Philo of Alexandria - Books and Journals

106 part two
9921. L.Döring,Schabbat. Sabbathalacha und -praxis im antiken
Judentum und Urchristentum, Texte und Studien zum Antiken Judentum
78 (Tübingen 1999), esp. 315–383.
The volume inquires into the norms for behaviour on the Sabbath and their
praxis in Judaism from Elephantine until the 2nd century c.e. In the chapter
on the Jewish Diaspora of Hellenistic-Roman times there are paragraphs on
Aristobulus (pp. 306–315) and Philo (pp. 315–383). In a survey of the history of
research esp. the positions of S. Belkin, E. R. Goodenough and I. Heinemann
are reviewed. Unlike the latter, however, Döring does not look for sources
in Philo’s interpretation of Jewish feasts, but at best for traditions. After a
general discussion of the passages on the Sabbath in Philo, he deals with the
single prescriptions. They show that Philo knew precise halachic practices from
different Jewish origins. He interprets them within the horizon of his Greek and
Jewish formation. He has a universalistic conception of the Sabbath which is
grounded in the creation of the world and looks forward to the acceptance of
the Sabbath by all peoples in the end of times. Nevertheless, arguing against
the extreme allegorists, he insists that the Sabbath should be literally observed.
An appendix on the Therapeutae highlights that they honour the sabbath by
breaking their fast on this day (Contempl. 36).Reviews:H.Weiss,SPhA 14
(2002) 200–204. (DZ)
9922. T. Engberg-Pedersen, ‘Philo’s De vita contemplativa as a Philosopher’s
Dream,’ Journal for the Study of Judaism 30 (1999) 40–64.
What is the genre of Philo’s Contempl.? The author proposes two possible
answers, then suggests a method for choosing between them, and finally elaborates
on a close reading of the whole work to bring out its comprehensive and
coherent meaning. The Philonic work has long been treated as a ‘moral philosophical
treatise’. Engberg-Pedersen, however, opts for its genre as a ‘fictional
story’ (πλάσμα). After presenting his arguments for this genre, he carries out
a close reading of Philo’s work, finding that it exhibits such a degree of literary
coherence that he finds it to vindicate his proposal that the treatise is a fiction.
Hence scholars should not go on asking questions about the historicity of the
Therapeutae. Basically, the good scholarly questions to be asked should be about
Philo and ‘his’ Therapeutae, not about ‘the’ Therapeutae as such. Hence the treatise
is a ‘philosopher’s dream’. (TS)
9923. S. Fernández, Cristo Médico, según Origenes. La actividad médica
como metáfora de la acción divina, Studia Ephemeridis Augustinianum
64 (Rome 1999), esp. 43–45.
The author exhaustively examines the topics of disease and health in Origen.
The study proper is preceded by an interesting survey of Greek, Hellenistic and
Biblical antecedents (pp. 15–58). Philo is dealt with as a source which has had
influence on Origen, either directly or through Clement. The author studies