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'''Philo''' (20 BCE – 50 CE), known also as '''Philo of Alexandria''' (gr. Φίλων ὁ Ἀλεξανδρεύς), Philo Judaeus, Philo Judaeus of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandria Alexandria], Yedidia and Philo the Jew, was an Hellenistic Jewish philosopher born in Alexandria.

'''Philo''' (20 BCE – 50 CE), known also as '''Philo of Alexandria''' (gr. Φίλων ὁ Ἀλεξανδρεύς), Philo Judaeus, Philo Judaeus of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandria Alexandria], Yedidia and Philo the Jew, was an Hellenistic Jewish philosopher born in Alexandria.

Philo used [[allegory]] to [[fuse]] and [[harmonize]] Greek [[philosophy]] and [[Judaism]]. His method followed the [[practices]] of both Jewish exegesis and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stoic Stoic] philosophy. His work was not widely accepted. "The sophists of literalness," as he calls them[1], "opened their eyes superciliously" when he explained to them the marvels of his [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exegesis exegesis]. Philo's works were enthusiastically received by the Early [[Christianity|Christians]], some of whom saw in him a cryptic Christian. His [[concept]] of the [[Logos]] as God's [[creative]] principle apparently [[influenced]] early [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christology Christology]. To him Logos was God's "blueprint for the world", a governing plan.

Philo used [[allegory]] to [[fuse]] and [[harmonize]] Greek [[philosophy]] and [[Judaism]]. His method followed the [[practices]] of both Jewish exegesis and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stoic Stoic] philosophy. His work was not widely accepted. "The sophists of literalness," as he calls them[1], "opened their eyes superciliously" when he explained to them the marvels of his [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exegesis exegesis]. Philo's works were enthusiastically received by the Early [[Christianity|Christians]], some of whom saw in him a cryptic Christian. His [[concept]] of the [[Logos]] as God's [[creative]] principle apparently [[influenced]] early [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christology Christology]. To him Logos was God's "blueprint for the world", a governing plan.

The few biographical details concerning Philo are found in his own works, especially in ''Legatio ad Gaium'' ("embassy to Gaius"), and in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josephus Josephus].[2] The only [[event]] in his life that can be determined chronologically is his participation in the embassy which the Alexandrian Jews sent to the emperor [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caligula Caligula] at [[Rome]] as the result of civil strife between the Alexandrian Jewish and Hellenized communities. This occurred in the year 40 CE.

The few biographical details concerning Philo are found in his own works, especially in ''Legatio ad Gaium'' ("embassy to Gaius"), and in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josephus Josephus].[2] The only [[event]] in his life that can be determined chronologically is his participation in the embassy which the Alexandrian Jews sent to the emperor [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caligula Caligula] at [[Rome]] as the result of civil strife between the Alexandrian Jewish and Hellenized communities. This occurred in the year 40 CE.

==Ancestry, family and early life==

==Ancestry, family and early life==

Philo was probably born with the name Julius Philo. Philo came from an aristocratic [[family]] who lived in Alexandria for generations. His ancestors and family were contemporaries to the rule of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ptolemaic_dynasty Ptolemaic dynasty] and the rule of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seleucid_Empire Seleucid Empire]. Although the names of his [[parents]] are [[unknown]], Philo came from a family who were [[noble]], honourable and [[wealthy]]. It was either his father or paternal grandfather who was granted Roman citizenship from Roman dictator Gaius [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julius_Caesar Julius Caesar]. Philo had two brothers Alexander the Alabarch and Lysimachus.

Philo was probably born with the name Julius Philo. Philo came from an aristocratic [[family]] who lived in Alexandria for generations. His ancestors and family were contemporaries to the rule of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ptolemaic_dynasty Ptolemaic dynasty] and the rule of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seleucid_Empire Seleucid Empire]. Although the names of his [[parents]] are [[unknown]], Philo came from a family who were [[noble]], honourable and [[wealthy]]. It was either his father or paternal grandfather who was granted Roman citizenship from Roman dictator Gaius [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julius_Caesar Julius Caesar]. Philo had two brothers Alexander the Alabarch and Lysimachus.

His ancestors and family had social ties and connections to the [[Priests|Priesthood]] in Judea; [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hasmonean Hasmonean Dynasty; Herodian Dynasty] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julio-Claudian_dynasty Julio-Claudian dynasty] in [[Rome]]. Philo was a contemporary to the life of [[Jesus]] of [[Nazareth]] and the lives of [[Paper 139 - The Twelve Apostles|The Apostles of Jesus]]. Philo along with his brothers received a thorough [[education]]. They were educated in the Egyptian, Jewish, [[Greek]] and [[Roman]] [[cultures]], particularly in the [[traditions]] of [[Judaism]], the study of the [[Hebrew Bible|Old Testament]] and in [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Philosophy#Ancient_Philosophy Greek Philosophy].

His ancestors and family had social ties and connections to the [[Priests|Priesthood]] in Judea; [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hasmonean Hasmonean Dynasty; Herodian Dynasty] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julio-Claudian_dynasty Julio-Claudian dynasty] in [[Rome]]. Philo was a contemporary to the life of [[Jesus]] of [[Nazareth]] and the lives of [[Paper 139 - The Twelve Apostles|The Apostles of Jesus]]. Philo along with his brothers received a thorough [[education]]. They were educated in the Egyptian, Jewish, [[Greek]] and [[Roman]] [[cultures]], particularly in the [[traditions]] of [[Judaism]], the study of the [[Hebrew Bible|Old Testament]] and in [https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Philosophy#Ancient_Philosophy Greek Philosophy].

==Exegesis==

==Exegesis==

The writings of Philo show resemblances to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plato Plato], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aristotle Aristotle], as well as from Attic [[orators]] and historians, and poetic phrases and allusions to the poets. Philo's works offer an anthology of Greek phraseology of the most different periods.

The writings of Philo show resemblances to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plato Plato], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aristotle Aristotle], as well as from Attic [[orators]] and historians, and poetic phrases and allusions to the poets. Philo's works offer an anthology of Greek phraseology of the most different periods.

Philo bases his [[doctrines]] on the [[Hebrew Bible]], which he considers as the source and [[standard]] not only of religious [[truth]] but in general of all truth. Its pronouncements are for him [[divine]] pronouncements. They are the [[words]] of the ἱερὸς λόγος, ϑεῖος λόγος, ὀρϑὸς λόγος[6] ([[holy]] word, godly word, upright word) uttered sometimes directly and sometimes through the mouth of a [[prophet]], especially through [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moses Moses], whom Philo considers the real [[medium]] of [[revelation]], while the other writers of the Old Testament appear as [[friends]] or pupils of Moses.

Philo bases his [[doctrines]] on the [[Hebrew Bible]], which he considers as the source and [[standard]] not only of religious [[truth]] but in general of all truth. Its pronouncements are for him [[divine]] pronouncements. They are the [[words]] of the ἱερὸς λόγος, ϑεῖος λόγος, ὀρϑὸς λόγος[6] ([[holy]] word, godly word, upright word) uttered sometimes directly and sometimes through the mouth of a [[prophet]], especially through [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moses Moses], whom Philo considers the real [[medium]] of [[revelation]], while the other writers of the Old Testament appear as [[friends]] or pupils of Moses.

Although he distinguishes between the [[words]] uttered by [[God]], as the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decalogue Decalogue], and the edicts of Moses, as the special laws[7], he does not carry out this distinction, since he believes in general that [[everything]] in the [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Category:Torah Torah] is of divine [[origin]], even the letters and accents[8].

Although he distinguishes between the [[words]] uttered by [[God]], as the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decalogue Decalogue], and the edicts of Moses, as the special laws[7], he does not carry out this distinction, since he believes in general that [[everything]] in the [https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Category:Torah Torah] is of divine [[origin]], even the letters and accents[8].

The [[Hebrew Bible]] had not been [[canonized]] at the time of Philo, and the extent of his [[knowledge]] of Biblical books cannot be exactly determined. Philo does not quote [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Ezekiel Ezekiel], [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Daniel Daniel], Canticles, [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Ruth Ruth], [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Lamentations Lamentations], [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Ecclesiastes Ecclesiastes], or [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Esther Esther]. Philo regards the [[Bible]] as the source not only of religious [[revelation]], but also of philosophic [[truth]]; for, according to him, the Greek philosophers also have borrowed from the Bible: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heraclitus Heraclitus], according to "Quis Rerum Divinarum Heres Sit" § 43 [i.503]; Zeno, according to ''Quod Omnis Probus Liber'', § 8 [ii.454].

The [[Hebrew Bible]] had not been [[canonized]] at the time of Philo, and the extent of his [[knowledge]] of Biblical books cannot be exactly determined. Philo does not quote [https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Ezekiel Ezekiel], [https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Daniel Daniel], Canticles, [https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Ruth Ruth], [https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Lamentations Lamentations], [https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Ecclesiastes Ecclesiastes], or [https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Esther Esther]. Philo regards the [[Bible]] as the source not only of religious [[revelation]], but also of philosophic [[truth]]; for, according to him, the Greek philosophers also have borrowed from the Bible: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heraclitus Heraclitus], according to "Quis Rerum Divinarum Heres Sit" § 43 [i.503]; Zeno, according to ''Quod Omnis Probus Liber'', § 8 [ii.454].

==Stoic influence==

==Stoic influence==

[[Greek]] [[allegory]] had preceded Philo in this field. As the Stoic allegorists sought in [[Homer]] the basis for their philosophic teachings, so the Jewish allegorists, and especially Philo, went to the [[Hebrew Bible|Old Testament]]. Following the [[methods]] of Stoic allegory, they interpreted the Bible philosophically (on Philo's Predecessors in the domain of the allegoristic Midrash among the Palestinian and Alexandrian Jews, see Siegfried, l.c. pp. 16–37).

[[Greek]] [[allegory]] had preceded Philo in this field. As the Stoic allegorists sought in [[Homer]] the basis for their philosophic teachings, so the Jewish allegorists, and especially Philo, went to the [[Hebrew Bible|Old Testament]]. Following the [[methods]] of Stoic allegory, they interpreted the Bible philosophically (on Philo's Predecessors in the domain of the allegoristic Midrash among the Palestinian and Alexandrian Jews, see Siegfried, l.c. pp. 16–37).

# De Allegoriis Legum, i.53 [i.73].

# De Allegoriis Legum, i.53 [i.73].

==External links==

==External links==

*[http://cornerstonepublications.org/Philo/ Philo]

*[https://cornerstonepublications.org/Philo/ Philo]

*[http://www.archive.org/details/TheWorksOfPhiloJudaeusVolII The Works Of Philo Judaeus Vol II (1854)] (Yonge's Eng. transl.)

*[https://www.archive.org/details/TheWorksOfPhiloJudaeusVolII The Works Of Philo Judaeus Vol II (1854)] (Yonge's Eng. transl.)

*[http://patrologia.ct.aegean.gr/downloads/vivlia/Philo%20Judaeus/ The Works of Philo]  

*[https://patrologia.ct.aegean.gr/downloads/vivlia/Philo%20Judaeus/ The Works of Philo]  

*[http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=281&letter=P Jewish Encyclopedia]

*[https://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=281&letter=P Jewish Encyclopedia]

*[http://www.torreys.org/bible/philopag.html Philo Page]

*[https://www.torreys.org/bible/philopag.html Philo Page]

*[http://www.nd.edu/~philojud Studia Philonica Annual]

*[https://www.nd.edu/~philojud Studia Philonica Annual]

*[http://virtualreligion.net/iho/philo.html Philo] entry in historical sourcebook with [http://virtualreligion.net/iho/allegory.html fresh translations] of key excerpts by Mahlon H. Smith

*[https://virtualreligion.net/iho/philo.html Philo] entry in historical sourcebook with [https://virtualreligion.net/iho/allegory.html fresh translations] of key excerpts by Mahlon H. Smith

*[http://www.earlyjewishwritings.com/philo.html Text online]

*[https://www.earlyjewishwritings.com/philo.html Text online]

*[http://sites.google.com/site/antiquityproject/home/first-century-alexandria Alexandria in the First Century]

*[https://sites.google.com/site/antiquityproject/home/first-century-alexandria Alexandria in the First Century]

[[Category: Philosophy]]

[[Category: Philosophy]]

[[Category: Religion]]

[[Category: Religion]]