Philo of Alexandria - Books and Journals

44 part two
the content she analyses their position towards Judaism, to single Jews, Jewish
groups and the Jewish authorities, to pagans and the Roman state. While Josephus
wants to defend himself against the reproaches of Justus of Tiberias, Philo’s
accusation of Gaius probably is occasioned by the rise of Claudius to the imperial
throne. Josephus puts his own achievements and his character in the foreground,
whereas Philo disappears behind the ‘we’ of the delegation—with the exception
of §§ 181–184. He presents a picture of Jewish unity which contrasts to the many
factions emerging from Josephus’ narration. Josephus has better relations to the
Romans than to his own people, while Legat. reflects the menace to Jews arising
from pagan fellow-citizens and the emperor. (DZ)
9747.J.R.Levison,The Spirit in First Century Judaism,Arbeitenzur
Geschichte des antiken Judentums und des Urchristentums 29 (Leiden
1997), passim.
In this monograph devoted to a study of how conceptions of the divine
spirit underwent complex metamorphoses in Jewish biblical interpretation three
chief bodies of writing are discussed, Philo, Josephus and Pseudo-Philo’s Biblical
Antiquities. The main body of the book consists of three long essays. In the first,
entitled ‘An anomalous prophet’, it is shown how highly divergent and creative
interpretations of the spirit were drawn from Num 24 and its account of how
the spirit descended on Balaam. The difference between Philo’s account in Mos.
1.277ff. and the biblical account is largely due to the influence of Plato’s Socrates
(the same applies to Josephus), as shown in a comparison with Plutarch. The
spirit thus becomes an invading angel. In the second essay, entitled ‘An eclectic
era’, Levison attempts to uncover the complex impulses which propelled Jewish
authors both to assimilate and to resist Greco-Roman perceptions of inspiration.
In this part he examines Philo’s presentation of Abraham at Virt. 217–218 and
also his descriptions of the ascent of the mind in Plant. 18–26 and Gig. 19–55.
In the third part, entitled ‘An extraordinary mind’, Levison undermines the view
that in Jewish literature the spirit was associated above all with ecstasy rather
than with intellectual insight. Philo’s view of both Moses and Joseph is examined.
Here too the influence of Socrates’ daimon is felt. A long concluding section
summarizesthefindingsandplacestheminawidercontext.Inanappendix
(262–267) ‘essential data’ is provided on Philo. Reviews: P. R. Davies, ExpTim
110 (1998) 22–23; D. P. O’Brien, JJS 49 (1998) 356–357; B. W. R. Pearson, JSNT
71 (1998) 122–123; A. Piñero, EstE 73 (1998) 669–671; J. Frey, ThLZ 124 (1999)
722–724; C. T. R. Hayward, JThS 50 (1999) 664–668; A. Piñero, JSJ 30 (1999)
104–106; W. T. Wilson, CBQ 61 (1999) 591–592; G. E. Sterling, JQR 91 (2001)
519–520; M. Turner, EvQ 75 (2003) 65–67. (DTR)
9748. M.LluchBaixauli,‘EltratadodeFilónsobreelDecálogo,’
Scripta Theologica 29 (1997) 415–446.
The author studies the Philonic book De Decalogoasalinkinalongchainthat goes from the biblical traditions, the LXX, and the Jewish comments through