I've been looking at Song of Solomon again, just going through some of it assessing what I taught about 2 years ago. I've come to think that this book does not have the flow that I thought that it had but in fact does not follow a chronological order. I do still believe that this book is primarily about sex, romance and marriage but have been rethinking some of what I thought of some of the verses.
For example in Song of Solomon 2:3 THE SHULAMITE says;
"Like an apple tree among the trees of the woods, So is my beloved among the sons. I sat down in his shade with great delight, And his fruit was sweet to my taste."
I taught this;
"The Hebrews saw the apple tree as the place of love! Be loving to each other
A tree is also used as a place of shade and shelter, a place of protection!
No matter what else is happening in life, work troubles, social or health problems men are to be a place of shade to their partner!
That girl should feel safe with that guy, she should know that he will not hurt her! And that if someone does try to hurt her he will protect her! He should be a place of refuge, of safety and shelter from all the storms of life!
He is to please her and make her happy! She sits in his shade with great delight! When you are with that man he should make you feel so safe and should please you! Guys learn to be like an apple tree! Protect, guard, defend, shelter, shade that girl and you know what else nourish her!
His fruit was sweet to my taste! If you find she has an interest or a talent or a spiritual gift encourage her to follow it! If she has an interest in learning to dance book in for lessons! If she wants to sky dive book it in!
Build her up in her likes and interests!
If she is gifted with abilities with children encourage her to use those in Sunday schools or good news clubs, if she has a gift of teaching younger women, encourage that, if its discernment let her use it, if she is gifted with the gift of hospitality invite people round!
Build that woman up and encourage and nourish her! "
Now, I still agree that this interpretation can be a fair one but I also think Mark Driscoll's interpretation of this text is fair, which is basically that this passage teaches oral sex "I sat down in his shade with great delight, And his fruit was sweet to my taste." The lady is sat before the man and his fruit was sweet to her taste.
What I have been trying to discover is which of these is the original intent!
I am just wondering if anyone else would have something to say on this text, any other interpretations or which of these you believe?
Thursday, 17 January 2008
About Boaly
Gary has been involved in printing the Scriptures for 20 years, enjoys photography and rambling online
4 comments:
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In thinking of this I was contemplating the nature of poetry. I fully believe that the Bible is the authoritive Word of God and speaks directly to us. When It says "do not commit adultery" it means just that, but in thinking of the Song of Solomon and its poetic nature I thought that perhaps as with a lot of poetry, though it holds a core truth and teaches many definites that in passages such as this it may be open to imaginative response by the reader and so hold different aspects for the reader?
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11:21 pm
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Still hoping to hear from someone with a clue as to the author's original intent. However, can we surmise Driscoll's intent?
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9:17 pm
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I think it means both. It means protection and safety under the protection of the man, but it also has another meaning which is oral sex that she is giving him oral pleasure.
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9:56 pm
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As far as I can tell it means both. What is the act motivated by?
No woman should fee she has to get down on her knees and please the man as a forced obligation.
Married sex should be a pleasurable act of giving to the other person.
A woman who is scared her husband will withhold love, hurt her etc. if she does not give oral sex to her husband would not match well with the Shulamite in this passage.
She felt safe, loved and cared for and if the passage is referring to oral sex (and it seems like a possible interpretation as near the end she is compared to a palm tree and grabbing clusters is the same as breasts so can not the same logic be to the man?) then the act should be marked by mutual consent and driven by love both seeking the best interest of the other.
If she has a conscience issue or if she desires to perform it and the husband does then it should be abstained from and prayed through.
Since there is no clear prohibition in Scripture (and I feel if God viewed it as detestable He would tell us to save so many marriages) we can only take biblical principles.
Some peoples conscience won't see oral sex anywhere in song of solomon but some do and you can read it with that in mind or without and I think that was the Holy Spirits intent.
Obviously its a sexual book (let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth as verse 1...) however it is written in such a way that it is not explicitly clear what they are doing but the two of them are fully aware what the pomegranates are etc.
Kind of like a married couple saying,
"Dinner at Claire's tonight?"
But really their backyard pool is nicknamed Claire.
So are they having dinner?
Possibly, there is a Claire's nearby and they frequent it but why did the wife have a playful smile?
To them making love in the pool is hinted at, however to yoy and I as outside observers, unless we know the pool is also named Claire's we will think restaurant.
This I feel is the ambiguity intended in Solomon and I feel both interpretations could be correct.
Palm tree and breasts.
Apple tree is a little harder but possibly.
When we come into marriage we are harmed by sin. Not everyone is ready for everything.
If you are unsure about oral sex ask God for wisdom and ask the Holy Spirit to lead you.
Some eat vegetables some don't.
If the Lord uses your conscience to drive yoy from eating vegetables then listen.
If the Lord does not conflict, well.
Thats between you, your spouse and the Lord.
Neither of us live to ourselves or die to ourselves but whether we live or die we are the Lords.
Hope this helps. -
10:22 pm
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