Philo of Alexandria

Hellenistic Jewish philosopher of Alexandria. His works include On the Contemplative Life, describing the Essene Christians, and The Life of Moses.

Chapter IV: The Judgments and Examples of the Fathers — As an eyewitness, in On the Contemplative Life, describes how Essene Christians at Alexandria spent entire day reading Scripture
"One may see in Philo the Jew, an eyewitness, in his book On the Contemplative Life"
Chapter V: On the Dispositions Required for This Study — Says "The legitimate worshippers of God excel in mind; for the true priest of God is at the same time also a seer"
"as Philo, though a Jew, rightly says"
Moses and Christ: Nineteen Parallels — "This is the life, this is the death of Moses, king, legislator, pontiff, prophet" — from book 3 of The Life of Moses
"Hear Philo, the most learned of the Hebrews"

Argumentum — Holds the view that Moses divided and named the Pentateuch (Lapide disagrees, attributing this to the Seventy Translators)
"which were thus divided and named not by Moses, as Philo holds, but by the Seventy Translators"

Verse 5: And He called the light Day — Cited for the same view as Augustine that all things were created simultaneously
"Philo teaches the same."
Verse 14: Let There Be Lights in the Firmament — Cited for Platonizing error that stars are intelligent animals
"Philo errs, Platonizing as is his custom, in his book On the Creation of Six Days, teaching that the stars are intelligent animals."
Verse 20: Let the Waters Bring Forth — Cited for calling birds the relatives of fish
"Hence Philo calls birds the relatives of fish."
Verse 26: Let Us Make Man in Our Image and Likeness — Cited alongside Plato for the view that God commanded angels to make man
"Philo in his book On the Creation of the Six Days, and the Jews."
Verse 26: Let Us Make Man in Our Image and Likeness — Cited from Book I of On Monarchy for the world as God's temple
"Philo in Book I of On Monarchy"
Verse 26: Let Us Make Man in Our Image and Likeness — Cited for (following Plato) the abstract man concept
"as Philo wished following Plato."
Verse 31: And God Saw All Things That He Had Made, and They Were Very Good — Quoted from his book On the Planting of Noah on the need for a praiser of God's works
"Philo, in his book On the Planting of Noah, near the end, teaches that nothing is lacking to God's works except a just evaluator"
Heaven and Earth: Four Interpretations — Listed among supporters of the empyrean heaven interpretation
"Philo, Saint Hilary"

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