The Influence of Philo’s De Abrahamo on Gregory of Nyssa’s De Vita Moysis

Bendová, Markéta

doi:10.14712/23363398.2018.52

Cited by 2 publications

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“…The perfection of life consists in doing good, but only because of that desire and nothing else. 72 God loves all people in the same way. Adopting a human attitude towards God is what makes all the difference.…”

Section: Worship Of God For His Sake Alonementioning

confidence: 99%

Friendship with God as an Ultimate Ideal in the Writings of Philo of Alexandria

Dudziková¹

2021

Auc Theologica

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Philo of Alexandria wrote about what it meant to be a 'friend of God' in relation to key biblical figures. This article explores to what extent Philo's understanding of the human relationship to God was inspired by the Greek concept of friendship based on the equal reciprocation of similar goods. It also addresses the complexity of Philo's view of such a relationship and the notion that to become a friend of God is to realise an ideal state of being. I will also illustrate Philo's influence on early Christian authors Clement of Alexandria and Gregory of Nyssa.

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Section: Worship Of God For His Sake Alonementioning

confidence: 99%

Friendship with God as an Ultimate Ideal in the Writings of Philo of Alexandria

Dudziková¹

2021

Auc Theologica

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The Platonic-Biblical Origins of Apophatic Theology: Philo of Alexandria’s Philosophical Interpretation of the Pentateuchal Theophanies

Mrugalski

2023

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This article examines Philo’s philosophical interpretation of the three theophanies in Exodus, which would, centuries later, continue to be considered by the great thinkers responsible for developing negative theology, such as Gregory of Nyssa and Dionysius the Areopagite. Although Exod 33:11 clearly states that the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as if someone were to speak to his own friend, according to Philo, the lawgiver neither saw the face of God, nor learned the proper name of God, nor was he able to comprehend the essence of God. These very statements became the inspiration for later apophaticism. The present article seeks to establish to what extent Philo’s theses were influenced by Plato’s philosophy or by later Middle Platonism, and to what extent Philo, by commenting allegorically on the Pentateuch, becomes the initiator of new ideas hitherto unknown in philosophical discourse. In the course of the analyses, three great questions of apophatic theology are discussed: 1. the unnameability of God; 2. the unknowability of God’s essence; and 3. the knowability of God’s nature by grace.

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The Influence of Philo’s De Abrahamo on Gregory of Nyssa’s De Vita Moysis

Cited by 2 publications

References 0 publications

Friendship with God as an Ultimate Ideal in the Writings of Philo of Alexandria

Friendship with God as an Ultimate Ideal in the Writings of Philo of Alexandria

The Platonic-Biblical Origins of Apophatic Theology: Philo of Alexandria’s Philosophical Interpretation of the Pentateuchal Theophanies

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