The lover’s eyes are doves, just like his beloved’s (Song of Songs 5:12). John’s description of Jesus in Revelation 1 draws on the model of the Song, with variations. In John’s blason of Jesus, though, the eyes of Jesus are like flames of fire not doves. Though . . . . Continue Reading »
LaCocque is irritating. He finds striking parallels between the Song and other biblical texts, but consistently says that the Song is undermining, subverting, reversing the other texts. Very few of these reversals begin to resemble actual reversals. Lamentations 4:1-8, for example, . . . . Continue Reading »
Jenson is right: One can hardly read Song of Songs 5:2 without thinking of Revelation 3:20 (or, at least, of cheesy paintings inspired by Revelation 3:20). What does Jesus want? In Revelation, Jesus stands at the door seeking entry, calling to those inside to open He can enter to enjoy . . . . Continue Reading »
In his Romance, She Wrote: A Hermeneutical Essay on Song of Songs , Andre LaCocque suggests that the reference to the “mountain of myrrh and the hill of frankincense” in Song of Songs 4:6 are another references to the “feminine figure, especially as the maiden’s breasts have . . . . Continue Reading »
Israel’s sins are like scarlet, but they shall be like wool, Isaiah says. Scarlet? What’s wrong with scarlet? Why not “black”? Though scarlet is a color in the tabernacle curtains (the word is used 25+ times in Exodus), Isaiah seems to be referring to the . . . . Continue Reading »
Why does Jesus get angry when there is no fruit on the fig tree? The Song of Songs, along with Isaiah 5, is in the background. Israel is the vineyard-garden of Yahweh, which also means Israel is Yahweh’s bride. When He comes seeking fruit, it is not only . . . . 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 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 »
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