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The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah Vol 1 - Predestination

The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah Vol 1 - Predestination

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If we now turn to <strong>the</strong> views expressed by Philo<br />

about <strong>the</strong> Logos we find that <strong>the</strong>y are hesitating,<br />

<strong>and</strong> even contradictory. One thing, however, is<br />

plain: <strong>the</strong> Logos <strong>of</strong> Philo is not <strong>the</strong> Memra <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

Targumim. For, <strong>the</strong> expression Memra ultimately<br />

rests on <strong>the</strong>ological, that <strong>of</strong> Logos on philosophical<br />

grounds. Again, <strong>the</strong> Logos <strong>of</strong> Philo approximates<br />

more closely to <strong>the</strong> Metatron <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Talmud <strong>and</strong><br />

Kabbalah. As <strong>the</strong>y speak <strong>of</strong> him as <strong>the</strong> * Prince <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong> Face,' who bore <strong>the</strong> name <strong>of</strong> his Lord, so Philo<br />

represents <strong>the</strong> Logos as Hhe eldest Angel,' Hhe<br />

many-named Archangel,' in accordance with <strong>the</strong><br />

Jewish view that <strong>the</strong> name JeHoYaH unfolded its<br />

meaning in seventy names for <strong>the</strong> Gk>d-head.'' As<br />

<strong>the</strong>y speak <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> 'Adam Qadmon,' so Philo <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

Logos as <strong>the</strong> human reflection <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> eternal Qod.<br />

And in both <strong>the</strong>se respects, it is worthy <strong>of</strong> notice<br />

that he appeals to ancient teaching.*<br />

What, <strong>the</strong>n, is <strong>the</strong> Logos <strong>of</strong> Philo ? Not a concrete<br />

personality, <strong>and</strong> yet, from ano<strong>the</strong>r point <strong>of</strong> view,<br />

not strictly impersonal, nor merely apro-

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