Philo of Alexandria - Books and Journals

additional items 1987–1996 427
The article corresponds to the paper presented and discussed by Reale at
theconferenceontheTimaeus organized by the International Plato Society in
Granada, Spain in September 1995. In the process of illustrating the Platonic
creation account in the Timaeus and giving a precise philosophical and theological
evaluation of it, Reale undertakes to speak about the Philonic conception of
creation (pp. 28ff.), which constitutes ‘the foundation that allows the birth of the
complete construction of the theory of creation on which Christian thought is
based’. Although Philo does make use of Platonic terms and formulas in this context,
he nevertheless does advance well beyond Plato. Indeed Reale puts forward
the hypothesis (based also on a valuable testimony of Seneca in NQ 1 pref. 16)
that the Alexandrian thinker, albeit with much wavering, did attribute the creation
of matter itself to God. It is further recognized that the Philonic doctrine
of the Ideas as thoughts of God is a fundamental presupposition of the Christian
creatio ex nihilo. (RR)
a96113. D. R. Schwartz, ‘Temple or City: what did Hellenistic Jews
See in Jerusalem?,’ in M. Poorthuis and C. Safrai (edd.), The Centrality
of Jerusalem: Historical Perspectives (Kampen 1996) 114–127.
The article focuses on the question of the view that Jews in the Hellenistic
Diaspora had of Jerusalem and the Temple. In general their attitude towards the
city of Jerusalem was positive, but they were negative about the Temple. It was
difficult for them, living outside Jerusalem in the Diaspora, to assume that God
dwells in one particular place, i.e. the Temple in Jerusalem. In 2 and 3Maccabees
the view is expressed that God has his residence in heaven. As for Philo, on the
one hand he defends the Temple when attacked by the Roman emperor Gaius
Caligula and we know that he made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, which he calls the
‘metropolis’, but on the other hand he argues that the Temple is wholly spiritual.
(ACG)
a96114. U.Sim,Dashimmlische Jerusalem in Apk 21,1–22,5 im Kontext
biblisch-jüdischer Tradition und antiken Städtebaus,BochumerAltertumswissenschaftliches
Colloquium 25 (Trier 1996), esp. 59–61.
This study compares the description of the heavenly Jerusalem in the book
of Revelation with descriptions in ancient texts of real (Babylonian, Greek,
Roman, Israelite) as well as ideal cities. Its conclusion is that the author of
Revelation for his presentation of the new Jerusalem made use not only of Old
Testament and Jewish traditions, but also of motifs of ancient city planning. As
sources on the ideal city, Sim discusses Plato, Aristotle, Hippodamus of Milete,
Vitruvius, Lucian of Samosata, Philo, and texts from Qumran. The three pages
devoted to Philo (plus two pages of notes providing the text references) present
Philo’s remarks on the foundation and organisation of cities (democracy as the
best form of constitution), his views on the kosmos as God’s polis, andhis
interpretation of the life of the wise (soul) as a journey to the real home in
heaven. (HMK)