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Chapter 5 - Moses Angelified in Philo of Alexandria

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 December 2020

M. David Litwa
M. David Litwa
Affiliation:
Australian Catholic University, Melbourne
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Summary

Philo of Alexandria (about 20 BCE–50 CE) applied the logic of Platonic daimonification to the Jewish lawgiver Moses. Philo is important for three reasons: he did theoretical work identifying angels, daimones, and pure human souls. He also discussed why an angelic soul such as the pre-incarnate Moses would arrive on earth in flesh. Finally, Philo’s depiction of Moses as a living law in complete control of his emotions reinforced the ethical emphasis of the tradition. Philo's portrayal of Moses as a king descended from heaven best resembles the thought of the Hermetic Kore Kosmou.

Keywords

PhiloMosesangelHermeticKore KosmouEgyptReincarnation (transmigration)"ascent to heaven""Monad"logos
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Posthuman Transformation in Ancient Mediterranean Thought
Becoming Angels and Demons
 , pp. 74 - 93
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2021

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