The Message of Philo Judaeus of Alexandria (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1909. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... life is to live in obedience to, and worship of God--to proceed cheerfully from death to immortality. We thus reach the abode of immortality.25 Therefore26 God exhorts man to run to the highest Logos of God which is the fountain of wisdom, in order that by drinking of that stream he may find everlasting life instead of death. It is also imparted by Eucharistic drinking which see. 4. JUDGMENT. While we do not hear anything very clear about any one special day of judgment, Philo is sure of absolute justice, so that a bad man will not lose reward for a single good action done among many evil ones, or a good man fail to be punished for a single bad action among many good ones.27 5 SIN J DEGREESq REPENTANCE. The usual Greek word for sin is hamartano, meaning "to miss the mark," as an arrow. Hence it is interesting to notice Philo's expression of a "reason which is aimed at truth like an arrow."28 The word for repentance means literally "to change one's mind;" and Philo gives it almost disproportionate space in his system. His order of excellence is29 1, perfection; 2, repentance, and next lower, 3, lover of God and lover of virtue; and again30 next below, as Moses was below Enoch, hope. So, philosophically, he prizes what is worse as being valuable if used for improvement;31 it earns indulgence for oneself, it promotes reconciliation, and averts divine anger32 (ib). Again, next to perfection is placed, when one has erred, repentance33 and symbolically is indicated by the number 36534 as typified by the solar orbit, alternation of agitation and resultant virtue; and as the sun hides the stars, to oblivion of past offences. It earned Noah35 preservation at time of general destruction, and,36 in the great abundance of kind mercy of the beneficent Savior, the latter37 ...