Song of Songs (Solomon)

Title

Lit. “The best of all possible songs”

Sometimes called “Song of Solomon” because of first line

Interpretation

Difficulties

God’s name only appears once (8:6)

At face value, it seems to be secular poetry of human love

what could be the significance?

Allegory

oldest interpretation

allegory of the love between Christ and the church

Augustine of Hippo held this view

influenced the translators of the KJV

added chapter headings that reflect this

“Church’s love unto Christ”

Note that the Hebrew text does not mention Christ or the church

these are the understandings of the translators

Song of Drama

also an old interpretation

Multiple speakers

like a script of an ancient dramatic play

some say 3 actors, some say 2, some say 2 with narrator

issue

no evidence that drama was a form of art used by the Hebrews

maybe not a drama, but dramatic poetry like Job

Tells a story

of true love

a woman was in love with shepherd. King Solomon loved her. Tried to woo her but to no avail. He releases her back to her love

A woman and a man who is king and a shepherd.

Again, some see different actors in the story as above

Song of an Anthology

2 basic principles

to be interpreted literally

it is human love poetry

it is an anthology

not a single piece of poetry

contains different poems from different periods and authors

common theme is love

similar to Psalms

Theological significance

Light on human love

love between man and woman created by God, beautiful

in our modern world, it can provide proper perspective, and balanced view of love

“Since human love and marriage are employed in the Bible as an analogy of God’s love for humanity, love itself must be good and pure.”

Included in Jewish text because of its allegory of God’s love for mankind

it illumines the relationship of love between God and all human beings which is at the heart of the Christian faith

Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible Summary > Song of Solomon

Those who have not experienced profound human love, or do not presently experience it, may nevertheless know it and feel it through reflection on the words of the poetry of love

Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible Summary > Song of Solomon

Thus the Song of Songs first recreates for the reader the diverse faces of human love, its beauty, joy, sadness, and sometimes grief. From the sense of wonder which emerges from perceiving human love, then gradually there emerges a deeper understanding of what it means that God loves humanity, and what it may mean for men to love God. On this note, it is wise to add a postscript to the Song of Solomon. The words of the girl reveal an extraordinary truth: “love is as strong as death” (8:6); but in the NT, Jesus added something to that in his crucifixion: love is stronger than death. Eventually, God’s love goes beyond the possibility of any mere allegory.

“required a high view of human love in order to perceive the true theological depths of [the book].”

Reading

Story Line

2:10-13

beautiful poetry

4:1-7

odd descriptions of his beloved

sounds odd to us, but the original recipient would understand what is being said

neck like the tower of David

long and straight

woman describes her man in 5:10-16

6:3

“I am my love’s and my love is mine.”

Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia Chapter 6

אֲנִ֤י לְדֹודִי֙ וְדֹודִ֣י לִ֔י

ani’ L’dodi ve’dodi Li

Purpose

“to enable an understanding both of God’s love for humanity and the manner in which humans may love God.”