The comparison of love with death, and zeal with Sheol, the realm of the dead, may at first glance seem somewhat strange. Indeed, love is usually associated not with death, but with life, and in all its fullness. Relating zeal to Sheol may seem...
The comparison of love with death, and zeal with Sheol, the realm of the dead, may at first glance seem somewhat strange. Indeed, love is usually associated not with death, but with life, and in all its fullness. Relating zeal to Sheol may seem more logical: where there is jealousy, one can expect anything, including what may end in death.
However, the corresponding Hebrew word implies zeal not in the modern sense of the word, an almost exclusively negative sense, but in the sense in which it was used in ancient times, meaning striving or ardor for that toward which a person has zeal. Even in Pushkin's time, the Russian word for "to be zealous" meant "to strive," and the corresponding Hebrew word means primarily just that.
So love and zeal are comparable to death and to Sheol. Why is this so? The question remains unanswered if we forget that in the Bible all spiritual concepts are considered as ultimate concepts, brought to their logical completion and fullness. Therefore both love and death must be taken in their fullness, brought to the limit to which they can go. And if so, one must speak of the love of the Kingdom and of eternal destruction.
It would seem that we are speaking of human love, of the love of a man for a woman and a woman for a man. Yet the love spoken of in the biblical books is one; it is not divided, as theologians sometimes try to divide it, into "earthly" and "heavenly." Just as the world is not split into a "higher," spiritual world and a "lower," natural one. And in the Bible, the human being too is an exceptionally whole creature; dividedness in all its existing forms became characteristic of him after the fall.
The apostle Paul does not accidentally liken the relationship of spouses to the relationship of Christ with the Church, just as earlier the great prophets likened to it God's relationship with His people: every love, if it is real and complete, belongs to the Kingdom. In the fallen world every such love exists contrary to the laws of this fallen world, which always seeks to kill it.
At first the powers of this world usually try to deprive love of its true spiritual content, to make it part of this world, to humiliate and vulgarize it. If this fails, the fallen world tries to destroy love together with its bearers. This is not surprising: the fallen world is calmer without the love of the Kingdom. Of the two powers, love and death, the fallen world chooses death. But at the end of time the Kingdom nevertheless triumphs in the world, and therefore love, which drives out death, triumphs.
6 An enquiry after Christ, Sol 6:1.
The churches answer, Sol 6:2.
The church confesses her faith in Christ, Sol 6:3.
Christ shews the graces of his church, Sol 6:4.
And the beauty of her several parts, Sol 6:5-10.
He acquaints her where he had been, and what he had been doing, Sol 6:11.
And discovers his affection to her, Sol 6:12.
With an invitation of her to return to him again, Sol 6:13.
6:13 Return - Christ recalls his spouse, who as when Christ was gone, she pursued after him, so now when Christ was coming to her, she was ready to wander from him. Return - This word is repeated four times, to signify both Christ's passionate love to her, and her backwardness.Shulamite - This title signifies, the wife of Solomon, thus called after her husband's name, and as Christ is called by the name of Solomon, so the church is fitly described by the title of Solomon's wife. May look - That I and my companions may contemplate thy beauty.What - But what do you my friends expect to discover in her? Christ proposes the question, that they might take special notice of this as a very remarkable thing in her. The company - Whereby he intimates that this one spouse was made up of the whole multitude of believers.Two armies - Confederate together, and so this may signify the union of Jews and Gentiles, and the safety and strength of the church, which is compared to a numerous host, distributed into two armies.
7 A farther description of the church's his graces, Sol 7:1-7.
His design to visit the church, with the blessed effect thereof, Sol 7:8-9.
She professes her faith, and desire, Sol 7:10.
She invites him to communion with her, Sol 7:11.
The end thereof, Sol 7:12-13.
7:1 Shoes - Were anciently evidences of a free and comfortable state, whereas slaves and mourners used to go bare - foot.
7:4 Like fishpools - Full, and clear, and quiet, and pleasant.Heshbon - A pleasant and well watered city, beyond Jordan.The tower - Which was in all probability built by Solomon in the mountain of Lebanon, the northern border of the land of Israel towards Damascus; and therefore a very fit place for a watch - tower.Which looketh - There was another tower or building in or near Jerusalem, which was called the house of the forest of Lebanon, Ki1 7:2.
7:5 Carmel - Eminent and pleasant to the eye, and fruitful as mount Carmel was. Which may denote that her mind was replenished with knowledge, and other excellent gifts of the Holy Ghost. Purple - Which colour was anciently much esteemed. Is held - In which he walks, and having once espied thee, is unable to take off his eyes from thee.
7:6 Delights - For those various lovely features which, are in thee.
7:7 Palm - tree - Tall and strait, or upright. And he seems to mention the palm - tree, rather than any other, because it is constantly green and flourishing, and grows upward in spite of all pressures.
7:8 I said - Within myself, I resolved. I will - Climb up, that so I may take hold of the boughs, which do not grow out of the sides, as in other trees, but only at the top of it. Take hold - Partly to prune and dress them, and partly to gather the fruit. The smell - Of thy breath; which is often called the breath of a man's nostrils.
7:9 Thy mouth - Thy speech, the palate being one of the principal instruments of speech. Wine - Grateful and refreshing for thee my beloved, who reapest the comfort and benefit of that pleasure which I take in thee. Causing - The most dull, and stupid, and sleepy persons to speak.
7:10 I am - This and the following verses contain the words of the bride, in answer to the bridegroom's endearing expressions delivered in the foregoing verses.
7:11 Go forth - That being retired from the crowd, we may more freely and sweetly converse together.
7:12 Early - The church having lost her beloved by her former laziness, now doubles her diligence. Vineyards - To particular congregations.Let us see - Let us inquire into the success of our labours, what souls are brought in and built up, and how they prosper and grow in grace.There - There I will discover the fervency of my affections to thee, and maintain communion with thee in thy holy ordinances.
7:13 Mandrakes - This Hebrew word is used Gen 30:14-15, and the signification of it is very much doubted and disputed by interpreters.The word here signifies sweet and pleasant flowers, and therefore if it be understood of mandrakes, they were of another sort than ours, as flowers of the same kind in several climates have very different natures and qualities.At our gates - Brought thither by divers persons to congratulate our nuptials. All fruits - Fruits of this year and of the former. Which seems to be meant of the various fruits and operations of the Spirit, and degrees of grace in several believers.
8 The church expresses her desire of familiarity with Christ, Sol 8:1.
By the entertainment she would make him, Sol 8:2-3.
She charges the daughters of Jerusalem not to disturb her beloved, Sol 8:4.
A commendation of the church for her faith in Christ, Sol 8:5.
She prays for full assurance of his love, her invincible desire, Sol 8:6.
Which is insatiable, Sol 8:7.
The calling of the Gentiles with their intent, and her condition, Sol 8:8-13.
Christ's coming prayed for, Sol 8:14.
8:1 O that - The church here expresses her desire of a stricter union, and closer communion with Christ. Without - In the open streets.
8:2 Instruct me - Or, where she did instruct or educate me.I would - My gifts and graces should all be employed to serve and glorify thee.
8:5 Who - This and the next clause are the words of the bridegroom, who proposes the question, that he may give the answer following.Her beloved - He speaks of himself in the third person, which is usual in the Hebrew language. I raised - When thou wast dead in trespasses and in the depth of misery. Under - Under my own shadow; for she had compared him to an apple tree, and declared, that under the shadow of the tree she had both delight and fruit, chap.Sol 2:3, which is the same thing with this raising up. There - Under that tree, either the universal or the primitive church, did conceive and bring thee forth.
8:6 Set me - These are undoubtedly the words of the bride. Let thy heart be constantly set upon me. He seems to allude to the engraven tablets which are frequently worn upon the breast, and to the signet on a man's arm or hand, which they prized at a more than ordinary rate, and which are continually in their sight. For love - My love to thee.Jealousy - Or, zeal; my ardent love to thee. Cruel - Heb. hard, grievous and terrible, and sometimes ready to overwhelm me; therefore have pity upon me, and do not leave me. Fire - It burns and melts my heart like fire.
8:7 Many waters - My love to thee cannot be taken off, either by terrors and afflictions, which are commonly signified in scripture by waters and floods; or by temptations and allurements.Therefore, give me thyself, without whom, and in comparison of whom, I despise all other persons and things.
8:8 We - These are still the words of the bride. The present church, which was that of the Jews, speaks of a future church, which was to consist of the Gentiles, which she calls little, because she was the younger sister, and then scarce had a being; and she calls her sister to intimate that the Gentile - church should be admitted to the same privileges with the Jews. She hath - No grown and full breasts, as virgin have when they are ripe for marriage, Eze 16:7. This signifies the present state of the Gentiles, which as yet were not grown up, and wanted the milk or food of life, as for itself, so also for its members.When spoken for - In order to her marriage. How shall we supply that defect?
8:9 If - This seems to be Christ's answer to the foregoing question of the Jewish church. Christ engages himself to provide for her, as suits best with her condition. If the Gentiles when they are converted shall be like a wall, strong and firm in faith; We, my Father, and I, and the Holy Ghost, as the principal builders, and my ministers as workers with, and under us, will build upon her a palace of silver, will add more strength and beauty to her, will enlarge and adorn her; and if she be as a door, which is weaker than a wall; if she be weak in faith, yet we will not therefore reject her, but we will inclose or (as many others render the word) strengthen or fortify her with boards of cedar, which are not only beautiful, but also strong and durable.
8:10 I am - These seem to be the words of the Jewish church. O Lord, by thy grace I am what thou wouldst have my sister to be, and therefore humbly hope, according to thy promise to her in that case, thou wilt build upon me a palace of silver. Towers - Which stand out from and above the wall, and are an ornament and defence to it. Then - When by his grace I was made a wall, he was well - pleased with me, and with his own workmanship in me.
8:11 Baal - hamon - A place not far from Jerusalem.A thousand - Whereby he signifies both the vast extent of the vineyard which required so many keepers, and its singular fertility.
8:12 My vineyard - My church, which is here opposed to Solomon's vineyard. Possibly we may ascribe the first clause to Christ, and the latter to the spouse: such interlocutions being familiar in this book.Mine - This repetition is very emphatical, to shew that Christ had a more eminent title to his vineyard, the church, than Solomon had to his vineyard, because it was purchased not by his money, but by his blood.Before me - Is under my own eye and care. Thou - These words are the church's return to Christ, who is here called Solomon, as he was Sol 3:9, Sol 3:11, as elsewhere he is called David. Dost thou, O Christ, keep thine own vineyard, which Solomon did not? Then surely it is meet that thou shouldst receive as large a revenue from thy vineyard, as he did from his.Two hundred - Though the chief revenue is justly given to thee, yet thy ministers, who serve thee in thy vineyard, are allowed by thee to receive some encouragement for their service.
8:13 Thou - Christ speaks here to his spouse. The gardens - Not in the wilderness of the world, but in the church, the garden of God.He saith, gardens, because of the many particular congregations, into which the church is divided. Companions - The friends of the bride and bridegroom. Hearken - Diligently observe all thy words towards me.Cause me - When I am gone from thee, let me hear thy prayers, and praises, and the preaching of my gospel in the world.
8:14 Make haste - Seeing we must part for a time, make haste, O my beloved bridegroom, and speedily finish the work which thou hast to do in the world, that so thou mayest take me to thyself, that I may live in thine everlasting embraces.