Preliminary Remarks: Greco-Oriental Philosophy
The blending of Greek philosophy with Oriental religious traditions in the post-Aristotelean period, giving rise to Greco-Jewish thought and Neoplatonism.
The Greco-Oriental period (roughly 3rd century BC to 3rd century AD) is characterised by the blending of Greek philosophical methods with Oriental religious traditions in the cosmopolitan intellectual atmosphere of the Hellenistic world. As Greek culture spread eastward following Alexander's conquests and as Eastern peoples came to Alexandria and other Hellenistic centres, philosophical speculation took on an increasingly religious and soteriological character: the search for wisdom became inseparable from the search for salvation, and philosophical systems increasingly claimed to offer not merely intellectual enlightenment but spiritual liberation and union with the divine. The principal products of this synthesis are Greco-Jewish philosophy (above all Philo Judaeus) and Neoplatonism (Plotinus and his successors); its heretical deformations are Gnosticism and Manicheism.
GRECO-ORIENTAL PHILOSOPHY PRELIMINARY REMARKS We have seen that Greek Philosophy retrograded after Aristotle into Skepticism and Eclecticism. The causes of this decline we discovered to be a lack of philosophers of the first talent, and the relaxing of the effort which true speculation exacts. Inadequate minds, wearying of the quest for truth, gave up the search, and spread the noxious doctrine that certainty is not to be had in anything, and that philosophy can serve men only by pointing out the best manner of living peacefully on earth. Now the desire for truth cannot be quelled in the souls of men; it is a driving power that can be made to suffer a lull, but never extinction. The Stoic, Skeptic, Epicurean, and other eclectic systems could not long satisfy either human minds or human hearts. Something new inevitably developed. Alexander’s conquests and those of Rome brought into intimate political and commercial relations the peoples of the East and the West. Naturally the new urge for learning, the reaction from Skepticism and Eclecticism, resulted in combinations of Oriental religion-philosophy and Greek speculation. Such syncretic systems flourished during the last two centuries before Christ, and were in existence in parts of the Roman Empire—notably in the larger cities—for the first three centuries after Christ. Indeed, some syncretists did not hesitate to weave elements of the Christian Revelation into their fabric of pagan philosophy. Of the Greek philosophies that of Plato was best adapted 122 for blending with Oriental mysticism ; and for this reason the Greco-Oriental Systems of Philosophy are markedly Platonic. Of these systems we shall treat in two Chapters : Chapter I. Greco-Jewish Philosophy Chapter II. Neoplatonic Philosophy GRECO-JEWISH PHILOSOPHY Greek influence made itself felt among the Hebrew people as early as the 5 century b. c., but it was not until the 2 century B. c. that systematic efforts were made to syncretize Greek philosophy and Jewish religious doctrine. The first attempt of this kind was made in the rich Jewish colony at Alexandria in Egypt. Two reasons explain the movement: the Alexandrian Jews admired Greek learning, and, secondly, they steadfastly adhered to their religion as revealed by God. Slowly the idea gained currency that the Greek philosophy was derived from Holy Scripture, and was therefore God’s work rather than that of men. Naturally this conviction led to the harmonizing of Scripture and Greek philosophy. It must be added that where disagreement between the two appeared, the syncretizers were always ready to explain Scripture by allegory in such wise as to dispel the discrepancy; in other words, they were ready to fit Scripture to philosophy, but not disposed to bring their philosophy into agreement with Scripture. Two notable Jewish syncretizers will be discussed in the present Chapter: a) Aristobulus, and b) Philo Judaeus.
a) Ar ist obul us (flourished about 150 b. c.)
Life: Aristobulus was a Jewish priest of Alexandria in the 2 century b. c. He is numbered among the teachers of Ptolemy Philometer.
Works: Aristobulus wrote Commentaries on Scripture in an effort to harmonize the sacred writings with Greek philosophy.
Doctrine: Homer and Hesiod and Orpheus had some knowl- 124 edge of Revelation, as a study of their poems reveals. Now all Greek philosophy has its roots in the doctrines of these ancient poets. Therefore Greek philosophy is itself derived from the Scriptures, and, in particular, from the Books of Moses. Even the mythologies of the old Greeks were derived from Revelation. The seeker after truth must therefore value Greek philosophy as a thing revealed; and he does well who shows in detail the agreement existing between these related and complementary bodies of truth, Scripture and Greek speculation. Aristobulus throughout his syncretic work holds to the doctrine of the unity of God, distinct from the world, the creator and ruler of all. He also teaches the spirituality and immortality of the human soul.
Remark: Aristobulus is important only as the originator of the Greco-Jewish movement in philosophy. Others seconded his efforts, but of most of these we know little or nothing. It was left for Philo Judæus to erect the Greco-Jewish syncretism into a system of philosophy.
b) Phil o Judæus (born about 25 b. c.)
Life: Philo was born of noble parents at Alexandria. 25 B. c. is the probable date of his birth; and we know he was alive in a. d. 40, for in that year he was sent to Rome to vindicate Jewish rights and religion before Caligula. Thus he was a contemporary of Our Lord. We know little of his life, and the date of his death is uncertain. Eusebius writes of him {Hist. Eccl., II, 4) : “In the time of Herod the king flourished Philo, a man held in great esteem not only by our own people, but also by those of heathen education. Of Hebrew birth, he conceded nothing in splendor of race or dignity to any in Alexandria. The value of his labors in sacred and traditional learning his writings declare. It is needless here to say how great was his knowledge of philosophy and letters, for he is known to have surpassed all of his age in his zeal for the study of Plato and Pythagoras.”