Song of Songs 2:8-13
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- Reading the Text:
- NRSV (with link to Anglicized NRSV, Common Worship Psalter, ASB Psalter, and BCP Psalter) at Oremus Bible Browser.
- The Bible Gateway: NIV, NASB, CEV, The Message, KJV, etc.
- The Blue Letter Bible. KJV, alternate versions, Hebrew text with concordance, commentaries.
- The World Wide Study Bible includes commentary, exposition and sermons.
- Historical References, Commentary and
Comparative Texts:
- "Devotion and Praise," Comparative World Scriptures from United Communities of Spirit.
- Rashi's Commentary, c. 1075. chabad.org.
- From the Geneva Notes.
- "(2:8) This is spoken of Christ who took on our nature to come to help his Church."
- Mystic Union
Between Christ and the Saints, Thomas Watson, 1680.
- "It is hard to show how the soul is united to the body, and how Christ is united to the soul. But though this union is spiritual, it is real."
- From
Matthew Henry's
Commentary.
- "Christ invites the new convert to arise from sloth and despondency, and to leave sin and worldly vanities, for union and communion with him."
- From Wesley's Notes.
- "The turtle - This seems particularly to be mentioned because it not only gives notice of the spring, but aptly represents the Spirit of God, which even the Chaldee paraphrast understands by this turtle, which appeared in the shape of a dove, and which worketh a dove - like meekness, and chastity, and faithfulness, in believers."
- From the Commentary on the Whole Bible
(Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, 1871).
- "(2:8) Historically, the coming of the kingdom of heaven (the gospel dispensation), announced by John Baptist, is meant; it primarily is the garden or vineyard; the bride is called so in a secondary sense."
- Contemporary Commentary, Studies, and Exegesis:
-
Commentary,
Song of Solomon 2:8-13, Kathryn Schifferdecker, Preaching This Week,
WorkingPreacher.org, 2009.
- "'"What in the world is this doing in the Bible?'"
-
Song of Songs 2:8-13,
Pentecost 13,
2009, The Old Testament Readings: Weekly Comments on the Revised Common
Lectionary, Howard Wallace Audrey Schindler, Morag Logan, Paul Tonson,
Lorraine Parkinson, Theological Hall of the Uniting Church, Melbourne,
Australia.
- "Christian interpretations included Origen?s belief (185-254 C.E.) that although the Song might be shaped on the marriage of Solomon with Pharaoh?s daughter, underneath this was the allegory of Christ as the groom and the bride as the church."
-
Song of Solomon 2:8-13, Pentecost 13,
Commentary, Background, Insights from Literary Structure, Theological
Message, Ways to Present the Text. Anna Grant-Henderson, Uniting Church in
Australia.
- "The extraordinary thing is the fact that the woman is saying these words; one would have expected from within the culture that it would be the declaration of the man. It is the only book in the Old Testament that has a woman's voice in such a prominent role."
-
Commentary,
Song of Solomon 2:8-13, Kathryn Schifferdecker, Preaching This Week,
WorkingPreacher.org, 2009.
- Articles & Background:
-
"Wisdom on Sex," Alyce McKenzie, Patheos.
- "Historically, interpreters have tried to apply the antiseptic of allegory to the book's sensuality. Jewish interpreters have viewed the book as love poems between Yahweh and Israel or Torah. Christian interpreters have viewed it as love poems between Christ and the Church his bride, or, in medieval times, between Christ and the Virgin Mary."
-
"How Mystics Hear the Song," W. Dennis Tucker, Jr., (other resources
at)
"Parables," Christian Reflection, The Center for Christian
Ethics at Baylor University, 2006.
- "Mystics illustrate the power of the Song of Songs to shape our understanding of life with God. Can our languishing love be transformed into radical eros?a deep yearning that knows only the language of intimate communion, the song of the Bridegroom and his Bride?"
-
"Radha in the Erotic Play of the Universe," David C.
Scott, The Christian Century, 1995.
- "Why must Christian love be totally gratuitous, disinterested, and passionless? Indeed, why, given its importance to and power in human life has passionate relationship not been central in the Christian tradition?"
-
"Reveling in Romance," Martin Copenhaver, The Christian Century,
1994.
- "Even after such thorough allegorization one cannot escape the impression that the author of the Song of Songs actually was doing what he appeared to be doing, and what more straitlaced interpreters seem loath to admit he was doing--namely, celebrating human love with poetry, reveling in romance and sexuality."
-
"Wisdom on Sex," Alyce McKenzie, Patheos.
- Recommended articles
from ATLAS, an online collection of religion and theology journals, are
linked below.
ATLAS Access options are available for academic institutions, alumni of
selected theological schools, and clergy/church offices.
- Bergant, Dianne,
"'My Beloved Is Mine and I Am His,' (Song 2:16): The Song of Songs and Honor
and Shame," Semeia, 1994.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Brenner, Athalya,
"The Food of Love: Gendered Food and Food Imagery in the Song of Songs,"
Semeia, 1999.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Copenhaver, Martin, "Reveling in Romance," The
Christian Century, 1994.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Grossberg, Daniel, "Nature, Humanity and Love in Song
of Songs," Interpretation, 2005.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Holmyard, Harold R., III,
"Solomon's Perfect One," Bibliotheca Sacra, 1998.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Lamkin, James E., "'Of Sails and Sudders': Song of
Songs 2:8-13; James 1:17-27, Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23," Review and
Expositor, 2008. (Sermon)
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Perry, T.A.,
"The Coordination of KY / 'L KN in Cant. I.1-3 and Related Texts,"
Vetus Testamentum, 2005.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Suderman, W. Derek,
"Modest or Magnificent? Lotus versus Lily in Canticles," The Catholic
Biblical Quarterly, 2005.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
- Bergant, Dianne,
"'My Beloved Is Mine and I Am His,' (Song 2:16): The Song of Songs and Honor
and Shame," Semeia, 1994.
- Reviews:
- Sermons:
- "Eros and Ethics," Susan R. Andrews, 2004. Covenant Network of Presbyterians.
- With Children:
- Drama:
- Liturgy:
- Graphics & Bulletin Materials:
- Clip Art: Song of Solomon: Rose of Sharon, Julius Schnoor von Carolsfeld woodcuts, World Mission Collection, Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod.
- Hymns and Music:
- Hymns with Scripture Allusions: Song of Songs 2:8, 10. The Cyber Hymnal.
- Fine Arts Images Linked at The Text This Week's Art Index:
- Movies scenes with the following themes, listed at The Text This Week's Movie Concordance:
- Study Links and Resources for the Book of the Song of Solomon
