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Philo: The Decalogue

Emil Schürer writes: "The third chief group of Philo's works on the

Pentateuch is a Delineation of the Mosaic Legislation for non-Jews. In

this whole group indeed, the allegorical explanation is still occasionally employed.

In the main however we have here actual historical delineations, a systematic

statement of the great legislative work of Moses, the contents, excellence and

importance of which, the author desires to make evident to non-Jewish readers,

and indeed to as large a circle of them as possible. For the delineation is

more a popular one, while the large allegorical commentary is an esoteric, and

according to Philo's notions a strictly scientific work. The contents of the

several compositions forming this group differ indeed considerably, and are

apparently independent of each other. Their connection however, and consequently

the composition of the whole work, cannot, according to Philo's own intimations,

be doubtful. As to plan it is divided into three parts. (a) The beginning

and as it were the introduction to the whole is formed by a description of the

creation of the world (κοσμοποιια),

which is placed first by Moses for the purpose of showing, that his legislation

and its precepts are in conformity with the will of nature (προς το βουλημα της φυσεως),

and that consequently he who obeys it is truly a citizen of the world (κοσμοπολιτης)

(de mundi opif. § 1). This introduction is followed by (b) biographies

of virtuous men. These are, as it were, the living, unwritten laws (εμψυχοι και λογικοι νομοι

de Abrahamo, § 1, νομοι αγραφοι

de decalogo, § 1), which represent, in distinction from the written

and specific commands, universl moral norms (τους καθολικωτερους και ωσαν αρχετυπους νομους

de Abrahamo, § 1). Lastly, the third part embraces (c) the delineation

of the legislation proper, which is divided into two parts: (1) that of

the ten chief commandments of the law, and (2) that of the special laws belonging

to each of these ten commandments. Then follow by way of appendix a few treatises

on certain cardinal virtues, and on the rewards of the good and the punishment

of the wicked. This survey of the contents shows at once, that it was Philo's

intention to place before his readers a clear description of the entire contents

of the Pentateuch, which should be in essential matters complete. His view however

is in this respect the genuinely Jewish one, that these entire contents fall

under the notion of the νομος." (The Literature

of the Jewish People in the Time of Jesus, pp. 338-339