In his recent book on Dostoevsky: Language, Faith, and Fiction (Making of the Christian Imagination) , Rowan Williams notes Dostoevsky’s “diagnosis of the pathology of fantasies of absolute freedom” that he likens to those of Hegel’s Phenomenology : “‘the freedom . . . . Continue Reading »
Jenson, again in the Song of Songs commentary, arrestingly described beauty as “realized eschatology.” He begins, of all places, with Kant. For Kant beauty is “the unlaborious coincidence of the actual and the ideal, the way in which some things show forth what they ought to . . . . Continue Reading »
In his commentary on the Song of Songs 4, Robert Jenson raises a question about the Bridegroom’s declaration that the Bride is “beautiful” and “without blemish.” He links this to justification, but then notes the problems that often arise from exclusively . . . . Continue Reading »
R. Michael Allen’s The Christ’s Faith: A Dogmatic Account (T&T Clark Studies in Systematic Theology) fill out the notion of the faith and trust exercised by Jesus Christ in relation to His Father. He doesn’t deal with the exegetical issues, but instead sets out to show . . . . Continue Reading »
The Bridegroom of the Song celebrates the physical beauty of his Bride. For most of church history, this was seen as a human type of Yahweh’s love for Israel and Christ’s for the church. Christ too has a bride, who is one-flesh with Him, the bride who is His body. And the . . . . Continue Reading »
Plowing is sometimes used as a sexual metaphor in Scripture (Judges 14:18), but, as Walsh points out, in the Song these metaphors are absent, and instead we have metaphors of vineyards, orchards, gardens. This is partly explained by the facts of Israel’s agri-economics: They were not, . . . . Continue Reading »
The Song is erotic poetry. Is it pornography? Carey Walsh ( Exquisite Desire ) rightly says No. But what’s the difference? Walsh suggests several differences. Erotic writing forms empathy with the lovers by exploring desire and internal psyche, the psychology of . . . . Continue Reading »
The word “spices” is used in only two contexts in 1-2 Kings, first when Sheba visits Solomon bearing spices, as well as all sorts of other treasures (1 Kings 10:2, 10, 25), and second when Hezekiah receives a visit from the Babylonians (2 Kings 20:13). Though the scenes are similar, . . . . Continue Reading »
The word for “bride” ( kallah ) has a strange career in the Old Testament. Up through 1 Chronicles 2:4, it exclusively means “daughter-in-law.” In the six uses in Song of Songs, it is translated as “bride,” and after the Song the prophets use the word . . . . Continue Reading »
Twice the Song of Songs uses the phrase “breath of the day” to describe daybreak (2:17; 4:6). Literally, this perhaps refers to the breezes of dawn (cf. Song of Songs 4:16). More theologically, though, the coming of daybreak means new life and breath for the world. As the . . . . Continue Reading »
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