Philo of Alexandria taught that the Logos was the divine intermediary between an apical, transcendent God and the created physical world. As a Jewish philosopher living during the time of Jesus, Philo described the Logos as God’s “shadow,” his “firstborn son,” and the blueprint used to create the universe. While Philo’s ideas bridged Greek philosophy with Hebrew Scripture, they set the stage for the profound biblical revelation found in the Gospel of John.
The Bridge Between God and Man
Philo lived in a world where Greek philosophy and Jewish faith constantly collided. He deeply admired the teachings of Plato, who suggested that the physical world was imperfect and that God was far too holy and “other” to touch it directly. To solve this problem, Philo developed his concept of the Logos. For Philo, the Logos was not a person, but rather a divine force or “Reason” that emanated from God to manage the earth.
He often used the analogy of a master architect. Just as an architect creates a mental plan before laying a single brick, Philo believed God created the Logos as the rational plan for the universe. This “Word” was the tool through which the Almighty interacted with humanity without compromising his divine purity. However, in Philo’s view, this bridge remained somewhat abstract and distant.
The Logos as the Divine Image
Philo frequently referred to the Logos as the “Image of God.” He believed that because humans were made in God’s image, they were actually made according to the pattern of the Logos. This was a revolutionary way to explain Genesis for his time. He saw the Logos as the “High Priest” of the universe, standing between the Creator and the creature to offer prayers and maintain order.
Colossians 1:15 Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation.
While Philo used similar language to what we later find in the New Testament, there is a massive difference. For Philo, the “Image” was a philosophical necessity to keep God at a distance. For the Apostles, the “Image” was a person named Jesus who came to bring God near. Philo’s Logos was a shadow; Jesus is the substance.
Comparing Philo and the Gospel of John
Many people wonder if the Apostle John simply borrowed his opening lines from Philo. While they used the same Greek word—Logos—their messages were worlds apart. Philo’s Logos was an impersonal principle or an angelic intermediary that could never truly be human. Philo could never have imagined the Logos stubbing a toe, weeping at a grave, or bleeding on a Roman cross.
The “Good News” that John presented was the “Word made flesh.” This shattered the Greek and Philonic idea that matter was evil or that God was too distant to touch us. Where Philo offered a philosophical concept to help us understand God’s mind, John offered a Savior to help us know God’s heart. Philo’s Logos was a map; Jesus is the destination.
The Purpose of Philo’s Teaching
Philo’s primary goal was to show that the Hebrew Scriptures were intellectually sophisticated. He wanted his fellow Jews to feel confident in their faith while living in a highly educated, Greek-speaking culture. By using the term Logos, he spoke the language of the culture to point people toward the God of Abraham. He helped bridge the gap between the Old Testament “Word of the Lord” and the Greek “Reason.”
However, Philo’s teachings eventually highlighted the limitations of human philosophy. He could describe the need for a mediator, but he couldn’t provide one who could actually save us from sin. His writings serve as a historical “waiting room” that shows just how much the world was longing for a real, breathing, personal connection with the Creator.
John 1:14 So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.
The Takeaway
Philo of Alexandria taught that the Logos was a divine bridge of reason between a distant God and the world. While his philosophy was brilliant, it remained an abstract concept. The Bible takes Philo’s “Word” and puts a face on it: Jesus Christ. Unlike a philosophical principle, Jesus is the personal Word who moved into our neighborhood to bring us back to the Father.
