Book: On the Cherubim

Introduction
"On the Cherubim" is a thoughtful work by Philo of Alexandria, a Jewish Alexandrian thinker who lived in the 1st century CE. This work belongs to Philo's Allegorical Commentary on the Bible, a series of philosophical analyses of the Old Testament. In this treatise, Philo offers his exegesis on the Cherubim. Cherubim are holy beings stated in numerous scriptural flows, notably in Genesis and Exodus, where they protect the Garden of Eden as well as the Ark of the Covenant, respectively.

The Allegorical Interpretation of the Cherubim
Philo starts by stating that the Cherubim are symbolic depictions of the knowledge, wisdom, and understanding of God. He explains that the biblical description of the Cherubim, as having two wings, indicates 2 facets of divine knowledge: one that transcends this world and also one more that includes life matters.

Philo after that specifies on the ethical as well as intellectual aspects of humanity. The intellectual aspect of human nature is guided by reason, while the ethical aspect contains impulses towards both virtuous and wicked activities. According to Philo, the Cherubim stand for a consistency between these two facets, combining virtue with expertise and knowledge.

The Cherubim are called being placed on either side of the Ark of the Covenant as well as encountering each various other. Philo analyzes this as a depiction of the equilibrium and consistency that exists within the human soul. He suggests that true wisdom is gotten when the individual can balance as well as harmonize both the intellectual as well as moral aspects of life.

The Cherubim as Guardians of the Soul
Philo checks out the Cherubim as guardians of the heart. The biblical account of the Cherubim safeguarding the Garden of Eden, where Adam and also Eve are gotten rid of after committing the sin of eating the prohibited fruit, signifies the role of the Cherubim in protecting the purity and stability of the heart. To Philo, the Garden of Eden is a representation of the excellent state of the human heart, in which understanding, knowledge and virtue thrive.

Expulsion from this Garden stands for a loss from elegance, illustrating the human condition of having knowledge of excellent and also bad. The Cherubim are placed as guardians to avoid the go back to this ideal state of innocence and pureness without initial achieving the ethical and intellectual virtues essential to get knowledge.

Similarly, the Ark of the Covenant, which has the Ten Commandments, is protected by the Cherubim. The rules represent moral as well as ethical standards, the adherence to which brings a private closer to the magnificent wisdom being protected by the Cherubim. The placement of the Cherubim atop the Ark represents their function in shielding and assisting individuals towards the path of decency.

Interpretations of Cherubim Imagery
Philo uses several interpretations of Cherubim imagery, emphasizing their symbolic worth. The outstretched wings of the Cherubim, he discusses, represent divine security, spreading over the globe and also ensuring its extension. The linked wings represent unity, which Philo argues is a basic principle of production.

Philo also talks about the relevance of the faces of the Cherubim. He argues that the wings and deals with combined represent the different aspects of the human soul. The human face represents factor and discipline, while the animal faces signify the different drives and passions within. The Cherubim embody a union of these inconsonant components, a well balanced blend of reason as well as impulse.

Verdict
In "On the Cherubim", Philo provides his allegorical interpretation of the scriptural passages featuring these celestial beings. He offers the Cherubim as symbols of divine knowledge, knowledge, as well as virtue, which act as guardians and also protectors of the human soul. Via his exegesis, Philo checks out the consistency of moral and intellectual elements in human nature as well as emphasizes the relevance of equilibrium in accomplishing spiritual development and also knowledge.