A. THE SUFFERING MESSIAH (Song 1:1 – 1:6) THE KISSES OF THE DIVINE MOUTH If this book were for beginners, then it would have started by the flattering of God the Bridegroom to His bride, declaring His love to her, so she may repent and unite with Him. However, this book is for the mature who have tasted His love and their hearts were inflamed with His love. They accepted His love, which emanated through the Cross and they desire to live all their lives meditating in this divine love saying, “Let Him kiss me with the kisses of His mouth, for Your love is better than wine. Because of the fragrance of Your good ointments, Your name is ointment poured forth; therefore, the virgins love You” (Song 1:1-2). This is the voice of the catholic (universal) Church, which lifts her eyes toward the Cross, tastes His sweet fragrance and sees His Blood shed for her. Thus, she finds pleasure in His love and begins to flatter Him, saying, “Let Him kiss me with the kisses of His mouth.” Here we notice the following: 1. She requests the kisses of the mouth of the Father. Truly, God has accepted her with many kisses throughout the ages. He declared His love to her by creating the whole world for her. He made her from nothing and gave her His image and likeness. Essentially, she did not need anything. After the fall, He did not forsake her but promised to give her life through salvation. He granted her the Law as a helper and sent her the prophets to assure her salvation, but all that did not satisfy the bride because she wanted Him to be close to her. She wanted all the kisses of His mouth directly! She is the bride who rejoices in the Bridegroom who proposed to her and sent her many expensive gifts. But these gifts will not satisfy her since she only wants Him, Himself! Origen said that the Church in the Old Testament was like an immature child who did not enjoy the company of the Bridegroom Himself but enjoyed the company of His friends, the angels, the patriarchs (fathers} and the prophets. Through them, she accepted the sweet kisses of God, which are the doctrines of the Old Testament and the commandments1. As she grew, she matured to see her Bridegroom coming to her on the mountains of the Law and the prophets. Her heart became inflamed with love saying, “May He comes down from the Cross to embrace me so I may be united with Him.” This is what St. Paul said to the Hebrews: “God who at various times and in different ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these days spoken to us by His Son …” (Heb. 1:1-2). He talks to us directly with the kisses of the practical love. 2. She is not shy to ask for the kisses of the Father from the Son, for whatever is for the Father is for the Son too, and whatever the Son has offered by His free will, He offered in obedience to the Father. Thus, the Bible says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His Only Begotten Son…” (John 3:16). Also, St. Paul said, “Who loved and gave His life for me.” These are the kisses of the Cross, which are signs of the love of both the Father and the Son! We have mentioned earlier that this expression cannot be applied on any physical or temporal love; the bride will never ask her bridegroom for the kisses of someone else. Here this expression is about the spiritual divine kisses which carry the 1 Homilies on Song of Songs, homily 1. 6 hidden union so we may become one with the Father in His Son through the kisses of the Cross. 3. The bride does not ask for one kiss or two kisses but many kisses from His mouth. These are the feelings of the believer whose heart is kindled with God’s love. He sees no one in life except God Himself and him, therefore he asks for all God’s love to be directed to him. 4. The Church does not ask for any kind of kiss but a special kind of kiss, that which defines the unique marital relation. The Holy Bible has recorded for us different kinds of kisses, but they did not satisfy. Laban said farewell to his sons and daughter by kissing them (Gen. 31:55). Jacob welcomed his grandchildren, Joseph’s sons, by kissing them (Gen. 48:10). Naomi said farewell to her daughters-in-law by kissing them (Ruth 1:9). Isaac asked his son Jacob to kiss him to get his blessing (Gen. 27:26). Absalom, David’s son, kissed the children of the people to win their love (2 Sam. 15:5). Jonathan kissed David as a sign of friendship and loyalty (1 Sam. 20:41). The church at Ephesus said farewell to St. Paul by kissing him (Acts 20:37). These were all kisses based on the bond of friendship, blood, or as a sign of the bitterness of separation. However, these were temporary kisses, but the Church asks for the kisses of the eternal love; the unceasing kisses from the mouth of God. LOVE BETTER THAN WINE The Church communes with her crucified Bridegroom saying, “Your love is better than wine” (Song 1:2). It is love that makes one forget all what is earthly to remember only God’s love to her. In the Septuagint Version, the word “love” was translated as “your breast.” In the divine milk flowing from the breast that satisfies babies, the believers find more power and effectiveness than the wine which men use for warmth and strength. St. Gregory of Nyssa, said, [Whatever is considered dignified in the eyes of the world becomes diminished before the doctrines of the divine word presented to children. Here, we find the divine breast better than the human wine.] When one repeats, “Your breast is better than wine,” one goes back to the simplicity of childhood. She looks at her Bridegroom hung on the Cross and she clings to Him, in simple faith, as a child lies on his mother’s chest. She nurses from God’s love, thus she forgets all the cares of the world and is filled with consolation. As the Psalmist says, “In the multitude of my anxieties within me, your comforts delight my soul” (Ps. 94:19). “Your breast is better than wine,” as if the wine presented to guests, especially in feasts, is a sign of joy, and it was presented when offering sacrifices (Ex. 29:40; Lev. 23:13; Num. 15:5). The love of our Lord Jesus Christ is unique, for He grants us inexpressible joy which the world cannot take away! In Egypt and in Palestine, grapes were crushed by the feet in a winepress (Neh. 13:15; Job 14:11). The juice of red grapes flows like blood, and the men go out with red clothes. Isaiah the Prophet saw that the Lord Jesus, the beloved Bridegroom, has trodden the winepress alone with red clothes, for the salvation of His bride. “Who is this who comes from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah, this One who is glorious in His apparel, traveling in the greatness of His strength? I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save. Why are your apparel red, and your garments like one who treads in the winepress? I have trodden the winepress alone, and from the peoples no one was with Me” (Is. 63:1-4). This is the unique love which is better than wine, for the Lord has trodden the winepress by Himself, not to present us with earthly wine but to offer us His Blood 7 shed for us, the mystery of our life, our power and our salvation. No wonder the Lord Jesus started His ministry in Cana of Galilee by transforming the water into wine; not to get them drunk, but to make them sober. He gave them the new wine as a sign of His love, granting them joy and power. St. John Chrysostom said, [God does not cease to change our shortcomings and weak will. There are people who are like water, very cold and weak. Let us bring such people into the presence of the Lord to change their will into wine, so they are no longer like water and become a source of joy for themselves and others1.] This is the love better than wine which takes our weak nature to the new life and carries the power of life. Through this new wine or through the love of the Bridegroom which is better than wine, the believer smells the sweet fragrant aroma of Christ and sees His name, ointment, poured forth as He has trodden the Cross by Himself. She communes with Him saying, “Because of the fragrance of your good ointments, Your name is ointment poured forth” (Song 1:3). ANOINTED WITH GOOD OINTMENTS On the Cross the Lord poured His perfect fragrance so the sweet aroma spread all over the world. Thus, the Church realized that by the eyes of Christ who was anointed with fragrance from the Father for our salvation, of whom the Prophet witnessed saying, “You loved righteousness and hated lawlessness, therefore, God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness more than Your companions” (Ps. 44; Heb. 1:9). The Lord emphasized that when He entered the synagogue and read from the book of Isaiah the Prophet, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the broken hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord” (Lk. 4:17-21; Is. 61:1). Then the Lord said, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your ears.” When the Jews revolted against the Apostles, the Church prayed saying, “For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together” (Acts 4:27). In the Old Testament, Jacob anointed the stone that he had put at his head, set it up as a pillar in the house of the Lord (Gen. 28:18; 31:13). This was a sign of many things: 1. The opening of heaven on earth (Gen 28:18; 31:13). 2. The meeting between God and man. 3. The dwelling of God among His people. 4. The anointing of priests and kings according to the Law (Ex. 40:15, 1 Sam.10:1). 5. In addition the Temple and the vessels inside it were all anointed with the holy ointment. This ointment, whether placed on people or objects, signified consecration to the Lord. This meant that those people did not work except in the ministry of the Lord, and the vessels were only used in the Lord’s ministry. Here the Lord’s ministry represents “the Lord’s ministry among His people,” or man entering in the presence of the Lord. When we talk about the Bridegroom (the Word of God) as the Anointed, we see the anointment fulfilled in Him, for He carried us and made us united with God. The Lord said, “For their sakes, I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by 1 Homilies on St. John, 22. 8 the truth” (John 17:19). He devotes His work for our sake. The fragrance of this unique anointment has spread to heaven, the aroma of which the Father is satisfied. It carries the aroma of the obedience of the Only- Begotten Son, for He obeyed until death. We, on earth, smell it as a sweet aroma, for it kills the awful fragrance of our sins (Ps. 83:5), and makes us “sweet aroma” (2 Cor. 2:15). This is the effect of His anointment, for from the sinners Christ can anoint people, making them His sweet aroma. The Church Fathers have spoken about the effect of this holy anointment on our lives. St. Gregory of Nazianzus saw that the baptized person has the characteristics of Christ, and attains His sweet fragrance in all his feelings. He said, [Let us be cured, also in the sense of smell, so that a sweet fragrance surrounds us (Is. 5:24). Let us smell the anointment shed for our sake, may we accept Him spiritually, so we may be molded and transformed by Him, and others may smell the sweet fragrance in us1.] St. Augustine related the sweet fragrance to the heavenly aroma of Christ, whose Cross draws the heart to heaven. He said, [Let us love Him and follow His example. Let us run after His ointments. He came and spread His sweet fragrance all over the world! From where did this sweet fragrance come? From heaven2.] If we want to honestly respond to the priest when he says, “Lift up your hearts3,” let us proceed toward heaven. Let us lift our thoughts, our love, our hope so that they may not spoil on earth; because where our treasure is, there our hearts will be also (Matt. 6:21). St. Augustine talks about the attractiveness of that sweet ointment saying: [Let us switch our senses from our bad fragrance to His sweet fragrance!4] THE NAME POURED FORTH On the Cross this sweet ointment was poured out. It entered the graves so that all the dead could smell the sweet aroma instead of the corruption they were in. By His resurrection, He offered the world this sweet ointment that was poured out for us. St. Ambrose said that the believer is buried with Christ in baptism, rises and smells the sweet fragrance of the Lord’s clothes. He breathes His name shed on the Cross, and takes Him from the aroma of His resurrection5. It is strange that the fragrance of this sweet name, which was shed on the Cross, has spread all over the world. Thus, God’s name was known not only among the Jews but among the Gentiles as well. St. Ambrose said, [God was known in Judea and His name was great in Israel (Ps. 26:1), but when He was raised on the cross, His name became wonderful all over the world6.] In other words, humanity has known His name: Jesus, the Savior of the world, and Emmanuel (God with us). Through the Cross we have realized His salvation and His reconciling us with God; therefore we tell Him, “Your name is ointment poured forth” (Song 1:3). THE LOVE OF THE VIRGINS FOR HIM Since the human race smelled the fragrance of His sweet name shed for their sake, they are drawn to Him with virginity. They do not want to be occupied with 1 On the Holy Baptism, 38. 2 On Psalm 91(90): 16. 3 St. Basil’s Liturgy of the Eucharist. 4 On Psalm 38 (37). 5 On the Mysteries, 6. 6 On the Holy Spirit, 96. 9 anyone else, and their thoughts are all directed toward Him. They do not want to think of all the cares of life; and all their emotions, feelings and inner energies are directed toward Him saying, “Therefore the virgins love You” (Song 1:3). This attraction which the Cross has created in our inner depths, made us seek the Bridegroom, so we do not run after Him alone but we attract others to Him saying, “Lead me away! We will run after You. The King has brought me into His chambers. We will be glad and rejoice in You. We will remember Your love more than wine. Rightly do they love You” (Song 1:4). She says, “Lead me,” which means only myself (singular), then she says, “We will run after You” (plural) and rejoice. This is the mystery of the Cross and its effect, for it carries the power of the witness and magnetism, and the source of joy! Since the human soul rejoices in You and You dwell inside me through the Cross, people know You and seek You through me; then our hearts are filled with joy so that even the heavenly creatures rejoice with us! Zacchaeus the publican was attracted to the Lord Jesus, then He invited all the sinners and publicans to meet the Lord and rejoice with Him (Luke 19). Also, when the Samaritan woman sat with Him, she called all the people in the city to meet the Lord Jesus and enjoy His attractive speech (John 4). This is the mystery of the Church: the attractive power of the Cross. But when the Church forgets the Cross and cares for the worldly things, she cannot win others to Christ. She conquers the world by the Cross, and through the Cross only people are drawn to the Church through repentance. However, the enticing methods of the world destroy the image of the Church even in the eyes of the world itself. THE DIVINE CHAMBER “The king has brought me into His chambers…” (Song 1:4). The human soul asks the heavenly Bridegroom to lead her so that He may support her and take her into His spiritual chamber in a joyous encounter. Origen relates that the attraction of the human soul when entering the chamber of the Lord is a symbol of the spiritual believers who are transformed from the literal interpretation of the word of God to the deep spiritual interpretation of the mysteries of the Word, discovering the mysteries of the kingdom. This is the divine chamber which satisfies the soul, in this world and also in the age to come. According to Origen this is the heavenly food of the soul. Some Church Fathers see the divine chamber as the mystery of baptism. In the baptismal font, the believer meets the Lord Jesus as the Bridegroom, puts on the new man and enjoys the divine kingdom. The soul then puts on Christ as a white robe for the wedding, wears Him as her righteousness and the source of her holiness. St. Paul said, “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Gal. 3:27). BETWEEN BEING DARK AND LOVELY Since the soul puts on Christ as righteousness and sanctification for her life, she compares her past with her present, thus telling the daughters of Jerusalem, “I am dark but lovely, O daughters of Jerusalem, like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon” (Song 1:5). She admits her weakness and declares her beauty, which she has obtained by her unity with the Lord Jesus saying, I am dark like the tents of Kedar, but in the same time lovely like the curtains of Solomon. St. Augustine relates that the human soul before her unity with Christ is as black as coal. After her unity with Christ and becoming inflamed with His holy fire, 10 she becomes hot in the Spirit, like fire, and full of beauty. St. Augustine said about Saul of Tarsus, [Saul was earlier a persecutor and a blasphemer like a black coal, but then he became inflamed with fire from heaven and received mercy. The voice of the Lord Jesus kindled him with fire and removed all darkness from him. He became inflamed with a fervent spirit until he inflamed others around him with the same fire1.] St. Ambrose saw a picture of the condition of the Church, which has enjoyed her spiritual beauty by her immersion in the baptismal font by the grace of God. He said, [In the book of Song of Songs, the Church says, ‘I am dark but lovely.’ I am dark with the human weakness, but perfect through the mystery of faith2.] He also says, [The Church is dark with her sins, but perfect with the grace of God. She is dark with the human nature, perfect with the salvation…. Dark with the filth of strife, but perfect when she is crowned with the clothes of victory!3] This statement is truly like medicine for the believer, for when he feels selfrighteous and is tempted by pride, he shouts saying, “I am dark.” But when tempted by shortcomings and despair, he screams, “I am lovely.” The feeling of both being dark and beautiful is not contradictory but complimentary. One feeling supports in some instances and the other feeling supports in different situations. Each feeling balances the other. Origen explains further by saying, [The Church here does not direct her talk to the Bridegroom nor to the virgins who are seeking God’s way, but to the daughters of Jerusalem who accused the bride, the Church, of her darkness. The Church responds to this accusation that she is truly dark. May the daughters of Jerusalem realize the inner beauty of the Church, for while she is dark from outside, yet she is beautiful from inside?] Though she is dark like the tents of Kedar, yet she is lovely like the curtains of the house of King Solomon. The Church is for all the Gentiles. How can the Church of the Gentiles brag before the daughters of the earthly Jerusalem (the Jews)? They are the ones who were angry at the Church and her Bridegroom, and despised the Church because her veins lacked the blood of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, flowing through them. In the eyes of the Jews, this is a great mistake that the Gentile Church is not from the same genealogy of the Fathers. The Church admits this and repeats the same accusation the daughters of Jerusalem were accused of: “I am dark.” This darkness is not due to the deprivation of the genealogy of the Fathers, but also for the deprivation of the teachings of the Fathers and prophets. The Bible called those who rejected the Law and were expelled from the Tabernacle of Isaac the curtains of the house of King Solomon. The curtains of the king of peace were the curtains of the Tabernacle, where God dwells with His people. From outside, the Tabernacle was covered with the ugly skin of goats, but from inside it contained the beautiful curtains before the glory of God. The outer curtains of the Tabernacle were made of the hair of the goats and the skin of the bulls; but from inside, it was covered with blue, purple, scarlet, and fine linen threads. Origen described some of the events of the Old Testament that prophesied about the calling of the dark Gentiles into the unity with Christ as a beautiful and holy bride. These events were: 1. The marriage of Moses the Prophet with the Ethiopian woman, which caused Miriam, his sister, to speak against him (Numbers 12). Thus she was struck with leprosy and cast outside the camp. This was a symbol of the unity of Christ with 1 On Psalm 140 (139). 2 De Mystr., 7. 3 The Holy Spirit, 112. 11 the Gentile Church, which stirred the Jews until they rejected the Faith and reviled the Gentiles because of their evil past. Origen said from the perspective of the Gentile Church: [Truly I wonder how the daughters of Jerusalem can rebuke me for my darkness. Did you forget what was mentioned in your Law when Miriam spoke against Moses because he married the Ethiopian woman? I am the Ethiopian! Truly I am dark because of my roots; however, I am beautiful through repentance and faith. I accepted the Son of God. I accepted the Word who became Flesh (John 1:14). I came to the One who is ‘the Image of the invisible God and the Firstborn over all creation’ (Col. 1:15), who is ‘the brightness of His glory and the express image of His glory’ (Heb. 1:3), then I became beautiful! Do you seek the glory of the Law while reviling Him?1] 2. The story of the Queen of Sheba who came to hear the wisdom of Solomon (1Kgs. 10), was a symbol of the church of the Gentiles, who came to hear the wisdom of Solomon. The Lord Jesus rebuked the Jews saying, “The Queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here” (Matt.12:42). The queen of Sheba came and spoke with King Solomon and asked him questions (1 Kings 10:20); however, the true Solomon solved all her problems and declared to her the true knowledge of God, and declared the eternity of the soul and the last Judgment, matters which philosophers could not explain to the Gentiles. The queen came to Jerusalem, which means “the vision of peace,”1 and the Lord Jesus announces to the Church, “My peace I give to you” in the Holy Passion week When the queen saw all the wealth that Solomon had, there was no more spirit in her (1 Kings 10:5). Likewise, when the Church discovers the mysteries of her Christ, she is inflamed with love, and longs to be with Him. She offered King Solomon 120 talents of gold (1 Kings 10:10). This is the same figure that the Lord allowed for the age of man during the days of Noah (Gen. 6:3), as well as the age of Moses the Prophet (Deut. 34:7). The Gentile Church wanted to offer her entire life as golden talents, that is, carrying the heavenly nature. She also offered many spices (1Kings 10:10), which is the love the Lord Jesus accepts from repentant sinners. 3. In the book of Psalms, “Envoys will come out of Egypt; Ethiopia will quickly stretch out her hand to God. Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth; Oh, sing praises to the Lord” (Ps. 68:31-32). Thus the black Gentile Church stretched out her hands to God to become beautiful; and through her, the tongues of all the kingdoms of the earth praise God. 4. It was mentioned in the Book of Zephaniah, “Therefore, wait for Me, says the Lord. Until the day I rise up for plunder; my determination is to gather the nations to My assembly of kingdoms, to pour on them My indignation, all my fierce anger; all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of My jealousy. For then I will restore to the peoples a pure language that they may call on the name of the Lord, to serve Him with one accord. From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia My worshipers, the daughters of My dispersed ones, shall bring My offering” (Zeph. 3:8-10). Thus the lips of the pagan nations were purified and transformed, praising God. They crossed the rivers of 1 Commentary on Canticle, 2:1. 1The ancestors see that the word “Jerusalem” means “vision of peace” (Philo, De Somn, 2: 250; St. Clement of Alexandria, Strom., 1:29:4; Origen, Comm. on Song 2:1. 12 Ethiopia, that is, they forsook the darkness through their worship to God and offering the sacrifice of praise. 5. When the Ethiopian eunuch delivered Jeremiah from the dungeon (Jer. 38:7-13), the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah saying, “Go and speak to Ebed- Melech the Ethiopian, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, “Behold, I will bring My words upon this city for adversity and not for good, and they shall be performed in that day before you. But I will deliver you in that day,” says the Lord, “and you shall not be given into the hand of the men of whom you are afraid. For I will surely deliver you, and you shall not fall by the sword; but your life shall be as a prize to you, because you have put your trust in Me,” says the Lord’” (Jer. 39:15- 18). Thus, this Ethiopian eunuch was a symbol of the Gentile Church, which was saved because she trusted in the Lord. Origen concluded his analogy by saying, [As you see there are many statements which testify that the dark and beautiful has dealt well with the daughters of Jerusalem. She confidently says, ‘I am dark like the tents of Kedar but beautiful like the curtains of Solomon.’] Origen also states that though the speaker here is singular, yet he mentioned the tents and the curtains in the plural form. Therefore, we have to know what is meant is a multitude of churches and many nations, as was mentioned that the kingdom of God is one, but there are many mansions in the Father’s house (John 14:2).] BETWEEN THE SUN OF TEMPTATION AND THE SUN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS The bride presents a reason for her darkness by saying, “Do not look upon me, because I am dark, because the sun has tanned me” (Song 1:6). It was appropriate for the Jews to support the Gentiles and preach the Cross to them; however, instead of ministering to them they reviled them because of the darkness of their paganism. The Gentiles replied that their darkness was not natural, but was due to experience, for the sun had tanned them. Origen commented by saying, [She became dark because she descended, but as soon as she ascended (coming up from the wilderness), she was supported by her nephew (who was born from the Jews). She became white and beautiful, her darkness was completely abolished and she was enlightened by the surrounding light. Thus the Church of the Gentiles apologized to the daughters of Jerusalem saying, “O daughters of Jerusalem do not think that the darkness on my face is natural, but this was because the Sun of Righteousness has ignored me. The Sun of Righteousness did not direct His rays toward me because he found me crooked. I am from the Gentiles who did not look to the Sun of Righteousness nor stood before the Lord (Lk. 21:36). God has chosen you and you have received grace, while He ignored me and tanned me because of my disobedience and unbelief. But now, since you are rebellious and unbelieving, my hope is that the Sun of Righteousness looks to me so I may find grace!1] This illustrates what St. Paul said, “For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience” (Rom. 11:30). In the past, the Gentiles were burdened by the sun of temptation and deprived from the Sun of Justice. The opportunity was granted to Israel; they were chosen and were given grace. But now since the Jews rejected the Sun of Justice and fell under the sun of 1 Commentary on Canticle, 2:2. 13 rebellion and unbelief, the Gentile Church enjoyed Christ, the Sun of Justice. Her darkness was abolished by the shining of the Sun of Justice, and the sun of sin could not overcome her, as the Psalmist said, “The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night” (Ps. 121:6). THE INNER WAR Since the Church has met her suffering Bridegroom, He attracted her and she entered his chamber and rejoiced with Him. He gave her His infinite love, and then the smell of His sweet fragrance spread everywhere, sanctifying all her feelings and depths, abolishing the darkness of sin and evil and reflecting His beauty on her. As a result, the power of darkness revolted against the bride. The bride says, “My mother’s sons were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards, but my own vineyard I have not kept” (Song 1:6). Who are her mother’s sons? And what is the cause of their anger at her? What are the vineyard which the bride protected and the vineyard which she did not keep? 1. Origen says that the true translation of the verse is: “My mother’s sons fought for me and not against me.” Here the mother’s sons are the Apostles who are the Jews, for the Gentiles and the Jews are from one mother. Those Apostles did not cease to stir a fierce war on the Gentiles until they destroy all the towers of vanities and the wrong pagan teachings and overcome all evil. Thus they create from the entire pagan Gentiles keeper of the vine of the Lord and keeper of the Law and prophets. However, she does not keep her own vine, that is, her pagan teachings. 2. Origen has another opinion that the angels are the mother’s sons. Humans and angels belong to one nation and all are members in the Church of Christ. The angels support us and fight for us and with us; for God sent them to help us in the inner war against sin until one is able to care for the vine of the Lord, which is the heart, and eliminates her ego and the works of the old man. 3. A third interpretation is that the mother’s sons refer to the ego or the self, for “A man’s foes will be those of his own household” (Matt. 10:36). The ego is an enemy against the Christ’s work inside us. During this war, the believer is tempted to care for the vines of others and is occupied with the outer appearance of the ministry without caring for the inner vine or his inner life. 14 B. THE MESSIAH AS THE SHEPHERD (Song 1:7 – 1:12) When the Church speaks about her Bridegroom as “The Crucified Messiah,” she is truly fascinated in His sufferings and attracts many others to Him. However, since the enemy is stirred against her, the Church also calls her Bridegroom “The Good Shepherd” who cares for her life. She connects with Him, saying, “Tell me, O whom I love, where You feed Your flock, where You make it rest at noon” (Song 1:7). Amidst the bitterness of the inner war with the enemy, one feels the sweetness of God’s care toward her, so she calls Him, “whom I love.” She says with St. Gregory of Nyssa, [This is the name I call You: ‘the One whom I love,’ for Your name is above all things, and it is beyond all the rational creatures. This name declares your goodness and attracts my soul to You; how can I not love You? You are the One who loved me while I am dark (Song 1:4), so You sacrificed Your life for the sake of the flock, who are the subject of your care.] THE SUBJECT OF CARE She asks the Shepherd, whom she loves with all her heart and soul, about His resting place. She asks Him for the way so she may not walk according to her personal desires. In the past, when the sun of trials was fierce on David the Prophet, he sought the house of God, being the place where the Lord shepherds at noon. He said, “When the wicked came against me to eat up my flesh, my enemies and foes, they stumbled and fell. Though an army should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war rise should rise against me, in this I will be confident. One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple. For in the time of trouble, He shall hide me in His pavilion; in the secret place of His Tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock. And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me; therefore, I will offer sacrifices of joy in His Tabernacle; I will sing yes, I will sing praises to the Lord” (Ps. 27:2-6). We are in dire need for the Shepherd to hold our hands and enter with us into His Church, the place of His rest, the pasture of His salvation. There we meet the Lord Jesus, the Source of our peace and happiness, and we are granted the gifts of the Holy Spirit, who comforts us. In His house, we find the adoption to God through the Sacrament of Baptism, and we accept the Holy Spirit to dwell inside us through the Sacrament of Confirmation. In His house, we find forgiveness of our sins and we partake of His living sacrifice, the Body of Son of God and His Blood shed for us. In His house, we sit under the shadow of His Cross, the secret of our reconciliation with God and our inner peace. When the enemy stirs a fierce war against us and sin is aroused inside us, we run to His house repenting with tears to find the Shepherd Himself looking for us, and His Holy Spirit desiring to sanctify us. AT NOON Why did the bride wish to meet her Bridegroom at noon, saying, “Where you make it rest at noon”? Since we meet the Good Shepherd in His one Church extending across the ages, we see Him transfigured at the midday (noon) sun. His members do not know neither darkness nor shade, but live in the light of their Shepherd, being enlightened 15 through Him, and becoming the light of the world. Solomon said, “But the path of the sun is like the shining sun, that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day. The way of the wicked is like darkness” (Prov. 4:18-19). St. Gregory of Nyssa said, [You make rest at noon, means the light which does not know shade, for there is no shade at noon where the sun is horizontal1.] No one deserves the rest at noon unless he becomes a son of the light and day. The bride says, “Show me how to rest? Show me the way of rest at noon lest I fall astray away from Your faithful guidance and I become ignorant, which happens to the flock who is against you!” St. Augustine said, [What does noon mean? Great heat and light! I know that your wise people are fervent in the spirit and enlightened in the teachings2.] Origen related that noon is a symbol of the perfect glory of God. The bride desires to cleave to the Lord, for she communes with Him saying, “I want to seek You at noon, not at night or in the morning or at sunset, but at noon because You will be in the fullness of the light, in the light of Your greatness!” Origen had another explanation for the word “noon,” which is the perfect knowledge of the mysteries of the word of God. He said, [What you call noon refers to the place of the inner heart where one follows the trace of the light of the knowledge of the word of God more clearly, because noon is the time when the sun is at its peak. Thus, the Lord Jesus, the Sun of Righteousness, reveals the mysteries of the great power of His Church by knowing the places of His rest at noon. The Church, when learning the beginning matters, accepts the rays of the inner knowledge. David the Prophet said, ‘God shall help her, just at the break of dawn’ (Ps. 46:6). However, now she seeks better things and desires higher standards, thus she is looking for knowledge at noon3.] MEETINGWITH THE SHEPHERD AT NOON The Church wants to meet her Bridegroom at noon, for this time has many memories in her life. We mention a few of these: 1. At noon, the Lord appeared to Abraham with two angels and promised him a son who will be a blessing to many nations (Gen. 18). He can create a new life from the deadness of Sarah’s womb, and that is what the Church requires from her Shepherd at noon. With the angels, she enters into the fellowship of the heavenly glory to grant her new life. We were under the judgment of death and fruitless; but as Abraham and Sarah we experienced the power of the resurrection, for the Lord had granted them life from death. Likewise we ask our Shepherd that we experience the power of the resurrection within us. As Abraham, the Patriarch, met the Lord at noon outside the tent, the children of Abraham should likewise do the works of Abraham (John 8:39). They should go outside the limits of the temporary tent of the body, expelling every carnal thought and lust by the Holy Spirit until they enjoy seeing Him and His care. 2. At noon, Joseph met his younger brother Benjamin, and he had compassion on him and entered the inner room and wept (Gen. 43). This is the picture of the union we desire; where the true Shepherd our Lord Jesus Christ meets us, His younger brothers. He is then compassionate towards us and calls us “Benjamin,” or “sons of the right hand.” 1 Sermons on Song, 2. 2 Sermons on the N.T. Lessons, 33:7. 3 Commentary on Canticle, 3:4. 16 3. At noon, Elijah mocked the priests of Baal saying, “Cry aloud for he is a god; either he is meditating or he is busy, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is sleeping, and must be awakened” (1 Kings 18:27). Thus the Church wants to be close to her Shepherd at noon, to see Him the true Elijah (i.e., “My Lord”), who mocks Satan and all his soldiers. This was fulfilled when the Messiah was lifted up on the Cross at noon to crush Satan and all his soldiers, granting us the authority to crush him under our feet. 4. At noon, the true Shepherd the Lord Jesus Christ revealed Himself to Saul of Tarsus, who persecuted the Church (Acts 22:9). But then he discovered the truth of the living Immortal Shepherd, and his life was changed, becoming a chosen vessel to witness to the name of the Lord Jesus among the Gentiles. This is the Messiah’s concern: to transform the persecutors to witnesses and ministers of the Word of God. 5. The statement of the bride, “where you make it rest at noon” reminds us of the prophecy of our Father Jacob to Judah saying, “Judah is a lion’s whelp; from the prey, my son, you have gone up. He bows down; he lies down as a lion; and as a lion, who shall rouse him? The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes; and to Him shall be the obedience of the people” (Gen. 49:9-10). This prophecy was fulfilled when the Lion coming out of the tribe of Judah died on the Cross at the sixth hour (noon), not to rest, but to love the entire human race offering His blood a ransom and salvation. STRANGE PASTURES The Church asks her Shepherd: “Where do You feed Your flock? Where do You make it rest at noon? For why should I be as one (dilute1) who veils herself by the flocks of Your companions?” (Song 1:7). Origen comments, [She longs to learn the way which He wants her to walk through, lest because of her ignorance of its direction, she turns to the flocks of His companions, then others may see her; as if she says ‘I do not want anyone to see me except You. I desire to know the way which brings me to You and no one should be in between us.’] She wants to know the true way so she can enjoy the care of Christ; lest she becomes dilute, shaken by the winds of strange teachings and falls under the shepherds who work for their private interests and not for the interest of the Lord Christ. Thus, she becomes veiled, and her face is hidden behind the veil instead of meeting with her Shepherd with an unveiled face. In other words, she is deprived from being the bride united with her Bridegroom without any obstacle between them. St. Jerome says that the veil refers to the veil of the Old Law2. At noon, when the bride meets her Shepherd at the Cross, she does not put on a veil, for the veil was abolished. She enters into a new covenant where one meets God with an uncovered face, with the spirit of love, (fatherly love or marital love). Now, we do not need a veil to put on our face like Moses, but we enter into the mysteries of God and remain in His presence united with Him. THE METHOD OF SHEPHERDING The Shepherd loves His Church: “If you do not know, O fairest, among women, follow in the footsteps of the flock, and feed your little goats beside the shepherds’ tents” (Song 1:8). 1 Septuagint Version. 2 St. Jerome: Against Jovinanus, 1:30. 17 Since the bride asked Him about the special way so she may not become veiled, deviating to the flocks of His companions, the Shepherd clarifies the way in three steps: 1. First, she must know herself and realize the new nature that was granted to her during His care. 2. She is no more introverted or self-centered, but rather must follow in the footsteps of her fathers, the saints. 3. She gives her testimony of the Shepherd before the goats, so they may enter into the place of His rest. 1. First the Good Shepherd asks her to know herself, that is, she starts with her inner life to realize that God has created her in His own image and likeness without any guile, and has decorated her with unique beauty to be “fairest among women.” He has paid the price of caring for her through the Cross. Thus the Shepherd drives His children to the spirit of hope, and emphasizes that even if she does not know herself, He knows that she is “the fairest among women;” for she became a dwelling of His Holy Spirit, has put on Christ and has become His eternal bride. The believer has to examine himself to realize the new nature, which was granted to him in baptism. He must also know that in the eyes of the Heavenly Shepherd he is fair among all the creation. 2. He commands her to go out, for she cannot become “the fairest among women” unless she goes with her Shepherd outside the camp carrying His reproach (Heb. 13:13). Let her leave her ego and not be self-centered. Let her be crucified with her Bridegroom so she may live in Him and by Him. He advises her to go to His Cross if she truly desires His shepherding. When she departs, she leaves with the Head Himself, the crucified Shepherd, and with the rest of the members of the body, “in the footsteps of the flock” whether with the earlier fathers or those who are struggling. The Apostle advises us to “Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct” (Heb. 13:7). If we fear the Cross let us look to how our fathers the saints loved the Cross, and how they were sanctified and beautified through it. 3. Realizing that one’s soul is a beautiful bride following the footsteps of the fathers, carrying the reproach of the Cross outside the camp that is outside the human nature she has to witness to the Shepherd before the goats. She does not live poorly, but her hearts burns within her for the sinners as the Psalmist said, “I was bitter for the sinners who forsook your Law.” She wants them to enter into “the shepherds’ tents,” that is, to the Church of Christ where the shepherds dwell. A CALL FOR LABOR AND STRIFE Carrying the responsibility of witnessing to the salvation, the Church carries the goats to the sheepfold so they may become His sheep. He asks her to work with the spirit of power, which does not know fear, and the spirit of unity without division. He tells her: “I have compared you My love, to My filly8 among Pharaoh’s chariots” (Song 1:9). 1. Here, we notice Him calling her “my filly,” in the plural form, because 8 The Septuagint Version 18 when one carries the responsibility of witnessing to His Cross, one is obligated to work with the spirit of unity with the rest of the horses. In her spiritual struggle, as well as her witnessing, she is united with all the members of the body of Christ, following the footsteps of the early fathers (follow the footsteps of the flock), and caring for the future generations (feed your little goats beside the shepherds’ tents). She joins those who are struggling, as one of the fillies, in the procession of the Lord Jesus Christ. The source of strength in the life of the believer is his unity with the Head of the Church. He works with the rest of the members in one spirit, and he is attached with the Church that extends from generation to generation. 2. Calling her His filly declares that the Lord Jesus owns the Church; He has bought her with His own blood. He leads her by Himself and she works to extend His kingdom on earth. In Revelation, St. John saw the Church as a white horse: “He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to Him, and He went out conquering and to conquer” (Rev. 6:2). Every victory for us is by His name and for Him. Because the Lord loves His Church that He leads, He was called, “Him who sat on the horse” (Rev. 19:19). 3. Horses are known for their strength and their power to hastily enter battles without fear. It was written, “Have you given the horse strength? Have you clothed his neck with thunder? Can you frighten him like a locust? His majestic snorting strikes terror. He paws in the valley, and rejoices in his strength; he gallops into the clash of arms” (Job 39:19-21). Zechariah the Prophet talks about the power of the house of Judah by saying, “For the Lord of hosts will visit His flock, the house of Judah, and will make them as His royal horse in the battle” (Zech. 10:3). St. Paul also wrote, “But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 15:57). 4. Horses refer to the heavenly power of God, for in the book of Habakkuk the Prophet wrote, “His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of His praise. His brightness was like the light; He had rays flashing from His hand, and there His power was hidden. O Lord, were You displeased with the rivers, was Your anger against the rivers, was Your wrath against the sea, that You rode on Your horses, Your chariots of salvation?” (Hab. 3:3,8). When Elisha’s servant saw the army surrounding the city, he was troubled. But Elisha asked the Lord to open his eyes, “Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha” (2 Kings 6:17). Saying “Pharaoh’s chariots” means that the believers are like chariots, but they still live on earth, that is, Egypt; and Egypt was known for the beauty of its horses (10 Kings 1:28-29). Origen1 said that this saying declares that she deserves to be drowned in the Red Sea. But going through the waters of baptism, she comes out holy and sanctified; therefore she becomes a white horse! THE FRUITS OF SHEPHERDING Since the Shepherd met His Church, declared to her that she is “fairest among women” and asked her to struggle as one of the horses in the chariot of salvation, He declared to her the fruits of that work in her life by saying: “Your cheeks are lovely with ornaments, your neck with chains of gold. We will make you ornaments of gold with studs of silver. While the King is at His table, my spikenard sends forth its fragrance” (Song 1:10-12). We can summarize the fruits of shepherding by the following: 1 Origen: Commentary on Canticle, 2:6. 19 1. She has lovely cheeks with ornaments, that is, she carries the spirit of humility with chastity. 2. Her neck is decorated with the spirit of obedience and serving others. 3. She is decorated with gold and silver, that is, with the Law and the commandments, so she may enjoy the gold, that is, the gospel of grace or the heavenly life. 1. Lovely cheeks with ornaments. The cheeks of the Church were decorated with jewels. She carried inside of her the Holy Spirit who fills her inner life, reflecting in her face the fruit of the Holy Spirit she carried: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness and self-control (Gal. 5:22). The Septuagint Version says, “Your cheeks are beautiful like a dove,” meaning that the secret of the beauty of the Church is in her enjoyment of the fruit of the Holy Spirit, who appears in the form of a dove. Origen comments on this by saying, [He did not say ‘How beautiful are your cheeks,’ but he said, ‘Your cheeks are lovely with ornaments.’ He wanted to clarify that they were not beautiful before, but his beauty came after she (the Church) accepted the kisses of the Bridegroom, and after the One who was spoken of by the prophets had come. He cleansed the Church in the baptismal font, and made her without guile, and made her to know herself. Thus her cheeks became beautiful, for chastity, virtue and virginity, which earlier she did not have, were spread in her by a special beauty through the cheeks of the Church1.] The cheeks of the dove refer to the meekness and purity. Regarding meekness, the Lord commands us by saying, “Be simple as the dove” (Matt. 10:16). He means not to carry any craftiness of the world. Regarding the purity of turtledoves, Origen said that they have a peculiar nature: if any of the mates dies, the other partner does not accept anyone else. Origen says, [The turtle-dove symbolizes the Church because the Church does not unite with anyone else beside Christ, and the turtle-dove symbolizes chastity and meekness.] 2. The neck with chains of gold. Usually man’s neck, without any ornaments, refers to the fierceness of human nature. However, when it is decorated with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the symbol of spiritual beauty and endurance, these are the Church ornaments! Our necks carried shame and disgrace because of our disobedience and pride; however, now we carry the yoke of Christ and accept His obedience. Thus we carry this surpassing spiritual beauty. 3. Gold and silver. In the Septuagint Version, it is written, “We make you like gold with ornaments from silver, as long as the King is on His table.” In the Old Testament the Church did not have any gold, but things similar to gold and silver; however, since the King sat on His table, His bride had the gold. When the Lord the King was lifted on the Cross, we received the gold: the heavenly life. Before we lived in the symbols and shadows of the heavenly (golden) matters (Gal. 3:19, Heb. 10:1, 1 Cor. 10:11). Some Fathers see that the Church of the Old Testament enjoyed the shadows of gold with ornaments of silver, that is, she enjoyed the Law and the prophets; where the chastity of marriage and widowhood was the constitution of life. However, when the King the Virgin came, He gave the members of His body the capability of the life of virginity. This is the law of heaven, where they do not marry nor get married. 1 Origen: Commentary on Canticle, 2:7. 20 C. THE MESSIAH AS THE KING (Song 1:12 –17) Since the Bridegroom compared His Church with a horse in the chariots of salvation that He leads and guides to His kingdom, the Church looks at Him as a King who fights for her and is united with her to make her a queen that sits at His right hand. THE SPIKENARD OF THE QUEEN “While the King is at His table, my spikenard sends forth its fragrance” (Song 1:12). When the Lord Jesus reigned on the Cross and sacrificed His life for us, the queen came to give Him back her love as a spikenard, whose aroma has spread wherever the Gospel is preached. At the Lord’s table, or on His altar, the King meets the queen, who offers the sacrifice of the King Himself as an acceptable fragrance before the Father. The Father considers His sacrifice as her sacrifice and the fragrance of her spikenard! Therefore He allows the queen (the Church) to offer the same sacrifice as a fragrance of the King’s love to the queen, and the love of the queen to the King. St. Augustine looks at the sacrifice of the King and sees it as the same sacrifice of the queen, saying, [You are above the table! You are inside the chalice! This is what the Church offers through the mystery of the altar! Offering the oblations to God, she offers herself as an oblation!”1 This great awesome sacrifice is we!] St. Augustine also said, [As long as the Church is the body of the Head, then she learns to offer herself through Him. 2] Thus, as long as the King is sitting on His table, the queen comes to Him, and the fragrance of His knowledge appears in her (2 Cor. 2:15). She offers the spikenard of her love to Him, sacrificing herself for His sake, as He sacrificed His life for her sake. She goes with Him to the myrrh saying: “A bundle of myrrh is my Beloved to me, that lies all night between my breasts” (Song 1:13). Since He suffered for her and died on the Cross, she comes to Him with myrrh, which is used in ointments and spices. She enters with Him to the tomb carrying the myrrh to embalm His body. The queen realized that her Bridegroom is the King “The Conqueror of death.” The doors of Hades and the grave cannot prevail against Him. She knew Him as the “Resurrection” who grants life, so she prepared for Him myrrh so he may enter in her heart, which becomes like a new tomb. There, between her breasts, He sleeps to enter His holy tomb, where He does not smell the aroma of death, but spikenard and myrrh, and the grave is transformed into a holy temple where God dwells. In this call of the queen to the King, we notice the following: 1. The queen does not present the myrrh in any way, but she wraps it as “a bundle of myrrh.” Origen said, [Henceforth, the fragrance of the myrrh is not scattered outside, but remains inside, becoming stronger and better. Then the king dwells in her heart and in her bosom.1] 2. The queen used the expression “a bundle of myrrh is my Beloved to me,” because according to the Law, everything unwrapped is defiled (Num. 19:15). The 1 Christ in the Eucharist by the author, 1972, p. 105,107 ( in Arabic). 2 City of God, 10:, 20. 1 Commentary on Song 2:10 21 soul which touches what is defiled becomes defiled. However, the Lord Christ has no guile in Him, but everything in Him is pure; thus the one who comes to Him is sanctified. Origen said that the bundle of myrrh refers to the teachings of the Church pertaining to the divine incarnation; the teachings which bundle up to the truth. Henceforth, no heresies can penetrate those teachings. Those affected by heresy, or the teachings not bundled up, become defiled. 3. Origen also said that the bundle of a drop of myrrh refers to God the unlimited Word, who through His Incarnation became “as a drop,” emptying Himself carrying our nature. 4. Origen explains that the word “Beloved” means “my nephew.” The Gentile Church is saying that the Gentile community is like her older sister in her knowledge of God. The Lord Christ came from the Jews according to the flesh. When the queen says that this myrrh resembles her nephew, she refers to the Incarnation of the Lord Christ in the flesh. 5. The queen did not say that He dwells in her house, but between her breasts. This statement is taken from an old custom where the wife used to hang a small picture of her husband on her breast1. As the king has two breasts the Old Testament and the New Testament, the queen also has two breasts. God’s book is the Book of the Church, where God rejoices when He finds that His Church offers to the world His word as food for souls. St. Jerome wrote to St. Pamachius the monk encouraging him to study the Holy Bible saying, [Give him Your breasts to nurse from your bosom and to rest in His inheritance” (Ps. 68:13).] 6. At last, she calls him to sleep between her breasts, as if she is telling him with Hosea the Prophet, “Let her put away her harlotries from her sight, and her adulteries from between her breasts” (Hos. 2:2). O Holy Lord, may You find a dwelling place in my heart so You may rest the whole night. As long as I am in this temporal earth, I badly need You. May You enter in my life until the light of the eternity shines. May You sleep between my breasts, so I may hide You inside me. I will never forsake You, for I have none besides You! A CLUSTER OF HENNA BLOOMS “My Beloved is to me cluster of henna blooms in the vineyards of En Gedi” (Song 1:14). A cluster of henna blooms is a bundle of the fruit of henna, which the bride uses to dye her hands with on the night before her wedding. She becomes red with a nice aroma, ready for her bridegroom. En Gedi was the city famous for good quality henna. The King holds on to the Cross as the scepter of His kingdom; and the queen holds her Bridegroom with her hand until His characteristics and the sign of His kingdom are printed on her (the red color). She will not become a queen until she carries the signs of the Cross and sacrifices herself to the point of bloodshed, as her Bridegroom. This is the source of her strength and her beauty; therefore, the King communes with her saying: “Beloved, you are fair, my love! Beloved, you are fair! You have dove’s eyes” (Song 1:15). 1 Father Abdel Messih El Nekhiely: Lights on the book of the Song of Songs, p. 58,59. 22 THE MYSTERY OF HER BEAUTY For the second time the Bridegroom, the King, communicates with His bride. The first time, He urged her to know herself that she is “fairest among women” (Song 1:8). Now He communes with her emphasizing her beauty: “Beloved, you are fair, my love! Beloved, you are fair!” Here, the word “my love” means my neighbor. He is telling her that the source of her beauty is stay close to Him after He came close to her and descended to her. On Christmas Eve St. Ephraem the Syrian said, [This is a beautiful night; the Beautiful One came and made everything beautiful1.] The king repeating “Beloved, you are fair” confirms his admiration to her. Here He mixes the kingdom with the wedding feast, strife with beauty, appreciation and respect with love. “YOU HAVE DOVE’S EYES” (Song 1:15) 1. The Lord Jesus Christ, the King, sees special beauty in the Church. Her beauty is realized for she has dove’s eyes. The Holy Spirit, in the form of a dove, came upon her and enlightened her. Origen said, [Her eyes are compared to the doves because now she understands the Scriptures according to the spirit and not according to the letter. She understands the spiritual mysteries in the Scriptures, for the dove is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. When we understand the Law and the prophets in a spiritual manner, then our eyes become like the doves. In the book of the Psalms, the human soul longed to have wings like the dove (Ps. 67:14), so she may fly to understand the spiritual mysteries and get settled in the courts of wisdom. 1] Once more, Origen summarizes this expression by saying: [Your eyes are like the doves, which can look and comprehend in a spiritual manner.] For the third time, Origen emphasized that the eyes of the dove refer to the pure, chaste heart that can understand the word of God spiritually. He said, [Who has the eyes of a dove sees the truth and deserves mercy… “The righteous see it and rejoice, and all iniquity stops its mouth” (Ps. 107:42). Who sees the truth except the one with a chaste and pure attitude? This matter does not apply to the physical eyes but to the eyes of the heart. May you go into the deep and seek with your spirit the eyes that receive their light from the commandments of God…; for the commandment of God enlightens the eyes (Ps. 118:9). The one with the simple eye can understand the Spirit descending from heaven in the form of a dove.] St. Gregory of Nyssa said, [In seeing, the eye functions by receiving the impression of certain images which flow from the visible object. Thus the beauty of the bride’s eyes is praised because of the image of the Dove (the Holy Spirit) which appears in her pupils. For we receive within ourselves a likeness of whatever we look upon. Now the man who no longer looks toward flesh and blood, gazes rather on the life of the Spirit; as the Apostle says (Goal. 5:16), he lives and walks in the spirit, and by killing the deeds of the flesh by means of the Spirit, he becomes neither natural nor carnal but wholly spiritual. This is the reason why the Bridegroom praises the soul that has been freed of all carnal passion by saying that the image of the Dove is in its eyes; for this means that the impression of the spiritual life shines within the clarity of the soul.2] 2. The dove’s eyes refer to the simple soul who quickly confesses her sins and comes to God with a pure repentance, as Ezekiel the Prophet said, “Those who 1 Hymns on the Nativity, 1. 1 Commentary on Song 3:1 2 Sermon 4 23 survive will escape and be on the mountains like doves of the valleys, all of them mourning, each for his iniquity” (Ezek. 7:16). 3. The simple eyes refer to the simple heart in dealing with others, as the Lord Jesus said, “Be harmless as doves.” St. Augustine commented, [Notice how the doves preserve the life of love, for even if they fight, yet in simplicity, they cannot separate from each other1.] 4. St. Ambrose said that the Lord Jesus always sees His Church as a dove, for in baptism He sees her wearing white clothes, without any defilement, conquering the darkness of water. Her eyes become like doves, for the Holy Spirit descends from heaven in the form of a dove. 5. In baptism, the eyes of the believer become like the dove’s eyes; moreover, all his life becomes like a dove. “If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness” (Matt. 6:22-23). Hence, the whole body is enlightened, and man becomes like a dove, flying with the Holy Spirit inside the ark, to be continuously in the bosom of the true Noah! THE MYSTERY OF THE UNITY Since the soul has dove’s eyes, she looks at the mysteries of the word of God with the Holy Spirit, and realizes the beauty of her Bridegroom and enters in deep unity communing with Him: “Behold, You are handsome, my Beloved! Yes, pleasant! Also, our bed is green. The beams of our houses are cedar, and our rafters of fir” (Song 1:16-17). Through the Holy Spirit, the Church looks at her Bridegroom the King and sees that He is truly handsome and His love is sweet. She realizes that He takes the credit for every beauty in her. Origen said, [It seems that the bride has seen the beauty of her Bridegroom more closely, and with her dove’s eyes, she realized the beauty and sweetness of the word of God. Truly, no one can realize how awesome the word of God is unless he has the eyes of a dove, that is, through spiritual enlightenment2.] “OUR BED IS GREEN” (Song 1:16) What is this bed related to the king and queen (our bed)? This is the body in which the soul rests and which accepts the dwelling of God. No more is our body a burden on the soul nor does it reject the work of God; but it is sanctified to become a temple of God in which the soul rests and in whom God rejoices. In the body, one meets God, and through the body, we enjoy the fellowship with God, receiving the fruit of the Spirit. Therefore, the bed is called green because it is fruitful. Origen said: [In spite of the soul being in the body, she deserves to be in the company of the word of God. She receives divine power to grant goodness to the body and plants in it the grace of purity, chastity and other good deeds3.] The queen does not say “my bed,” but “our bed.” Her body does not only belong to her, but also to the Bridegroom the King. Therefore, St. Paul calls our bodies the members of Christ (1 Cor. 6:15). Our bodies reflect the inner unity between the divine word and the soul. The green bed also declares the mystery of the incarnation, for it is the Body of the King. The divine Word took our human nature and carried us in Him; thus, we 1 2 Origen: Commentary on Canticle, 3:2. 3 Origen: Commentary on Canticle, 3:2. 24 look at His body as a bed to us, for we find rest in Him and we are united with Him! The Body of the Lord was obedient to the Father, in contrast to our disobedience. He became pure in contrast of our defilement, and gave us victory over the devil! WORKERS IN THE ROYAL PALACE After the queen talked about the fruit of her unity with the King, she declared the responsibility of the workers in the royal palace for the sake of this unity. She said: “The beams of our houses are cedar, and our rafters of fir” (Song 1:16). Origen relates that the rafters, which are the slanted roofs which protect the houses from the heat of the sun, rain and storms, are the bishops who work with the Spirit of Christ to keep the believers in the faith. The beams, which bind the whole palace, are the priests who serve for the edification of the children of God. He said, [When the bishops perform their daily work in the Church, they are like the rafters which protect the whole building from rain, heat of the sun. Next to them come the priests who are like beams1.] The bishop has to be from the fir tree for the following reasons: 1. Fir trees are known for their great power and beautiful aroma. Origen said, [This indicates that the bishop has to have good deeds and carries the aroma of the grace of teaching2.] This means that he has two functions: to carry the Christian spiritual conduct and to spread the sweet aroma of Christ. He serves with his life and with his teachings! 2. Fir trees are characterized with their power and greatness (2 Kings 19:23 Isaiah14:8). The branches moving with the wind are like the shaking of the spears during wars (Nahum 2:3). The bishop as a shepherd has to be strong in his spirit and in his faith, carrying inner authority by the Holy Spirit and through his holy life. If he weakens, then the whole flock will also stumble. The bishop has to preserve the faith against all heresies. 3. During the building of Solomon’s temple, the whole floor was covered with planks of cypress (1 Kings 6:15). The bishop, appointed by the Spirit to be a leader and a shepherd, has to be humble (covered on the floor of the house). He sits at his children’s feet, washing them with the spirit of love and humility! The congregation offers him as a head representing the Lord Christ. In his heart, he sees himself the last of all, helping the weak and the despised. He has to serve every one rather than be served by them. 4. The wood of fir trees is used in building ships (Ezek. 27:5), which cross the sea of this world to the heavenly port. Also, fir wood is used in making musical instruments (2 Sam. 6:5), to instill in the people the spirit of joy and hope in Christ Jesus! 5. The wood of fir trees is used in making spears (Nahum 2:3), for the bishop is responsible of protecting faith from every heresy. 6. Due to the height of the fir trees, the bird builds its nest in them (Ps. 104:7). Everyone, even the non-believers, sees in the spiritual bishop the heart elevated toward the heavenly matters and the mind occupied with the eternity. This also applies to the priest. Origen said, [The beams were made of cedar, and cedar is known for its straight forwardness and nice aroma; in the same manner, 1 Origen: Commentary on Canticle, 3:2. 2 Origen: Commentary on Canticle, 3:2. 25 the priests are filled with the aroma of the knowledge of Christ.] Cedar was used to build masts of ships (Ezek. 27:5). An analogy for that, the priest leads his people to the divine port. Cedar was used to build musical instruments; in the same manner, priests stir the spirit of joy in their children. Cedar was used in building the inner part of the temple of Solomon (1 Kings 6:20), as well as the altar (1 Kings 6:18). The message of the priest is to build the inner house of the heart, so he does not care about the outside appearance or is occupied with any other job. He represents the altar, whose main function is to offer to his people the slain Christ and offer prayers for them. He testifies to the Cross and does not cease to pray for them until they all enter the eternal life.
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