Philo on "the generation of Seth"

[Blood]

Philo of Alexandria: On the Posterity of Cain and his Exile

"XII. (40) But as after Cain had begotten Enoch, one of the posterity of Seth is also subsequently called Enoch, it may be well to consider, whether the two namesakes were men of different or of similar dispositions and characters. And at the same time that we examine this question let us also investigate the differences between other persons bearing the same name. For as Enoch was, so also Methusaleh and Lamech were both descendants of Cain, and they were no less the descendants of Seth also. (41) We must therefore be aware that each of the aforesaid names, being interpreted, has a double signification; for Enoch, being interpreted, means, as I have already said, "thy grace," and Methusaleh means, the sending forth of death. Lamech, again means, humiliation. Now the expression, "Thy grace," is by some persons referred to the mind that is in us; and by more learned and sounder interpreters it is referred to the mind of other persons. (42) They therefore who say that all thinking, and feeling, and speaking, are the free gifts of their own soul, utter an impious and ungodly opinion, and deserve to be classed among the race of Cain, who, though he was not able to master himself, yet dared to assert that he had absolute possession of all other things; but as for those persons who do not claim all the things in creation as their own, but who ascribe them to the divine grace, being men really noble and sprung out of those who were rich long ago, but of those who love virtue and piety, they may be classed under Seth as the author of their race."

Is it possible that the Sethians were influenced by Philo? I don't recall a lot of allusions to Philo's theology in the Nag Hammadi texts, but the above passage jumps out at you. The generation of Seth "love virtue and piety."

[Stefan Kristensen]

Philo seems to be participating in the general traditions concerning Seth, that he was something extraordinary and therefore his generation, in contrast to Cain and his generation. Gen 5:1-3 can also be read as Seth being the new image of God, and his son was the first to call upon God. And of course, as the story goes we are all descendants of Seth.

There was an interesting interpretation of Gen 6:1-4 widespread especially in Syriac, according to which Eden was on top of a mountain, just below God's heavenly abode, and when Adam and Eve were cast out they lived outside of Eden up on this mountain. Eventually Cain and his evil descendants wandered down to live in the valleys below, but Seth and his descendants on the other hand stayed up there and lived perfect lives in piety, and Seth himself was so perfect his face glowed. Indeed they were so pious that were were known as "sons of God". And so these, according to this interpretation, are the "sons of God" in Gen 6. And one day Satan decided to have some of them gaze down and have lust for the beautiful women down in the valleys and so these descendants of Seth, or "sons of God", wandered down and had children with them, with the daughters of Cain and his descendants, or "the daughters of humans" in Gen 6.

[Ben C. Smith]

And of course, as the story goes we are all descendants of Seth.

The descendants of Cain have made their mark on the literature in various forms. Some modern literary vampires are said to descend from Cain. And Beowulf has this:

For the killing of Abel the Eternal Lord had exacted a price: Cain got no good from committing that murder because the Almighty made him anathema and out of the curse of his exile there sprang ogres and elves and evil phantoms and the giants too who strove with God time and again until He gave them their reward.

[Stefan Kristensen]

And of course, as the story goes we are all descendants of Seth.

The descendants of Cain have made their mark on the literature in various forms. Some modern literary vampires are said to descend from Cain. And Beowulf has this:

For the killing of Abel the Eternal Lord had exacted a price: Cain got no good from committing that murder because the Almighty made him anathema and out of the curse of his exile there sprang ogres and elves and evil phantoms and the giants too who strove with God time and again until He gave them their reward.

Interesting. Logically, anyone of Cain's descendants living in the post-deluvian world would have had to have survived the Flood somehow.

[Ben C. Smith]

And of course, as the story goes we are all descendants of Seth.

The descendants of Cain have made their mark on the literature in various forms. Some modern literary vampires are said to descend from Cain. And Beowulf has this:

For the killing of Abel the Eternal Lord had exacted a price: Cain got no good from committing that murder because the Almighty made him anathema and out of the curse of his exile there sprang ogres and elves and evil phantoms and the giants too who strove with God time and again until He gave them their reward.

Interesting. Logically, anyone of Cain's descendants living in the post-deluvian world would have had to have survived the Flood somehow.

Indeed. But the Bible itself already hints at survivors by having nephilim both before and after the flood, too.

[Stefan Kristensen]

Interesting. Logically, anyone of Cain's descendants living in the post-deluvian world would have had to have survived the Flood somehow.

Indeed. But the Bible itself already hints at survivors by having nephilim both before and after the flood, too.

After the flood? Those in the promised land or something?
Is that where Jubilees got the idea maybe, Jub 10 (I think) with Mastema and the spirits that survive the flood?

[Ben C. Smith]

Interesting. Logically, anyone of Cain's descendants living in the post-deluvian world would have had to have survived the Flood somehow.

Indeed. But the Bible itself already hints at survivors by having nephilim both before and after the flood, too.

After the flood? Those in the promised land or something?
Is that where Jubilees got the idea maybe, Jub 10 (I think) with Mastema and the spirits that survive the flood?

Yes, the nephilim in the promised land:

Genesis 6.4: 4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men, and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.

Numbers 13.33: 33 "There also we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak are part of the Nephilim); and we became like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight."

[Secret Alias]

Surely fueling the 'God failed' or 'impotent God' theme that runs throughout the Pentateuch. It is very odd that a people would write a religious text where their god is not all powerful but so is the Pentateuch. A god who always 'repents' or changes his mind or somehow displays his limitations. The mystics even say that God needs our help. The critics say that these are 'mistakes in the Bible' - not so. This is deliberate and helps explain why God gave the 10 commandments and Moses the other 603 and the Gemara is of greater power still. God is not key to man's salvation - man is key to his own salvation. Hence the criticism of Jesus and Paul of this 'anthropomorphic' system. If it was only about God the Jewish religion would only have 10 commandments.