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Symbolic allegory has been used throughout history in many forms because it can convey complex concepts and ideas in more understandable ways that are unavailable through the written word. An example of one of Philo’s allegorical exegeses was the symbolism of the Garden of Eden, a deeper meaning beyond the literal interpretation of the biblical Adam and Eve. The garden and the apple symbolized how the material world interferes in developing a spiritual relationship with God. The serpent is a symbol of how the human body, when in a state of lust, can be distracted from the mystical and transpersonal desire to be in union with God, an ability achieved through the Platonic ideal forms.