The Guide of the Perplexed
Written for a student torn between the literal sense of Scripture and philosophical learning, the Guide interprets biblical terms, argues for a strictly negative knowledge of God, weighs creation against the eternity of the world, and explains prophecy, providence and the purposes of the commandments.
Understanding the text
Composed in Judeo-Arabic around 1190 and dedicated to Joseph ben Judah, the work was translated into Hebrew by Samuel ibn Tibbon and soon afterwards into Latin. Its introduction announces deliberate contradictions, so how much it conceals remains debated.
Key points
- 01
Divine attributes
Positive predicates would introduce multiplicity into God; only negations and attributes of action are admissible.
- 02
Creation
Neither the eternity of the world nor its creation can be demonstrated, but creation is the more defensible view and keeps the Law intelligible.
- 03
Providence
Individual providence follows the degree of each person’s intellectual perfection, a thesis tested through the Book of Job.
Explore the ideas in depth
Reason and revelation
Follow how the Guide reads biblical language, speaks of God by negation and weighs creation against eternity.
Situating the text
Composed in Judeo-Arabic around 1190 and dedicated to Joseph ben Judah, the work was translated into Hebrew by Samuel ibn Tibbon and soon afterwards into Latin. Its introduction announces deliberate contradictions, so how much it conceals remains debated. Written for a student torn between the literal sense of Scripture and philosophical learning, the Guide interprets biblical terms, argues for a strictly negative knowledge of God, weighs creation against the eternity of the world, and explains prophecy, providence and the purposes of the commandments.
Following the arguments
Divine attributes : Positive predicates would introduce multiplicity into God; only negations and attributes of action are admissible. Creation : Neither the eternity of the world nor its creation can be demonstrated, but creation is the more defensible view and keeps the Law intelligible. Providence : Individual providence follows the degree of each person’s intellectual perfection, a thesis tested through the Book of Job.
Continuing the reading
Begin with the introduction’s remarks on parables and contradictions, then follow one theme, such as divine attributes, across several chapters before judging his position. Composed in Judeo-Arabic around 1190 and dedicated to Joseph ben Judah, the work was translated into Hebrew by Samuel ibn Tibbon and soon afterwards into Latin. Its introduction announces deliberate contradictions, so how much it conceals remains debated.
Questions to carry into your reading
- Which biblical term does Maimonides reinterpret, and what does the new reading change?
- Why does he hold that neither creation nor the eternity of the world can be demonstrated?
For Maimonides, interpreting Scripture well and reasoning rigorously belong to one and the same intellectual discipline.
How to read it
Begin with the introduction’s remarks on parables and contradictions, then follow one theme, such as divine attributes, across several chapters before judging his position.
Editions & sources
Summaries and key points are original editorial interpretations. They accompany reading the work and do not replace an edition of the text. Editorial method ↗