Spinoza on Prophecy and Prophets

1
Spinoza on Prophecy and Prophets

• (TTP, chapters 1-2)

2
Spinozas Definition of Prophecy and Prophet

• Prophecy, or revelation, is the sure knowledge
  of some matter revealed by God to man. A prophet
  is one who interprets Gods revelations to those
  who cannot attain to certain knowledge of the
  matters revealed, and can therefore be convinced
  of them only by simple faith (p. 9).

3
Prophetic Knowledge vs. Natural Knowledge

• Prophetic knowledge is not superior to natural
  knowledge but differs only in the kind of
  certainty involved (pp. 9-10).

4
The Epistemological Status of Prophecy

• The prophets perceived Gods revelations with
  the aid of the imaginative faculty alone, that
  is, through the medium of words or images, either
  real or imaginary (p. 19).
• Spinoza calls this knowledge through a sign
  (pp. 21-22).

5
Spinozas Four Conclusions about Prophetic
Knowledge

• Prophets have perceived much that is beyond the
  limits of intellect (p. 20).
• Prophets taught in parables and allegories (p.
  20).
• Prophecy was not common but very rare,
  manifesting itself in very few men, and
  infrequently even in them (p. 20).
• The prophets certainty was not a mathematical
  certainty, but only a moral certainty (p. 22).

6
Variations among Individual Prophets

• Spinoza argues that each prophet had a different
  style, form, and degree of clarity the nature
  of the prophecy depended on a prophets
  particular temperament (p. 23).