Song of Songs

o He is the "Son of David" o He was interested in music because of David his father. o Solomon's marriages were for convenience to promote political alliance

Historical

- to celebrate Solomon's wedding - to encourage young to wait and maintain purity

Historical Purpose

Pastoral scene out in the gardens with the trees, mountains, and animals Place names include north and south o Most scenes are described in the north o Name include: MT Gilead

IV. Geographical:

- Song of Solomon is unique. - Song of Solomon As Drama: - Definition: an acted presentation of a series of events - has beginning and end, real people speaking in real time. - a presentation of events rather than a reflection - more poetic rather than narrative - based upon conflict - Characters - the one marrying the bride would be the shepherd - he wins her heart and she rejects the king - Song of Solomon As Lyric Idyll (Poem) - Sicilian term that means, "pastoral scene" - ties pictures and pastoral scenes to tell story (the end of "The Return of the King") - often interrupted by scenes that seem out of place - the romance and wedding of Solomon and the Shulamite - Solomon sees the girl, comes back in shepherd disguise and wins her heart - it is called "the best of songs" by Solomon - it would not be considered the best if he lost the girl - does not fit Jewish view of allegory of God & His bride if he lost

Literary Form:

1. to magnify the marriage love relationship ordained by God between a man and a woman 2. Bible Message for Youth to wait until marriage for physical intimacy. 3. Two fold character of Love emphasized - love is tender - love has great terror and has great passion and power 4. A misunderstood &/or neglected book - instruction for every generation 5. Christology of Song of Solomon - typifies relationship between God & Church - Solomon as God, Church as bride, Ephesians 5:27 - Jesus came as a shepherd, He will return as King

Primary Purposes:

- to portray love relationship between the Lord and His people

Religious Purpose

1. Literal view: - view of marriage and pure marital love with no higher or spiritual meaning 2. Allegorical View: - God's relationship between the Church and/or Israel - Jewish tradition and Early Church followed this view - Song of Solomon is not a clear allegory - the details don't bear out an allegory 3. Analogy (The view that the professor takes) - recognizes historicity of story with pure love - acknowledges that this is also a Type of Christ

Three methods of interpreting Song of Solomon have been:

Hebrew: o Shir Hashirim ("Song of Songs") from opening words. o Means, "best of songs" English: o Canticles from Latin vulgate o "Canticum Canticorum" which translates the greek asma Asmaton both of which mean best of songs

Title

- great honeymoon book of Bible - beautiful imagery of the glory and delights of marriage - shows God's purpose in marriage

Unique Contributions:

Seems to be an erotic love song Rabbis considered this one of the most holy writings Read at feast of Passover Saw it as an allegory of their Covenant relationship with YAHWEH and His people. Book lifts marriage to a high plane and fulfills the Lord's command per Genesis 2. Emphasizes importance of delaying physical intimacy until marriage o in the inter-Testamental period, no one under 30 was allowed to read Song of Solomon

V. Religious

960 BC sometime early in Solomon's reign Wives and concubines with low numbers to indicate an early time in his reign.

VI. Date:

The opening verse 1:1 ascribes the book to Solomon. Referred to 5 times in the Song. 8.12 he is addressed He wrote 1005 songs (1 Kings 4:33), this is the only one preserved Multiple references to flowers and trees (21 Varieties) and animals (15 species), which Solomon was knowledgeable (1 Kgs 4:33) References to north and south reflect a unified kingdom (i.e. B/4 931 B.C.) Jewish tradition holds to Solomon, read every year at Passover Vocabulary (similar to Ecc and Proverb) and style are similar to Ecclesiastes Neither Ecc. Nor SOS use the divine name YHWH (Yah is referenced in 8:6)

o Accept

Song of Solomon was written ABOUT Solomon several hundred years later Based upon use of Aramaisms/word usage in the text Based upon the borrowing of Persian and Greek words But this can be refuted because of the widespread interaction Solomon had with the surrounding world. He would have logically picked up various words from foreign wives/visitors/trade/ Solomon is a polygamist so how can he write about one woman? • Not a good argument • SOS speaks of many queens and many concubines

o Deny Solomonic Authorship