Scripture Text (NRSV)
Song of Solomon 2:8-13
2:8 The voice of my beloved! Look, he comes, leaping upon the
mountains, bounding over the hills.
2:9 My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag. Look, there he
stands behind our wall, gazing in at the windows, looking through the
lattice.
2:10 My beloved speaks and says to me: "Arise, my love, my fair one,
and come away;
2:11 for now the winter is past, the rain is over and gone.
2:12 The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come,
and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.
2:13 The fig tree puts forth its figs, and the vines are in blossom;
they give forth fragrance. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.
Comments:
Though using language and images of a tender love story, the Song of
Solomon has long inspired the tradition of allegorical interpretation.
Jewish lore sees its meaning as a depiction of the love of the Lord
with the covenant people. Furthermore, Christian interpretation has
often seen this work as a depiction of the love of Christ and his
church.
The allegorical possibilities of this passage are intriguing. However,
I personally take a bit of a more literal view of the "Song". A
celebration of God's gift of sensual pleasure in the context of a
Godly Man/woman relationship is one that needs to be heard. Rarely
preached from the pulpit, but I'll try to go there this Sunday.
Working title is "You Mean That’s in the Bible?!?!?"
Rich in Bama
I hope we pastors take time to wrestle with this text. Rather than
skip over it, I think God may be speaking to us Re: "What is God
saying to us concerning our senses?" The church historically has done
some horrific things in society because we don't want to face this
part of our creative being. For me, this is the voice of an ordinary
person who recognizes the desires of her heart. It is real, and the
experience of all humanity. In recognizing desire, she is also in
touch with the beauty of the rest of creation.
Shalom bammamma
I plan to use this passage to preach on; see 2 things in it so far.
First the intimate relationship between God and humanity can exist,
but is blocked. Second, it is blocked by our fear of rejection, and
our notion that intimacy can only be romantic, between humans. When
God helps us remove these blocks, then we can enter into that love
affair which the mystics speak about, nuns marry into, and many
Christians long for.
Jeff in NY
Rich in Bama - Loooove the title!!1
Sally in GA
Help me out folks. I too want to preach this passage primarily because
it is so tempting just to pass it over. What I am most caught up in at
first glance is the poetic imagery. "The winter is past" "the rain is
gone," the beloved peeking through the fence, the gentle calling and
urging out. That is what strikes me I just haven't figured out where
to take it in terms of application without preaching "off the top of
the text." Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Chaplain Joe Caldwell Camp Zama, Japan
I discovered a great book about the song of songs called Equisite
Desire. I think we lose a huge part of ourselves when we try to take
away from the sexual meaning and try to make it only allegory.
FWIW- The mutual love of Christ and his church. (Verse 1-7.)
The hope and calling of the church. (Verse 8-13.)
Christ's care of the church, Her faith and hope. (Verse 14-17.)
SharinTX
Some years ago I was privileged to translate a beautiful contemporary
Chinese hymn into English. The English Title is "Winter Has Passed."
The author, Rev. Wang Weifang is a retired professor from Nanjing
Union Theological Seminary. The hymn has dual meaning: 1. The Biblical
message as revealed in Song; and 2. Rev. Wang's own struggles during
China's so-called "Cultural Revolution" which is now know as "The
Decade of Disaster."
The hymn is found in several contemporary hymnals. You can find it on
page 71 of the The Christian Conference of Asia's Sound the Bamboo.
The words are:
1. Winter has passed, the rain is o'er, earth is a-bloom, songs fill
the air. Linger no more, why must you wait? "Rise up my love, come
follow me."
Refrain: Jesus, my Lord, my love, my all, body and soul forever yours,
in dale so dark, I long for you, abide with me in spring anew.
2.O Lord, your face, I long to see, Your still small voice, reveal to
me. Your tender care, your joy so dear, "O precious dove, with me be
near."
3. O my beloved, I'll follow you, far from the rocks, the hills and
sea. Midst all the song and blossoms new, in your fir steps, I'll
follow you."
Although I'm a retired United Methodist missionary, I'm back at work
at pastor of a very small UMC on the island of Saipan. My working
title for this Sunday's sermon is: Three Kings - Three Dreams."
I'm looking at King Solomon; the Spanish King who brought destruction
to the Northern Mariana Islands through missionary priests; and MLK on
this 40th anniversary of his "I Have A Dream."
Rev. Ewing W. [Bud] Carroll, Jr.
The Scripture reads: "My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag.
Look, there he stands behind our wall, gazing in at the windows,
looking through the lattice."
I'm reminded of Romeo, who says
With love's light wings did I o'er-perch these walls; For stony limits
cannot hold love out, And what love can do that dares love attempt;
Therefore thy kinsmen are no let to me.
Both passages speak of a desperate longing to "o'er-perch" walls. I
believe Song of Solomon speaks of both: the longing of man for woman
(and vice-versa), and the longing of people for God. Adam and Eve
lived in a garden (ancient gardens were surrounded by walls), and got
evicted for their transgressions. Ever since, we have yearned to
o'er-perch the wall, and return to the garden, to our original, one
true love. That desire fills our hearts, and we can only satisfy that
desire through a relationship with God. Likewise, we desire a partner
for life, and only one person can truly satisfy that desire.
Just some musings from an old actor.
Will in NJ
The desire for true intimacy - whether it be for one another or for
God. The Song of Songs helps us get in touch with that powerful human
need. We know God, too, desires an intimate relationship with us. What
does that look like? Reverend KJ
Gerald May writes about Song of Solomon in The Awakened Heart: Living
beyond addiction. “If you have not already done so, read the beautiful
collection of love poems called the Song of Songs. It is no long, and
it is erotic enough to hold anyone’s interest. We never studied it in
the Sunday school at the little Midwestern Methodist church of my
childhood. It never appeared as scripture for the day. Not a single
sermon was preached about it. But we were in good company; a talmudic
tradition says there was great debate nearly two thousand years ago as
to whether the book should be included in the Jewish canon of
scripture, and some people were even ‘excluded from the resurrection’
for singing its verses at weddings. “The poetry probably originated as
love songs in Palestine in the fifth or fourth century B.C. Some say
it is an allegory of the love between God and Israel. Others cite it
as the best scriptural expression of romance between the individual
soul and God. Although it was written long before the time of Christ,
many Christian authorities see it as depicting the Church’s
relationship with God. Whatever its original intent, the Song of Songs
is among the most beautiful love poetry ever written, and mystics
through the centuries have found in it words and images to express
their own experience of falling in love with God. Many wrote their own
versions and commentaries. Origen, Gregory of Nyssa, Bernard of
Clairvaux, Mechtilde of Magdeburg, John of the Cross, and Teresa of
Avila are just a few who did so. A story about Teresa’s commentary is
typical of her delightful personality. Her confessor ordered her to
burn her manuscript because he felt it was dangerous for a woman to
write of such things. Ever obedient, she immediately tossed it into
the fire. She knew what he did not; many of her friends had copies of
it. When romance with God happens, companionship changes from gentle
longing or dedicated worship and service into an absolutely passionate
love affair. God is no longer only friendly companion or majestic holy
Other; now the source of love is the one great lover. Arbitrary lines
between spirituality and sexuality disappear. Although hints of
romance with God are experienced by everyone who practices love’s
presence, full erotic passion is less common... 173 - 5 Jeff in NJ
This is the only use of the Song of Solomon in the lectionary.
Shalom
bammamma
Darn, because we're having a hymn sing this week (being nice to the
minister on Labor Day weekend). DGinNYC
