Christian Texts and History • Re: Twice, in the Entire Philonic Corpus?

... that species in the nature of things which is void of passions, namely, Isaac ... may be the victim of an irrational affection, in order I suppose that he may be wounded by the stings of pleasure or pain, or of any other passion, showing that the man who is not wholly perfect and who makes laborious improvements, will receive not merely a wound, but utter destruction. However, the good God will neither allow that invulnerable species among created things to be subdued by passion, nor will he surrender the practise of virtue to bloody and raging destruction.

... that Isaac, the only example of freedom from passion beneath the sun ... may become the subject of irrational passion, desiring him ... to be wounded by the darts of pleasure or sorrow or some other passion. By so desiring he makes it clear that the man who falls short of perfection and knows only toilsome progress will be liable not to be wounded only but to be utterly destroyed. God, however, in His loving-kindness, will neither cause a being of an inviolable kind to be the victim of a passion, nor will He hand over the pursuit of virtue to a mad murderer for ruin.

Quod deterius potiori insidiari soleat, 46: For only the apathetic species is blessed by giving birth to Isaac ... {God} uses irrational passion, so by the piercing darts of hedonism, suffering, or some other passion, that He might demonstrate that one who engages in flaws and difficult progress will not only suffer a wound but also incur complete destruction. However, a good God will not carry the impassive nature of His Invincible Race to Suffering's experience, nor will he expose Virtue's dedication to destruction by murder and demonic possession."