Studies in the Scriptures 2007

1. Studies in the Scriptures2007 Song of Songs: Introduction

2. Title • The Song of Songs • Song of Solomon (1:1) • Canticles – “series of songs”

3. Author • Solomon (1:1,5; 3:7,9,11; 8:11, 12) • “Of Solomon” • “For Solomon” (dedication to Solomon) • “About Solomon”

4. Date of Writing • Suggested date 965 B.C. • Egyptian love poetry from 1300 – 1100 B.C. • References north and south (1 Kgs.4:32-33) • City of Tirzah – northern capital (1 Kgs.16) • Nothing in the book demands a late date.

5. Relation to Other Books • Fifth book in English Bible • First of the “Five Rolls” • (Megilloth – Books read by Jews at various holidays): Song of Solomon [Passover], Ruth [Pentecost], Lamentations [anniversary of fall of Jerusalem], Ecclesiastes [Tabernacles], and Esther [Purim].

6. Canonicity • The sensual expressions in the Song prompted Jewish and Christian readers to question whether this document belonged in the Bible. • Rabbi Akiba said, “The whole world is not worth the day on which the Song of Songs was given to Israel; all the writings are holy, and the Song of Songs is the holy of holies.” (Garrett, p. 367)

7. Literary Structure • Form of Literature – genre • Is it “wisdom literature”? • The Song not only celebrates love, it also teaches love. • In a class by itself among biblical wisdom books.

8. Literary Structure • Literary Method • Similar love songs have been uncovered among the Papyrus Chester Beatty I (Egypt, New Kingdom Period) • “Through simile and metaphor, even the strongest and most private of the emotions of sexual love can be expressed in a way that is tasteful, appropriate and descriptive.”

9. Literary Structure • Literary Form of Ancient Love Poetry • The Admiration Song • The Song of Yearning • The Arrival Song • The Invitation • The Prayer for Success in Love • Absent in the Song of Solomon

10. Literary Structure • Literary Motifs: • Lovesickness (5:8) • The Door (5:4 – 6) • Gazelle or Stag (2:9, 17; 8:14) • The Kiss (1:2; 8:1) • The Breasts (1:12;4:5; 7:3; 8:10)

11. Literary Structure • Literary Motifs: • The Authority Figure (5:7) • Garden or Vineyard (4:16) • Stolen or Entrapped Heart (4:9) • Horses and Chariots (3:7) • Limbs described (5:14) • There are examples in the Egyptian love poetry of each of these motifs.

12. Unity and Structure • Large number of repetitious and associative sequences. • “My beloved is mine, and I am his.” (2:16) • “I am my beloved's, And my beloved is mine.” (6:3) • “I am my beloved's, And his desire is toward me.” (7:10)

13. Unity and Structure • Common themes, refrains and phrases: • “That you will not arouse or awaken my love, Until she pleases." [NASB] (2:7; 3:5; 8:4) • Description of her beauty (4:1 – 7; 7:1 – 9a) sevenfold; then tenfold description

14. Unity and Structure • Chiastic Outline • “take me away” (1:1-4) • “my own vineyard” (1:5 – 7) • “Into his garden” (4:16) • “Into my garden” (5:1a) • “my own vineyard” (8:10 – 12) • “come away” (8:14)

15. Outline • Courtship Phase (1:2 – 3:5) • Wedding Phase (3:6 – 5:1) • Wedding Ceremony (3:6 – 11) • Fulfillment in Marriage (4:1 – 5:1) • Married Phase (5:2 – 8:14) • Obstacles (5:2 – 8) • Reconciliation (5:9 – 6:12) • Renewal (6:13 – 8:14)

16. Setting: Historical or Poetical? • Solomon (1:1,5; 3:7,9,11; 8:11,12; 1Kgs.) • Shulammite woman (6:13) • Possible variant of Shunem • Feminine form of Solomon – “Solomoness” • Daughters of Jerusalem (1:5; 2:7; 3:5,10;5:8,16; 8:4) [1:4, 5, 10;2:3 NKJV] • Shepherd lover – Additional lectures

17. Interpretation • Allegorical - ask Jeff Smelser • Anthology - ask Jeff Smelser • Drama • Two character • Three character • Weaknesses of dramatic interpretation

18. Interpretation • Historical • Cultic • Funerary • Wedding • Love Song • Josephus (Antiquities, viii. 7.3.) • “In love every groom is King Solomon, a shepherd, and even a gazelle; and every bride is a princess and country maiden.”

19. Marriage and the Song of Songs • “The Song presents sexuality as a good thing protected by marriage and not as an evil thing made permissible by marriage.” (Garrett, p. 378) • It never indicates that the sexuality of a couple has any cultic or ritual significance or mythical power of fertility in the renewal of nature.

20. Marriage and the Song of Songs • The cults of the ancient and twenty first century world promote sexuality as a ritual of religious devotion. • “Sexuality falls into its greatest perversion and excess when it is mythologized and given cosmic significance.”

21. Marriage and the Song of Songs • Tell her you love her. • They celebrated their pleasure not only with physical action, but with carefully crafted words. • Lesson: We need to speak often of our joy in our beloved, our spouse. Many homes would be happier if men and women would simply speak of their love for one another more often.

22. Marriage and the Song of Songs • There is no “open relationship” in this Song of Songs. • It is the love of a man for a woman, not another man. • The ideal of marriage, exclusive love, is present throughout the Song.

23. Conclusion • The Song of Songs is a love song written during the time of Solomon. • It is neither allegory, drama, hymn, history nor a wedding ceremonial text. • It is a song of love with two parts, the man and the woman’s, assisted by a chorus. • Other examples of this genre of literature are found from Egypt, ca. 1300 – 1100 B.C. • The message is that the mutual pleasures of love are good and possible in our world.

24. Conclusion • Literary Climax: “Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away. If one were to give all the wealth of his house for love, it would be utterly scorned.” (Song of Solomon, 8:6-7)