Plato in Genesis: The Seventh Day

[Kaplok Kaplok]

Fair warning: if you have opposing belief, you are welcome to read and comment in your criticsm to this post. BUT I do not recommend reading this if your faith is a source of your happiness. This piece might not be good for your health.

The Seventh Day​

We have looked at Russel Gmirkins similarities of the first six days of creation to the contemporary Greek sciences, theologies and philosophies, more particularly in Plato's Timeaus.

Re: Doctrine of Creation (Genesis 1)
Re: Doctrine of Creation (Genesis 1) -Part 2
Re: Doctrine of Creation (Genesis 1) -Part 3

But the Greekness of the Old Testament does not end there. Neil Godfrey, another scholar claims that Timeaus almost paints the same picture as Genesis, albeit some minor differences and greater sophistication. Here are some excerpts from Timeaus.

This being supposed, let us proceed to the next stage: In the likeness of what animal did the Creator make the world? It would be an unworthy thing to liken it to any nature which exists as a part only; for nothing can be beautiful which is like any imperfect thing; but let us suppose the world to be the very image of that whole of which all other animals both individually and in their tribes are portions. For the original of the universe contains in itself all intelligible beings, just as this world comprehends us and all other visible creatures. For the Deity, intending to make this world like the fairest and most perfect of intelligible beings, framed one visible animal comprehending within itself all other animals of a kindred nature. Are we right in saying that there is one world, or that they are many and innite? There must be one only, if the created copy is to accord with the original. For that which includes all other intelligible creatures cannot have a second or companion; in that case there would be need of another living being which would include both, and of which they would be parts, and the likeness would be more truly said to resemble not them, but that other which included them. In order then that the world might be solitary, like the perfect animal, the creator made not two worlds or an innite number of them; but there is and ever will be one only begotten and created heaven. (Tim. 29 e-30 d)

For Plato, God did not create the human in his image, but rather the world itself—the entirety of which is a soul. The world according to Plato is a spherical self-sufcient being that is animated with the seventh movement but not with the six others. This reminds us of the six days of the biblical creation and one day of rest:

The movement suited to his spherical form was assigned to him, being of all the seven that which is most appropriate to mind and intelligence; and he was made to move in the same manner and on the same spot, within his own limits revolving in a circle. All the other six motions were taken away from him, and he was made not to partake of their deviations… When the father creator saw the creature which he had made moving and living, the created image of the eternal gods, he rejoiced, and in his joy determined to make the copy still more like the original; and as this was eternal, he sought to make the universe eternal, so far as might be. (Tim. 34a, 37 c)

Plato suggests that the first six movement was for creation of the universe, and the seventh, instead of resting, is the movement of putting his creation into motion, and rejoicing at his creation.

 

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[Kaplok Kaplok]

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Mukang it confirms nga na during the writing of the Bible, Plato's ideas were in the background for it's structure. I mean kung ganito lang ka minor yung "differences".

This level of differences can be found kung i-cocompare mo lang Jewish traditions at ung Messianic traditions, enough to split them into 2 distinct religious group. Hindi kailangan lumayo.

Isn't it amazing to find this amount of comparability between 2 teachings that we previously thought has nothing to do with each other. It is almost like talking about 2 different sects of the same religion.