The Meaning of the Number Ten in the Bible—Part 6—The New Testament and Conclusion

Introduction and Review

The number ten in the Bible refers to themes centered on God's commands and humans' responsibility to obey and honor them. It also links with the concept of testing in terms of obedience to God's expressed will and ways. When the number ten appears in Scripture, we will most often find the words command, test, or both very near in the story.

The fifth part of this series examined how the number ten and its themes of responsibility and testing are used in the Biblical books of Daniel, Esther, and Nehemiah.

This fifth installment will cover these same themes discovered in the New Testament and will also conclude this series on the number ten.

All parts of this series are linked at the end of each article.

The Pharisees take on the role of the serpent in the beginning and the devil in the desert as they try to trip up Jesus, by James Tissot.
Brooklyn Museum

Jesus Was Tested With Ten Questions

In Matthew chapters 19-22, the religious rulers tested Jesus with ten questions. They were hoping that Jesus would disobey God through their trickery. The first two questions center on inquiries about marriage (a theme included in this study) and divorce.

The Pharisees also came to Him, testing Him, and saying to Him, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason?

— Matthew 19:3

They said to Him, "Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?

— Matthew 19:7

The third question came from a rich young ruler, most likely a religious leader, who wanted to know what good thing he could do to inherit eternal life. Jesus then launched a discussion about the commandments. The young man wanted to know which commandments were necessary. In response, Jesus rehearsed the last six commandments with a slight shift in their order, never mentioning the first four that honor God.

Now behold, one came and said to Him, "Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?"
So He said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments."
He said to Him, "Which ones?"
Jesus said, "'You shall not murder (6),' 'You shall not commit adultery (7),' 'You shall not steal (8),' 'You shall not bear false witness (9),' 'Honor your father and your mother (5),' and, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself (10).'
— Matthew 19:16-19

The young man thinks he has fulfilled all of the commands. He has checked all the right boxes in his own eyes.

The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?”
— Matthew 19:20

Jesus told him to go and sell all his possessions and give the money to the poor. He walked away because he had a lot of possessions that he obviously didn't want to part with.

The order of the commandments Jesus gave might be a clue to where Jesus was aiming with this young man—Mark chapter seven records arguments between the Pharisaical rulers and Jesus over human-made rules versus God's commands.

And He (Jesus) said to them, "Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written:

'This people honors Me with their lips,
But their heart is far away from Me.
But in vain do they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commands of men.'

Leaving the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men."

— Mark 7:6-7

Jesus replied that it was more of a heart matter than a checklist matter. He then offered an example, including a traditional command that obligated a person to pay Corban to the Temple. Corban was supposed to be a voluntary offering of free will, but was treated more like a Temple tax. This left many poor people without the financial means to care for their aging parents. Jesus put the "honor your father and mother" clause at the bottom of the rich young ruler's list to indicate that his obedience was out of order in terms of priority. His heart was more interested in using the letter of the law as a measuring stick for his righteousness, but missed the heart of God's command and priorities, which is why the first four commands about loyalty and love for God were left out. If that were the case, demanding Corban rather than honoring one's parents would not be honoring God and would reveal that financial gain was the goal, not pleasing God.

The fourth question comes from the crowd during Christ's triumphal entry.

... And when He had entered Jerusalem, all the city was stirred, saying, "Who is this?"
— Matthew 21:10

The backdrop to this event involved Jesus commanding His disciples to find a donkey and its colt and bring it to Him for the event, and they obeyed.

And when they had approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, "Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to Me ... And the disciples went and did just as Jesus had instructed them,
— Matthew 21:1-2, 6

The fifth question occurs in the same scene of the triumphal entry, during Jesus's overturning of the tables. The religious rulers are indignant that the people are praising Him as the Messiah.

... and (the chief priests and scribes) said to Him, “Do You hear what these are saying?”
— Matthew 21:16

The sixth question piggybacks on the fifth, questioning Jesus's authority.

And when He entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to Him while He was teaching, and said, “By what authority are You doing these things, and who gave You this authority?”
— Matthew 21:23

The only one who could fulfill the Messianic prophecy and have the authority of a Messiah would be someone who fulfilled God's commands. Jesus revealed that He is the fully righteous one in the book of Matthew.

“Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.
— Matthew 5:17-18

Paul writes to the Corinthian church that Christ was without sin. He obeyed all of God's commands perfectly.

For to this you have been called, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in His steps, who did no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth
For our sake, he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
— 2 Corinthians 5:21

Jesus maintained His righteousness even while being tested.

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.
— Hebrews 4:15

John reiterates that in Him, there is no sin.

You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin.
— I John 3:5

The seventh question involves another test from the Pharisees, who are trying to trap Jesus. In this setting, they try to trip Jesus up on obedience to Caesar, involving tax-paying obligations.

... tell us, what do You think? Is it lawful to give a tax to Caesar, or not?”
— Matthew 22:17

Jesus answered with His own question.

But Jesus, knowing their wickedness, said, "Why are you testing Me, you hypocrites?
— Matthew 22:18

Jesus instructed them to show him the coin used for paying the tax.

Show Me the coin used for the tax.” And they brought Him a denarius. And He said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said to Him, “Caesar’s.” Then He said to them, “Therefore, render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and to God the things that are God’s.” And hearing this, they marveled, and leaving Him, they went away.
— Matthew 22:19-22

Jesus was asserting that they indeed owed their obedience to Caesar's taxes, but, more importantly, they were obligated to obey God, whom they claimed to serve and be His image bearers.

Question number eight occurs when the Sadducees try to test Jesus on issues surrounding the resurrection and again include issues of marriage. They proposed a riddle that included a woman who had married seven men because each subsequently died; whose husband would she be in the afterlife?

In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had her.”
— Matthew 22:28

Jesus accused them of not knowing the Scriptures or the power of God.

On the heels of the Sadducees' questions, the Pharisees take their turn to test Jesus on issues surrounding commandments.

But when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered themselves together. And one of them, a scholar of the Law, asked Him a question, testing Him, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”
— Matthew 22:34-36

Jesus replied as follows.

And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. And the second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang the whole Law and the Prophets.”
— Matthew 22:37-40

The tenth question is asked by Jesus Himself as He turns the inquiry on the Pharisees.

Now, while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question, saying, “What do you think about the Christ, whose son is He?”
— Matthew 22:41

Again, we see Jesus inviting them to see Him as the Messiah who fulfills all the commandments on behalf of humankind.

James Tissot's depiction of the coming of the Bridegroom in the Parable of the ten virgins

The Testing of the Ten Virgins

Mathew chapter 25 records a series of eschatological parables, one of them being a story about ten virgins, representing followers of Christ, awaiting the return of their Bridegroom, Christ. The test includes who will be ready and faithfully awaiting the Bridegroom's arrival and who will not.

Five of the waiting virgins were wise and brought oil; five were foolish and did not. The Bridegroom was delayed, and everyone fell asleep. When the Bridegroom finally arrived, everyone trimmed their lamps, but the five foolish ones didn't have enough oil. The five wise ones didn't have enough to share, so they suggested that the five foolish ones go buy some for themselves. While they were gone, the Bridegroom came, and those who were faithfully prepared and ready went in with Him, and the others were shut out.

The marital theme, again, is notable.

The Parable of the Ten Talents

The Parable of the Ten Talents immediately follows the Parable of the Ten Virgins (Matthew 28). It, too, carries a theme of faithful service. In this case, a master leaves His servants in charge of His possessions. This could be a test to see what they would do with what they had been given. One servant was given five talents, two talents to another, and one talent to a third servant. The first two faithfully doubled the master's investments, but the third servant fearfully hid the master's investment, assuming that He was a mean, stingy, demanding man. At the end of the story, the man who hid his talent was required to give it to the one who had ten. The two who judged their master good and faithful were commended.

His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'...
— Matthew 25:23

The book of Luke tells a similar story. A nobleman goes away to a far country and leaves his business to ten servants. He gives each one ten minutes and tells them to do business until he returns. Upon his return, he asks for an accounting of his profits. The first gained ten minas more, and the nobleman commends him for his faithfulness and gives him authority over ten cities. The next one gained five minas. In this case, there is no commendation for faith, but he does gain authority over five cities. The final servant hid his mina in a cloth, believing the nobleman to be a harsh, greedy taskmaster, and like the Matthew version, he had to give his one mina to the one who gained ten. Commendation for the faithful again is noted.

And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.’
— Luke 19:17

In both cases, allegiance and faithfulness to a king and the number ten figure prominently.

Ascension of the Lord by Gebhard Fugel (1863-1939)

Smyrna's Ten-Day Test

The church of Smyrna in Revelation experiences tribulation/testing for 10 days. The faithful, those who worship and obey God, are granted the crown of life.

Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison so that you will be tested and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
— Revelation 2:10

Jesus knocks at the door of the believer's heart in Revelation chapter three.

Ten Statements Against the Laodicean Church

In the book of Revelation, the Lukewarm church of Laodicea receives ten notations of faithless thought and behavior.

I know your deeds, that

you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were cold or hot.
So because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. Because
you say I am rich
and have become wealthy,
and have need of nothing,"
and you do not know that you are wretched
and pitiable
and poor
and blind
and naked.

— Revelation 3:15-17

The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of Creation, counsels them to buy gold refined and tested in the fire.

I advise you to buy from Me gold refined (tested) by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be manifested; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.
— Revelation 3:18-19

He goes on to affirm that His confrontation is out of love.

Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline. Therefore, be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”
— Revelation 3:19-22

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, some reasons God tests His people are to humble them, to know what is in their hearts, and to see what His people cling to and run to in times of testing. Anything less than God results in disaster for us and heartbreak for Him.

Deuteronomy 8:2,
II Chronicles 32:31,
Hebrews 12:26-29

God doesn't test us to find failure. Precisely the opposite is true. He's looking for faith. His tests are for our benefit, so we can see where we are, and He can bless us. God is searching for opportunities to bless us.

For the eyes of Yahweh move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is wholly devoted to Him.

— II Chronicles 16:9

Jesus said the following concerning hope in finding faith when He returns.

... when the Son of Man comes, will He find that faith on the earth?
— Luke 18:8

Trials and testing also strengthen our faith.

And I will bring the third part through the fire
And refine them as silver is refined
And test them as gold is tested.
They will call on My name,
And I will answer them;
I will say, 'They are My people,'
And they will say, ‘Yahweh is my God.'”

— Zechariah 13:9

In this, you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

— I Peter 1:6-7

As exhaustively studied, the number ten in Scripture categorizes themes concerning humans' responsibility to God's commands and the tests that accompany it. It is also used in the context of marital agreements and obligations, signaling the use of ten as a covenantal number. Lastly, ten expresses the kingdom's dominion and power, which ultimately end up in the hands of those who faithfully follow and obey God.