Philo of Alexandria - Books and Journals

218 part two
knew Philo’s works through the Armenian tradition, Langermann observes, ‘If
Chiesa is correct, the question is no longer whether Philo’s writings were known
in the early Islamic period, but how much of the Philonic corpus was available
and through which channels of submission’ (p. 182). Langermann also discusses
Pythagorean aspects of Philo’s thought, especially arithmology. (EB)
20260. M.Mach[ ], ‘ ’ [Hebrew:
Faith, Practice and Learning—Abraham according to Philo], in M. Hallamish,H.KasherandY.Silman(edd.),TheFaith
of Abraham in the
Light of Interpretation throughout the Ages (Ramat-Gan 2002) 59–70.
Following a brief survey of the importance of Abraham in the varied forms
and expressions of Judaism during the Second Temple period, Mach turns to
the centrality of the figure in the writings of Philo. The point of departure for
the investigation is the divergence of Philo’s portrayal from that found in the
epistles of Paul. The latter’s focused treatment of Abraham’s ‘justification through
faith’ (Gen 15:6) is contrasted with Philo’s dynamic description of the patriarch’s
progress through the acquisition of secure knowledge of the Deity. Mach places
predominant emphasis on the epistemological process which underlies Philo’s
own use of the word πίστις and the concomitant portrayal of Abraham on his
path to becoming a νμς μψυς.(DS)
20261. J. P. Martín, ‘Alegoría de Filón sobre los ángeles que miraron
con deseo a las hijas de los hombres,’ Circe 7 (2002) 261–282.
Compares the exegesis of Philo on the myth of the nephilim (Gen 6:1–4) with
Jubilees and with the tradition of Enoch, which interpret the myth in connection
with the history of human culture and the entrance of evil in the world. Philo
accepts a mythological reading of the biblical text. By means of allegory, he
denies any sexual interpretation and affirms the radical distinction between
angels and women, that is to say, between soul and material bodies. In this
context we find early the term πνευματικς in the sense of ‘immaterial’ (QG
1.92, Greek fragment). (JPM)
20262. J. P. Martín, ‘El concepto de hermenéutica en Filón de Alejandría,’
Anales de la Academia Nacional de Ciencias de Buenos Aires 36
(2002) 287–306.
The author distinguishes three senses of ρμηνεειν in Philo: to communicate;
to translate; to interpret. The three senses constitute a chain of actions
between God and man. Communication begins with the creative act of the
divine Logos, and extends to the unfolding of λγι in nature and to the text
written by Moses, the ρμηνες. The hermeneutical act continues in the translation
of the LXX for all the nations, and finally, it finishes in the comprehensive
reading by the wise person, who culminates the process of ρμηνεειν by silence
before God. (JPM)