Congratulations to a friend

Norway is a rather small country, its population is only ca. 4.5 mill. Hence there should not be many philonic scholars here either. But perhaps there are more than expected. When Ellen Birnbaum visited Kåre Fuglseth and me in Volda in 1998, she was jokingly suggesting that Volda then probably had the highest population-rate of Philo-scholars in the world (3 out of 6000) :-).... ,and we are not the only ones...

A major person in Norwegian research on Philo - for several decades - has been professor emeritus, Peder Borgen, PhD & dr.theol.
Today he can celebrate his 76th birthday! Happily, he is still active in reading and writing on Philo, John and Paul.
Both my companion here, Kåre Fuglseth, and I had him as an advisor during our time as research fellows at Department of Religion, University of Trondheim (or Norwegian University of Science and Technology, as it is called now). He has been the worthy receiver of two Festschriften. I for my part was able to contribute to his Festchrift published at his 60th birthday, and was one of the editors of the Festschrift published at his 75 birthday: Neotestamentica et Philonica.

Both Festschriften contained bibliographies of prof. Borgen publications. Three items have, however, been published after the last Festschrift was issued:

"The Gospel of John and Philo of Alexandria," in James H. Charlesworth, Light in a
Spotless Mirror. Reflections on Wisdom Traditions in Judaism and Early
Christianity (Faith and Scholarship Colloquies Series; Harrisburg: Trinity Press
International. A Continuum Imprint, 2003), pp. 77-91.

This article in a way synthesizes his major works and views on the Gospel of John and Philo. In the introductory parts of the article he describes his own interests in this field thus:
"My own work has focused ... on John and Philo as exegetes of the Old Testament. In their use of traditions and in their expositions, both John and Philo characterize the people of God, although with different results. Philo saw them as the Jewish people of the synagogue and criticizes some who were in danger of passing the community border. John is situated within a group that had been separated from the synagogal community and that understood itself in continuity and discontinuity with its Jewish heritage."
In the main body of the article, Borgen comments on the following issues: Dodds comparison of John and Philo; Use of Scripture; Exegetical exchange; Conflicts and punishments; Discontinuity and continuity (Dangers at the boundary; Birth from above; The temple; Ascent and descent; Agent "He who is sent";Wisdom; the Law and manna; Moses;). All these topics have been dealt with in a thorough way in several of Borgens work. Hence this article repersents a nice overview.

"Philo of Alexandria as Exegete," in Alan J. Hauser & Duane F. Watson, A History of
Biblical Interpretation, Vol. 1: The Ancient Period (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2003)
114-143.

This article is a description of the various works and exegetical and hermeneutical methods of Philo. A list of the main headlines will give an impression of its focus: Hermeneutical Presuppositions in Philo's expository writings (pp. 118-122); Aspects of Philo's exegesis (pp. 122-125); Philo as an exegete in context (p. 125-126); Some exegetical approaches and forms (pp. 126-136).

In addition he had a longer book review in 2002:
in The Journal of Theological Studies, New Series Vol. 53
Part 1 (2002) 165-173 av "CHRISTIAN NOACK, Gottesbewusstsein. Exegetische Studien zur Soteriologie und Mystik bei Philo von Alexandria. (Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament, 116.) Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2000. ISBN 3 16 147239 X. Paper DM 98. Pp. xiii+300

Congratulations on your 76 birthday, Peder!