PHILOSOPHY THE HANDMAID OF THEOLOGY
Accordingly, before the advent of the Lord, philosophy was necessary to
the Greeks for righteousness. And now it becomes conducive to piety;
being a kind of preparatory training to those who attain to faith
through demonstration. “For thy foot,” it is said, “will not stumble,
if thou refer what is good, whether belonging to the Greeks or to us,
to Providence.”[847] For God is the cause of all good things; but of
some primarily, as of the Old and the New Testament; and of others
by consequence, as philosophy. Perchance, too, philosophy was given
to the Greeks directly and primarily, till the Lord should call the
Greeks. For this was a schoolmaster to bring “the Hellenic mind,” as
the law, the Hebrews, “to Christ.”[848] Philosophy, therefore, was a
preparation, paving the way for him who is perfected in Christ.
“Now,” says Solomon, “defend wisdom, and it will exalt thee, and
it will shield thee with a crown of pleasure.”[849] For when thou
hast strengthened wisdom with a cope by philosophy, and with right
expenditure, thou wilt preserve it unassailable by sophists. The way
of truth is therefore one. But into it, as into a perennial river,
streams flow from all sides. It has been therefore said by inspiration:
“Hear, my son, and receive my words; that thine may be the many ways
of life. For I teach thee the ways of wisdom; that the fountains fail
thee not,”[850] which gush forth from the earth itself. Not only did
He enumerate several ways of salvation for any one righteous man, but
He added many other ways of many righteous, speaking thus: “The paths
of the righteous shine like the light.”[851] The commandments and
the modes of preparatory training are to be regarded as the ways and
appliances of life.
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how often would I have gathered thy children,
as a hen her chickens!”[852] And Jerusalem is, when interpreted, “a
vision of peace.” He therefore shows prophetically, that those who
peacefully contemplate sacred things are in manifold ways trained to
their calling. What then? He “would,” and could not. How often, and
where? Twice; by the prophets, and by the advent. The expression,
then, “how often,” shows wisdom to be manifold; and in every mode of
quantity and quality, it by all means saves some, both in time and in
eternity. “For the Spirit of the Lord fills the earth.” And if any
should violently say that the reference is to the Hellenic culture,
when it is said, “Give not heed to an evil woman; for honey drops from
the lips of a harlot,” let him hear what follows: “who lubricates thy
throat for the time.” But philosophy does not flatter. Who, then, does
He allude to as having committed fornication? He adds expressly, “For
the feet of folly lead those who use her, after death, to Hades. But
her steps are not supported.” Therefore remove thy way far from silly
pleasure. “Stand not at the doors of her house, that thou yield not
thy life to others.” And He testifies, “Then shalt thou repent in old
age, when the flesh of thy body is consumed.” For this is the end of
foolish pleasure. Such, indeed, is the case. And when He says, “Be
not much with a strange woman,”[853] He admonishes us to use indeed,
but not to linger and spend time with, secular culture. For what was
bestowed on each generation advantageously, and at seasonable times,
is a preliminary training for the word of the Lord. “For already
some men, ensnared by the charms of handmaidens, have despised their
consort philosophy, and have grown old, some of them in music, some in
geometry, others in grammar, the most in rhetoric.”[854] “But as the
encyclical branches of study contribute to philosophy, which is their
mistress; so also philosophy itself co-operates for the acquisition
of wisdom. For philosophy is the study of wisdom, and wisdom is the
knowledge of things divine and human; and their causes.” Wisdom is
therefore queen of philosophy, as philosophy is of preparatory culture.
For if philosophy “professes control of the tongue, and the belly, and
the parts below the belly, it is to be chosen on its own account. But
it appears more worthy of respect and pre-eminence, if cultivated for
the honour and knowledge of God.”[855] And Scripture will afford a
testimony to what has been said in what follows. Sarah was at one time
barren, being Abraham’s wife. Sarah having no child, assigned her maid,
by name Hagar, the Egyptian, to Abraham, in order to get children.
Wisdom, therefore, who dwells with the man of faith (and Abraham was
reckoned faithful and righteous), was still barren and without child in
that generation, not having brought forth to Abraham aught allied to
virtue. And she, as was proper, thought that he, being now in the time
of progress, should have intercourse with secular culture first (by
Egyptian the world is designated figuratively); and afterwards should
approach to her according to divine providence, and beget Isaac.[856]
And Philo interprets Hagar to mean “sojourning.”[857] For it is said
in connection with this, “Be not much with a strange woman.”[858]
Sarah he interprets to mean “my princedom.” He, then, who has received
previous training is at liberty to approach to wisdom, which is
supreme, from which grows up the race of Israel. These things show that
that wisdom can be acquired through instruction, to which Abraham
attained, passing from the contemplation of heavenly things to the
faith and righteousness which are according to God. And Isaac is shown
to mean “self-taught;” wherefore also he is discovered to be a type of
Christ. He was the husband of one wife Rebecca, which they translate
“Patience.” And Jacob is said to have consorted with several, his name
being interpreted “Exerciser.” And exercises are engaged in by means of
many and various dogmas. Whence, also, he who is really “endowed with
the power of seeing” is called Israel,[859] having much experience, and
being fit for exercise.
Something else may also have been shown by the three patriarchs,
namely, that the sure seal of knowledge is composed of nature, of
education, and exercise.
You may have also another image of what has been said, in Thamar
sitting by the way and presenting the appearance of a harlot, on whom
the studious Judas (whose name is interpreted “powerful”), who left
nothing unexamined and uninvestigated, looked; and turned aside to
her, preserving his profession towards God. Wherefore also, when Sarah
was jealous at Hagar being preferred to her, Abraham, as choosing only
what was profitable in secular philosophy, said, “Behold, thy maid is
in thine hands: deal with her as it pleases thee;”[860] manifestly
meaning, “I embrace secular culture as youthful, and a handmaid; but
thy knowledge I honour and reverence as true wife.” And Sarah afflicted
her; which is equivalent to corrected and admonished her. It has
therefore been well said, “My son, despise not thou the correction of
God; nor faint when thou art rebuked of Him. For whom the Lord loveth
He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth.”[861] And
the foresaid Scriptures, when examined in other places, will be seen
to exhibit other mysteries. We merely therefore assert here, that
philosophy is characterized by investigation into truth and the nature
of things (this is the truth of which the Lord Himself said, “I am
the truth”[862]); and that, again, the preparatory training for rest
in Christ exercises the mind, rouses the intelligence, and begets
an inquiring shrewdness, by means of the true philosophy, which the
initiated possess, having found it, or rather received it, from the
truth itself.