The Chaldean Oracles (and its date) is utterly irrelevant to the OP, to the Sophia-Ialdaboath mythos, to Sethians (Sethites, Ophites, Barbeloites, etc.), the question of the OP, and to the topic discussed.
Regarding the Chaldaeans (of Egypt) before 150 BC, there is an enormous amount of evidence here. The thesis that First C. 'Sethians' evolved out of a Semitic Egypto-Chaldaean foundation is fascinating, but yet unexplored, and definitely warrants deeper research.
Philo knew "Chaldeans" (=Sethians) with an Enochic interpretation of the OT. Their work purified and refined (Actualized) Man: the product was an A. A. What becomes his relation to the 'Beastly Man'? The Despairing (=Beastly) suffer Maladies of the Soul; one who lacks Hope in God(s) needs to be purified and refined. Philo has described the Therapeutae as "soul-healers", and -- in so many examples, given - THEY are the A. A. Not mentioning the reviled "Sethians" by name, without admitting the (strangely Anonymous) Men of Lake Mareotis were Enochic sectarians (anathema!), Philo calls them "Chaldaeans" for that was how such (Jewish) mantic specialists were commonly known in Egypt. In Rome? Asaphim/Chartumim and their various, competing schools might still have been banned, censored or harassed c.25 AD.
The REAL and IMPORTANT questions are: How did A. A.'s practically and effectively heal? What was their Jacob's Ladder of Steps (viz., their psycho-spiritual modality)? Why did they equate Sobriety w/ their identity? Was Jesus a Sethian? &c. -- all focusing on the First Century -- ... (off-topic, digressive, whataboutery =) bullshit about the later "Chaldaean Oracles", not so much.
Regarding the Chaldaeans (of Egypt) before 150 BC, there is an enormous amount of evidence here. The thesis that First C. 'Sethians' evolved out of a Semitic Egypto-Chaldaean foundation is fascinating, but yet unexplored, and definitely warrants deeper research.
I would revise my previous translation above to this, a version assisted by AI:3) De Abrahamo 8,11,17-9: Actualized Man {ἀλήθειαν ὄντος ἀνθρώπου} is derived from the Torah, by Metathesis ("translation").De Abrahamo 8: Χαλδαῖοι γὰρ τὸν ἄνθρωπον Ἐνὼς καλοῦσιν, ὡς μόνου πρὸς ἀλήθειαν ὄντος ἀνθρώπου τοῦ τὰ ἀγαθὰ προσδοκῶντος καὶ ἐλπίσι χρησταῖς ἐφιδρυμένου• ἐξ οὗ δῆλον, ὅτι τὸν δύσελπιν οὐκ ἄνθρωπον ἀλλ’ ἀνθρωποειδὲς ἡγεῖται θηρίον τὸ οἰκειότατον ἀνθρωπίνης ψυχῆς, ἐλπίδα ἀφῃρημένον. 9: ὅθεν καὶ παγκάλως ὑμνῆσαι βουλόμενος τὸν εὔελπιν προειπών, ὅτι οὗτος ἤλπισεν ἐπὶ τὸν τῶν ὅλων πατέρα καὶ ποιητήν (cf. Genesis 4:26), ἐπιλέγει• „αὕτη ἡ βίβλος γενέσεως ἀνθρώπων“ (Genesis 5:1), καίτοι πατέρων καὶ πάππων ἤδη γεγονότων• ἀλλὰ τοὺς μὲν ἀρχηγέτας τοῦ μικτοῦ γένους ὑπέλαβεν εἶναι, τουτονὶ δὲ τοῦ καθαρωτάτου καὶ διηθημένου, ὅπερ ὄντως ἐστὶ λογικόν.
De Abrahamo 8: “For the Chaldaeans call man ‘Enoch’, as if he were the only Actualized Man {ἀλήθειαν ὄντος ἀνθρώπου} who lived in expectation of good things and the exultation of opportunities, whence it is said of the hopeless (not Man but mere human: the animal in human-form) that which is most proper to Man’s Soul is absent: Hope. (9) Wherefore, and bringing forth most beautifully hymned optimism about prophetic foretelling, that {Enoch} had hoped in the All-Father and Creator {holōn patera and poiētēn} (cf. Genesis 4:26), the author adds, ‘This is the Bible of the Generation of Men’ {geneseōs anthrōpōn} (cf. Genesis 5:1) and of their fathers and forefathers of history. But though {the author} suffered them as founders of the mixed-race, Enos was of the purified {καθαρωτάτου} and separated {διηθημένου} - in fact, of the race which is truly rational. {γένους λογικῶν = Rational Race}.”De Abrahamo 18: ἡ γάρ μετάθεσις τροπὴν ἐμφαίνει καὶ μεταβολήν• πρὸς δὲ τὸ βέλτιον ἡ μεταβολή, διότι προμηθείᾳ γίνεται θεοῦ• πᾶν γὰρ τὸ σὺν θεῷ καλὸν καὶ συμφέρον πάντως, ἐπεὶ καὶ τὸ ἄνευ θείας ἐπιφροσύνης ἀλυσιτελές. (19) εὖ δ’ εἴρηται τὸ „οὐχ ηὑρίσκετο“ ἐπὶ τοῦ μετατεθειμένου, τῷ τὸν ἀρχαῖον καὶ ἐπίληπτον ἀπαληλίφθαι βίον καὶ ἠφανίσθαι καὶ μηκέθ’ εὑρίσκεσθαι, καθάπερ εἰ μηδὲ τὴν ἀρχὴν ἐγένετο, ἡ τῷ τὸν μετατιθέμενον καὶ ἐν τῇ βελτίονι ταχθέντα τάξει δυσεύρετον εἶναι φύσει• πολύχουν μὲν γὰρ ἡ κακία, διὸ καὶ πολλοῖς γνώριμον, σπάνιον δ’ ἡ ἀρετή, ὡς μηδ’ ὑπ’ ὀλίγων καταλαμβάνεσθαι.
De Abrahamo 18: “For the transferral/transposition {Metathesis} implies a manifestation {emphainō} and transition; and the change is for improvement, because the provision is made by God: for everything with God is in every respect suitable, just as that unworthy of Divine Guidance {theias epiphrosynēs} is likewise detrimental. (19) Wherefore it is said, ‘he could not be found’ {Genesis 5:24} of him who was transported, either from the former reprehensible lifestyle being erased, made invisible and nowhere found (as if it had never existed from the beginning), or because the class transferred and improved is in Nature hard to find: for the Bad is prolific and known to many, but Virtue is rare, to be seized by a few.”
Analysis:
Although De Abrahamo 8,11,17-9 mentions the Aletheian Anthropos in conjunction with Enoch, Philo is notably hostile or dismissive to Chaldaean/Enochian? philosophy. If unavoidable, his discussion of Enoch seems merely approximate and will not, therefore, credit an Enochic origin for the A.A. concept. De Abrahamo 11 also refers to the ‘the Bible of the Generation of the Actualized Man’ {βίβλον γενέσεως τοῦ πρὸς ἀλήθειαν ἀνθρώπου} and leads to a qualification of Actualization: 17-19, the necessity of being changed {μεταβάλλω} and fact of being transferred, taken, or moved into {μετατίθημι} a different class/order/state-of-being, which is wholly contingent on God-worthiness (hoping in the Two-Fold God, Father and Creator). The unworthy cannot and will not be changed.
The topic of Metathesis is well-attested; see esp. Epistle to the Hebrews 11:5-6.
(8) For the Chaldaeans call man ‘Enoch’, as if he were the only Actualized Man {ἀλήθειαν ὄντος ἀνθρώπου} who lived in expectation of good things, firmly established in righteous optimism, whereas it is evident the Despairing (not True Man, but a mere human: beast in human-form) is deprived of Hope, that most intimate possession of the human soul.
(9) Therefore, and wishing to sing the highest praises of the Man of Good Hope, having previously mentioned that {Enoch} had hoped in the All-Father and Creator (cf. Genesis 4:26), the author adds, ‘This is the Bible of the Generation of Men’ (cf. Genesis 5:1) and of their fathers and forefathers of history. But though {the author} suffered them as founders of the mixed-race, Enoch was of the purified {καθαρωτάτου} and most refined {διηθημένου} Race - in fact, of that which is truly rational. {γένους λογικῶν = Rational Race}.”
(9) Therefore, and wishing to sing the highest praises of the Man of Good Hope, having previously mentioned that {Enoch} had hoped in the All-Father and Creator (cf. Genesis 4:26), the author adds, ‘This is the Bible of the Generation of Men’ (cf. Genesis 5:1) and of their fathers and forefathers of history. But though {the author} suffered them as founders of the mixed-race, Enoch was of the purified {καθαρωτάτου} and most refined {διηθημένου} Race - in fact, of that which is truly rational. {γένους λογικῶν = Rational Race}.”
Philo knew "Chaldeans" (=Sethians) with an Enochic interpretation of the OT. Their work purified and refined (Actualized) Man: the product was an A. A. What becomes his relation to the 'Beastly Man'? The Despairing (=Beastly) suffer Maladies of the Soul; one who lacks Hope in God(s) needs to be purified and refined. Philo has described the Therapeutae as "soul-healers", and -- in so many examples, given - THEY are the A. A. Not mentioning the reviled "Sethians" by name, without admitting the (strangely Anonymous) Men of Lake Mareotis were Enochic sectarians (anathema!), Philo calls them "Chaldaeans" for that was how such (Jewish) mantic specialists were commonly known in Egypt. In Rome? Asaphim/Chartumim and their various, competing schools might still have been banned, censored or harassed c.25 AD.
The REAL and IMPORTANT questions are: How did A. A.'s practically and effectively heal? What was their Jacob's Ladder of Steps (viz., their psycho-spiritual modality)? Why did they equate Sobriety w/ their identity? Was Jesus a Sethian? &c. -- all focusing on the First Century -- ... (off-topic, digressive, whataboutery =) bullshit about the later "Chaldaean Oracles", not so much.
Statistics: Posted by billd89 — Mon May 27, 2024 7:13 pm