How is it that Biblical teachings coincide with certain philosphical teachings?

[PilgrimPastor]

Yes, I know that the Bible is above the 'wisdom' of man.... but I am hoping there are some people on this board who are knowledgeable about the claims I mentioned above, and can shed some light on it.

Thank you for your input. I like your pic, as you look like a very happy lady.

~Rose

I may be able to answer your question but what specific philosophies are your referring to?

[PilgrimPastor]

If you read the Code of Hammurabi (Babylon, mid-18th century BC), you'll find various ideas similar to bits of the Old Testament, especially 'an eye for an eye.' It predates the written OT, but there may well have been a cross-fertilisation of ideas coming from Israelite oral tradition.

An interesting foot note to this is Paul's account in I Thessalonians 2:3-7, "For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts. You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed--God is our witness. We were not looking for praise from men, not from you or anyone else. As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you, but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children." (NIV)

Common in the days of Paul's travels were many "wondering philosophers" who flattered the people with many vain words only seeking to pad their pockets. Paul is here speaking to a very present and real danger; people perceiving him as one of them, of people disregarding to the uniqueness of the Gospel of Christ.

There were also perversions of the Gospel from very early in the Church's history; as with today any opportunity to deceive somebody will be seized by somebody else.

There are a lot of lies and half truths pervasive in modern culture in regard to Christ. Again, what specific philosophies are you referring to or is a more general question?

[Athanasius]

I wonder if there is any difference in regards to the OT's "eye for eye" and the code of Hammurabi's "eye for an eye"?

[Br. Barnabas]

The answer is simple why some philosophy lines up with Christian teachings it is two fold. What do you think many of the earliest theologians were before they became theologians or Christians. They were philosophiers for example Justin Martyr was a philosophier before he became a Christian. Origen related very heavily on philosophy and wrote a response to the philosophier Celsus (even though he had been dead for several years, Celsus not Origen).

And then later on durning the dark ages many of the philosophiers were Christian and wrote with that leaning.

Neo-plationic philosophy as it has been pointed out did have a lot of influnce on many theologians in the early church.

[parker]

Proverbs contains a wealth of conventional wisdom, similar to many proverbs the world over.

Early Christian thinkers such as Augustine and Aquinas used the underlying framework of Greek thought and adapted it to encompass points of Christian theology.

Jesus parables, of course, overturn "conventional wisdom" such as those laborers who show up last get paid the same as the first, the Kingdom is like contaminated dough or that the Father sends the sunshine and the rain on both the good and the righteous as well as the evil and the unrighteous alike.

I hope that helps.