18. The Song Of Solomon

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18. THE SONG OF SOLOMON

(The Song of Songs) (Canticles)

I. OUTLINE

1. Songs of the Bride. 1:2-8.

2. Dialogue-Bride and Groom. 1:9-2:7.

3. Reminiscences of Bride. 2:8-3:5.

4. Procession of Bridegroom. 3:6-11.

5. Songs of the Lover. 4:1-5:1.

6. Lost Bridegroom. 5:2-6:3.

7. Beauty of Bride. 6:4-7:9.

8. Songs of Bride. 7:10-8:4.

9. Love Lyrics. 8:5-14.

II. AUTHORSHIP

1. There was no single author. The book is an anthology of love songs.

2. The abundant repetitions show that the book is a compilation.

3. It is folk poetry-simple and naive.

4. The collection of songs probably extended over several hundred years. The book was probably put together in the third century B.C., possibly earlier.

III. PLACE IN THE CANON

1. It Is called "Song of Songs," as we speak of "Lord of Lords."

2. In the earlier times the book was titled "Canticles."

3. There were many objections to the inclusion of this book in the canon. It probably gained such recognition because Solomon was supposed to be the author.

4. It became Scripture notwithstanding that the name of God does not appear.

5. Its mystic and allegorical interpretations led to its acceptance into the Scripture canon.

IV. PECULIAR FEATURES

1. It is lyric poetry-of exquisite beauty and sensuous symbols.

2. It is monologue-practically no dialogue. But it is not drama.

3. It is shot through with repetitions.

4. Our modern term of "love sickness" is derived from this book.

5. It is wholly lacking in "structure."

6. It is manifestly folk poetry.

7. The imagery is extravagant; the metaphors are overbold and sensuous.

8. The geography ranges from the northern kingdom through Judea and even to Trans-Jordan.

9. The range is far wider than just the Hebrew people.

10. The Song has a vocabulary all its own-scores of words not found elsewhere in the Bible.

11. There is evidence of both Egyptian and Syrian love poetry.

12. Some features may have been derived from the earlier fertility cults.

V. INTERPRETATIONS

1. Allegorical. That the groom was Yahweh and the bride, Israel, the "chosen people," was the early concept of the book.

2. It is the allegorical interpretation that helped Christians to accept the book-the idea that Christ is the bridegroom and the church the bride.

3. There has been a tendency for Roman Catholics to identify the bride with the Virgin Mary.

4. Martin Luther thought the bride was a symbol of the state.

5. Dramatic Interpretation. This idea never gained much acceptance.

6. Wedding Ceremony. Again this concept never gained wide belief.

7. Secular Love Song Interpretation. This is the modern view of the book. Today scholars take the book for just what it appears to be.

8. The Liturgical Interpretation. There may be some validity to this idea. At least this might be considered along with the fact of its being a secular collection of folk love lyrics.

VI. SELECTED TEXTS

1. Flowers of love. "I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys." 2:1.

2. Little foxes. "Catch us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vineyards." 2:15.

3. Formidable affection. "'Who is this that looks forth like the dawn, fair as the moon, bright as the sun, terrible as an army with banners?'" 6:10.

4. Unquenchable love. "Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it." 8:7.