Ἅγιος Λόγος, Divine Word

Philosophic Identity Construction in Late Second Temple Judaism

Abstract

This paper addresses scholarly understanding of Jewish Identity Construction in the 1st c. CE. The Ancient Mediterranean was a deeply interconnected world that witnessed broad interaction between all groups subsumed under the Roman Empire, from Egyptian to Jewish to Greek. This paper examines Jewish identity in the first century and community responses to ancient antisemitism by using a historical-critical and comparative methodology to consider the works of Josephus, Paul the Apostle, and Philo of Alexandria in conversation with each other and with Rome. Two works from Philo and Paul are considered with the explicit presupposition that their thought is dynamic over time, and the works are analyzed chronologically. Josephus provides a more ‘secular’ background against which to triangular Philo and Paul’s works. This research demonstrates that first century Jews respond to the cultural influence of imperial Rome by constructing their Jewish identity as innately philosophical, especially when pitching that identity to gentile audiences. Whether as a way to combat the rising antisemitism or differentiate themselves within a competitive landscape of self-authorized religious experts, the conclusions of this research advocate for an inclusive picture of first century thinkers, religious, philosophical, or otherwise.