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Tag Archives: Porphyry

A comparison of Plotinus and the Gospel of John

10 Friday Jun 2022

Posted by memoirandremains in Uncategorized

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Gospel of John, Plotinus, Porphyry

I have just started reading Porphyry in Plotinus. His brief biographical notes where interesting. First two quotes

“Plotinus, the philosopher our contemporary, seemed ashamed of being in the body. So deeply-rooted was this feeling that he could never be induced to tell of his ancestry, his parentage or his birthplace.”

And then a notes on the moment of his death

“Plotinus said: ‘I have been a long time waiting for you; I am striving to give back the Divine in myself to the Divine in the All.’”

His relationship to flesh and to the “divine” make an interesting comparison to John’s Gospel

First on the body

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. John1.14

Plotinus sought to deny his body. Christ came willingly. And Christ never sought to lose a body:

Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” /John20.27

As for the “return”. Christ before the crucifixion prays:

And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed. /John17.5

Plotinus seems like a parody of Christ at these points.

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