THE BOOK OF THE SONG OF SOLOMON A. B. Fay, DSD
Divine Science Bible Textbook
Colorado College of Divine Science
Denver, 1920.
This textbook was intended by the author to be used in conjunction with the Bible. Original page numbers and margin references are shown in brackets [ ].
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An allegory relating to the Bride and Bridegroom of the Spirit.
“No one in Israel has ever doubted that the Song of Songs is a holy canonical book,” says a devout Jew, about the end of the first century A.D., “for the whole world is not worth the day on which the Song was given to Israel. For all the writings are holy, but the Song of Songs is a holy of holies.”
Henceforth this idea of the incomparable value of the book continued to be the only prevailing one amongst the Jews, and thus it passed over also into the Christian Church.
One result of the allegorical interpretation was the introduction of the liturgical use of the Song into the Jewish church.
The Song of Songs–Canticles, along with Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, and Esther, made up the five “rolls” which were read to the congregation in the earliest times.
There was a Jewish regulation that no one [234] was to read the book till he was thirty years of age, the age, according to Num.4:3, at which the Levite is ready to enter upon his sacred duties.
The Song of Songs, which is Solomon’s:
Chapter 4. Dialogue in Oriental language of a lover speaking to his beloved.
Chapter 5. Bride of the Spirit speaking to the daughters of Jerusalem in the same language. Praise of the Bride and her response at the marriage feast. The Bridegroom’s response.
Chapter 6. Temporary separation.
Chapter 7. Mutual praise of Bridegroom and Bride. Their union in the consciousness that God is Spirit, and that that which is born of Spirit is Spirit; their eternal state of unity.
[Sol. 8:6,7,12,13.]
Chapter 8. “Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm” (strength), says the Spirit, for Love is as strong as death. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it. My vineyard, which is mine, is before me. Thou, O Solomon, shalt have the thousand; [235] thou that dwellest in the gardens (in the consciousness of Spirit), the companions hearken to thy voice; cause me to hear it.”
[Sol. 8:14.]
Make haste, my Beloved!