INTRODUCTION TO DE ABRAHAMO
After stating his intention to follow Moses in describing the “living” before proceeding to the written Laws (1–6 Philo) deals with the first and less perfect triad. First Enos the hoper, whose name equivalent to “Man” shows that hope is the first mark of a true man (7–10). Secondly repentance represented by Enoch, who was “transferred” i.e. to a better life and was “not found,” for the good are rare and solitary (17–26). Thirdly, Noah, who was “just” in comparison with the wicked generation destroyed by the Flood (27–46).
The higher triad of the three great Patriarchs are not only typical of the trinity, Teaching, Nature and Practice, but are also the parents of Israel, the soul which attains to the sight of God (48–59). To come to Abraham himself, the literal story of his migrations shows his self-sacrifice (60–67); allegorically it denotes the soul’s journey from godless astronomy first to self-knowledge (Haran), then to the knowledge of God (68–88). His adventures in Egypt (89–98) suggest that the tortures which plagued Pharaoh represent what the sensual mind suffers from the virtues which, while it professes to love them, are incompatible with it (99–106). Next comes the story of the three Angelic Visitors (107–118). Allegorically they represent the Self-existent and the beneficent and sovereign potencies apprehended according as the soul can rise to the full conception or is moved by hope of benefits or fear, and Philo points out that while men distrust these last motives, God does not hold them worthless (119–132). In fact the tale of the destruction of the Cities of the Plain represents the Self-existent as leaving these tasks to His subordinates (133–146). This leads him to an allegory in which the five cities are the five senses, the noblest of which, sight, is figured by Zoar (147–166).
Next comes the sacrifice of Isaac (167–177). The greatness of Abraham is vindicated against hostile criticisms based on the frequency of similar stories of child immolation (178–199). Allegorically the story means that a devout soul often feels a duty of surrendering its “Isaac,” Joy, which nevertheless through God’s mercy it is allowed to retain (200–207).
These narratives have illustrated Abraham’s piety. Next comes his kindness to men as shewn in his settlement of the dispute with Lot (208–216). This dispute may be taken to represent allegorically the incompatibility of love for the goods of the soul with love for bodily or external things (217–224). Then his courage appears in his victory over the four kings who had routed the armies of the five cities (225–235), and this conflict is allegorized as one between the four passions and the five senses, in which the intervention of reason turns the scale against the former (236–244). Philo now goes on to say something of the virtues of Sarah, particularly as shewn by her advocacy of the mating with Hagar (245–254) and this leads on to an account of the grief coupled with resignation shown by Abraham at her death (255–261). The treatise concludes with an eloquent praise of Abraham’s faith and of his right to the title of “Elder” and the crowning tribute that he both did the law and was himself the Law (262-end).