Philo of Alexandria - Books and Journals

396 part two
20663. B. C. McGing, ‘Philo’s Adaptation of the Bible in his “Life of
Moses”, ’ in B. C. McGing and J. Mossman (edd.), The Limits of Ancient
Biography (Swansea 2006) 117–140.
This article examines some aspects of the composition of Philo’s Mos., especially
the way in which Philo deals with his main source, the Septuagint. The
author discerns several techniques, the most important of which is his adaption
of the biblical text. Philo rewrites the text in words that are an echo of
the biblical verses. In most circumstances Philo elaborates on what he finds
in the Bible. On a few occasions, however, he makes an abridgment of the
biblical narrative. Although allegory does not fit very well into a retelling of
Moses’ life, occasionally Philo offers an allegorical interpretation. A strange feature
is that Philo avoids the use of proper names with the exception of Moses
himself. An appendix presents an overview of the structure of the treatise.
(ACG)
20664. S.Morlet,‘L’Écriture,imagedesvertus:latransformation
d’un thème philonien dans l’apologétique d’Eusèbe de Césarée,’ in F.
Young, M. J. Edwards and P. Parvis (edd.), Studia Patristica: Papers
presented to the Fourteenth International Conference on Patristic Studies
held in Oxford 2003, 5 vols. (Leuven 2006) 42.187–192.
The author discerns Philo’s influence in Eusebius’ notion of the patriarchs
as images of virtue and models for a virtuous life. But in contrast to Philo the
Church father does not explain their lives allegorically. The lives are just illustrations
of virtue and Eusebius’ reading remains on a literal level. Furthermore
the term εκών has also the connotation of ‘example’, which is absent in Philo.
(ACG)
20665. N. Neumann, ‘Wenn Lukas liest . . .: Ansätze hellenistischer
Allegorese im dritten Evangelium,’ Biblische Zeitschrift N.F. 50 (2006)
161–173.
Besides Aristobulus and Aristeas, Philo is mentioned as an example of Jewish-
Hellenistic interpretation of the Bible, esp. Opif., Leg. andMos. The common
ground of the method of allegorical interpretation is that a hidden meaning
exists below the surface of the text, which can be extracted through extensive
investigation. In this sense Philo, for example, interprets the two trees in the
Garden of Eden (Gen 2) in an ethical way (Opif. 154). In addition, linguistic
parallels in the technique of queries and interpretation exist, as well as the
notion that both Homer and Moses allude to various philosophical ideas (see
Luke 20:17). In this way the author gives support to his thesis that Luke uses
the technical terminology of Hellenistic allegoresis in interpreting his Bible (see
Luke 20:37). This shows that he is in accordance with the tradition represented
in particular by Philo. (GS)