ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book. The book examines that the Theologico-political treatise seems to reflect a variety of themes and motives. It may count as a vindication of Spinoza's philosophy or any philosophy like Spinoza's – Koerbagh's, for example, who less than a year before died in the Amsterdam Rasphuis. According to Spinoza a 'prophet' is someone who 'interprets God's revelations for those who cannot have certain knowledge of the things revealed by God and can embrace them only by faith'. Spinoza's message could be in other words that, by adopting his philosophy, one becomes as morally perfect as one would be by heeding a prophet. In any case Spinoza's philosophy and revealed religion would be morally equivalent ceteris paribus. For, in so far as it is a vindication of Spinoza's own philosophy, it is concerned with defending truth without providing the opportunity to explain it.
