Philo of Alexandria - Books and Journals

critical studies 2004 309
culture specifically, one must understand general developments in the larger
context regarding ‘the style of exposition from one period to another’ (p. 168).
(EB)
20461. A. Kovelman, ‘Continuity and Change in Hellenistic Jewish
Exegesis and in Early Rabbinic Literature,’ Review of Rabbinic Judaism 7
(2004) 123–145.
The transition from biblical to rabbinic literature coincided with the emergence
of the Greco-Roman novel, a literary revolution that gave rise to ‘seriocomical
genres.’ In contrast to epics, these genres lack distance between the
past and contemporary reality and they often have their origins in folklore.
Rabbinic literature reflects the serio-comical genre and contributes to it. In the
rise of this genre, Alexandrian exegesis played a crucial role. Both the Letter of
Aristeas and Philo emphasize the solemnity of Mosaic Law, especially through
their allegorizations, and criticize writers that render the Law frivolous. Kovelman
suggests that Philo’s allegorization of Eve’s creation (Leg. 2.19) and the creation
of man (Opif. 76, 134) expresses criticism not of the literal meaning of
the Bible but rather of the Platonic myth of the androgyne, which the rabbis
embraced. He notes that ‘in shattering the naiveté of the epic, Alexandrians
paved the way for irony and laughter,’ found in rabbinic literature (p. 135). The
two literatures address similar problems such as the separation of the Jews from
other peoples. Unlike Pseudo-Aristeas and Philo, however, who had to grapple
seriously with the Stoic idea of the freedom and equality of all humanity, the
rabbis did not have to reconcile Jewish Law with philosophy; for them, God’s
will behind the separation was sufficient explanation. See also the summary
of G. Hasan-Rokem’s and M. R. Niehoff ’s responses to this article, 20442 and
20488. (EB)
20462. R.S.Kraemer(ed.),Women’s Religions in the Greco-Roman
World: a Sourcebook (New York 2004).
A substantially expanded and completely revised edition of the source-book
published in 1988 and originally called Maenads Martyrs Matrons Monastics.
See further RRS 8840. (DTR)
20463. C. Kraus Reggiani, ‘La presenza di Dio nella storia secondo
Filone di Alessandria,’ in A. M. Mazzanti and F. Calabi (edd.), La
rivelazione in Filone di Alessandria: natura, legge, storia. Atti del VII
convegno di studi del Gruppo Italiano di Ricerca su Origene e la traditione
alessandrina (Bologna 29–30 settembre 2003), BibliotecadiAdamantius
2 (Villa Verruchio 2004) 9–13.
The introductory part of Legat. contains a section (§§ 3–7) which introduces
a number of themes which are fundamental to Philo’s ethical-theological philosophy
and continually recur in his other works, including the allegorical treatises.