Philonis Judaei Paralipomena Armena

Why does He place the created man in the garden, but not the one who is according to the image?

VIII. Some have said, imagining the garden to be a park, that because the created one is sensory, it is fitting for him to go to a sensory place. But the one according to the image is intelligible and invisible; he held his rank among the incorporeal types. But I will say that the garden is to be considered a symbol of wisdom. For the created one is a mixture, composed of soul and body, and he is in need of learning and instruction, desiring according to the laws of philosophy, so that he may be fortunate. But he who is according to the form is not in need; he is self-sufficient, self-taught, and, by his very nature, a teacher unto himself.

Why does it say that in the garden every tree was noble to behold and beautiful to eat?

IX. Because the virtues of trees are twofold: to be leafy and to be fruitful. There is that which is for the enjoyment of the face, and there is that which is for the pleasure of the taste. But it is not said that the noble (trees) were without purpose; for it is appropriate that these plants be ever-flourishing and perpetually pleasing, as belonging to the divine garden, as if they were eternal.

Filo, excessively devoted to allegory, fashions a double man in the single Adam so that he may devise various mysteries, new and pleasing to the Cabalists. Otherwise, if one were to take his words literally, there are many fictions in Philo. If I had proposed to refute them one by one, the annotations would exceed the text. Expounding the author, we leave him to be weighed and declared in many ways by studious readers; for we have no time. It should be noted, however, how St. Ambrose did not doubt in the least to follow Philo's trail, saying in his Book on Paradise, Chapter 1: "In this paradise, therefore, he did not place the man who is according to the image of God, but he who is according to the body: for the incorporeal is not in a place."

Why does he place the created man in the garden, and not at all him who is according to the image?

VIII. Some said, thinking that paradise is a garden, that because that created one is sensory, therefore he rightly and deservedly goes into a sensory place. But the other, who is according to the image, is intelligible and invisible, and had incorporeal species for his class. I, however, would say that paradise is to be considered a symbol of wisdom; for that created one is a kind of mixture, as he is composed of soul and body, having need of doctrine and discipline, desiring according to the law of philosophy so that he may become happy. But he who is according to the form is not needy; he is a listener by himself, taught by himself, and found by nature to be his own master.

Why does it say that in the garden every tree was noble to the sight and good to eat?

IX. Since the virtue of trees is twofold, to be leafy and to be fruitful; one of which is referred to the pleasure of sight, the other to the fruition of taste. Truly, it is not in vain that it is called noble: it is fitting that plants be always green and perpetually flourishing, as pertaining to the divine paradise, as if it were eternal; nor should they ever be stripped of their leaves.

1. The word "corporeal" is missing in manuscript C. 2. Or thus: if this second thing be healthy, they are ignorant. But the whole passage is obscure. 3. This Armenian reading of Philo was adopted by the author of the Chriae, namely Moses of Khoren in the 5th century, saying: "Leafy and fruitful garden, etc."