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Forged in the Community of Divine Love: Augustine’s Quest through the Maxim of Self-Knowledge for Finite Wholeness within the Infinite God

  • Matthew Drever
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Know Yourself
This chapter is in the book Know Yourself

Abstract

Augustine indirectly and directly employs the Oracle Maxim “Know Thyself” in a wide variety of contexts in his search for knowledge of self and God. This chapter will introduce Augustine’s understanding of the Maxim through three central texts: Confessiones, Enarrationes in Psalmos, and De Trinitate. Drawing on the Platonist framework he inherits in conjunction with the Maxim, Augustine will use the Oracle command to develop Christian doctrines on creation, Christ and the church that are central to his understanding of the human relation with God.

Abstract

Augustine indirectly and directly employs the Oracle Maxim “Know Thyself” in a wide variety of contexts in his search for knowledge of self and God. This chapter will introduce Augustine’s understanding of the Maxim through three central texts: Confessiones, Enarrationes in Psalmos, and De Trinitate. Drawing on the Platonist framework he inherits in conjunction with the Maxim, Augustine will use the Oracle command to develop Christian doctrines on creation, Christ and the church that are central to his understanding of the human relation with God.

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Foreword V
  3. Contents VII
  4. Part 1: Introductory Chapters
  5. The Delphic Maxim Interpreted: Aims, Scope, and Significance of the Present Study 1
  6. Ancient Self-Knowledge: Exploring Some of the Scholarly Debates 21
  7. Interpretations and Echoes of the Delphic Maxim in Pre-Christian Greek Philosophy 55
  8. “Know Your Text”: the Integrity and Interpretation of Alcibiades m. 133c8–17 85
  9. Part 2: Main Chapters
  10. Philo of Alexandria and the Transitory and Apophatic Dimensions of Knowing Oneself 125
  11. Seneca: Knowledge of Self and Nature 159
  12. Plutarch: Know God and Know Yourself 211
  13. Know Your Exceptionality. The Delphic Maxim Know Yourself in Epictetus 231
  14. Between Self-Knowledge and Self-Enjoyment: ΓΝѠθΙ ϹAYTON in the Skeleton Mosaic from beneath the Monastery of San Gregorio 269
  15. Self-Knowledge as Alienation and Unification in the Hermetica 293
  16. Self-Knowledge and the Hidden Kingdom: The Delphic Maxim in the Manuscripts of Gos. Thom. 3 319
  17. What does it Mean to be Human? The Delphic Maxim in Irenaeus 337
  18. Know Yourself in Clement of Alexandria: Self-Knowledge, God-Knowledge and the Transformation of Self 365
  19. When Mortals Become Sinners: Tertullian Grappling with the Delphic Maxim 385
  20. A Maxim of Greek Philosophy Found in Scripture: “Know Yourself” in Origen and Reflections in Gregory of Nyssa 423
  21. Jesus Knowing Himself: Origen and the Gospel of John 473
  22. Plotinus on the Delphic Maxim: Knowing and Being One’s True Self 505
  23. Knowing Yourself as an Essential Part of Origen’s Teaching According to Gregory Thaumaturgus 527
  24. Forged in the Community of Divine Love: Augustine’s Quest through the Maxim of Self-Knowledge for Finite Wholeness within the Infinite God 569
  25. Author Index 595
  26. Index of biblical and classical sources 603
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783111083858-019

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Foreword V
  3. Contents VII
  4. Part 1: Introductory Chapters
  5. The Delphic Maxim Interpreted: Aims, Scope, and Significance of the Present Study 1
  6. Ancient Self-Knowledge: Exploring Some of the Scholarly Debates 21
  7. Interpretations and Echoes of the Delphic Maxim in Pre-Christian Greek Philosophy 55
  8. “Know Your Text”: the Integrity and Interpretation of Alcibiades m. 133c8–17 85
  9. Part 2: Main Chapters
  10. Philo of Alexandria and the Transitory and Apophatic Dimensions of Knowing Oneself 125
  11. Seneca: Knowledge of Self and Nature 159
  12. Plutarch: Know God and Know Yourself 211
  13. Know Your Exceptionality. The Delphic Maxim Know Yourself in Epictetus 231
  14. Between Self-Knowledge and Self-Enjoyment: ΓΝѠθΙ ϹAYTON in the Skeleton Mosaic from beneath the Monastery of San Gregorio 269
  15. Self-Knowledge as Alienation and Unification in the Hermetica 293
  16. Self-Knowledge and the Hidden Kingdom: The Delphic Maxim in the Manuscripts of Gos. Thom. 3 319
  17. What does it Mean to be Human? The Delphic Maxim in Irenaeus 337
  18. Know Yourself in Clement of Alexandria: Self-Knowledge, God-Knowledge and the Transformation of Self 365
  19. When Mortals Become Sinners: Tertullian Grappling with the Delphic Maxim 385
  20. A Maxim of Greek Philosophy Found in Scripture: “Know Yourself” in Origen and Reflections in Gregory of Nyssa 423
  21. Jesus Knowing Himself: Origen and the Gospel of John 473
  22. Plotinus on the Delphic Maxim: Knowing and Being One’s True Self 505
  23. Knowing Yourself as an Essential Part of Origen’s Teaching According to Gregory Thaumaturgus 527
  24. Forged in the Community of Divine Love: Augustine’s Quest through the Maxim of Self-Knowledge for Finite Wholeness within the Infinite God 569
  25. Author Index 595
  26. Index of biblical and classical sources 603
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