Philo

For other uses, see Philo (disambiguation).

Rome. Philo visited the Temple in Jerusalem at least

once in his lifetime.[3] Philo would have been a contemporary to Jesus of Nazareth and his Apostles. Philo along
Philo of Alexandria (/falo/; Greek: , Philn;
Hebrew: , Yedidia (Jedediah) HaCohen; c. 25 with his brothers received a thorough education. They
were educated in the Hellenistic culture of Alexandria
BCE c. 50 CE), also called Philo Judaeus, was a
Hellenistic Jewish philosopher who lived in Alexandria, and Roman culture, to a degree in Ancient Egyptian culture and particularly in the traditions of Judaism, in the
in the Roman province of Egypt.
study of Jewish traditional literature[4] and in Greek phiPhilo used philosophical allegory to attempt to fuse and losophy.
harmonize Greek philosophy with Jewish philosophy.
His method followed the practices of both Jewish exegesis Philo, through his brother Alexander, had two nephews
and Stoic philosophy. His allegorical exegesis was im- Tiberius Julius Alexander and Marcus Julius Alexanportant for several Christian Church Fathers, but he has der. Marcus Julius Alexander was the rst husband of
barely any reception history within Rabbinic Judaism. He the Herodian Princess Berenice. Marcus died in 43 or
believed that literal interpretations of the Hebrew Bible 44. (For the sources regarding this section see article
would stie humanitys view and perception of a God too Alexander the Alabarch).
complex and marvelous to be understood in literal human
terms.

2 Biography

Some scholars hold that his concept of the Logos as Gods

creative principle inuenced early Christology. Other
scholars, however, deny direct inuence but say both
Philo and Early Christianity borrow from a common
source.[1]
The few biographical details known about Philo are found
in his own works, especially in Legatio ad Gaium (Embassy to Gaius), and in Josephus.[2] The only event in
his life that can be decisively dated is his participation
in the embassy to Rome in 40 CE. He represented the
Alexandrian Jews before Roman Emperor Caligula because of civil strife between the Alexandrian Jewish and
Greek communities.

Ancestry, family and early life

Philo was probably born with the name Julius Philo.

Philo came from an aristocratic family which had lived
in Alexandria for generations. His ancestors and family were contemporaries to the rule of the Ptolemaic dynasty and the rule of the Seleucid Empire. Although
the names of his parents are unknown, Philo came from
a family which was noble, honourable and wealthy. It
was either his father or paternal grandfather who was
granted Roman citizenship from Roman dictator Gaius
Julius Caesar. Philo had two brothers, Alexander the Alabarch and Lysimachus.

Woodcut from Die Schedelsche Weltchronik

We nd a brief reference to Philo by the 1st-century Jewish historian Josephus. In Antiquities of the Jews, Josephus tells of Philos selection by the Alexandrian Jewish community as their principal representative before
the Roman emperor Gaius Caligula. He says that Philo
agreed to represent the Alexandrian Jews in regard to civil
disorder that had developed between the Jews and the
His ancestors and family had social ties and connec- Greeks in Alexandria, Egypt. Josephus also tells us that
tions to the Priesthood in Judea, the Hasmonean Dynasty, Philo was skilled in philosophy, and that he was brother
the Herodian Dynasty and the Julio-Claudian dynasty in to an ocial called Alexander the alabarch.[5] Accord1

2 BIOGRAPHY

ing to Josephus, Philo and the larger Jewish community

refused to treat the emperor as a god, to erect statues in
honor of the emperor, and to build altars and temples to
the emperor. Josephus says Philo believed that God actively supported this refusal.
Josephus complete comments about Philo:
There was now a tumult arisen at Alexandria, between the Jewish inhabitants and the
Greeks; and three ambassadors were chosen
out of each party that were at variance, who
came to Gaius. Now one of these ambassadors
from the people of Alexandria was Apion,
(29) who uttered many blasphemies against the
Jews; and, among other things that he said, he
charged them with neglecting the honors that
belonged to Caesar; for that while all who were
subject to the Roman empire built altars and
temples to Gaius, and in other regards universally received him as they received the gods,
these Jews alone thought it a dishonorable thing
for them to erect statues in honor of him, as
well as to swear by his name. Many of these
severe things were said by Apion, by which he
hoped to provoke Gaius to anger at the Jews,
as he was likely to be. But Philo, the principal
of the Jewish embassage, a man eminent on all
accounts, brother to Alexander the Alabarch,
(30) and one not unskillful in philosophy, was
ready to betake himself to make his defense
against those accusations; but Gaius prohibited
him, and bid him begone; he was also in such a
rage, that it openly appeared he was about to do
them some very great mischief. So Philo being thus aronted, went out, and said to those
Jews who were about him, that they should be
of good courage, since Gaiuss words indeed
showed anger at them, but in reality had already
set God against himself. [6]
Our remaining information about Philo is based upon his
own writings. Philo himself claims in his Embassy to
Gaius to have been part of an embassy sent by the Alexandrian Jews to the Roman Emperor Caligula. Philo says he
was carrying a petition which described the suerings of
the Alexandrian Jews, and which asked the emperor to
secure their rights. Philo gives a detailed description of
their suerings, in a way that Josephus overlooks, to assert that the Alexandrian Jews were simply the victims
of attacks by Alexandrian Greeks in the civil strife that
had left many Jews and Greeks dead. Philo says he was
regarded by his people as having unusual prudence, due
to his age, education, and knowledge. This indicates that
he was already an older man at this time (40 CE). Philo
considers Caligulas plan to erect a statue of himself in the
temple of Jerusalem to be a provocation, saying, Are you
making war upon us, because you anticipate that we will
not endure such indignity, but that we will ght on behalf

of our laws, and die in defence of our national customs?

For you cannot possibly have been ignorant of what was
likely to result from your attempt to introduce these innovations respecting our temple. In his entire presentation, he implicitly supports the Jewish commitment to
rebel against the emperor rather than allow such sacrilege
to take place. This reveals Philos identication with the
Jewish community.[7]
In Flaccus, Philo tells indirectly of his own life in Alexandria by describing how the situation of Jews in Alexandria changed after Gaius Caligula became the emperor
of Rome. Speaking of the large Jewish population in
Egypt, Philo says that Alexandria had two classes of inhabitants, our own nation and the people of the country,
and that the whole of Egypt was inhabited in the same
manner, and that Jews who inhabited Alexandria and the
rest of the country from the Catabathmos on the side of
Libya to the boundaries of Ethiopia were not less than a
million of men. Regarding the large proportion of Jews
in Alexandria, he writes, There are ve districts in the
city, named after the rst ve letters of the written alphabet, of these two are called the quarters of the Jews, because the chief portion of the Jews lives in them. Other
sources tell us that Caligula had been asking to receive
the honors due to a god. Philo says Flaccus, the Roman
governor over Alexandria, permitted a mob to erect statues of the Emperor Caius Caligula in Jewish synagogues
of Alexandria, an unprecedented provocation. This invasion of the synagogues was perhaps resisted by force,
since Philo then says that Flaccus was destroying the synagogues, and not leaving even their name. In response,
Philo says that Flaccus then issued a notice in which he
called us all foreigners and aliens... allowing any one who
was inclined to proceed to exterminate the Jews as prisoners of war. Philo says that in response, the mobs drove
the Jews entirely out of four quarters, and crammed them
all into a very small portion of one ... while the populace, overrunning their desolate houses, turned to plunder, and divided the booty among themselves as if they
had obtained it in war. In addition, Philo says their enemies, slew them and thousands of others with all kinds
of agony and tortures, and newly invented cruelties, for
wherever they met with or caught sight of a Jew, they
stoned him, or beat him with sticks. Philo even says,
the most merciless of all their persecutors in some instances burnt whole families, husbands with their wives,
and infant children with their parents, in the middle of the
city, sparing neither age nor youth, nor the innocent helplessness of infants. Some men, he says, were dragged
to death, while those who did these things, mimicked
the suerers, like people employed in the representation
of theatrical farces. Other Jews were crucied. Flaccus
was eventually removed from oce and exiled, ultimately
suering the punishment of death.[8]

Exegesis

born son.[16] Being the mind of the Eternal, Logos is

imperishable.[17] He is neither uncreated as God is, nor
He
Philo bases his doctrines on the Old Testament, which created as men are, but occupies a middle position.
[18]
has
no
autarkic
power,
only
an
entrusted
one.
he considers as the source and standard not only of religious truth but in general of all truth. Its pronounce- Philo probably was the rst philosopher who identied
ments are for him divine pronouncements. They are the Platos ideas with Creators thoughts. These thoughts
words of the , , make the contents of Logos; they were the seals for mak[holy word, godly word, righteous word] [9] uttered some- ing sensual things during world creation.[19] Logos resemtimes directly and sometimes through the mouth of a bles a book with creature paradigms.[20] Architects deprophet, especially through Moses, whom Philo consid- sign before the construction of a city serves to Philo as
ers the real medium of revelation. Although he distin- another simile of Logos.[21] Since creation, Logos binds
guishes between the words uttered by God Himself, as things together.[22] As the receptacle and holder of ideas,
the Decalogue, and the edicts of Moses, as the special Logos is distinct from the material world. At the same
laws,[10] he does not carry out this distinction, since he time, Logos pervades the world, supporting it.[23]
believes in general that everything in the Torah is of diLogos has the function of an advocate on behalf of huvine origin, even the letters and accents.[11] The extent
manity and also that of a Gods envoy to the world.[24]
of his canon cannot be exactly determined. He does
He puts human minds in order.[25] The right reason is an
not quote Ezekiel, Daniel, Canticles, Ruth, Lamentations,
infallible law, the source of any other laws.[26] The angel
Ecclesiastes, or Esther. Philo regards the Bible as the
closing Balaams way (Numbers XXII, 31) is interpreted
source not only of religious revelation, but also of philoby Philo as manifestation of Logos, which acts as mans
sophic truth; for, according to him, the Greek philosoconscience.[27]
phers also have borrowed from the Bible: Heraclitus, according to Quis Rerum Divinarum Heres Sit 43 [i. Philo explains the apparitions described in Scripture
503]; Zeno, according to Quod Omnis Probus Liber, through the activity of Logos. The advent of angels dur8 [ii. 454]. Philo Judaeus: His Methods of Exegesis. ing the demolition of Sodom and Gomorrah and the theophanies to Jacob, to Moses in the ame-resistant thornJewish Encyclopedia. 19011906.
bush and to Hebrews in the re-pole belong to such
events.
Philo formed his representations of Logos by resorting
not only to intellectual speculations but also to the intuition of a poet and mystic-visionary. Therefore diculPhilo represents the apex of Jewish-Hellenistic syn- ties arise to conceive Logos at once as the idea of ideas
cretism. His work attempts to combine Plato and Moses and as individual personage of a mediator or envoy.
into one philosophical system.[12] He developed an allegoric approach of interpreting the Holy Scriptures, in
contrast to literal approaches. His ethics were strongly 5 Knowledge of Hebrew
inuenced by Aristotelianism and Stoicism, preferring a
morality of virtues without passions, such as lust/desire
Philo read the Jewish Scriptures chiey in the Septuagint
and anger, but with a common human sympathy.[13]
Greek translation.[28] His knowledge of Hebrew has been
Philo evolved an original teaching of Logos. The poly- a matter of scholarly dispute, with most scholars arguing
semic profusion of this word provided for its use in dier- that he did not read the language. One piece of evidence
ent connotation. Complying with the anthropomorphic that supports that hypothesis is Philos creative (often fandescription of God in Tanakh, Philo used logos in the ciful) use of etymologies.
meaning of an utterance. In Philos philosophy, God is
absolutely transcendent: his notion is even more abstract
than that of the monas of Pythagoras or the good of Plato.
6 See also
Only Gods existence is certain, no appropriate predicates
can be conceived.[14] Following Plato, Philo equals mat Aulus Avilius Flaccus
ter to nothingness and sees its eect in fallacy, discord,
[15]
damage, and decay of things. This view enables Philo
Leopold Cohn
to combine the Jewish belief in creation with the Greek
conviction about the formation of all things from the per Land of Onias
manent matter.
Philos view of God
Philo thought that God created and governed the world
through mediators. Logos is the chief among them, the
Philos works
next to God, demiurge of the world. Logos is immaterial, an adequate image of God, his shadow, his rst Pseudo-Philo

Philosophy

Footnotes

[1] Keener, Craig S (2003). The Gospel of John: A Commentary 1. Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson. pp. 343347.
[2] Antiquities xviii.8, 1; comp. ib. xix.5, 1; xx.5, 2
[3] On Providence 2.64.
[4] In addition to the familiar texts that form the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible, the Mishnah (or rather the oral Jewish law, since the Mishnah was rst redacted and written
down in 220AD) and a range of non-canonical literature.
[5] Josephus, Antiquities viii. 8. 1.
[6] Antiquities of the Jews, xviii.8, 1, Whistons translation
(online)
[7] Embassy to Gaius, Chapter 28-31, Yonges translation
(online)
[8] Flaccus, Chapters 6 - 9 (43, 53-56, 62, 66, 68, 71-72),
Yonges translation (online)
[9] De Agricultura No, 12 [i. 308]; De Somniis, i.
681, ii. 25
[10] De Specialibus Legibus, 2 et seq. [ii. 300 et seq.];
De Prmiis et Pnis, 1 [ii. 408]
[11] De Mutatione Nominum, 8 [i. 587]
[12] Moore, Edward (June 28, 2005). Middle Platonism Philo of Alexandria. The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. ISSN 2161-0002. Retrieved December 20, 2012.
[13] The Works of Philo. Translated by C.D. Yonke. Foreword by David M. Scholer Yonge. 1993. ISBN
9780943575933.
[14] On the Unchangeableness of God, XIII, 62
[15] Who is the Heir of Divine Things, XXXII, 160
[16] On the Confusion of Tongues, XIV, 61-62
[17] On the Confusion of Tongues, XI, 41
[18] On Flight and Finding, XX, 111
[19] On the Creation, XLIV, 129
[20] Allegorical Interpretation, I, VIII, 19
[21] On the Creation, VI, 24
[22] On Flight and Finding, XX, 112
[23] On the Posterity of Cain and His Exile, V, 14; On Dreams,
XXXVII, 2.245
[24] Who is the Heir of Divine Things? XLII, 205-206

REFERENCES

8 References
8.1 Works by Philo
The Works of Philo: Complete and Unabridged.
Translated by Charles Duke Yonge. 18541855.
Cohn, Leopold; Wendland, Paul, eds. (1896).
Philonis Alexandrini Opera qu supersunt [The
Books of Philo of Alexandria] (in Greek with Latin
commentary) 1. Berlin: George Reimer.
Cohn, Leopold; Wendland, Paul, eds. (1897).
Philonis Alexandrini Opera qu supersunt [The
Books of Philo of Alexandria] (in Greek with Latin
commentary) 2. Berlin: George Reimer.
Cohn, Leopold; Wendland, Paul, eds. (1898).
Philonis Alexandrini Opera qu supersunt [The
Books of Philo of Alexandria] (in Greek with Latin
commentary) 3. Berlin: George Reimer.
Cohn, Leopold; Wendland, Paul, eds. (1902).
Philonis Alexandrini Opera qu supersunt [The
Books of Philo of Alexandria] (in Greek with Latin
commentary) 4. Berlin: George Reimer.
Cohn, Leopold; Wendland, Paul, eds. (1906).
Philonis Alexandrini Opera qu supersunt [The
Books of Philo of Alexandria] (in Greek with Latin
commentary) 5. Berlin: George Reimer.
Cohn, Leopold; Wendland, Paul, eds. (1915).
Philonis Alexandrini Opera qu supersunt [The
Books of Philo of Alexandria] (in Greek with Latin
commentary) 6. Berlin: George Reimer.
Cohn, Leopold; Wendland, Paul, eds. (1926).
Philonis Alexandrini Opera qu supersunt [The
Books of Philo of Alexandria] (in Greek with
Latin commentary) 7. Indexed by Hans Leisegang.
Berlin: George Reimer.
Index of Philosophical Writings (PDF). Documenta Catholica Omnia (in Greek). [Online Greek
text of Volumes 1-7 above. Under Graecum Greco - Greek section]
Philo with an English Translation 110. Translated
by F.H. Colson. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press. 192962.
Terian, Abraham, ed. (1981). Philonis Alexandrini
de animalibus: The Armenian Text with an Introduction, Translation, and Commentary. Chico, CA:
Scholars Press. ISBN 9780891304722.

[25] On the Creation, LI, 145-146

[26] Every Good Man is Free, VII, 46-47]
[27] On the Unchageableness of God, XXXVII, 181-182
[28] Philo Judaeus: His Knowledge of Hebrew. Jewish Encyclopedia. 19011906.

8.2 Secondary sources

Runia, David T. (1990). Exegesis and Philosophy:
Studies on Philo of Alexandria. Variorum. ISBN
9780860782872.

5
Runia, David T. (1993). Philo in Early Christian
Literature: A Survey. Minneapolis: Fortress Press.
ISBN 9789023227137.
Sly, Dorothy I. (1996). Philos Alexandria. New
York: Routledge. ISBN 9780415096799.
Borgen, Peder (1997). Philo of Alexandria: An
Exegete for His Time. Leiden: Brill. ISBN
9789004103887.
Hillar, Marian (2012). From Logos to Trinity: The
Evolution of Religious Beliefs from Pythagoras to
Tertullian. New York: Cambridge University Press.
ISBN 9781107013308.

External links
Lecture on Philo Judaeus of Alexandria: Jews in the
Greek World by Dr. Henry Abramson
Preface to the Original Edition of Yonges Translation. earlyjewishwritings.com. 18541855.
Philo Judus. Jewish Encyclopedia. 19011906.
Brhier, Emile (1911). Philo Judus. The
Catholic Encyclopedia 12. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
Hillar, Marian (April 21, 2005). Philo of Alexandria. Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
Philo Judaeus (Jewish philosopher)". Encyclopedia
Britannica.
Studia Philonica Annual. Society of Biblical Literature.
Bradshaw, Rob. Philo of Alexandria. EarlyChurch.org.uk.
Seland, Torrey. Philo Resource Page 3.1. torreys.org.
Seland, Torrey. Philonica et Neotestamentica.
bibicalresources.wordpress.com.
Philo of Alexandria. earlyjewishwritings.com.
Open source XML versions of Philos works have
been made available by the Open Greek and Latin
Project at the University of Leipzig. English translations of Philos writings are also available here.
Works by Philo at Project Gutenberg
Works by or about Philo at Internet Archive

10

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