Bible only. byThis the article grammaticoquestions- whether interpreting the Bible only by the grammatico- After the Reformation, the grammatico-historical interpretation was preferred over other approachesapproaches.. ThisThis articlearticlequestionsquestions whetherwhether interpretinginterpretingthethe BibleBible onlyonly byby thethe grammaticogrammatico-- historical approach, to discern the meaning of original humanhistorical author approach,s, is sufficientto discernfor the meaning of original human authors, is sufficient for approaches. This article questions whether interpreting the Bible only by the grammatico- historicalhistorical approach,approach,toto discerndiscern thethe meaningmeaning ofoforiginaloriginal humanhuman authorauthors,s, isis sufficientsufficientforfor hermeneutics. Are we in this process ignoring the divine ahermeneuticsuthor who inspired. Are wethe in human this process writers ignoring the divine author who inspired the human writers historical approach, to discern the meaning of original human authors, is sufficient for hermeneuticshermeneutics.. AreAre wewe inin thisthis processprocess ignoringignoring thethe divinedivine aauthoruthor whowho inspiredinspiredthethe humanhuman writerswriters in the first place? Consider, for example, the pre-Reformationin the Thomas first place Aquinas’? Consider, four sensesfor example, of the pre-Reformation Thomas Aquinas’ four senses of hermeneutics. Are we in this process ignoring the divine author who inspired the human writers inin thethe firstfirst placeplace?? Consider,Consider, forfor example,example, thethe prepre--ReformationReformation ThomasThomas Aquinas’Aquinas’ fourfour sensessenses ofof the Sacred Scripture or the Jewish PaRDeS exegesis tradition?the Sacred In Summa Scripture Theologica, or the Jewish Article PaRDe 10 S exegesis tradition? In Summa Theologica, Article 10 in the first place? Consider, for example, the pre-Reformation Thomas Aquinas’ four senses of thethe SacredSacred ScriptureScripture oror thethe JewishJewish PaRDePaRDeSSexegesisexegesis tradition?tradition? IInn SummaSumma Theologica,Theologica, ArticleArticle 1010 of Question 1 in Prima Pars, Aquinas explains that there isof no Question confusion 1 inbetween Prima Pars,literal Aquinas sense explains that there is no confusion between literal sense the Sacred Scripture or the Jewish PaRDeS