Wednesday, January 17, 2024

Comparison Table Between Paul teachings on Adam in 1 Corinthians with that of Philo of Alexandria

  

Paul 1 Corinthians 15

Philo

v. 44b: a physical (ψυχικον) body, a spiritual one.

Leg. 1.31: there are two species (γενη) of human beings; the one is a heavenly (ουρανιος); the other an earthly (γηινος) one

v. 45a: the first human Adam became a living soul (ψυχη)

Opif. 134: by this [Gen 2.7] he clearly shows that there is a great difference between the human being which is now formed and the one which came into existence according to the image (εικων) of God earlier (προτερον)

Opif. 135: “the body was made through . . . clay . . . and shaping a human form (
μορφη), but the soul from nothing at all created but from the Father and ruler of the universe, who breathed in, it was nothing other than a divine spirit (πνευμα)

v. 45b: the last (εσχατος) a life-giving Spirit

Opif. 135: a divine spirit (πνευμα) . . . sent here to assist our race so that although mortal (θνητον) in its visible part, it may become immortal in the invisible one . . . he was created at once mortal and immortal, mortal in respect to the body (σωμα) and in respect to the intellect (διανοια) immortal

v. 46: but the first (πρωτον) was not spiritual (πνευματικον) but physical (ψυχικον)

Leg. 1.31-32: the heavenly human which came into being according to the image (εικων) of God has no share in corruptible, earthly substance (ουσια) . . . but this mind (νους) associated with what is earthly (γεωδης) would be corruptible and God not breathed into a true power (δυναμις) of life; at that point it becomes a soul (ψυχη), . . . capable of intelligence (νοεραν) and living . . . for it says, “the human became a living soul.”

v. 47: the first (πρωτος) human, clay from earth, the second (δευτερος) human from heaven

Leg. 1.31: the heavenly human . . . no share in corruptible, earthly substance . . . but the earthly (γηινος) . . . from matter (υλη) scattered about which he [= Moses] called “clay” (χουν)

Opif. 136: the first (
πρωτος) human, the ancestor of our entire race was created as most excellent in each part, soul and body . . . For this one was truly beautiful (καλος) and good (αγαθος)

 

Source:

 

Pheme Perkins, “Adam and Christ in the Pauline Epistles,” in Celebrating Paul: Festschrift in Honor of Jerome Murphy-O’Connor, O.P. and Joseph A. Fitzmyer, S.J., ed. Peter Spitaler (The Catholic Biblical Quarterly Monograph Series 48; Eugene, Oreg.: Wipf and Stock, 2012), 131-32

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