Matthew. Mark. Luke. John.
These 4 gospels are together the complete history of our Lord's life on earth; and the nature and aim of the 4-fold record is the display of that blessed life to us.
But if we attempt as has been done, some consecutive re-arrangement of the parts of each of these four so as to form a blended and chronological (it may be) whole, we shall then lose the true character of the picture each writer was inspired to give. Matthew's special fittedness for convicting Jewish mind (see his two-fold witness as noted above as an instance of this specialty) is lost; the chain of Mark's untiring Servant-labors is broken into detached, and therefore ineffective, links; Luke is robbed of its universality; and the Heavenly One of John is no longer distinguishable through the mixture with a mass of additional facts. The paragraphs of a "Harmony" are true enough, yet the wisdom of the Spirit's order is set aside and the intended power, as well as beauty, of the fourfold display is altogether missed.
This suggests a character of completeness as belonging to number 4.
"The four winds from the four quarters of heaven" in Jer. 49:36. "The four quarters of the earth" (Rev. 20:8), and the river divided into 4 heads (Gen. 2:10) to water the garden; the 4 watches of the night in Mark 13:35. The 4 corners of the sheet (Acts 10:11). "Breadth, and length, and depth, and height" (Eph. 3:18). These all embracing the entirety of the thing in each case confirm the suggestion above made.
It may seem that this trenches somewhat on the widely accepted thought of perfection seen in number seven. Seven, however, is more mystical and heavenly in its connections, while 4 is rather for earth and is finite and often manifest.
A comparison of the uses of these numbers in Rev. 5 may show their difference. In v. 11-12, the angels and the living ones and the elders, the unlimited multitudes of heaven say, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing"; i.e. a sevenfold ascription is made by heavenly hosts; while in the next verse, where the creatures "on the earth and under the earth, and such as are in the sea and all that are in them" join in the praise, then the ascription is 4-fold only. "Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever."
The special symbol of the display, presently, of the glorified saints to the earth "descending out of heaven from God" the new Jerusalem, the bride, the Lamb's wife is in shape a cube, or square every way.
So, too, with the holiest of all, the material expression of the third heaven set up on earth, it was twenty cubits long by twenty cubits wide and twenty cubits high, a square and cubic (1 Kings 6:20). The brazen altar, at which is the display of Divine judgment (fire) is 4 sided, with 4 horns specially to display the memorial of atonement made. The golden altar also was 4-sided, and with 4 horns for the same purpose.
This number as significant of completeness displayed on earth, will be found in many features of the Tabernacle in the Wilderness, for there it was that God arranged a system of material witnesses to the beauty and fullness of Christ. Referring to it, Heb. 10:5, 6 (as also Psa. 40), classes the sacrifices as of 4 characters "Sacrifice" (i.e., peace offering) "and offering" (meat offering) "thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: in burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure."
And this leads us to a frequent feature of number 4, viz., the difference often to be seen between one of its items and the other 3. Thus, the burnt offering, peace offering and sin offering were animals killed, but the meat offering of flour, &c., had neither life nor blood.
The meat offering was either (1) baked in the oven, (2) baked on the flat plate, (3) baked on the frying pan, or (4) not baked at all (Lev. 2).
The sin offering has 4 characters in Lev. 4: one is collective, i.e., for the whole congregation (v. 13) and the other 3 are personal, i.e., for "the priest that is anointed" (v. 3), for the ruler (v. 22) and for the common person (v. 27). (These are different somewhat from the grades (often called so) of the burnt offering in Ch. 1, any of which might be offered by the same person.) The materials of which the Tabernacle was constructed are 4: three metals (gold, silver and brass) and the 4th was shittim wood.
The flexible materials also were 4: three are from animals (goats' hair, rams' skins and badgers' skins) and one is vegetable (the fine twined linen).
The decorations of the linen curtains and of the veil are 4: three colors (blue, purple and scarlet) and the 4th a form cherubim.
The garments of glory and beauty worn by the high priest are 4: the coat, the robe of the ephod, and the ephod upon his body, and the miter on his head (Ex. 28), while the decorations of the ephod are blue, purple and scarlet, but the fourth is of gold.
Four vessels were each made of two materials: three of wood and gold (ark, golden altar and table) and one of brass and wood (the brazen altar).
The incense was of 4 spices: stacte, onycha, galbanum (not used elsewhere) and frankincense (which was used otherwise constantly).
The anointing oil was 4 spices compounded with oil.
The camp itself was divided under 4 standards, pitched to east, west, north and south. The Levites were divided into 4: the priests at the court gate and Gershon, Kohath and Merari on its three other sides, the 4-fold thus embracing the whole.
In the building itself 48 boards are employed: the number of Israel's tribes (twelve) 4 times over, an exhibition of the people before God in complete blessing, as covered each and all with gold.
The distinct character of one out of the 4 is seen in the greater number of instances through the Scriptures; yet as the one is not of the same character throughout, it is not clear what the meaning of the division is.
Thus Noah sent out from the ark first a raven (an unclean bird) and then three times a dove.
But in Ezek. 37:6 in the valley of dry bones, sinews were put on them, then flesh, then skin, but breath in them, which last was precious vital energy.
The manna was to sight small, white and round, and to taste it was sweet (Ex. 16:14, 31).
In Jotham's parable (Judg. 9), the olive, fig, and vine are valuable trees, but the bramble is wild only.
The Egyptians (Gen. 47:18) gave their money, cattle and lands to Pharaoh and then themselves.
The Lord was not in the wind, earthquake or fire, but in the still, small voice (1 Kings 19:11-12).
The camp of Israel was common ground and the 3 holies (the court or holy place, the holy and the most holy) were separate from it figure of earth and three heavens.
Twelve Princes of Israel are mentioned on 4 different occasions and not again, but the first time in Num. 1 it is in a different order from the other three, which are alike in order, viz., in Num. 2;7;10.
(Note, by the way, that often as the twelve tribes are enumerated, it is always in a varied order, save in the above three chapters, Num. 2, 7 and 10. These three are in the same order and no two others are alike.)
In Amos 1 and 2 it is written "for three transgressions. . . and for four I will not turn away the punishment thereof." And in Prov. 30 "Three things... yea four" is several times repeated.
The prophet's chamber was furnished with a bed, a table, a stool and a candlestick to illuminate the rest (2 Kings 4:10).
The kiss first, then the best robe, the ring and the shoes were the prodigal's welcome (Luke 15).
The seven green withes, new ropes, and woven locks were of no value to restrain Samson, but shave his head and he is powerless (Judg. 16).
The image of jealousy, incense to abominable things, weeping for Tammuz and worshipping the sun filled up the picture of Judah's wickedness (Ezek. 8).
In detail, he who had built a house, or planted a vineyard, or betrothed a wife, was excused from going to war; but general exception was also made of the fearful and fainthearted (Deut. 20:58).
In Jonah 1:8 the seamen make a 4-fold inquiry of the prophet, which we may profitably apply to ourselves: they ask of him an explanation of the evil that has come upon them and then put him 4 questions to discover his qualities and antecedents. "What is thine occupation?" Every servant of the Lord may challenge himself: is my business an honest trade for a necessary use (see Titus 3:14, marg.)? 2nd. "Whence comest thou?" Do I start from Gilgal? i.e., Do I go forth in the judgment of self by circumcision (as Israel from their camping place) according to the power of resurrection life, the Canaan side of Jordan? 3rd. "What is thy country?" Am I a heavenly man or an earthly one? (John 17:16, Phil. 3:20.) 4th. "And of what people art thou?" Where do I break bread?
John's gospel is of a character very distinct from the other three and its scene is chiefly found in Galilee, the three are more at Jerusalem.
Into Nebuchadnezzar's furnace, the king cast three men and said, "Lo, I see four men loose... and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God" (Dan. 3:25).
In the 4 kingdoms of Dan. 7, the first was seen as a lion, the 2nd a bear, the 3rd a leopard, but the 4th was dreadful and terrible and "diverse from all the beasts that were before it," and without a name.
In Jer. 8:7, "the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming." Why is the stork separately mentioned?
In Acts 2:42, "the apostles' doctrine and fellowship" and "breaking of bread," are things between man and man while the 4th "prayers" is from man to God.
Four sons were born to the giant in Gath, Ishbibenob, Sippai (or Saph) and Lahmi, but the fourth has no name recorded while he is distinguished by having six fingers and six toes (compare 2 Sam. 21:16-22 and 1 Chron. 20:4-8.)
Solomon is said to be wiser than 4 men, all being sons of Mahol and descended from Zerah or Ezra in the tribe of Judah (1 Chron. 2:6); yet Ethan is styled "the Ezrahite" and the others are simply mentioned by name (1 Kings 4:31). Why?
In Joel 1:4, complete destruction is by three insects that creep palmerworm, cankerworm, and caterpillar and one that also flies, the locust.
There were 4 animals that were prohibited because they were unclean (Lev. 11:4-7): camel, hare and coney for the same reasons, each chewing the cud, but not dividing the hoof; and the 4th the swine, for a different reason: he divided the hoof, but did not chew the cud (Deut. 14:7, 8).
In the parable of the sower, hearers by "the way side," "the stony ground," and among "thorns" are very clearly distinct from those who are as "good ground" (Matt. 13).
The "glory of Lebanon" is by such a title, distinguished from "the fir tree, the pine tree and the box" (Isa. 60:13).
The Lord God "showed" to Amos 4 things. Three were distinct objects: grasshoppers, a plumbline, and a basket of summer fruit, but the 4th was that the Lord God called to contend by fire (Amos 7:1,4,7 and 8:1).
The complete devastation of Moab was to be by felling every good tree, stopping all wells, marring every good piece of land with stones, and smiting every fenced city and every choice city (2 Kings 3:19).
Mordecai was displayed on the king's horse in the royal apparel and wearing the royal crown, but also he was to be led through the city by the hand of one of the king's most noble princes (Esther 6:8-10).
Four "houses" for God on earth are described in the Word: the Tabernacle, Solomon's temple, and Ezekiel's temple, material erections, and now the "spiritual house" (1 Peter 2:5).
The Shepherd's care "maketh me to lie down in green pastures," "leadeth me beside the still waters," "restoreth my soul," and "leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake" (Psa. 23).
In Luke 10:4, the seventy are to "carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes, and salute no man by the way."
God's 4 sore judgments in Ezek. 14:21 are the sword, the famine, the pestilence, and 1 living one, "the noisome beast," while in Jer. 15:3 three of the 4 kinds appointed to devour and destroy are living: dogs, fowls and beasts, and the 4th is the sword.
Four kinds of flesh are given in 1 Cor. 15:39: of beasts, of fishes, of birds, and of man. In v. 40, 41 are 4 glories: one, the terrestrial, not detailed, and three celestial, the sun, the moon, and the stars.
Again, the body is sown in corruption, dishonor, weakness, and is raised in incorruption, glory, power; also, "it is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body" (1 Cor. 15:42-44).
In Rev. 4, the cherubic faces are 4: of a lion, calf, eagle and of a man.
Of places: Jordan the river is distinct from Bethel, Gilgal and Jericho in 2 Kings 2. So Ramah, where Samuel dwelt, is distinct from Bethel, Gilgal, Mizpah, which he visited (1 Sam. 7:16-17). Euphrates also, still so named, is distinct from Pison, Gihon and Hiddekel (Gen. 2).
Of the 4 sides to the court of Ezekiel's Temple, one (the West) has no gate, the other three have.
Heaven is opened three times (Matt. 3:16, John 1:51, and Rev. 19:11) for the Lord personally, and once (Acts 7:56) for Stephen to see the Lord.
Jehoshaphat took three days to spoil Ammon and a 4th day to bless Jehovah (2 Chron. 20:25-26).
Balaam smote his ass three times, and a 4th time he wanted a sword and would have killed her (Num. 22).
The depth of the waters in Ezek. 47 is measurable three times (to ankles, knees, loins), the 4th time it is beyond measure: "to swim in."
God's glory is seen in the heavens (Psa. 19:1) in Moses' face (Ex. 34:30 and 2 Cor. 3:7), in the holiest (both of Tabernacle and Temple) and in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 4:6).
"Unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me" (Ex. 20:5, Deut. 5:9, see also Ex. 34:7 and Num. 14:18).
Mark what is said in Neh. 4 by adversaries, by Judah, by outside Jews, and the opposite by Nehemiah.
There are 4 witnesses to Christ in John 5 (John the Baptist, Works, Scriptures, and the Father; see v. 32, 33, 36, 37, 39).
We are justified by grace (Rom. 3:24), by faith (Rom. 3:28), by blood (5:9) and by works (James 2:24).
When "the whole land shall be desolate," Jeremiah in view of it (Ch. 4:2326) says, "I beheld" etc. 4 times, the 4 views giving the complete spectacle.
Four anchors were cast out (Acts 27:29); was not this to ensure safety if possible? a complete action?
Zaccheus restored fourfold (Luke 19:8).
Ezekiel's cherubim are 4 creatures, 4 rings, each with 4 hands, 4 wings, 4 faces and 4 sides (query: government complete as to earth?).
In the prophet Zechariah Ch. 1 are 4 horns, and then 4 carpenters: 4 Gentile powers which have scattered God's nation, frayed away by the carpenters. Then again in Ch. 6 are 4 chariots, and horses of 4 colors: the spirits of the heavens acting for God in the midst of the 4 Gentile powers. Babylon had then been subdued by Persia, so that "my spirit" was "quieted" in the north country. Here, 4 appears to express completeness as to the sphere of action. See Rev. 6.
The 4 parables of Balaam (Num. 23 and 24) are a remarkable chain of prophecy, opening with counsels of God, and closing with millennial blessing.
The fowl, the vulture's eye, the lion's whelps, and the fierce lion stand in Job 28 as a complete set of witnesses to nature's inability to discover wisdom.
Signs, wonders, miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost are God's fourfold witness in Heb. 2:4.
Thrones, dominions, principalities, and powers are the division of "all things created" in Col. 1:16.
"Troubled," "perplexed," "persecuted," "cast down" present the scope of pressure the apostle had felt in 2 Cor. 4:8,9.
In Isa. 60:17, the fullness of material blessing is presented by the 4-fold statement "for brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones, iron."
There are 4 occasions on which the rainbow is mentioned (Gen. 9, Ezek. 1:28, Rev. 4:3 and 10:1).
Streams, rivers, ponds, and pools include all the waters of Egypt (Ex. 7:19). Silver cord, golden bowl, pitcher and wheel fill up the figure of the body in Eccl. 12:6. Four bare the paralytic. Jehovah called Samuel 4 times. Jephthah's daughter was mourned 4 days in a year (Judg. 11:40). Four lepers at Samaria's gate fully told the state inside (2 Kings 7:3). There were 4 soldiers in charge of the cross (John 19:23). In these cases, no one seems distinct from three.
Four prophetesses are mentioned in the Old Testament: Miriam (Ex. 15:20), Deborah (Judg. 4:4), Huldah (2 Kings 22:14), three good, and one bad, Noadiah (Neh. 6:14).
Rev. 20:2 gives 4 names to Satan: "dragon" (i.e., rebellious, apostate power), "Old serpent" (seductive), "devil" (accusing), and "Satan" (a personal name).
Four Kings are mentioned in the book of Daniel: Nebuchadnezzar, Cyrus, Belshazzar, and Darius.
Saul and his three sons were slain together (1 Sam. 31:6).
Jubal, Jabal, Tubalcain (three sons) and Naamah (one daughter) are the children of Lamech (Gen. 5).
Daniel is distinct from Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Elihu is distinct from Eliphaz, Bildad, Zophar.
Ruth is distinct from Thamar, Rachab, and the wife of Urias in Matt. 1.
"His mother" is distinct from her sister, the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene at the cross (see John 19:25).
In 1 Kings 2, Solomon deals in judgment with four remnants from David's reign: Adonijah, Joab, and Shimei die, but Abiathar is put from his priesthood and banished to his own fields.
Korah is distinct from Dathan, Abiram and On (Num. 16).
Levi is distinct from David, Nathan, Shimei in Zech. 12:12-13, as a tribe.
Lot and two daughters escape, but his wife is turned into a pillar of salt (Gen. 19).
Noah is distinct from Shem, Ham and Japheth in the ark.
In Dan. 11:2, there shall yet stand up three kings in Persia and "the fourth shall be far richer than they all."
Four houses were built by Solomon, one of them was the house of the Temple (see 1 Kings 6:37, 7:1, 2,8).
Four persons were killed by smiting under the fifth rib, one a king (Ishbosheth, 2 Sam. 4:6) and three generals (Asahel, 2 Sam. 2:23, Abner, 2 Sam. 3:27, and Amasa, 2 Sam. 20:10).
There were 4 kings to each of whom God made an offer of choice: three of them were men of faith and made a choice (viz. David, 1 Chron. 21:11, Solomon, 1 Kings 3:5, Hezekiah, 2 Kings 20:9) but the 4th was an infidel and he refused to choose: "Ahaz said, I will not ask, neither will I tempt the LORD" (Isa. 7:12). In the prophet's message to him from Jehovah, he had just been told, "If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established," or, more literally, "if ye will not amen (God) surely ye shall not be amened," i.e.,' if you will not set to your seal that God is true, He will not establish you in His grace.' The two things go together. Now man says you are presumptuous because you believe, but it is really faith which delights to take up what God says and enjoys it. It is unbelief that says, "I will not tempt Jehovah," as Ahaz did. If you will not say amen to God, He will not say amen to you.
Another 4 of some value is the 4 generations of Israel. They are found in the following passages. 1st, Ex. 1:6, "Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation." 2nd, Deut. 1:35, "an evil generation" was consumed in the wilderness (Num. 32:13 and Deut. 2:14). The third goes into Canaan and dies in Judg. 2:10, where also a fourth arises "which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel." This fourth has not yet passed away, it is nowhere recorded to have died. It is addressed (Jer. 7:29) as rejected and forsaken, "the generation of His wrath." Our Lord calls it "an evil and adulterous generation" (Matt. 12:39), but in Scripture it has not yet died. On the contrary (Luke 21:32), our Lord says of it (still the same "seed of evildoers" in God's sight), "Verily I say unto you, this generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled," and that "all" includes much not yet fulfilled. But the 4th will end, and Jehovah shall build Zion, etc. and "this shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise Jah" (Psa. 102:18).
In the Old Testament, 4 are recorded as bound with brass: three of them were not released (Samson, Judg. 16:21, Jehoiachim, 2 Chron. 36:6 New Transl., Zedekiah, 2 Kings 25:7, Jer. 39:7, 52:11), but Manasseh (2 Chron. 33:11 New Transl.) was afterward set at liberty.
In the Old Testament, 4 persons had their names changed by God: three of them in blessing (Abram to Abraham, Gen. 17:5, Sarai to Sarah, Gen. 17:15, and Jacob to Israel, Gen. 32:28, 35:10), but the fourth was changed in token of judgment (Pashur to Magormissabib, Jer. 20:3).
Four "heaps" of stones are also recorded: three were over dead men (Achan, the king of Ai, and Absalom: Josh. 7:26, 8:29, 2 Sam. 18:17) and the fourth was erected as a heap of witness between two living men (Jacob and Laban: Gen. 31:46-49).
Four wild animals were killed in the Old Testament: three were lions: by Samson (Judg. 14:6), by David (1 Sam. 17:36), where also it is recorded that he slew a bear—the fourth and different one—and the third lion was by Benaiah in a pit in time of snow (2 Sam. 23:20).
The Passover lamb was taken on the tenth day of the month and kept up until the fourteenth day of the month and then killed. What do those 4 days say to us about Christ our Passover? He who was manifested in time had been ordained before the foundation of the world, and the 4 days may well illustrate His life during His manifestation, wherein He was proven before God and man, the Holy One, perfectly able to do the work of the cross, and do it suitably to God.
Our Lord's public ministry entered into a fourth year, a complete display in public activity of what He essentially was. The 4 gospels tell their blessed story "and there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written" (John 21:25).
Oh Man! God's Man, Thou peerless Man!
Jesus my Lord! God's Son.
Perfection's perfect in its height
But found in Thee alone.
Of Abba's love,—of God's great claims
Thou comest not short at all.
Perfect in everything art Thou,
Alone, since Adam's fall.
O, matchless peerless Man! shall we
Begrudge to Thee this praise?
Perfect alone, Thou camest in love
To glory us to raise.
Peerlessly spotless Man, 'twas Thou
The wrath didst bear for me.
Peerlessly righteous Man! I'm made
God's righteousness in Thee.
Peerlessly glorious Man! how soon
Shall I be like to Thee?
Thy very glory then reflect,
Thy perfect beauty see.
G.V.W.
This display of His person through 4 years is closed by that sacrificial death, which we have already seen bore a fourfold character shown out in the types of old, and now as the ascended and glorified Man, we have 4 Scriptures respecting Him as Mediator. Observe first, however, that His Mediatorship is not for the purpose of accomplishing atonement, or of establishing the new ways of God to man in opening up the Holiest for our entrance. But the law "was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator" (Gal. 3:19). There it pleased God to make covenant with Israel and the mediator was between two. On the contrary now in grace, "God is one" and sovereign; therefore, He has revealed righteousness from heaven for gift; it is not a conditional action of God: it is the eternal purpose, founded in grace and now able to reign through righteousness by the accomplished cross, declared to man unconditionally. No mediator is needed to establish this; it is God's sovereign appointment for Himself to act in grace purely: "God is one."
But this being so, we read in 1 Tim. 2:5, "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." What for? Why a mediator? To administer the already established way of grace. So (Heb. 12:24), we are assured that we are now come to Jesus this mediator; we are no more brought to law and to blackness, tempest, and terror, but among other privileges to Him, who administers the new covenant; and then, in Heb. 8:6, it is said that Christ's is the "more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant." We are brought to the "better" thing and to Him who is its mediator. Again, Why? What for? The 4th and final statement respecting it is ample answer: Heb. 9:15. "And for this cause, he is the mediator of the New Testament, that... they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance." God has put Him in the place of mediator, who had already been the sacrifice. Why? That there should be no possibility of failure in communicating the blessing earned by the cross.
He who had borne Divine judgment to make atonement, and had shed His blood to bring us to God, when all that is settled, is constituted mediator "for this cause," viz. that the promise of eternal inheritance might be surely received by "the called." And who else so certain to make it good? Every assurance that God can give is given: His own promise and added oath (Heb. 6:17,18) and then a mediator who had previously given Himself a ransom for all. Surely, God is not only Himself glorified, but He has done everything in infinite wisdom to bring home to our hearts while still on earth the brightest sense of present and eternal blessing.
"Full assurance" is 4 times spoken of in the New Testament (Heb. 10:22, "full assurance of faith," Heb. 6:11, "full assurance of hope," Col. 2:2, "full assurance of understanding," and in 1 Thess. 1:5, "in much assurance" is literally "in much full assurance").
In the Old Testament also, there appear to be only 4 persons whose hearts are spoken of not the affections but, the physical organ of the body. Three of these are in death and one in life (1 Sam. 25:37, Nabal's "heart died within him" etc., 2 Sam. 18:14, Joab thrust three darts through Absalom's heart, 2 Kings 9:24, Jehu's arrow through Jehoram's heart, while Ex. 28:29 speaks of Aaron's heart as the place of the breastplate continually).
Samson, Samuel, John the Baptist were Nazarites in letter of law; our Lord in perfection of heart.
"Christ Jesus, who, of God, is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption" (1 Cor. 1:30).
Many fours will be found in the prophets (such as Isa. 66:3, Ezek. 16:49, 2 Kings 19:26, Isa. 21:15, Hos. 13:3, Isa. 28:16). But if those already given are carefully considered, they may be sufficient to lead to the general values of 4, and these will be seen then to underlie other uses, where at first a special value does not appear.