First question: What are your feelings about coming to the Song of Solomon? Second (related) question: What is a book so unapologetically all about sex doing in the Bible?
From the beginning of the Christian era, the Song of Solomon has been read as an allegory of Christ and the church and is commonly read this way still today.
Read More sex, pleasure, feelingsSomeone has said of this book that “We don’t blush at things we should, and we blush at things we shouldn’t.”
It struck me as I was thinking about this book how little we know of unadulterated pleasure. The world and all that God created is good, yet we have corrupted everything with sin, especially sex. We are surrounded with portrayals of sex defiled.
Read More enjoyment, self-control, food, sex, drinkSomeone has said of this book that “We don’t blush at things we should, and we blush at things we shouldn’t.”
It struck me as I was thinking about this book how little we know of unadulterated pleasure. The world and all that God created is good, yet we have corrupted everything with sin, especially sex. We are surrounded with portrayals of sex defiled.
Read More self-control, drink, enjoyment, food, sexThe titles in the CEV (and ESV), e.g. “the Groom and the Wedding Party” before 3:6, “What a Beautiful Bride” (4:1) and “The Wedding Dance” (7:1) have been added by the translators. There is no particular reason to read this section as a wedding, though many people do understand it this way. Incidentally the headings “He speaks,” “She speaks,” “Their friends speak” have also been added and these headings are helpful.
Read More metaphor, wine, loveOne of the main themes of the Song is longing. Even in real life, even when our love is reciprocated, we can have a sense that there is still something missing. We can never fully know another person. There is still a sense of unfulfillment.
Similarly, longing is an essential aspect of our faith.
Read More yearning, hope“Finally, my friends, keep your minds on whatever is true, pure, right, holy, friendly, and proper. Don’t ever stop thinking about what is truly worthwhile and worthy of praise” (Philippians 4:8). It is difficult to think of the apostle Paul reading the Song of Songs, and perhaps that is an indication of how little we understand Paul. Surely Paul has something more than theology in mind here.
Read More love, joy, hope