This article examines the possibility of a common reading of Gen. 2.7 (LXX) between Philo, Paul, and the Gospel of John. Although some streams in scholarship suggest such a shared reading, previous comparisons have tended to focus narrowly on citations or shared vocabulary. This study adopts a different approach by considering the role of Gen. 2.7 within the respective anthropologies of these authors, on the assumption that anthropological claims more broadly may reflect their construal of the verse. The article argues that Philo, Paul, and John present a common reading of Gen. 2.7 characterized by a dualistic understanding of the human being, the possibility of a loss of the divine inbreathing, and spiritualization as becoming like God. Following an analysis of each author, the concluding section summarizes the convergences and briefly considers how the common reading might be explained.
AsherJeffrey R.2000Polarity and Change in 1 Corinthians 15: A Study of Metaphysics, Rhetoric, and Resurrection (HUT 42; Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck).
2.
AuneDavid E.2013a ‘Dualism in the Fourth Gospel and the Dead Sea Scrolls’, in Jesus, Gospel Tradition and Paul in the Context of Jewish and Greco-Roman Antiquity: Collected Essays II (WUNT 303; Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck): 134–38.
3.
AuneDavid E.2013b ‘Human Nature and Ethics in Hellenistic Philosophical Traditions and Paul: Some Issues and Problems’, in Jesus, Gospel Tradition and Paul in the Context of Jewish and Greco-Roman Antiquity: Collected Essays II (WUNT 303; Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck): 382–86.
4.
BellRichard H.1988No One Seeks for God: An Exegetical and Theological Study of Romans 1.18—3.20 (WUNT 106; Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck).
5.
BennemaCornelis2002The Power of Saving Wisdom: An Investigation of Spirit & Wisdom in Relation to the Soteriology of the Fourth Gospel (WUNT II/148; Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck).
6.
BrownRaymond E.1970The Gospel According to John XII–XXI (AB; Garden City, NY: Doubleday).
7.
BurkhalterStephan Markus2013Die johanneischen Abschiedsreden: Eine Auslegung von Joh 13–17 unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der Textstruktur (Judentum und Christentum; Stuttgart: Kohlhammer).
8.
CirafesiWally E.2012 ‘“To Fall Short” or “To Lack”? Reconsidering the Meaning and Translation of ὑστερέω in Rom 3:23’, ExpTim123: 429–34.
9.
Clark-SolesJaime2006 ‘“I Will Raise [Whom?] Up on the Last Day”: Anthropology as a Feature of Johannine Eschatology’, in LozadaF.Jr.ThatcherT. (eds), New Currents Through John: A Global Perspective (RBS 54; Atlanta: SBL): 35–49.
10.
DespotisAthanasios2022 ‘The Relation Between Anthropology and Love Ethics in John Against the Backdrop of Plutarchan and Philonic Ideas’, in Hirsch-LuipoldR. (ed.), Plutarch and the New Testament in their Religio-Philosophical Contexts (Brill’s Plutarch Studies 9; Leiden: Brill): 141–58.
11.
Engberg-PedersenTroels2017John and Philosophy: A New Reading of the Fourth Gospel (Oxford: Oxford University Press).
12.
FeeGordon D.1987The First Epistle to the Corinthians (NICNT; Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans).
13.
FinlanStephen2004The Background and Content of Paul’s Cultic Atonement Metaphors (Atlanta, GA: SBL).
GfrörerAugust F.1831Kritische Geschichte des Urchristentums I.1. Philo und die alexandrinische Theosophie oder vom Einflüsse der jüdisch-agyptischen Schule auf die Lehre des neuen Testaments (Stuttgart: E. Schweizerbart).
16.
HarrimanK. R.2020 ‘A Synthetic Proposal about the Corinthian Resurrection Deniers’, NovT62: 180–200.
17.
HaywardRobert2016 ‘Adam, Dust, and the Breath of Life According to the Targumim of Gen 2:7’, in van RuitenJacques T. A. G. M.van KootenG. H. (eds), Dust of the Ground and Breath of Life (Gen 2:7): The Problem of a Dualistic Anthropology in Early Judaism and Christianity (Themes in Biblical Narrative: Jewish and Christian Traditions; Leiden: Brill): 154–71.
18.
HultgrenStephen2003 ‘The Origin of Paul’s Doctrine of Two Adams in 1 Corinthians 15.45–49’, JSNT25: 343–70.
19.
HurtadoLarry2004 ‘Does Philo Help Explain Early Christianity?’ in DeinesRolandWilhelm-NiebuhrKarl (eds), Philon und das Neue Testament. Wechselseitige Wahrnehmungen. I. Internationales Symposium zum Corpus Judaeo-Hellenisticum 1.-4. Mai 2003, Eisenach/Jena (WUNT 172; Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck): 73–92.
20.
JacksonDaniel2018 ‘Glory in the Letter of Paul to the Romans: Purity, Honor, and Eschatology’ (PhD diss., University of Edinburgh).
21.
JacksonDanielSaving Glory in Paul’s Letters: Adam as a Temple in Paul’s Anthropology (BZNW; Berlin: De Gruyter, forthcoming).
22.
JanowskiBernd2023Anthropologie des Alten Testaments: Grundfragen – Kontexte – Themenfelder. Mit einem Quellenanhang und zahlreichen Abbildungen (2nd ed.; Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck).
23.
KeerlPhilipp Friedrich1855Die Apokryphenfrage mit Berücksichtigung der darauf bezüglichen Schriften Dr. Stier’s und Dr. Hengstenberg’s aufs Neue beleuchtet (Leipzig: Gebhard and Reisland).
24.
LangTimothy J.2020 ‘A Multiplied Self: Divine Doubles and the Apostle Paul’s Anagogical Realism’, in EisenU. E.MaderH. E. (eds), Talking God in Society. Festschrift for Peter Lampe, vol. 2 (Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht): 49–66.
25.
LanzillottaL. Roig2007 ‘One Human Being, Three Early Christian Anthropologies: An Assessment ofActa Andreae’s Tenor on the Basis of its Anthropological Views’, Vigiliae Christianae61 (2007): 414–44.
26.
LevisonJohn R.1988Portraits of Adam in Early Judaism: From Sirach to 2 Baruch (Sheffield: JSOT).
27.
LinebaughJonathan A.2013God, Grace, and Righteousness in Wisdom of Solomon and Paul’s Letter to the Romans: Texts in Conversation (NovTSup 152; Leiden: Brill).
28.
MacaskillGrant2014Union with Christ in the New Testament (Oxford: Oxford University Press).
29.
NewtonMichael1985The Concept of Purity at Qumran and in the Letters of Paul (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press).
30.
NiehoffMaren R.2018Philo of Alexandria: An Intellectual Biography (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press).
31.
NoortEd2016 ‘Taken from the Soil, Gifted with the Breath of Life: The Anthropology of Gen 2:7 in Context’, in van RuitenJacques T. A. G. M.van KootenG. H. (eds), Dust of the Ground and Breath of Life (Gen 2:7): The Problem of a Dualistic Anthropology in Early Judaism and Christianity (Themes in Biblical Narrative: Jewish and Christian Traditions; Leiden: Brill): 1–15.
32.
O’ConnorM. John Patrick2019 ‘Genesis 2:7 in Conversation: The Exegesis of Paul, Philo, and the Hodayot’, ZNW110: 84–103.
33.
PearsonBirger A.1973The PNEUMATIKOS–PSYCHIKOS Terminology in 1 Corinthians (SBLSDS 12; Missoula: University of Montana).
34.
PearsonBirger A.1984 ‘Philo and Gnosticism,’ ANRW21.1: 295–342.
35.
PopovićMladen2016 ‘Anthropology, Pneumatology, and Demonology in Early Judaism: The Two Spirits Treatise (1QS III, 13–IV, 26) and Other Texts from the Dead Sea Scrolls,’ in van RuitenJacques T. A. G. M.van KootenG. H. (eds.), Dust of the Ground and Breath of Life (Gen 2:7): The Problem of a Dualistic Anthropology in Early Judaism and Christianity (Themes in Biblical Narrative: Jewish and Christian Traditions; Leiden: Brill): 58–98.
36.
PorschFelix1974Pneuma und Wort: Ein exegetischer Beitrag zur Pneumatologie des Johannesevangeliums (FTS 16; Frankfurt: Knecht).
37.
RuniaDavid T.1993Philo in Early Christian Literature: A Survey (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress).
38.
RyuJang2015Knowledge of God in Philo of Alexandria (WUNT II/405; Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck).
39.
SandelinKarl Gustav1976Die Auseinandersetzung mit der Weisheit in 1. Korinther 15 (Publications for the Research Institute of the Äbo Akademi Foundation; Åbo Akademi: Åbo).
40.
SandmelSamuel1984 ‘Philo Judaeus: An Introduction to the Man, his Writings, and his Significance’, ANRW21.1: 6–13.
41.
SellinGerhard1986Der Streit um die Auferstehung der Toten: Eine religionsgeschichtliche und exegetische Untersuchung von 1 Korinther 15 (Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht).
42.
SchallerBerndt2004 ‘Adam und Christus bei Paulus, Oder: Über Brauch und Fehlbrauch von Philo in der neutestamentlichen Forschung’, in DeinesRolandWilhelm-NiebuhrKarl (eds), Philon und das Neue Testament. Wechselseitige Wahrnehmungen. I. Internationales Symposium zum Corpus Judaeo-Hellenisticum 1.-4. Mai 2003, Eisenach/Jena (WUNT 172; Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck): 143–53.
43.
SchottroffLuise2013Der erste Brief an die Gemeinde in Korinth (ThKNT; Stuttgart: Kohlhammer).
44.
ShoukryZacharias2024Schöpfung im Johannesevangelium (BZNW 268; Berlin: De Gruyter).
45.
SiliezarCarlos Raúl Sosa2015Creation Imagery in the Gospel of John (LNTS 546; London: T&T Clark).
46.
SpicqC.1994δόξα, TLNT1:362–79.
47.
SterlingGregory E.2004 ‘The Place of Philo of Alexandria in the Study of Christian Origins,” in DeinesRolandWilhelm-NiebuhrKarl (eds), Philon und das Neue Testament. Wechselseitige Wahrnehmungen. I. Internationales Symposium zum Corpus Judaeo-Hellenisticum 1.-4. Mai 2003, Eisenach/Jena (WUNT 172; Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck): 21–52.
48.
TobinThomas1983The Creation of Man: Philo and the History of Interpretation (CBQMS 14; Washington, DC: Catholic Biblical Association of America).
49.
van der MeerMichaël N.2016 ‘Anthropology in the Ancient Greek Versions of Gen 2:7’, in van RuitenJacques T. A. G. M.van KootenG. H. (eds), Dust of the Ground and Breath of Life (Gen 2:7): The Problem of a Dualistic Anthropology in Early Judaism and Christianity (Themes in Biblical Narrative: Jewish and Christian Traditions; Leiden: Brill): 36–57.
50.
van KootenGeorge H.2008Paul’s Anthropology in Context (WUNT I/232; Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck).
51.
van RuitenJ. T. A. G. M.van KootenG. H. (eds) 2016Dust of the Ground and Breath of Life (Gen 2:7): The Problem of a Dualistic Anthropology in Early Judaism and Christianity (Themes in Biblical Narrative: Jewish and Christian Traditions. Leiden: Brill).
52.
WassermanEmma2008The Death of the Soul in Romans 7: Sin, Death, and the Law in the Light of Hellenistic Moral Psychology (WUNT II/256; Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck).
53.
WatsonFrancis2016Paul and the Hermeneutics of Faith (2nd ed.; New York: Bloomsbury).
54.
WedderburnA. J. M.1970 ‘Adam and Christ: An Investigation into the Background of 1 Corinthians XV and Romans V 12–21’ (PhD diss., University of Cambridge).
55.
WilliamsCatrin2016 ‘(Not) Seeing God in the Prologue and Body of John’s Gospel’, in van der WattJ. G.CulpepperAlanSchnelleUdo (eds), The Prologue of the Gospel of John: Its Literary, Theological, and Philosophical Contexts: Papers Read at the Colloquium Iohanneum 2013 (WUNT 359; Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2016): 79–98.
56.
WinstonDavid1979The Wisdom of Solomon (AB 43; Garden City, NY: Doubleday).
WolffHans Wolter2010Anthropologie des Alten Testaments mit zwei Anhängen (Gütersloh: Gütersloher).
59.
WolterMichael2014Der Brief an die Römer. Teilband 1: Röm 1-8 (EKK 6/1; Neukirchen-Vluyn: Neukirchener; Ostfildern: Patmos).
60.
WyssBeatrice2016 ‘From Cosmogony to Psychology: Philo’s Interpretation of Gen 2:7 in De Opificio mundi, Quaestiones et solutiones in Genesin, and Legum allegoriae’, in van RuitenJacques T. A. G. M.van KootenG. H. (eds), Dust of the Ground and Breath of Life (Gen 2:7): The Problem of a Dualistic Anthropology in Early Judaism and Christianity (Themes in Biblical Narrative: Jewish and Christian Traditions. Leiden: Brill): 99–116.
61.
ZellerDieter1987Der erste Brief an die Korinther (KEKNT; Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht).
