Philo

Philo who, also known as Philo of Alexandria, Philo Judaeus, Philo Judaeus of Alexandria, Yedidia, "Philon", and Philo the Jew, was a popular and prominent Hellenistic Jewish Biblical philosopher. He took philosophical allegory to blend and integrate Greek philosophy and Jewish traditions in a harmonious manner. His techniques included Jewish exegesis as well as Stoic philosophy. The writings of Philo did not received great response. "The sophists of literalness," as he addressed them, “opened their eyes superciliously”, when he described to them his exegesis. He was the leader of the Alexandria’s Jewish community. His works gave easily understandable view of Judaism in the Diaspora. The philosophies of Philo were greatly influenced by Plato, Aristotle, the Neo-Pythagoreans, the Cynics, and Stoicism. He was the one to accomplish first effort to synthesize revealed faith and philosophic reason. The influence of his work was almost nil until modern period started. Also, Philo had a great impact on the church fathers Clement of Alexandria, Origen, Eusebius, and Gregory of Nyssa of the third and fourth centuries A.D. Scholars gave mixed response on his methodology.