Peter J. Leithart

Yahweh breathed into Adam’s nostrils and he became a living soul. According to the Song, it’s the fruity breath of the beloved that enlivens the lover (7:8).  Keel notes that apples were considered an aphrodisiac in the ancient world. Soul is desire in Scripture.  Having . . . . Continue Reading »

In his commentary on the Song of Songs, Jenson raises the question of God’s impassibility (how could he not!?).  Israel’s God is not impassible if that connotes, as it usually did for extra-biblical thought, timelessness.  Yet, Israel’s God is also not passible in a . . . . Continue Reading »

Song of Songs 7 contains a number of references to the conquest.    The bride’s eyes are like “pools in Heshbon” (7:4), and Heshbon is the capital city of Sihon of the Amorites (Numbers 21:26), who was one of the first kings conquered by the Hebrews as they came to the . . . . Continue Reading »

The romantic approach in the Song of Songs mimics the liturgical approach of Bride Israel to her Husband in sacrificial worship.  She is spiced and fragrant, so the King can delight in her aroma.  He inspects her and finds her “flawless” (4:7), and draws her near to taste her . . . . Continue Reading »

The bride’s navel is full of “mixed” or “spiced wine.”  Her belly is like a heap of wheat among the lotuses.  That is, she is the land of wheat and vineyards, she is the Eucharistic bride who never lacks bread and wine.  In loving her, the bridegroom . . . . Continue Reading »

“Your belly is a heap of wheat surrounded by lotuses,” says the lover in Song of Songs 7:3.  Shortly (7:7), he will change the image to say that the beloved is a palm tree that he wishes to climb to gather the clusters that are his beloved’s breasts. Much of this imagery is . . . . Continue Reading »

The Hebrew words for “navel” ( shorer ) and round ( sahar ) are each used only in Song of Songs 7:2a.  That is no doubt partly for poetic reasons, since the word faintly alliterate, and both alliterate with the verb “lack” ( chasar ) in 7:2b. Possibly there is another . . . . Continue Reading »

Ralph Smith sent me a copy of John Gross’ Commentary review of James Shapiro’s Contested Will: Who Wrote Shakespeare? Shapiro argues that the search for an alternative author to Will Shakespeare arises from the clash between the sublime poetic achievement and the humdrum, even rather . . . . Continue Reading »

Scott Fairbanks writes to note parallels between the trial of Jesus and the murder of Abel.  He says: Two brothers: Barabbas is the son of the father, while Jesus is the son of God. Each is an offering. One offering is willful, while the other is reluctant. Like Abel, Jesus says nothing, vs . . . . Continue Reading »

INTRODUCTION Modernity tells us that there is nothing wrong with the human race that a few adjustments can’t fix.  The Bible tells us that the world is deeply disordered.  At the center of human history is mangled, tortured and crucified body, the body of God.  While gospel . . . . Continue Reading »