Compelling Characters: Jesus the Philosopher

Alternative Narratives of a Human Christ: The Socratic Saviour

Did Jesus enjoy the sages? 

7 to 9 min read 

To appreciate the potential Hellenistic influences of any historical Jesus, let's consider the following:

Alexander the Great introduced Greek culture making Israel a cultural synchronicity, it lasted well beyond his era! Around 160-170 BCE, Judas Maccabeus fought against Greek assimilation, succeeding and finally establishing his family dynasty called the Hasmoneans. Unfortunately, after internal conflict, it all ended. Roman conquest happened. Pompey Magnus in 63 BCE marched in and Greek and Roman culture persisted in the area, though often resisted.

During the Jesus years, cities like Tiberias and Sepphoris existed in Galilee. Sepphoris was adorned with Greek architecture and cultural influences, the ruins still exist. These were rural people with access to philosophical ideas. Stoicism, Aristotelianism, and Platonism would have informed Nazareth, Capernaum and Magdala, differing with the old Rabbinic ways. Even figures like Paul of Tarsus and the author of John’s Gospel integrated philosophical themes into their writings. 

Sepphoris 

John 8:32: Jesus’s teaching, 'Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free,' parallels Plato’s idea that philosophy liberates the soul (Phaedo 67d).

Matthew 6:34: Jesus's advice to not worry about tomorrow resonates with Seneca’s Stoic emphasis on focusing on the present (Letters from a Stoic).

The Talmudic portrayal of Jesus 500 CE stems from an older verbal 'Pantera' tradition, pre-dating Celsus 120-130 CE, who mentioned the polemics therein, in his writings against the Christians. The Talmud includes accusations of Jesus violating Jewish law, burning food on the Sabbath. Yes, it sounds petty, but there are more to these things than I can cover here. The offence of food burning, seems to imply that his prosecutors were framing him of practicing some kind of pagan ritual. In the bible the man was called a Samaritan. Orthodox Jews recognised these people as heretics—this snobbery is a common theme. Was this a Shia and Sunni Muslim kind of deal? It reminds me of Joseph Smith and his Christian enemies, but there were likely many Galilean Jews all of whom were considered to be 'led astray'. The offence of his burning food in public strikes me as a reference to how Greeks made their offerings to their gods, consuming it openly mocks the complaints against his self claimed divinity. It's plausable that Galilean spirituality clashed with the established Jewish religious order.

Philo of Alexandria said the soul is divine and virtuous people are 'sons of God,' reflecting Stoic ideas of the divine Logos and universal reason. They echo in early Christian thought, especially the Gnostics. 

The universalism and inner spirituality of Jesus, was at odds with strict ritual observance. We know Jesus was not welcomed at all by religious leaders because it contrasted with covenantal law going back to Abraham and Moses. The shift aligns with Hellenistic philosophy, which valued personal virtue and the universality of divine reason. 

Heraclitus: “The divine is the logos, present within all things, and accessible through inner reflection.” (Fragments, 50)

Jesus: "The kingdom of God is within you." (Luke 17:21)

Plato: “He who loves the truth and is gentle in spirit is the true philosopher, akin to the divine.” (Republic, 514a)

Jesus: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God." (Matthew 5:9)

Tiberias Galilee

People who lived within synchronised Jewish communities achieved new ideas surrounding moral and intellectual enlightenment. They could consider one another as 'sons of God' under such paradigms. When God, Eloah or Elohim could be interchangeable with Platonic and Stoic ideals. This synthesis of divine qualities may have shaped the Jesus movement driving theological discourse with the rigid Rabbinic Orthodoxy of the time. 

The Greek translation of Hebrew Scriptures (the Septuagint) also introduced subtle philosophical perspectives into Jewish discourse. Many pious Torah consuming Galileans inherited generations of Zeus, Hermes and Socrates, and all that comes with it! A synthesis of the philosophical and theological took form, poles apart from the prevailing Jewish norms of the Sanhedrin in Roman occupied Jerusalem.