Handout 21
A. The Title & Author of the Book:
The title of this book is commonly given as either the “Song of Solomon,” or, “Song of Songs.”
The title comes from the first verse of the book. Translated tightly from the Hebrew, the first verse reads, “The Song of Songs, which [is] of Solomon.” So either form of the title makes sense.
The professor mildly prefers “Song of Songs” because, in the end …
B. The Main Interpretive Question re: Song of Songs (SOS):
The main interpretive question is:
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Is SOS to be interpreted essentially literally = according to the natural sense of the words, in which case it is about … .
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Or, is it allegorical or metaphorical, in which case it is about … .
Two Observations:
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Even one takes SOS essentially literally = at the natural sense of the words, …
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This is important! → Even if(!) SOS was not intended to be taken literally, nonetheless, …
C. The Dominant View of the Church Down through History –
The dominant approach of the church down through history is to read SOS as …
D. Why Your Prof Thinks SOS Should be Understand Essentially Literally:
There are two problems with the allegorical / metaphorical interpretation of SOS.
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It does not do justice to the fact that …
In H/O #17 (“Introduction to the Wisdom Books”), we noted an important feature of OT wisdom books, namely → that they reflect on the realities of everyday life, and give us wisdom for living.
If we bear that in mind, then it is likely that SOS is addressing … .
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The second problem is this: a thoroughly allegorical / metaphorical reading of SOS …
E. The High Point of the Book :
It makes sense that one function of SOS is to highlight the ideal of an intense romantic love between one man and one woman, between a husband and his bride. That is why more than one interpreter of SOS believes that 8:6-7 are the high-point of the book:
6 Set me like a seal over your heart, like a seal over your arm; for love is as strong as death, its passion is as unyielding as the grave. It burns like a blazing fire, like a mighty flame.
7 Many waters cannot extinguish love; rivers cannot sweep it away. If a man were to offer all his wealth to buy love, it would be utterly scorned.
Solomon had enormous wealth. But the message of these two verses is that, even for Solomon, his money would not be able to buy him love. True romantic emotional love is given freely.
F. Main Conclusions about the Message of Song of Songs:
Genuine emotional love and physical intimacy between husband and wife is viewed by the Song of Songs, and by the rest of Scripture, as a good thing. (See also Proverbs ch. 5.)
In the context of a marriage, physical intimacy between a husband and wife …
That is an essential message of the Song of Songs.