Philo of Alexandria was a few years older than Jesus of Nazareth and lived longer. He belonged to a wealthy and cultured family, prominent in the Jewish community in Alexandria. Philo had contacts with the highest level of Roman authorities. He was on a risky diplomatic mission to Caligula on behalf of the persecuted Jews of Alexandria during what turned out to be Caligula's last days. Herod Agrippa was a friend in Rome during Philo's hour of greatest need. Philo is a sympathetic source on what sounds very much like a contemporary Jewish monastic movement. He is also one of the creators of the allegorical interpretation of Scripture. Some of his exegesis is reminiscent of Pythagorean numerology. It has been argued that Philo, who was well educated in Greek thought, was the founder of medieval philosophy. St. John seems to adapt Philo's thoughts about the Logos, the Word, in the prologue to his Gospel. There are also close ties between Philo's thinking and the Letter to the Hebrews. Jean Danielou, a paradigm of scholarship and clarity, makes Philo speak to us in his own voice. Anyone interested in patristics, exegesis, or simply Christian beginnings will benefit by reading Danielou's treatment of Philo.
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Jean Danielou. Philo of Alexandria
Philo. of Alexandria
Translator’s Preface
Author’s Foreword
Chapter 1. Life of Philo
Chapter 2. Philo and His Time
Chapter 3. The Bible at Alexandria
Chapter 4. Philo’s Exegesis
Chapter 5. Philo’s Theology
Chapter 6. Philo’s Spirituality
Chapter 7. Philo and the New Testament
Bibliography
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Jean Daniélou
Translated by
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Much more was to come. The city of Alexandria became the scene of a veritable pogrom at this point. Philo fixes the date with certainty, noting that it coincided with the mourning prescribed for the whole empire on the occasion of the death of Caligula’s sister Drusilla, that is to say, August A.D. 38. The Jews were first driven into one neighborhood, the Delta quarter. Confined in the ghetto, they were dying of hunger. Those who tried to go out were massacred, burned alive, dragged through the streets, or crucified. Women were dragged to the theatre were they were forced to eat pork. Those who refused were put to death.
Far from preventing these abuses, Flaccus encouraged them. He ordered searches to be carried out in Jewish homes to find out whether they had arms. Philo observes that similar searches had been made earlier in Egyptian homes and had turned up results. But nothing was found in Jewish homes. Moreover, the Jews had sent Flaccus a message of congratulation for Caligula, to be transmitted to Rome. That certainly was in 37. But Flaccus, who, at this point, must have been wondering what policy to follow, procrastinated in sending the message forward. When Agrippa came to Alexandria in June 38, Philo complained to him about that and asked him to take charge of making the address reach Rome, explaining the reasons for the delay.
