Numénius et la tradition judéo-hellénistique : une relecture du fragment 21 F (13 dP)

Abstract

Numenius, a Platonic and Pythagorean philosopher of the 1st century, shows himself to be undeniably familiar with the Judeo-Hellenistic tradition. As proof, it is usual to refer to the fragment 21 F (fr. 13 dP) of his dialogue “De Bono.” In this text, it seems that he may have used the same formula as in the Bible, in the Septuagint translation (Ex 3:14a), with which God introduces himself to Moses: ὁ ὤν. Numenius thus apparently designated his first God as the “being par excellence” (τὸ ὄν, τὸ αὐτοόν), just as the Judeo-Hellenistic tradition does, and more specifically Philo of Alexandria, who called God “He who is.” However, the biblical meaning is not present in the sentence from which this formula is taken. This paper argues this point by analyzing the fragment and bringing out the true originality of Numenius which consists in rewriting Timæus (41 c - 42 a; 90 a) and more specifically the Platonic figure of the demiurge. It then appears that the parallel with Philo also cannot be drawn from the function that Numenius attributes in this fragment to his second God, to whom he entrusts the proper function of demiurge. If a connection between the two philosophers is possible, it is to be found above all in their shared appropriation of Plato. Numenius could indeed have encountered Philo and counted him among those Jews who, according to him, shared the master’s teaching (cf. 10 F = fr. 1 dP). Such a reasoning would nevertheless imply that Numenius sometimes summoned him in order to illustrate the correctness of his own interpretations. However, the Christian authors who quote him do not give any direct proof of this, and even if this does not exclude the possibility of an occasional inspiration, in the present state of my research, which will have to be continued, there is no evidence of it, at least not in the fragment 21 F.