through the wholeExpositionis thus the coherence of norms attested in
nature by the creation of the world, in history by the lives of the patriarchs,
and in legislation by the specific laws of the Pentateuch.
The precise scope and place of theExpositionwithin Philo’s overall work
are still disputed today. It is difficult, for example, to know how Philo’s two-
volumeLife of Mosesrelates to theExposition.The second part in particular
deviates significantly from the genres of the rewritten Bible and biography.
This treatise, moreover, takes into account a wider, apparently also non-
Jewish audience (Mos.1.1-2). For these reasons it is usually not included in
theExposition,but E. R. Goodenough’s plea to consider it as a “companion
piece” has gained wide acceptance (Goodenough 1933; Morris 1987).
The place of theExpositionwithin Philo’s overall work also remains a
matter of debate. The question usually asked is whether it should be seen
as the fruit of his ripe old age or as the precursor to hisAllegorical Com-
mentary.Formulated thus, the question probably misses the point, as it
presupposes that Philo wrote each seriesin totobefore approaching the
other. The question also implies that the different series reflect an intellec-
tual development on the part of Philo. According to some, he started as an
allegorist and subsequently became a more literal expounder of the Torah,
while others argue that he started with a more general type of exegesis, be-
coming more text-oriented and allegorical in his old age. It is, however, far
more likely that Philo pursued different aims with different audiences,
working alternatively on various kinds of treatises. He wanted each reader
to be aware of the other works in the series without, however, intending a
complete separation. Indeed, Philo freely introduced allegorical passages
in hisExpositionandQuestions and Answers on Genesis and Exodus,while
both questions-and-answers and literal paraphrases appear as well in his
Allegorical Commentary.On the Creation of the World (De opificio mundi)
The first part of Philo’sExpositionis his treatiseOn the Creation of the
World,which sets the tone for the whole series. Taking the story of creation
as a fundamental theological issue (Opif.170–72), Philo defines his own
understanding over against other prevalent opinions. He fervently rejects a
metaphorical reading of the creation, as offered by students of Plato and
Aristotle as well as some fellow Jews, who all believed in the eternity of the
world (Opif.7–8, 26–28;Aet.10–17). Insisting on the literal meaning of269PhiloEERDMANS -- Early Judaism (Collins and Harlow) final text
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