Philo of Alexandria

328 texts · Page 6 of 37

The writings of Philo of Alexandria (c. 20 BCE -- c. 50 CE), a Hellenistic Jewish philosopher who sought to harmonize Jewish Scripture with Greek philosophy. His allegorical interpretations of the Torah remain influential to this day.

Counsel of the Sages

Philo The Midrash of Philo 24:2

Our starting point here is a fascinating text referred to as "The Midrash of Philo." Now, when we say "Midrash," we're talking about a particular way of interpreting scripture. It'...

Wisdom

Blueprint of Creation of Adam

Philo The Midrash of Philo 25:1

Take this one little verse from Genesis, 2:25: "And the man and his wife were both naked, and were not ashamed." Simple enough, right? But wait a minute. Why does it even need to t...

Creation

The Garden of Eden

Philo The Midrash of Philo 25:2

Have you ever wondered what it was really like in the Garden of Eden before... well, you know? Before the snake, the apple, the expulsion, the whole shebang? We tend to picture it ...

Moses and Creation and the Serpent

Philo The Midrash of Philo 1:1

It’s a question that’s nagged at theologians and storytellers for centuries. Why does Moses, in the book of Genesis, specifically call out the serpent as being the craftiest of the...

CreationAdam & EveMoses

Pursuit of Wisdom and the Serpent

Philo The Midrash of Philo 1:2

It's easy to see him as just a sneaky snake, but Jewish tradition, especially in the writings we call midrash, often sees things on a deeper, symbolic level. Philo, the 1st-century...

Adam & EveWisdom

The Garden of Eden

Philo The Midrash of Philo 1:6

Did you ever stop to wonder… did that serpent in the Garden of Eden actually talk? I mean, really talk? It's a question that’s been wrestled with for millennia. Genesis 3:2 simply ...

CreationHeavenAdam & EveSoul

Adam at the Dawn of Creation

Philo The Midrash of Philo 1:13

The story in Genesis, as we all know, tells of a serpent who tempts the woman, leading to the eating of the forbidden fruit and the expulsion from paradise. But the ancient sages w...

CreationAdam & Eve

Eve and Creation and the Serpent

Philo The Midrash of Philo 1:17

Why on earth did the serpent twist God's words to Eve, claiming, "God has said, 'You shall not eat of every tree in the Garden'" (Genesis 3:1)? Think about it. God actually said, "...

CreationHeavenAdam & EveSoul

Eve and Creation

Philo The Midrash of Philo 3:1

There's a fascinating little puzzle tucked away in the Book of Genesis, specifically Genesis 3:3. It's a tiny addition to God's command, seemingly insignificant, but it opens up a ...

Creation