Philo of Alexandria - Books and Journals

30 part two
9707. P. Borgen, ‘Philo of Alexandria: Reviewing and Rewriting BiblicalMaterial,’inD.T.RuniaandG.E.Sterling(edd.),Wisdom
and
Logos: Studies in Jewish Thought in Honor of David Winston [= The Studia
Philonica Annual 9 (1997)], Brown Judaic Studies 312 (Atlanta 1997)
37–53.
The area of Philo’s activity as an exegete analysed in this article is the paraphrastic
reviewing and rewriting of smaller and larger biblical units. For example,
by taking a model from Deut Philo in Praem. presents a series of blessings
tied to a series of curses. In a way that is quite similar to several early Jewish
writings Philo in Virt. gives lists of biblical persons with the aim of creating a
contrast between excellent and unworthy characters. In Leg. 3suchalistingof
persons is combined with the theme of predestination which is articulated in
transitional passages. Here Borgen makes some comparisons with Paul’s ideas
in Rom 9. In discussion with P. S. Alexander the author points out the fact that
Philo in rewriting biblical passages also incorporates presentations of laws (e.g.
Hypoth., Decal. andSpec.). There are similarities with Josephus which suggest
a common source for the two Jewish authors. The ethical notions which Philo
develops in his rewritten Bible have both a Jewish and a Greek background.
(KGS)
9708. F. Calabi, ‘Lingua di Dio, lingua degli uomini: Filone Alessandrino
e la traduzione della Bibbia,’ IcastellidiYale2 (1997) 95–113.
Hebrew was the normal language which all humans spoke before the tower
of Babel. Moreover it was the language that God spoke at the time of creation.
The language of Adam corresponded perfectly to the nature of things. But then
the problem arises: is this correspondence maintained in the Greek translation
of the Bible? Philo’s answer is positive. Greek is perfectly able to replace the
Hebrew and corresponds perfectly to reality because the translation was inspired
by God. The choice of Greek was not a matter of chance or opportunism, but was
according to Calabi ‘ideological’, because it allowed the translators to make use
of the considerable resources of thought which the Greek language allowed them
to express. (RR)
9709. G.Casadio,Viegnostiche all’immortalità (Brescia 1997), esp.
75–78.
Philo’s concept of immortality is strongly influenced by Platonism and thus
subscribes to a clear form of dualism. Only the soul is destined for immortality
and not the body, which is regarded as ontologically inferior. (RR)
9710. R.A.Clements,Peri Pascha: Passover and Displacement of
Jewish Interpretation within Origen’s Exegesis (diss. Harvard University
1997).