Category:De Abrahamo (text)

De Abrahamo / On Abraham is one of Philo's Works.

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Overview

Synopsis

I - General Introduction [1-6]

Before describing the written laws given to Moses, the Torah describes the lives of "men who have been living and rational laws"

Their existence proves (a) that "the injunctions (of the Law) are not inconsistent with nature", and (b) that it not to difficult or laborious for those who wish to live according to the laws" to do so.

"These first men... without being taught by preceptors... embraced a line of conduct consistent with nature" [6].

II - The First Triad: Enosh, Enoch, Noah [7-46]

Enosh, "the Hoper / the Man," shows that hope is the first mark of a true man, as "Nature has placed [hope] at the gates to be a sort of doorkeeper to the royal virtues within" [7-10].

Enoch, who was "transferred" i.e. to a better life, is a symbol of "repentance." He was "not found," for the good are rare and love solitude [17-26]

Noah is a symbol of "perfection." He was "just" in comparison with the wicked generation destroyed by the Flood [27-46].

III - Introducing the Second Triad: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob [48-59]

The higher triad is made of the three great Patriarchs. Abraham is "the virtue which is derived from instruction." Isaac is "the natural virtue." Jacob is the virtue that is derived from Practice." These three virtues (Instruction, Nature, and Practice) are inseparable and present in every good man.

Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are the fathers of the people of Israel, the people of those who "see God," not with the sight of their eyes but the sight of their minds.

IV - Stories from the Life of Abraham: Literal Meaning and Allegorical Interpretation

(a) Migration from Ur [60-88]

The literal story of Abraham's migrations shows his self-sacrifice (60-67); allegorically it denotes the soul's journey from godless astronomy first to self-knowledge (Haran), then to the knowledge of God (68-88).

(b) Sarah and Abraham in Egypt [89-106]

Philo suggests that the tortures which plagued Pharaoh represent what the sensual mind suffers from the virtues which, while it professes to love them, are incompatible with it (99-106).

(c) The Three Angelic Visitors [107-118]

Allegorically they represent the Self-existent and the beneficent and sovereign potencies apprehended according as the soul can rise to the full conception or is moved by hope of benefits or fear, and Philo points out that while men distrust these last motives, God does not hold them worthless (119-132).

(d) The Destruction of Sodom [133-166]

The tale of the destruction of the Cities of the Plain represents the Self-existent as leaving the task to His subordinates, so that he maight be looked upon as the cause of good only, and of no evil [143] (133-146). This leads him to an allegory [147-166], in which the five cities are the five senses, the noblest of which, sight, is figured by Zoar, the only spared town.

(e) The Binding of Isaac [166-207]

The greatness of Abraham is vindicated against hostile criticisms based on the frequency of similar stories of child immolation (178-199). Allegorically the story means that a devout soul often feels a duty of surrendering its "Isaac," Joy, which nevertheless through God's mercy it is allowed to retain (200-207).

(f) The dispute with Lot [208-224]

After narratives illustrating Abraham's piety, next comes his kindness to men as shewn in his settlement of the dispute with Lot (208-216). This dispute may be taken to represent allegorically the incompatibility of love for the goods of the soul with love for bodily or external things (217-224).

(g) The Victory against the Four Kings [225-244]

Abraham's courage appears in his victory over the four kings who had routed the armies of the five cities (225-235), and this conflict is allegorized as one between the four passions and the five senses, in which the intervention of reason turns the scale against the former (236-244).

(h) Abraham and Sarah [245-261]

Philo now goes on to say something of the virtues of Sarah, particularly as shewn by her advocacy of the mating with Hagar (245-254) and this leads on to an account of the grief coupled with resignation shown by Abraham at her death (255-261).

(i) Conclusion [262-276]

The treatise concludes with a praise of Abraham's faith/trust in God, as the noblest virtue. He had indeed the right to the title of "Elder." The crowning tribute is given to Abraham as he did the Law, "not having being taught to do so by written books, but in accordance with the unwritten law of nature." In so doing Abraham was himself "the unwritten law and justice of God" [276].

Cf. Plutarch, Moralia

"And here, to speak summarily, what we are wont to say of arts and sciences may be said also concerning virtue: that there is a concurrence of three things requisite to the completing thereof in practice, — which are nature, reason, and use. Now by reason here I would be understood to mean learning; and by use, exercise. Now the principles come from instruction, the practice comes from exercise, and perfection from all three combined. And accordingly as either of the three is deficient, virtue must needs be defective. For if nature be not improved by instruction, it is blind; if instruction be not assisted by nature, it is maimed; and if exercise fail of the assistance of both, it is imperfect as to the attainment of its end. And as in husbandry it is first requisite that the soil be fertile, next that the husbandman be skilful, and lastly that the seed he sows be good; so here nature resembles the soil, the instructor of youth the husbandman, and the rational principles and precepts which are taught, the seed. And I would peremptorily affirm that all these met and jointly conspired to the completing of the souls of those universally celebrated men, Pythagoras, Socrates, and Plato, together with all others whose eminent worth hath gotten them immortal glory. And happy is that man certainly, and well-beloved of the Gods, on whom by the bounty of any of them all these are conferred." (On the Education of Children)