Philo of Alexandria - Books and Journals

critical studies 1999 107
specially the Philonic use of the terms ατρς and νσς, although the term
εραπευτής could deserve greater attention. (JPM)
9924. R. B. Finazzi, ‘Note sulla versione armena del De Deo di Filone
Alessandrino,’ Annali di Scienze Religiose 4 (1999) 213–220.
The author demonstrates, on the basis of exact research, that the Armenian
text of the Deo wasproducedinanenvironmentthatwasbothGreekand
Christian. It must be said that the understanding of the original Philonic text
is not always satisfactory, because the translator stands at too great a distance
from Philo’s philosophical sensibility. In spite of this, the author concludes, the
Armenian version of Deo was of considerable significance at the time in which
the exegesis was prepared. (RR)
9925. J. Frey, ‘Die paulinische Antithese von »Fleisch« und »Geist«
und die palästinisch-jüdische Weisheitstradition,’ Zeitschrift für die neutestamentliche
Wissenschaft 90 (1999) 45–77.
Frey first summarizes the history of research on the background of the
opposition between flesh and spirit in history of religion. When the discussion
of the Qumran discoveries faded out, the derivation from Hellenistic Judaism
prevailed (E. Brandenburger, cf. R-R 6805). Frey however criticizes the use
of Wisdom and Philo to defend this thesis. In Wisdom human mortality is
contrasted not with πνεμα, butwithσία. Philo’sabstractuseofσάρ is
conditioned by the Bible. It designates earthly existence, which is not in itself
opposed to God. Not even in Her. 57isthereadualismofclassesofhuman
beings. Neither the sinfulness of σάρ nor its character as cosmic power has a
real analogy in these authors. Instead Frey again points to the Qumran texts,
especially the recently deciphered wisdom-instructions 4Q416–418, to show
that already in wisdom-circles of Palestine in the 3rd and 2nd century b.c.e. the
traditional ethical dualism had been widened with a cosmic and eschatological
dimension. (DZ)
9926. P.Frick,Divine Providence in Philo of Alexandria, Texteund
Studien zum Antiken Judentum 77 (Tübingen 1999).
This monograph, based on a McMaster doctoral dissertation under the supervision
of A. Mendelson, is the first comprehensive study devoted to the theme of
providence in Philo’s thought. The author sets out to determine how Philo conceptualizes
the idea of providence, and whether it is possible to interpret the references
to the idea that are scattered throughout his works into a coherent conception.
The structure of the study is primarily determined by its starting-point,
Philo’s famous summary of the five chief doctrines that contribute to piety and
well-being in Opif. 170–172. There the doctrine of providence is specially tied to
those of the existence and nature of God and of creation. Accordingly the first
two chapters examine Divine transcendence and Divine immanence in relation