03_Wilson_201_221_201_221 10/07/15 12:41 Pagina 211 211 MATTHEW, PHILO, AND MERCY FOR ANIMALS (MATT 12,9-14) 211 imals of a different species (Lev 19,19; Deut 22,9-11) works by ex- tension (po,rrwqen) towards the prevention of adultery, indicating its sinfulness “more clearly” (tranote,ran). A somewhat more elaborate example can be found at Hum. 125- 133. Philo begins with the claim that through his laws Moses grants a share of kindness (crhsto,thj) “even to the order of irrational an- imals” (§ 125). As evidence of this, he cites the statute forbidding the sacrifice of newborn animals until they are at least eight days old (Lev 22,27). Having explicated the rationale for the ban and the manner in which it accords with “nature” (§§ 126-130), he then argues (§§ 131-133) that the statute forbids by implication the exposure of human infants as well: “Do you not see that our most excellent lawgiver took care concerning the irrational animals lest the offspring be separated from their mother before they have been breastfed? Even more (to. ple,on), good parents, was this estab- lished on your account, so that you might be taught familial affec- tion, if not by nature then at least by instruction” (Hum. 133) 41. Here, as elsewhere in the sub-treatise (§§ 116, 160, 165, 168; cf. QE 2.12), Philo presents the law as a form of instruction (ma,qhsij) through which Moses aims to teach (avnadida,skein) his followers how to acquire the necessary moral dispositions, in this case famil- ial affection or to. filoi,keion (cf. Ios. 246; Mos. 1.12; Spec. 2.80) 42. A further example of this occurs in Spec. 4.205-206, where he in- terprets Deut 22,10 (which forbids a bull to be yoked with a don- key) as a lesson (ma,qhsij) for judges not to discriminate against the lowly born (cf. Hum. 147). The same kind of approach informs Philo’s exposition of the sab- batical year legislation about allowing the land to lie fallow (Exod 23,10-11; Lev 25,1-7). For example, in Spec. 4.218 he explains that sabbatical year enactments regarding the treatment of plants restrain covetous desires directed against people by extension (makro,qen), since these are “greater matters” (meizo,nwn). In Spec. 2.86-109 (cf. Hum. 97-98), meanwhile, he reviews the various reasons that Moses had for establishing this legislation, including the idea that 41 Cf. PHILO, Hypoth. 7.7. For the importance of learning from nature, cf. Post. 185; Ios. 129. 42 Cf. JOSEPHUS, C. Ap. 2.213: “He educated us (evxepai,deusen) in gentle- ness and humanity so completely that he does not overlook the irrational ani- mals, authorizing their use only in accordance with the law”.