Philonos Ioudaiou Syngrammata / Omnia Quae Extant Opera (1691 Greek)

...God, using only himself, knew it was necessary to benefit with ungrudging and rich gifts a nature that, without divine bounty, was unable to grasp any good of itself. But he does not bestow his benefits according to the magnitude of his own graces—for these are infinite and endless—but according to the powers of those being benefited. For not as God is naturally inclined to do good, so is the creature capable of receiving it; B for his powers are overwhelming, and the creature, being weaker, would have failed if it were to receive the magnitude of them, had he not measured and weighed it harmoniously according to what was fitting for each. If anyone wishes to use clearer terms, he would say that the intelligible world is nothing other than the Word of God when he is already creating the world. For neither is the intelligible city any other thing than the reasoning of the architect, who is already intending to build the city conceived in his mind.

C

For this is the doctrine of Moses, not mine. In recording the generation of man, he admits explicitly in the subsequent text that he was formed according to the image of God. If the part is an image of an image, clearly the whole species is also—this entire sensible world—which is a greater imitation of the divine image than man is. It is clear that the archetypal seal, which we say is the intelligible world, would itself be the archetypal model, the idea of ideas, the Word of God. He says that in the beginning God made the heaven and the earth, taking "beginning" not, as some think, in terms of time; for time did not exist before the world, but was created either with it or after it. Since time is the interval of the movement of the heaven, a movement cannot precede that which is moved, but it is necessary that it subsist either later or simultaneously. It is therefore necessary that time was created equal in age to the world, or younger than it. To dare to pronounce it older is truly unphilosophical.

E

If "beginning" is not taken here as "in time," it is likely that it signifies "in number," so that "In the beginning he made" is equal to saying "First he made the heaven." For it is truly reasonable that it came into being first, since it is the best of created things and was constructed from the purest substance. Because it was destined to be a most sacred home for the invisible and sensible gods.

...Then God, with no one advising him (for who else was there?), decided by his own counsel to pour out the riches of his grace copiously and liberally upon a nature that was incapable of any good thing of itself without divine munificence. Yet the benefit is not according to the magnitude of his grace, which is infinite and incomprehensible, but it adapts itself to the powers of those whom he deems worthy of his beneficence. B For the creature is not as inclined to receive benefits as God is to do good. For his power far exceeds, but the infirmity of the latter is unequal to their magnitude, and it would succumb if God did not moderate his grace according to the portion of each. But if it pleases anyone to use more open words, he would say that the intelligible world is nothing other than the Word of God already creating the world. For neither is an intelligible city any other thing than that reasoning of the architect, who is already intending to build a city conceived in his mind.

C

For this is the opinion of Moses, not mine. Therefore, having undertaken to write of the generation of man, in the proceeding sermon he explicitly confesses that he was formed to the image of God. But if the part is an image of an image, it is clear that this entire species—namely, this whole world—also refers more to the divine image than man does. But it is clear that the archetypal seal, which we call the intelligible world, is itself that archetypal model, the idea of ideas, the Word of God. For he narrates how in the beginning God made heaven and earth, using "beginning" not, as some think, according to the meaning of time. For time was not before the world, but was made either together with it or after it. Since time is the space of the movement of the heaven, it cannot be that the movement preceded the moved thing; but it is necessary that it exist either after or at the same time. It is therefore necessarily concluded that time is either coeval with the world or more recent. To affirm E that it is older is truly alien to philosophy. But if "beginning" is not taken now according to the meaning of time, it would be appropriate for it to be signified according to number, so that these words, IN THE BEGINNING HE MADE, mean the same as HE FIRST made heaven. For it is truly consistent with reason that it was the first to come into generation, since it is the most excellent of those things which were made and consists of the purest essence; wherefore it was destined to be the most sacred dwelling place of the gods, both those that do not appear and those that are manifest to sense.