There are three persons in the trinity of God — the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ) and the Holy Spirit. There were three main patriarchs in the Old Testament — Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Jesus’ ministry on earth lasted three years. The apostle Peter denied knowing Jesus three times following the evening of his arrest. Jesus was resurrected from the grave three days after his death and burial.
So why is the quantity of 3 significant? The number 3 biblically represents divine wholeness, completeness and perfection. If there ever was a desire to highlight an idea, thought, event or noteworthy figure in the Bible for their prominence, the number 3 was used to put a divine stamp of completion or fulfillment on the subject.
Although there is great biblical meaning to the use of the number within its context, we should avoid applying the same biblical application of the number outside of the text. For example, observing that “bad things in life always happen in threes” is merely an observation of coincidence, not a reflection of completeness as noted in the Bible.
Furthermore, the number 3 should merely be held as a significant number within the Christian faith rather than a holy number. An item that is deemed holy is something dedicated or set apart for God. The number 3 does not fit the category of holiness, but neither should it be overlooked in its biblical importance.