Is the song of Songs About intercourse or Jesus?

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Solomon's music of Songs has been celebrated as the most excellent of affection songs ever written. And yet it's notoriously complicated to bear in mind. Commentators during the centuries have disagreed over several fundamental questions of interpretation: is that this a single poem with a coherent plot, or an anthology of assorted, unbiased love poems? how many main characters are there? what is Solomon's function within the music? a very big query for Christian readers is: how can we relate this tune to Christ?

historically, most Christian and Jewish interpreters liked an ​allegorical ​strategy to the music, seeing the textual content as symbolically pointing to a deeper, non secular truth. for many Jewish readers, the music's lover and cherished were understood to signify God and his covenant individuals, Israel. And from at least the time of Origen of Alexandria in the third century, most Christian readers understood the music as symbolizing Christ's relationship either to the individual soul or to the church corporately.

With few exceptions, the allegorical strategy prevailed unless the 19th century. With the upward thrust of up to date scholarship got here a renewed emphasis on the literal ​meaning of the text, along with a suspicion toward allegorical readings. due to this fact, many commentators nowadays see the song as nothing greater than an expression of sexual love between a husband and wife. They frequently argue that an allegorical approach can't be justified by way of the text itself, and that such an strategy likely says greater concerning the prudishness of natural Christian readers when it involves the topic of intercourse.

but what if we don't ought to pit the usual and contemporary readings against every other? What if it's viable to take the song each ​as a occasion of marital intimacy ​and ​also as an allegory of Christ and the church? A growing variety of evangelicals nowadays, such as ​James Hamilton​ and Alastair Roberts​, have made the case that the tune itself in reality invites such an strategy.

marriage ceremony the Literal and Allegorical

here I'd like to offer three items of facts for wedding the literal analyzing with the allegorical studying.

1. Its region in a Christ-founded Canon

Christians recognize that the Bible, although written over the direction of many centuries by using a variety of human authors, is impressed through a single divine creator with a single overarching purpose. The Bible is fundamentally a story that facets us to Christ. Christ himself handled Scripture during this approach. as an instance, when speakme with the disciples on the street to Emmaus, Jesus claimed that the complete historic testomony facets to him (Luke 24:27; cf. John 5:46). considering that the song of Songs is part of the canon of Scripture, it's applicable for us to ask how this textual content elements to Christ.

we will also believe the ways that the song is certainly echoed in later New testament writings. whereas it's true that the brand new testament doesn't contain any direct quotations of the song (with the feasible disputed exception of John 7:38 quoting from song four:15), there are a number of allusions that strongly factor to the track's affect. for instance, one can compare the lover knocking on the door of his liked (song 5:2) with the phrases of Christ: "Behold, I stand on the door and knock" (Rev. three:20). The imagery of Christ as a "bridegroom" (Matt. 25:1–13; John three:29; cf. Rev. 19:6–9) additionally echoes the track. Some interpreters have likewise noted shut verbal connections between the lady's use of fragrant nard (music 1:12) and Mary's anointing Jesus with aromatic nard (John 12:1–three), and also between the woman looking for her liked (song three:1–5) and Mary Magdalene seeking Christ at the empty tomb (John 20:1–18).

If the brand new testament authors understood and utilized the topics of the music in a Christological path, then it's appropriate for us to do so as neatly.

If the new testomony authors understood and applied the topics of the music in a Christological direction, then it's right for us to do so as well.

2. Clues inside the music Itself

James Hamilton identifies three points of the music that aspect us to Christ: its surroundings, its plot, and its hero.

both areas that form the setting are a backyard and Jerusalem, the metropolis of David. This parallels the extensive storyline of Scripture, which begins in an uncultivated Eden and concludes in the new Jerusalem, showing humanity's trajectory as God intended. The song is also a multisensory booklet, crammed with spices and fruits that immerse the reader in an atmosphere redolent of Eden. in reality, says Hamilton, "The closest we get to being again to the backyard of Eden in the relaxation of the Bible is within the poetry of the music of Songs."

The plot of the tune follows the pursuit and consummation of the love between a husband and spouse, and yet their intimacy is fully uninterrupted by way of the shame and hostility brought by means of the fall.

The hero of the track is Solomon (or as a minimum an idealized edition of Solomon), the son of David, who represents the road wherein the advantages promised to Abraham (Gen. 12:1–three) would come to fruition and undo the curses of Genesis 3. All of these elements of the music sign a more advantageous achievement in Christ, the premiere Son of David, whose saving work overcomes sin and shame and restores us to loving fellowship with God.

3. mystery of Marriage Itself

perhaps the strongest argument for taking the tune allegorically is the symbolic nature of marriage itself. throughout Scripture, marriage is treated as a metaphor for God's relationship to his individuals. The prophet Hosea's personal marriage to faithless Gomer changed into meant to be a residing parable of God's dedication to faithless Israel (Hos. 1–2). Israel is in different places described as God's "beloved" (Jer. eleven:15; 12:7), with whom he enters into a wedding covenant (Ezek. 16:eight).

certainly significant are Paul's words in Ephesians 5, where he instructs better halves to submit to their husbands and husbands to love their better halves. He speaks of the one-flesh union described in Genesis 2:24 and writes, "This mystery is profound, and that i am saying that it refers to Christ and the church" (Eph. 5:32).

When a Christian husband faithfully fulfills his function to guide and love his wife, and when a Christian wife fulfills her position to honor and recognize her husband, it places the gospel on reveal in a method that no other human establishment can. hence, we're justified in announcing that the tune of Songs is an allegory of Christ and the church, as a result of ​marriage itself ​is designed as an allegory of Christ and the church.

We're justified in asserting that the tune of Songs is an allegory of Christ and the church as a result of ​marriage itself ​is designed as an allegory of Christ and the church.

enhanced Marriage manual

when we accept as true with the track's canonical context, its own textual clues, and the nature of marriage itself, we're on strong ground in applying this ebook to Christ and his bride, the church.

This in no way diminishes what the ebook has to claim in regards to the sexual love between a husband and a wife. If anything, the Christological reading ​enhances ​what it says about marriage, by using imbuing marriage with a value that goes past the physical pride that it provides.

The song of Songs serves as a beautiful reminder that a godly marriage displays the Lord's passionate love for his personal people.

Kyle Dillon (MDiv, Covenant Theological Seminary) serves as an assistant pastor at Riveroaks Reformed Presbyterian Church in Germantown, Tennessee. He teaches theology at Westminster Academy in Memphis, Tennessee. He blogs at Allkirk network.