Philo search question
I understand from some scholars of ancient Christianity that Philo identifies Sophia and the Logos as a single entity. But these scholars do not quote where he does this or other scholars that do cite Philo or his contemporaries. How can I use Logos Bible Software to identify this explanation as a single identity in Philo alone? Is there a way to do a Logos search for everything that Philo has written on this topic above? Here are the searches I did on the topic.
wrksphl LLS:WRKSPHL 2016-08-15T18:30:31Z Series: The Loeb Classical Library: English
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As per yesterday's thread, search 'wisdom' (the usual translation). But the problem in Philo, is that wisdom and Wisdom (personification) are difficult to distinguish in a search. Easier to look at the problem book-by-book (essentially subject) in Philo.
From Yonge:
"Another area of importance in the study of Philo is his use of Logos (Word) and Wisdom concepts and beliefs. These issues pervade Philo’s writings and illustrate the depth of Philo’s utilization of Hellenistic philosophical traditions in his understanding of God and the created universe. Philo’s discussions here are vital for understanding the nature of Middle Platonism, of Hellenistic Judaism and probably part of the pre-history of gnosticism and its views of God and the cosmology. Philo’s ideas about Logos/Wisdom are also indispensable for New Testament studies, probably most directly and dramatically in the interpretation of the Gospel of John, especially the Prologue (1:1–14). C. H. Dodd’s famous discussion of these issues bears careful reading, even though the debate over his judgments continue to this day. Dodd argues that in addition to the Prologue’s indebtedness to Old Testament concepts, it cannot be fully understood apart from the ideas of Hellenistic Judaism, especially Philo (see C.H. Dodd, The Interpretation of the Fourth Gospel [Cambridge: University Press, 1963], Part1, §3 “Hellenistic Judaism: Philo of Alexandria,” pp. 54–73; Part 11, §12 “Logos,” pp. 263–85)."
"If myth is ideology in narrative form, then scholarship is myth with footnotes." B. Lincolm 1999.
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Where did you find the Yonge quote DMB?
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DMB said:
But the problem in Philo, is that wisdom and Wisdom (personification) are difficult to distinguish in a search.
This is where the match case feature of the search comes in handy - I usually use job (employment) and Job (person) as the example for this feature.
Orthodox Bishop Alfeyev: "To be a theologian means to have experience of a personal encounter with God through prayer and worship."; Orthodox proverb: "We know where the Church is, we do not know where it is not."
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Look at the bottom of the quote for the reference ...
Orthodox Bishop Alfeyev: "To be a theologian means to have experience of a personal encounter with God through prayer and worship."; Orthodox proverb: "We know where the Church is, we do not know where it is not."
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MJ. Smith said:DMB said:
But the problem in Philo, is that wisdom and Wisdom (personification) are difficult to distinguish in a search.
This is where the match case feature of the search comes in handy - I usually use job (employment) and Job (person) as the example for this feature.
Good advice, normally. But greek doesn't display case, and depending on the translation, ditto (it'd be interpretive in any event).
"If myth is ideology in narrative form, then scholarship is myth with footnotes." B. Lincolm 1999.
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Christian Alexander said:
Where did you find the Yonge quote DMB?
Yonge is Logos' default (cheapo) Philo translation ... you likely have it:
https://www.logos.com/product/417/the-works-of-philo
Logos also provides 2 greek editions, Loeb, and an interlinear, both morph'd with lemma, neither having english glosses.
"If myth is ideology in narrative form, then scholarship is myth with footnotes." B. Lincolm 1999.
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That is a great resource and I own it. Over the years, some readers have questioned if Greek philosophy had more to do with the celebration of the Logos of God becoming flesh. This is a query I would want to investigate. One thing that may be observed is that the idea of Logos does find striking similarities with other biblical writings, especially those that discuss God's Wisdom (Greek: Sophia). The concepts of Sophia and Logos are connected; both are concerned with "reason" in some way. Sophia refers to an individual's interior reason, while Logos is the reason that is communicated orally. This is how I understand it after studying. A number of biblical passages emphasize the importance of wisdom. Proverbs 8 is one of the most notable, as it celebrates wisdom and presents it as hypostasis. This term is a characteristic or feature of God that takes on personal characteristics as a being separate from God. Much of the passage in John 1 has parallels with the paean to Wisdom in Proverbs 8. How can I use Logos to search for books that reference John 1 and Proverbs 8? The only source I found was a dissertation done at Duke University called Reading the Prologue of the Gospel of John as Midrash on Genesis I Via Proverbs 8 by Amanda Jennifer Albert
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Just to push the boundaries of your vocabulary a bit:
Gemini said:The feminine aspects of both Shekhina and wisdom in Judaism offer ways to understand God's interaction with creation and humanity. Here's a breakdown of how they relate:
Similarities:
- Counterbalance Masculine Traits: Both Shekhina and wisdom as feminine aspects provide a counterpoint to the more commonly associated masculine traits of God, such as power, judgment, and law.
- Accessibility and Compassion: The feminine aspects are often associated with qualities like nurturing, compassion, mercy, and understanding. This allows people to connect with God on a more personal level.
- Divine Activity: Both concepts represent God's active engagement in the world. Shekhina emphasizes God's presence, while wisdom highlights God's creative and guiding force.
Differences:
- Focus: Shekhina focuses on God's presence dwelling within creation. Wisdom emphasizes God's inherent wisdom and its role in creation and human life.
- Development: The concept of Shekhina developed later in Rabbinic Judaism, while the idea of God's wisdom is present in the Hebrew Bible (e.g., Proverbs 8).
- Imagery: Shekhina is sometimes associated with imagery like the cloud of glory or the divine dwelling place. Wisdom is often personified as a woman offering guidance and knowledge.
How they connect:
- Wisdom as Source of the Shekhina: In some interpretations, particularly in Kabbalah, wisdom (often called Hokhmah) is seen as the source of the Shekhina. The divine wisdom manifests and interacts with the world through the Shekhina.
- Interconnectedness: Both concepts ultimately point to the multifaceted nature of God. They are not separate entities, but rather different aspects of the divine interacting with creation.
Here are some additional thoughts:
- The understanding of both Shekhina and wisdom as feminine aspects of God is not universally accepted in Judaism. Some interpretations may emphasize God's ultimate oneness and avoid gendered language.
- Both concepts continue to be explored and debated by Jewish scholars and theologians.
Further Exploration:
- If you're interested in learning more, you can explore concepts like Kabbalah's sefirot (divine emanations) and how Hokhmah (wisdom) and Shekhina fit within that system.
First, are you ready to actually do research on the topic or are you simply looking to read what others have said on the topic? For the latter a simple search for both passages in the same article should get you more than enough starting points.
Hans Urs von Balthasar IIRC spends time on the Logos/Wisdom relationship.
To use Philo as a touchstone a search for Philo NEAR (wisdom OR sophia OR logos OR hokhmah) will give you a starting point. You can then refine it to remove the many false positives.
Orthodox Bishop Alfeyev: "To be a theologian means to have experience of a personal encounter with God through prayer and worship."; Orthodox proverb: "We know where the Church is, we do not know where it is not."
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MJ. Smith said:
Just to push the boundaries of your vocabulary a bit:
Thanks for the push of my boundary. I do not want to be stagnant. This form of study is my favorite because it crosses all boundaries within history, Bible and theology.
MJ. Smith said:First, are you ready to actually do research on the topic or are you simply looking to read what others have said on the topic?
I am ready to actually do research on the topic. I want to sink into the area of study. Also, what is the masculine form of Wisdom in Greek? I put this in Bard and it said cannot answer my question.
MJ. Smith said:To use Philo as a touchstone a search for Philo NEAR (wisdom OR sophia OR logos OR hokhmah) will give you a starting point.
I only get 13 hits for that search. How many did you get?
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Christian Alexander said:
Also, what is the masculine form of Wisdom and Logos in Greek?
to the best of my knowledge, in Greek and Hebrew wisdom is always personified as feminine and is grammatically feminine. I tried Gemini which recognized that wisdom is always feminine.
Christian Alexander said:How many did you get?
3,645
Orthodox Bishop Alfeyev: "To be a theologian means to have experience of a personal encounter with God through prayer and worship."; Orthodox proverb: "We know where the Church is, we do not know where it is not."
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MJ. Smith said:
to the best of my knowledge, in Greek and Hebrew wisdom is always personified as feminine and is grammatically feminine.
Is there any analysis or reasoning as to why?
MJ. Smith said:3,645
Can you screenshot the top resources you get? I tried running it on the web app and I got a few more. I got 104hits
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Christian Alexander said:
Is there any analysis or reasoning as to why?
My perennial philosophy books are packed away so I can't quickly verify my half-memories of possible explanations. My Conversation with Sophia: Reflections on Wisdom’s Contemplative Path: Shetter, William: 9781491745021: Amazon.com: Books or The Wisdom Way of Knowing: Reclaiming An Ancient Tradition to Awaken the Heart: Bourgeault, Cynthia: 9780787968960: Amazon.com: Books (a bit less orthodox) might help you get a grasp on why wisdom's properties lead it to be thought of as feminine.
Orthodox Bishop Alfeyev: "To be a theologian means to have experience of a personal encounter with God through prayer and worship."; Orthodox proverb: "We know where the Church is, we do not know where it is not."
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Christian Alexander said:
Can you screenshot the top resources you get?
Christian Alexander said:Is there any analysis or reasoning as to why?
Gemini said:Wisdom is most commonly personified as female across many cultures, but there are a few exceptions where it takes on a masculine form. Here's a breakdown:
Female Personification of Wisdom:
- Ancient Near East: In Mesopotamian cultures like Sumeria and Babylonia, goddesses like Inanna (Sumerian) and Ishtar (Babylonian) were associated with wisdom, fertility, and warfare. Similarly, Egyptian goddesses like Maat (truth, justice) and Seshat (wisdom, writing) embodied aspects of wisdom.
- Hebrew Bible: As mentioned earlier, the book of Proverbs prominently features Lady Wisdom as a powerful and persuasive female figure. The Hebrew word for wisdom (chokmah) itself is grammatically feminine.
- Greek Philosophy: While not as common as the feminine form, Sophia (wisdom) is also a feminine word in Greek. However, some philosophers like Plato used more abstract language to represent wisdom, not necessarily personifying it.
- Norse Mythology: While not a direct equivalent, the giantess Mimir, who resides beside the Well of Urd (containing wisdom), guards knowledge and offers counsel to Odin, the chief god.
Male Personification of Wisdom:
- Ancient Egypt: Thoth, the god of knowledge, writing, and magic, could be seen as a male embodiment of wisdom.
- Norse Mythology: Odin, the one-eyed god, is associated with wisdom, poetry, and seeking knowledge. He sacrifices an eye to drink from the Well of Urd, gaining immense knowledge.
- Chinese Philosophy: The concept of "zhi" (wisdom) in Confucianism doesn't have a specific gender, but the emphasis on proper conduct and social order might be seen as more traditionally masculine qualities.
Important Caveats:
- These are just a few examples, and cultures can have complex and evolving views of wisdom.
- Some cultures might not personify wisdom at all, but rather see it as an abstract quality or attribute.
- The association of wisdom with a particular gender might not be absolute, and some deities or figures might embody multiple aspects.
Overall:
The feminine personification of wisdom seems to be more prevalent across various cultures, likely reflecting the historical roles of women and the association of wisdom with nurturing, guidance, and practical knowledge. However, there are exceptions, and the understanding of wisdom can vary significantly.
Orthodox Bishop Alfeyev: "To be a theologian means to have experience of a personal encounter with God through prayer and worship."; Orthodox proverb: "We know where the Church is, we do not know where it is not."
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Thanks for these book suggestions. I placed them on hold at my library. They will be in on Wednesday.
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