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COLLECTIONS
Commentaries, Word
Studies, Devotionals, Sermons, Illustrations
Old and New Testament. |
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SONG OF SOLOMON 4
COMMENTARY NOTES |
This is a work in progress - please use "as is"
or as they say in business "Caveat Emptor"! |
Solomon...
Song 4:1 "How beautiful you are, my darling, How
beautiful you are! Your eyes are like doves behind your veil; Your hair is
like a flock of goats That have descended from Mount Gilead.
2 "Your teeth are like a flock of newly shorn ewes
Which have come up from their washing, All of which bear twins, And not one
among them has lost her young.
3 "Your lips are like a scarlet thread, And your
mouth is lovely. Your temples are like a slice of a pomegranate Behind your
veil.
4 "Your neck is like the tower of David Built with
rows of stones, On which are hung a thousand shields, All the round shields
of the mighty men.
5 "Your two breasts are like two fawns, Twins of a
gazelle, Which feed among the lilies. |
| Your
hair is like a flock of goats - In modern times, this comparison might
be deemed quite unflattering, but the context argues for exactly the
opposite interpretation. Once again the student who is diligently seeking to
rightly divide the Word of Truth reaffirms the critical importance of
consideration of the context in interpretation of the Bible.
Roy Zuck comments that in
interpreting figures of speech, we need to first determine if the passage is
indeed a figure of speech; i.e., sometimes a figure of speech is not
recognized as such which can lead to significant misinterpretation. For
example in 2 Timothy 2 Paul is not giving instructions to soldiers, athletes
or farmers (see notes
2 Timothy 2:3;
2:4;
2:5;
2:6;
2:7;
2:8) but is using
these figures of speech to encourage his disciple Timothy. The student needs
to determine the image or picture and what that picture is referring to.
Finally, the student needs to determine what is the point of the comparison.
For example, Isaiah 53:6 says "All of us like sheep have gone astray." In
this passage, the image or picture is the sheep and "all of us" (all humans)
is those to whom the image is referring and the point of the comparison is
that all humanity is spiritually wayward! Zuck goes on to point out that...
The points of comparison are not
always immediately evident in similes or metaphors. When Solomon wrote that
the hair of his bride was "like a flock of goats descending from Mount
Gilead" (Song 4:1), the meaning of that compliment may not be
immediately transparent to Westerners. In fact it does not sound at all like
a compliment! Goats in Palestine had dark hair, and when seen from a
distance in the sunset as goats were descending from a mountain, they were a
beautiful scene. Similarly Solomon's bride's black hair was considered
beautiful.
The similes in the Song of Songs require
careful attention to determine what point of similarity would have been
understood by people in the Middle East in Bible times.
If the point of similarity is not
stated, the Bible student needs to be careful he does not assume the wrong
similarity. The same holds
true in the English statement, "John eats like a pig." Some point of
similarity is intended by that sentence between a pig and John. However,
does the statement mean that like a pig he eats too much, or eats fast, or
eats sloppily? Either an explicit statement giving the point of similarity
or an implicit statement found in the context is needed for the interpreter
to be sure of the precise meaning. (Roy
B. Zuck, Basic Bible Interpretation. Colorado Springs, CO: Cook
Communications, 1991 - THIS BOOK IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. It is
authoritative, complete and well written so that the layman can easily
understand the particulars of Biblical Hermeneutics or the "science" of
interpretation as it relates to Scripture)
(Bolding and color added)
Song of
Solomon 4:1-5
Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting. - Proverbs 31:30
TODAY IN THE WORD - In a Christianity
Today article entitled, “Is Beauty the Beast?” author Karen Lee-Thorf notes
that many Christians are uncomfortable with beauty and adornment because
they believe such things lead to pride and division. “I am sure many of the
people I know who are doing that are motivated by humility,” she writes. “I,
however, have found that rejecting beauty can be as serious a sin as
worshipping it.”
It has been said that “beauty is only
skin deep.” It does, however, play an important role in human love. In his
song the groom repeatedly praises the physical beauty of the beloved.
Although the images he uses to describe her may seem strange, and perhaps
even humorous, to us today, he praises the beauty of her eyes, face, form,
and cascading hair.
The bride has taken steps to adorn herself. The reference to her scarlet
lips suggests she used the Old Testament equivalent of makeup. However, she
does not put herself on display. Instead, she wears a veil, a symbol of
modesty in that day.
Physical beauty is a gift from God, but as we have seen, it cannot compare
with the beauty of godly character. Physical beauty, the writer of Proverbs
warns, is fleeting. It cannot last, and it may be deceptive. The fact that
one has an attractive physique does not necessarily mean that the
personality is also attractive. The presence of beauty is also no guarantee
of virtue. Scripture warns that a beautiful woman who lacks discretion is
like a gold ring in a pig’s snout (Prov. 11:22).
Karen Lee-Thorf’s warning is important. Physical beauty is a gift from God
worthy of celebration. There is no spiritual virtue in taking steps to
detract from our appearance. We should not reject physical beauty. But
neither should we trust in it.
Some people practice a daily “beauty regimen” that includes diet, exercise,
and steps to make their outward appearance more attractive. The same can be
true on a spiritual level.
Tim Jackson alludes to the Song
of Solomon in his column "Answers to Tough Questions", specifically in his
discussion of the question is "What's the purpose of sex?"...
In the Song of Solomon, the husband's
description of his bride's body (Song of Solomon 4:1-15) and her description
of his (Song 5:10-16) reveals the joy of love and sexual intimacy that God
extols for a married couple. While sexual intimacy between a couple is not
to be observed by anyone outside of the relationship, God, the One who sees
and knows all, must smile with delight when He sees two of His children
enjoying the good gift of sex He has given to them. (What's
the purpose of sex - Answers to Tough Questions) |
Solomon...
Song 4:6 "Until the cool of the day When the shadows
flee away, I will go my way to the mountain of myrrh And to the hill of
frankincense.
7 "You are altogether beautiful, my darling, And
there is no blemish in you. |
Song of
Solomon 4:6-7
TODAY IN THE WORD - A popular bumper sticker from a few years ago read,
“Christians aren’t perfect, just forgiven.” Its point is well taken. Those
who know Christ share many of the same weaknesses and failings as
unbelievers. But this slogan is not entirely accurate.
In today’s reading Solomon summarizes
his impression of the bride by declaring that there is no blemish in her. In
human relationships, we can conclude this only by looking at another person
through the eyes of love. For Christ’s bride, however, perfection is both a
gift and responsibility.
When it comes to our standing before God, there is a sense in which
Christians are already perfect. Those who know Jesus as Savior have been
reconciled to God through the death of Christ. God sees them through the
lens of Christ’s perfections. As a result, they will be presented to Him
“without blemish and free from accusation” (Col. 1:21). According to the
writer of Hebrews, “By one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who
are being made holy” (Heb. 10:14).
As far as the believer’s practice is concerned, there is still room for
improvement. The apostle Paul’s goal in ministry was to present believers to
Christ as “a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish”
(Eph. 5:27). Similarly, Christians are commanded to “aim for perfection” in
the way that they live (2 Cor. 13:11).
What, then, are the disciplines that lead to perfection? One of the most
important is the discipline of studying God’s Word. The apostle Paul wrote
that one of his chief aims in preaching God’s Word was to “present everyone
perfect in Christ” (Col. 1:28). The one who studies the Bible will be
“thoroughly equipped” (kjv: “perfect”) for every good work (2 Tim. 3:17).
Use a concordance or Bible study software and do a search on the word
perfect. In what sense can perfection be described as a goal in the
Christian life? When can we expect it to be a state of being?
|
Solomon...
Song 4:8 "Come with me from Lebanon, my bride, May
you come with me from Lebanon. Journey down from the summit of Amana, From
the summit of Senir and Hermon, From the dens of lions, From the mountains
of leopards.
9 "You have made my heart beat faster, my sister,
my bride; You have made my heart beat faster with a single glance of your
eyes, With a single strand of your necklace. |
| TODAY IN
THE WORD - Many of the most popular songs throughout history have described
the thrills and frustrations of romance. Common themes include loving
someone who apparently loves someone else, feeling unsure of someone else’s
romantic feelings, and the roller-coaster ride of falling in and out of
love. What usually passes for
love in today’s world, however, is often only self-gratification. This kind
of “love” is primarily a matter of physical attraction. When the initial
thrill of desire fades, so does the love of the one who experienced it. The
groom’s love for his bride was markedly different.
It did include physical attraction. The groom praised his bride’s beauty and
said that she had stolen his heart with one glance of her eyes. But his love
was not selfish. Instead, it was characterized by a desire for the bride’s
well-being. He pleaded with her to come away from the lions’ dens and the
haunt of the leopards to a place of safety and intimacy.
An abiding concern for the other person and an atmosphere of intimacy are
the primary ingredients in a healthy love relationship. They are also
interrelated. A genuine concern for the other provides the kind of
environment that in turn allows those who love one another the freedom to be
intimate.
The rewards of biblical love come to those who give of themselves on behalf
of those they love. As scholar and author Miraslov Volf has observed, there
is more to marital love than eros: “It has to do with how you treat each
other when dishes need to be washed or garbage taken out, when
misunderstandings arise and when one has transgressed against the other.
Love is not the desire to be united with the other, but action on behalf of
the other, and constancy in pursuit of his or her well-being.”
Author Rainer Maria Rilke has written that “Love . . . consists in this,
that two solitudes protect and border and salute each other.” Human love is
never completely devoid of self interest. However, the more we can nurture,
protect, and respect the other, the greater the likelihood that our own
desires will be satisfied.
|
Solomon...
Song 4:10 "How beautiful is your love, my
sister, my bride! How much better is your love than wine, And the fragrance
of your oils Than all kinds of spices!
11 "Your lips, my bride, drip honey; Honey and
milk are under your tongue, And the fragrance of your garments is like the
fragrance of Lebanon. |
| TODAY IN
THE WORD - While on an expedition to Palestine, Mark Twain met a young man
named Charles Langdon from Elmira, New York. After the trip Twain visited
Langdon at his home and fell in love with his sister Livy. When Langdon
discovered this, he suggested that Twain leave immediately. Nobody was good
enough to marry his sister. As they were about to depart, however, Twain was
thrown from the seat of the wagon into the street. Although he was only
dazed by the accident, Twain made the most of the opportunity. He remained
with the Langdons for two more weeks and eventually married Livy.
Love, too, can make a person feel dazed.
It is possible to be so overcome with love that the effect is like
drunkenness. In our reading today, the groom says that the bride’s love is
more pleasing than wine. Elsewhere we read a description of the intoxicating
effects of love (Prov. 5:19). This is a blessing, but it can also be a
danger. Like the effects of wine, this rush of passion can lead to impaired
judgment.
Sadly, later in life Solomon became a victim of this. We read in 1 Kings
11:1–2, Solomon “loved many foreign women besides Pharaoh’s
daughter–Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians and Hittites. They were
from nations about which the Lord had told the Israelites, 'You must not
intermarry with them, because they will surely turn your hearts after their
gods.’ Nevertheless, Solomon held fast to them in love.”
Scripture’s warning proved true. Solomon’s affection for his seven hundred
wives and three hundred concubines prompted him to engage in false worship.
“As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his
heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his
father had been” (1Kings 11:4).
Few people begin their marriage believing that they will eventually commit
adultery. But misplaced affections can impair our judgment. The path to
infidelity is a subtle one. It often begins with chaste friendship
accompanied by a strong sense of attraction. As affections grow, the people
involved grow more and more careless in their behavior.
|
Solomon...
Song 4:12 "A garden locked is my sister, my bride,
A rock garden locked, a spring sealed up.
13 "Your shoots are an orchard of pomegranates
With choice fruits, henna with nard plants,
14 Nard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon, With
all the trees of frankincense, Myrrh and aloes, along with all the finest
spices.
15 "You are a garden spring, A well of fresh
water, And streams flowing from Lebanon."
Shulammite...
16 "Awake, O north wind, And come, wind of the
south; Make my garden breathe out fragrance, Let its spices be wafted
abroad. May my beloved come into his garden And eat its choice fruits!" |
| A
garden locked... Tremper
Longman writes in fact that...
the Song must be read in the context of
the garden of Eden, where human sexuality is first introduced. The
pervasive garden theme in the Song evokes memories of the garden
before the fall. Since Adam had no suitable partner, God created Eve, and
the man and the woman stood naked in the garden and felt no shame (Ge
2:25), exulting in one another's "flesh" (Gen 2:23-24). (Song
of Solomon, Theology of - Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical
Theology)
TODAY
IN THE WORD - Despite evidence that indicates they are effective,
abstinence programs continue to be a controversial approach to sex education
in many public schools. Most abstinence programs do not use the Bible to
convince young people not to have sex before marriage, but their strategy is
based upon the old-fashioned biblical value of chastity.
Usually supporters argue that they do
a better job of protecting young people from unwanted pregnancies and
sexually transmitted diseases. One program in Tennessee, for example, was
credited with helping the county drop its state ranking in teen pregnancies
from first to sixty-fourth, accomplished in three years.
In today’s reading, we find another important benefit to chastity. It not
only protects from disease and unwanted pregnancy, it also enhances the
beauty of sex in marriage.
The groom praises the chaste character of his bride by describing her as a
“garden locked up,” a “spring enclosed” and a “sealed fountain.” The
practice of abstinence did not make her seem like a prude, but rather like a
beautiful private garden. Old Testament commentator Franz Delitzsch notes,
“To a locked garden and spring no one has access but the rightful owner, and
a sealed fountain is shut against all impurity.”
The practice of chastity is not rooted in a hatred of sex but an
understanding of its true value. The chaste person recognizes the beauty of
moral purity. Abstinence did not make the bride less attractive to Solomon,
it increased his longing for her. Moral purity enhances one’s enjoyment of
sex.
Chastity is a relevant issue for single and married alike. Both have an
obligation to control their own bodies that today’s verse describes as “in a
way that is holy and honorable” (1 Thess. 4:4). For the single person this
means abstaining from sexual activity until marriage. For the married person
it means keeping the gate to this garden of secret delights locked to all
but one’s spouse. Hebrews 13:4 warns, “Marriage should be honored by all,
and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the
sexually immoral.” |
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