Did the early greek philosophers, including Plato and Aristotle make use of the Jewish scriptures just as much as writings from India and Egypt?
I'm a student of philosophy carefully reading through the Britannica Great Books series. In our homeschool discussions, occurring each Wednesday afternoon, I'm finding most of the questions challen...
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A scholar no less than the William Smith, L.L.D. (Smith's Bible Dictionary, London: J. Murray, 1863; Revised Edition: ...Compiled from Dr. William Smith's Dictionary of the Bible, n.d., ISBN 0-87981-033-5, s.v.: "Epicureans," p. 95) stated: "The teaching of the Hebrew patriarchs and prophets was independent of any system of philosophy, and it is curious that Greek philosophy arose just after the Hebrew prophets closed their oracles, Malachi being contemporary with Socrates." After Malachi, there was a 500-year hiatus to the New Testament. This was known as the period of the Talmudists (to 70 A.D.). So, there was plenty of time for influence of Classical Greek philosophy. I strongly suspect this is exactly the case. Unfortunately no modern thesis materials or dissertations exist on this significant subject. No university will allow investigation. Perhaps something written during the Victorian period might exist. But, so far, my research has produced very little other than the Smith quote which may go back to an edited version of his original text (1863). The lack of information regarding the obvious Hebrew literary influence of Classical Greek philosophy and perhaps also early Greek poetry (theogonies) and the vernacular narratives (popular Greek myth) preceding Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle is by-itself much more than curious. It is my estimation that the flow of history goes something like this: (minimally) Indian, Chaldean, Canaanite, Egyptian Hebrew (revelationally), Greek, Roman, European (maximally). And, we are told in public school we can't be Juedeo-Christian or "Eurocentric" because such is "offensive"?

There is no textual evidence which shows any early Greek Philosopher-(from Thales to Epicurus) quoting or commenting on The Old Testament.

Both Pythagoras and Plato were reported to have traveled to Israel and the greater Middle East, though there is no reliable textual evidence which proves this. It is certainly in the realm of possibility that Pythagoras and Plato, if having traveled to the Middle East, may have learned about the Jewish Scriptures and in doing so, may have written about it. However, there is no available historical evidence to prove this.

The early Greek Philosophers did refer to and write about the histories and cultures of the Babylonians, Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Egyptians and especially, the Persians.

Keep in mind that the Persian Empire, was a nearly ubiquitous political and even cultural presence in Ancient Greek life, due to their conquest and occupation of Greco-Anatolia-(present-day Turkish coast) and attempt to conquer mainland Greece. Of all the foreign cultures the (Pre-Hellenistic) Greeks encountered and interacted with, the Persian culture appears to have had the greatest impact and influence on Early Greek Philosophy and intellectual life. The Early Greek Thinkers of Antiquity were much more interested in the theological teachings of Zoroastrianism....from a philosophical perspective and NOT from a religious or conversionary perspective.