The editor of this book with 17 essays of mine, Professor emeritus Torrey Seland—having himself an extensive and thorough knowledge of Philo of Alexandria1 and of my publications,2 suggested last year that some of my more recent articles should be published in a new volume. He argued that several have in different ways drawn on Philo of Alexandria’s writings, and that they were important both in order to understand Philo’s own hermeneutic as well as how Philo could be used to understand issues in New Testament writings. Hence, they would fit well into being published together as a book. All of the articles chosen have been previously published either in various Festschriften, in other collections of articles, or in scholarly journals. Some have also been presented as guest lectures at various universities.
With his abilities in digital writing Professor Torrey Seland has made the essays into chapters in book form, unified the notes and rewritten the words and phrases from the Greek text. A bibliography had to be worked out for each chapter. Indices were added and the book was made ready for being published. Upon request, Professor Francesca Calabi, Editor of the Series ‘Studies in Philo of Alexandria’, Brill Academic Publishers, Leiden, the Netherlands, gave her approval, and the Professors Seland and Borgen have worked together with her, and Marjolein van Zuylen at Brill, in preparing the book manuscript for publication. A great thanks to all of them for efficient and scholarly well-informed editorship.
Thanks also to the internationally known professor emeritus David E. Aune, Notre Dame University, Indiana, U.S.A. for his eminent presentation and characterization of each chapter in the introduction of the book.3 In this way their scholarly weight is made evident for the readers.
All of the 17 essays have been written by me as an individual. However, they reflect that we were building up our Department to be an internationally known center for research.
David E. Aune had earlier contributed significantly to the strengthening of our Department in Trondheim in this way. For one year he carried an attractive Fulbright Professorship with us. Our students for the doctor’s degree as well as we as teachers, benefitted from the important contribution he in this way made.
Why was there a special emphasis made on Philo of Alexandria’s writings? Both Professor Torrey Seland’s doctoral dissertation and mine document that studies in Philo’s Writings are rewarding. Already in the titles this is seen: Bread from Heaven—An exegetical study of the concept of Manna in the Gospel of John and the Writings of Philo, published in 1965 by Brill Academic Publishers. The title of Professor Torrey Seland’s Doctor’s dissertation provides the same kind of documentation: Establishment Violence in Philo and Luke: A Study of Non-conformity to the Torah and Jewish Vigilante Reactions. Published by Brill Academic Publishers in 1995. Both of us had seen that Philo’s Writings were a comprehensive source open for much of fruitful research.
Together with experts in computer science I had for years carried a project for making Philo’s writings more accessible. One helpful tool was published in the year 2000 by Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, strengthened by Brill, Leiden: Peder Borgen, Kåre Fuglseth, Roald Skarsten, THE PHILO INDEX. A Complete Greek Word Index to the Writings of Philo of Alexandria.
As for being introduced into Philo’s works, Torrey Seland’s introduction is strongly to be recommended: Reading Philo. A Handbook to Philo of Alexandria. Grand Rapids; Eerdmans, 2014.
It was of help that the well known Roman Catholic New Testament scholar Raymond Brown openly supported our invitation for the Studiorum Novi Testamenti Societas to meet in Trondheim, Norway. The invitation was accepted in 1985. Moreover, Dr David Runia was invited up from Amsterdam to read a paper on Philo of Alexandria in one of the seminars.
It may be added that I chaired its annual meeting held in Copenhagen in 1998.
As can be seen from this brief survey, the setting in Trondheim, Norway for doing research on the international level was being built up, also for drawing on Philo of Alexandria’s Writings. Thus, I am happy that I in this way now have a collection of essays being published in the Series ‘Studies in Philo of Alexandria,’ Brill Academic Publishers, Leiden, The Netherlands.4
Finally, a deeply felt gratitude is to be extended to my wife Inger. She has supported me on the personal side of my activities and travelled with me to the various conferences and meetings, and she had the main responsibility for the Spouses Program at the SNTS-conference in 1985.
See Torrey Seland’s own dissertation published by Brill Publishers in 1995: Establishment Violence in Philo and Luke: A Study of Non-conformity to the Torah and Jewish Vigilante Reactions, and Torrey Seland, ed., Reading Philo. A Handbook to Philo of Alexandria. Grand Rapids; Eerdmans, 2014.
See Torrey Seland, “A Select Bibliography (1987–2001) of Peder Johan Borgen 1987–2001”, in David E. Aune, Torrey Seland, and Jarl H. Ulrichsen eds., Neotestamentica et Philonica: Studies in Honor of Peder Borgen. Leiden; Brill Publishers 2003, 415–426.
See John Fotopoulos, “Encomium to David E. Aune,” in John Fotopoulos, ed., The New Testament and Early Christian Literature in Graeco-Roman Context. Studies in Honor of David E. Aune. Leiden; Brill Publishers, 2006, xi–xv.
I have myself served as President of the Editorial Board of Novum Testamentum, Brill Publishers.