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Indiana University Studies 



Life of that man of faith, saying: "Such was the life of the founder 

 and captain of the nation — a life, so some will say, according to 

 law, but, as my argument has proved, itself a law and unwritten 

 ordinance." So also the good man needs no reward. ^'Virtue", as 

 we say, ''is its own reward." "The good man seeks the day for the 

 day's sake, light for light's sake, and the good for the sake of the 

 good, and for no other thing. For this is the Divine Law, to honor 

 virtue for itself" (I, 120). 



The prizes one should aim after are not material but spiritual — 

 faith, joy, and a vision of God (II, 412). 



Hope, Philo regards, as the seed from which Faith grows. Hope 

 is the foundation of our life (II. 410). Joy is another of the virtues 

 to be cultivated. Of this virtue he takes Isaac as the type since his 

 very name signifies "laughter". Laughter is the outward manifes- 

 tation of the invisible joy of the soul. Joy, of course, is not pleasure. 



Peace is another of the virtues. "Xo man can be at peace 

 who does not truly serve the only Being that is wholly exempt from 

 war and abides forever in eternal peace" (I, 368). As Isaiah says 

 (26, 3) : "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on 

 thee; because he trusteth in thee." Such peace no man can bestow. 

 Rest secure in God and so enjoy peace (II, 129). With this compare 

 the words of Jesus in John 14, 27: "Peace I leave with you, my peace 

 I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not 

 your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." 



Forgiveness, according to Philo, depends upon whether you forgive 

 others, for he says: "If you ask pardon for your sins, do you not also 

 forgive those who have trespassed against you" (II, 670). This is 

 in harmony with Christ's own teachings as found in the Lord's 

 Prayer (Matthew 6, 12), and in Matthew 5, 23-24: "Therefore if 

 thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy 

 brother hath aught against thee; Leave there thy gift before the 

 altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then 

 come and offer thy gift." 



Philo's definition of true greatness is most interesting and origmal. 

 It is "to be near to God, or near to that to which God is near''. 



Finall}' , Philo would be a good patriot if he were a Jew living today 

 in America, say, and above all a good citizen of the world in fellowship 

 and understanding with all men. The following passages will prove 

 these points. First, he says to the Jews of his day: "One country 

 cannot contain all the Jews because of theu' large numbers, for which 

 reason they are spread over most parts of Asia and Europe, both 

 on the mainland and on islands. They regard Jerusalem, in which 

 lies the Holy Temple of the ]\Iost High God, as their mother city; 



