Song of Songs
Our friends at The Lutheran Study Bible have put together a very good outline that we are presenting to you verbatim this week. What follows is an explanation of the outline. Because the Song of Songs seems to flash from one scene to the next, without any further preparation for the reader, you will do well to keep this outline with you as you read.
Look at the various scenes of the outline; then keep this copy right in your Bible as you read. This will give you the opportunity to examine the parts of the book in a more meaningful way.
Elements of the Outline:
The overall structure appears to consist of our themes arranged in sections in the following order. The letters a, b, c, and d below refer to the four themes, or stages, in the relationship:
a) the longing anticipation of courtship
b) the excitement and splendor of the wedding ceremony
c) the bliss of the couple’s marriage consummation
d) the infatuation and delight of married love
Within “d” above appear three other themes, expanding the topic of marriage
1) married search and courtship
2) married appreciation of beauty – these are descriptions in praise of beauty of the spouse, not unlike the premarriage descriptions of the beloved adorned in wedding attire for the marriage ceremony
3) married consummation anew: the married couple reunites in joyful bliss
Blessings for Readers
The Song of Solomon is not the first book people should study from the OT. Nor is it the chief book for establishing Christian doctrine. Nonetheless, it is essential reading for God's people because life is more than precepts. God created us beautiful and passionate. To celebrate these blessings is to celebrate our Creator and His passionate love for us. As you read the Song of Solomon, consider this: if earthly love and life are so wondrous and stirring, how much more wonderful will eternal love and life be?
Challenges for Readers
· Difficult Poetry -- The Song of Solomon is a complex work of art written in a style different from modern English poetry. Therefore, readers must carefully wok through the text, keeping in mind its structure and style. (The outline given above should help a lot.)
· Sensuality -- Modest readers may wonder how this book could be included in the Holy Bible. Some interpreters hunt for explicit sexual content in every detail of the poem's imagery. A balanced approach is required for understanding and applying the poem's teachings. Solomon described the passions of love honestly and joyfully; these passions are blessed by God in the context of holywedlock.
· Canonicity -- As noted, some have wondered how the Song of Solomon was included in the Bible, given its sensual character. According to Jewish historians, some rabbis raised this issue at the Jewish Council of Jamnia (ca. AD 100). However, the rabbis retained the book as sacred Scripture. Christians accepted the book unquestioningly; this attitude prevailed until modern criticism. The Song of Solomon, interpreted as a depiction of Christ and the Church, was one of the most commonly taught books of Scripture during the ancient and medieval eras. Rightly interpreted and applied, the Song of Solomon celebrates one of the most important aspects of human life: marital love, from which human life springs anew. This important theme is deeply rooted in scriptural faith (see Genesis 1:27-28; 2:18-25; Psalm 127 and 128).
In Ten Words or Less:
Married love becomes a picture
of God’s love.