Song of Solomon. The Song of Songs seems to describe the man as if he were a better husband than Solomon. Song of Solomon 1:1 "The song of songs, which [is] Solomon's." A summary of The Song of Solomon in 's Bible: The Old Testament. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of Bible: The Old Testament and what it means. Question: "Is Song of Solomon an allegory of God’s love for Israel and/or Christ’s love for the Church?" At first reading it seems impossible to describe a theology of the Song of Songs. She really was special to him. The Song of Songs, sometimes called the Song of Solomon, is one of two books in the Bible that do not mention God.. Rowley, "The Interpretation of the Song of Songs," 232. Theodor of Mospuestia (ca. Date of Writing: Solomon most likely wrote this song during the early part of his reign. We do not know whether Solomon really loved all these women. Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans. It is a poem. This material only touches on this level a few times in passing. The Song sings of lovers who court, then marry, and then work together in an ideal picture of life, family and work. This study prefers the grammatical-historical approach upon the one interpretation rather than an allegory. MY NOTE: Because there are so many different interpretations of the Song of Songs, we are providing a different viewpoint, as found in the Holman Bible Handbook, published by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee. Song of Solomon, Theology of. Song of Solomon 1:2 —Why do so many people who claim to interpret the Bible literally, spiritualize the Song of Solomon?. A brief overview of various interpretive theories used in studying the Song of Songs. It’s undeniable that this book of the Bible is very different than the rest in the Canon. But the woman in the Song of Solomon was different from these other women. Solomon loved her deeply. He reportedly said, "He who sings the Song of Songs in wine taverns, treating it as if it were a vulgar song, forfeits his share in the world to come". This grows out of the large number of different interpretations attached through the ages to this enigmatic book. In the history of the Church it has been treated mainly as an allegory of Christ’s love for the Church and God’s love for his people. They insist that it should be taken in its normal, historical-grammatical sense, not in some hidden, mystical, or allegorical sense. After all, the name of God may appear only one time in the book, and that is debated (8:6). Bible > Song of Songs > Introduction (HBH) Introduction to Song of Solomon (Song of Songs) from the Holman Bible Handbook. Edward Young identifies at least eight different interpretations. It was the finest song that man ever wrote. EARLY AND MEDIEVAL JEWISH INTERPRETATION OF THE SONG OF SONGS WESTON W. FIELDS The Song of Songs provides an excellent background for discuss- ing various hermeneutical approaches to the Old Testament. If that is the case, then it is not just a random connection to see the man as pointing to Christ and his bride as pointing to the church. Despite the prevalence of the allegorical interpretation up to the nineteenth century, there were dissenting voices. As this is a poetic song we must interpret the ‘heart’ of the song, not simply taking it literally. As mentioned above, we should interpret the meaning of the things mentioned (plants , animals, buildings) according to their function. Several rhetorical studies of the Song also argue for a carefully composed unified composition. These will be presented in the forthcoming article by J. Paul Tanner, "The Message of the Song of Songs," Bibliotheca Sacra 154 (April-June 1997). The expression “Song of Songs” simply means the Song that was par excellence, the best, the finest of Solomon’s songs, and you have it in your Bible. Ewald's view presents no real spiritual lesson. anticipated later secular interpretations and interprets Song of Songs as a wedding song, while Martin Luther (1483-1546) favored a decidedly political interpretation. The other is the book of Esther.King Solomon is generally acknowledged as the author, though some scholars say that is uncertain. It sees the hero of the Song as Solomon, the son of David, the king of Israel. Therefore, we must draw conclusions based on the setting, the tense of words, 350-428 C.E.) The Pilgrim’s Progress and The Holy War by John Bunyan are famous allegories. Song of Solomon was written as a love song, but God used it for so much more. The title “Song of Songs” is a superlative, meaning this is the best one. Solomon’s songs were quite extensive with 1,005 of them and this was Solomon’s Song of Songs. Yet it is also a profound depiction of the meaning, value and beauty of work.