He sacrifices some animals. End of story, right?
But what if there was a deeper meaning hidden within those verses?
That's what the Midrash of Philo explores when it asks about Genesis 8:20: "He took of the cattle and of the flying animals, and he offered whole burnt offerings on the altar." Philo, a Jewish philosopher from Alexandria, writing in the first century, wasn't just interested in the literal act. He wanted to understand the inner significance.
He starts by reminding us that everything Noah offered came from God in the first place. It was a gift, freely given. And Noah chose the clean animals, the ones deemed pure and acceptable. He burned them as "entire and pure first fruits." Think of it as offering the very best, the unblemished beginning, back to the source.
But here’s where it gets interesting. Philo argues that these animals also represent something else entirely.
He suggests that the "clean cattle" and "clean birds" symbolize the outward senses and the intellect of a wise person. Think about it: our senses – sight, hearing, touch – connect us to the world, like cattle grazing in a field. And our intellect, soaring like a bird, allows us to reason and understand.
These animals, then, become metaphors for our thoughts, the very contents of our minds. And Philo argues that a truly wise person offers these in their integrity, as a perfect, unpolluted offering to God. It's about dedicating our minds, our thoughts, and our senses to something higher, offering them as a display of gratitude to the Father.
It’s a powerful idea, isn't it? It transforms a simple act of sacrifice into a profound spiritual exercise. It's not just about burning animals on an altar. It's about purifying our thoughts and dedicating our minds to the divine. It's about offering the best of ourselves, not just the best of our livestock.
So, next time you read about Noah’s sacrifice, remember Philo’s interpretation. Consider what you are offering to the world, what thoughts and intentions you are dedicating to something greater than yourself. What are your "clean cattle" and "clean birds," and how can you offer them as a pure and unblemished sacrifice? Perhaps that is the truest offering of all.