Plato and Saint Paul

[thephilosopher6]

I often hear that Saint Paul’s theology can be very reminiscent of Platonic Philosophy. Indeed, I don’t think there is a doubt that some of the writers of the New Testament were influenced by Greek Philosophy. John obviously was. The logos (λόγος) concept that John so beautifully applied to Jesus, was taken from Greek Philosophy. John certainly wasn’t the first to use the concept in the larger Abrahamic scheme. Philo of Alexandria, a Hellenistic Jew, used it to explain what the ‘angel of the Lord’ was in the Hebrew Bible, believing it to a mediator between God and the material world.

Now, I don’t have a doubt that Paul studied Plato, as Paul was a very educated man. I think we can see some of that Platonic influence in Paul. Here are a few verses:

“For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.” - Galatians 5:17

“Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.” - Romans 8:5

“Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and their glory is in their shame. Their minds are set on earthly things.” - Philippians 3:19

“For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain.” - Philippians 1:21

“For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known.” - 1 Corinthians 13:12

“I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.” - 1 Corinthians 15:50

As those who are familiar with Plato would know, Plato saw the body as a prison, and that the pleasures of this world were evil. When one dies, he is released from this prison and, if he be a Philosopher, he will go to a heavenly like realm. For true wisdom, according to Plato, is achieved by the spirit and recognition of the spirit. So, there definitely seems to be Platonic influence in these verses, especially the ones where Paul talks about the flesh being contrary to the spirit. However, I’m not saying that Paul’s ideas were inherently Platonic in that Paul took them from Plato. Rather, Paul used Plato to better explain what he wanted to tell us about how sin effects a person, and how we must become like Christ to achieve the Kingdom of God. There are many anti-Platonic elements in Paul as well, including his staunch belief in the resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

“And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.” - 1 Corinthians 15:14

“For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.” - Acts 17:31

“having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.” - Colossians 2:12

Furthermore, Paul considered death to be an enemy and evil, contrary to what Plato believed about death.

“The last enemy to be destroyed is death.” - 1 Corinthians 15:26

“Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" - 1 Corinthians 15:56

“Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned” - Romans 5:12

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” - Romans 6:23

In conclusion, I think Paul used Plato because he saw some truth in Plato and used him to his advantage to help explain the effects of sin, but he was not a Platonist. His ideas of sin and death were not ripped from Plato. I do think Paul’s use, and the use of Philosophy in the New Testament as a whole, demonstrate that Philosophy can be helpful for Christians to use and expound upon, despite what some may say (cough Mormons cough). What do you guys think?

[Also, I’d like to note that Paul does quote from other Greek Poets and Philosophers (*Acts 17:28, 1 Corinthians 15:33, Titus 1:12)]

 

[Charlemagne_III]

Since we have no list of books read by Paul, one can only guess at the extent to which he was influenced by Plato.

 

[Hatikvah]

In conclusion, I think Paul used Plato because he saw some truth in Plato and used him to his advantage to help explain the effects of sin, but he was not a Platonist. His ideas of sin and death were not ripped from Plato. I do think Paul’s use, and the use of Philosophy in the New Testament as a whole, demonstrate that Philosophy can be helpful for Christians to use and expound upon, despite what some may say (cough Mormons cough). What do you guys think?

Well, so long as philosophy isn’t used to derive contradictory doctrines to what Truth is (and St. Paul obviously did not contradict, nor did the Church Fathers and early Christians who used philosophy: they used it wisely), then it can certainly be helpful! Aristotle, for example, had a large amount of influence in the Early Middle Ages and the High Middle Ages (e.g., Thomas Aquinas and his colleagues), and Plato was a topic of interest.

Justin Martyr (AD 100-165) used philosophy in his First Apology to convince the Roman Emperor to cease persecution of early Christianity. He also liked to use Plato and Socrates, claiming that they were Christians! (He believed them to have been influenced by the pre-incarnate Logos, as did St. Augustine.)