Allegorical Interpretation and Jewish Identity among Alexandrian Jewish Writers

Abstract

One feature especially associated with certain Alexandrian Jewish works namely, the Letter of Aristeas, the fragments of Aristobulus, and the writings of Philo - is the allegorical interpretation of Scripture. In fact, in the eyes of at least one scholar, allegorical interpretation itself was an important vehicle of expression for the attitudes of Jews toward their surroundings. This chapter begins by clarifying our understanding of allegorical interpretation and our specific questions about Jewish identity. Moreover, to explain the something else that the Bible is referring to, an interpreter might draw upon a variety of fields such as Platonic metaphysics, Stoic ethics, or practical wisdom. Thus, allegorical interpretation in its singular form does not describe a one of- a-kind approach and it may be more appropriate to speak of allegorical interpretations in the plural. The various allegorical interpretations can be found in the Allegorical Commentary and the Life of Moses . Keywords: allegorical interpretation; Aristobulus; Jews; Life of Moses; Philo; Platonic metaphysics; practical wisdom; Scripture