Philo of Alexandria - Books and Journals

242 part two
as he possibly can. Instead he presents him as the type of the politician. This
representation was set aside by the Church Fathers and medieval authors, who
basically see in Joseph a prefiguration of Christ. From the Renaissance onwards
Joseph again takes on the role of the political person, but the ambiguity which
this role possessed for Philo is now lost. He becomes the type of the good
politician, or indeed of the ideal prince. (JR)
20323. J.Byron,Slavery Metaphors in Early Judaism and Pauline
Christianity: a Traditio-Historical and Exegetical Examination, Wissenschaftliche
Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament 2.162 (Tübingen
2003), esp. 33–35, 102–116.
This study, the published version of a Durham dissertation, examines the Jewish
background to Paul’s statements that he is a ‘slave of Christ’ and other uses
of slave terminology and metaphor. In a preliminary discussion of terminology,
ByronnotesthatslaverylanguageisextremelycommoninPhilo(morethan
800 instances). There seems to be a preference for the term δλς above that
of εράπων, butthetermδιάκνς is quite rare. Philo uses slavery language
mainly in philosophical and exegetical contexts, and not with reference to historical
situations as in Josephus. These insights are further developed in chapter
6 entitled ‘Responses to Slavery in the Writings of Philo’. The author argues
that participation in the Alexandrian Jewish diaspora community seems to have
shaped Philo’s views on slavery. The Jews could accept their situation because
they had the freedom to worship God. Philo recasts Judaism in philosophical
terms with its most important marker: ‘his tenacious adherence to monolatry
and the belief that God is sovereign over all creation’ (p. 100). Both the themes
of covenant and exile are largely absent in Philo’s thought, allowing him to blur
the outsider/insider ideology of enslavement to God found in other Jewish writers.
Philo’s approach to slavery is further investigated through an analysis of
his writings in two stages: (a) Prob. illustrates his views from the philosophical
(esp. Stoic) perspective; (b) his exegetical writings offer a more theological
perspective. Slavery and freedom are most often interpreted in terms of the
moral qualities of the soul. Esau is a prime example of the slave, because he
is enslaved to his passions. His example shows that it can be beneficial to be
physically enslaved. The last part of the discussion focuses on slavery to God.
According to Philo God has sovereign control over creation and humanity’s
response should be one of obedience and loyalty, coupled with the rejection of
self-rule. This is typified by the reponse of Abraham, whom the visitors (Gen
18) call a ‘fellow slave’ of God (Abr. 116). Philo’s view is perhaps best summarized
by his statement that ‘of all things slavery to God is best’ (Somn. 2.100).
(DTR)
20324. A. Cacciari, ‘Philo and the Nazirite,’ in F. Calabi (ed.),
Italian Studies on Philo of Alexandria, Studies in Philo of Alexandria and
Mediterranean Antiquity 1 (Boston 2003) 147–166.