The Place of Judaism in Philo's Thought: Israel, Jews, and Proselytes

Abstract

Bell & Howell Information and Learning: Foreign text omitted. The Place of Judaism in Philo's Thought: Jews, and Proselytes, by Ellen Birnbaum. BJS 290; Studia Philonica Monographs 2.290. Atlanta: Scholars Press, 1996, Pp. xviii + 262. $39.95. As stated by author herself, this book is a lightly revised version of her 1992 doctoral dissertation at Columbia University under guidance of Professor Alan Segal. After an extensive introduction, dissertation is organized in six chapters followed by summary and conclusions. The book deals with Philo's use of term Israel, relationship between and God, and finally Philo's views on proselytism as seen in relationship to God, Jews, and The book closes with bibliography and indices. According to Birnbaum etymological interpretation of Israel to mean the one that sees opens way for Philo to redefine entity Israel beyond a specific ethnic group. She shifts focus from many scholars' discussion of Philo's place in Judaism to question of Philo's own attitude toward and understanding of being a Jew and whether he believes that all people can participate in seeing God and belonging to In this way Birnbaum enters a quest of historical Philo. Birnbaum rightly stresses that Philo is primarily an exegete. She realizes that scholars have -often focused exclusively upon his [Philo's] ideas without taking note of such other factors as relationship between these ideas and Biblical text he is interpreting, possible influence of earlier exegetical traditions, literary genre of work, Philo's audience(s), and finally, very nature of seeing (p. 86). Birnbaum makes several helpful observations in Philonic passages along these lines. She relates her discussions to Philo's various groups of writings, allegory, exposition, historical writings (On Embassy to Gaius and Against Flaccus), etc. This is helpful, but when Birnbaum bases much of her argument on idea that Philo's various works are directed toward different, though perhaps overlapping audiences, and are composed with different aims, then her study becomes weak, Birnbaum herself admits that at best one can only attempt to make intelligent guesses about who these various readers are and what Philo's aims might (p. 18). Birnbaum finds it striking that Philo refers to Israel only twice in exposition (Abraham 57 and On Rewards and Punishments 44), while in allegory he frequently speaks of Israel. She also points to circumstance that in nonexegetical writings, Israel appears only once, in On Embassy to Gaius 1-7. She makes many valuable observations in her discussion of these passages. As for On Embassy to Gaius 1-7, Birnbaum notes that Philo here links Israel, one that sees God, with Jews, and that he combines in this passage philosophical themes with Jewish traditions about God and nation. God takes special thought for Jews, who are the suppliant's race, and are his portion. Philo probably alludes here to Deut 32:9, which is about as God's portion. He counts vision of God by Jews as even higher than what can be reached by philosophy. According to Birnbaum, Philo speaks of Israel and Jews together only here. She thinks reason is his wish to impress a mixed audience of Jews and non-Jews by depicting Jews as those who embody ideal of seeing God. It would have been helpful if Birnbaum more pointedly had pursued her quest for historical Philo. On Embassy to Gaius 1-7 represents with certainty Philo's own view. The material in allegory is more problematic, since Philo in that series employs traditions in a more general way, and is also more closely tied to wordings of biblical texts. …