Erotic Love Song

[paradigm man]

The Song of Solomon seems to be avoided by many pastors and ministries. If all scripture is given by inspiration of God, then why the silence on this Love Song? Could it be for the following reasons:

1) A women's breast are mentioned six times.
2) A women's breast are compared to grapes (7:7).
3) A women's breast are compared to two young roes (4:5).
4) A women's breast are a resting place for a man (1:13).

 

[Knight]

More than likely.

In the past, this book has been interpreted as a alleghory of the love and affection the Christ has for His church. I think that was done to avoid some of the more sensual language used in this book.

 

[reformedfan]

I once read a pastor said, when he announced he was going to refer to this book during a wedding service, noting the shocked looks, etc. said the audience must have become 'too sanctified' for God's Word.
whatta funny guy!

 

[artybloke]

It also contains the only recorded Biblical wet dream - Chap 5:3-13 (and remember when reading it that the word "hand" and the word "door" are very probably euphemistic.) :o

 

[WesleyJohn]

.

 

[Sougent]

The Song of Solomon seems to be avoided by many pastors and ministries. If all scripture is given by inspiration of God, then why the silence on this Love Song? Could it be for the following reasons:

1) A women's breast are mentioned six times.
2) A women's breast are compared to grapes (7:7).
3) A women's breast are compared to two young roes (4:5).
4) A women's breast are a resting place for a man (1:13).

It shouldn't be avoided, it is God's idea of what love, marriage and sex within the context of marriage should be.

 

[Sougent]

It also contains the only recorded Biblical wet dream - Chap 5:3-13 (and remember when reading it that the word "hand" and the word "door" are very probably euphemistic.) :o

To the contrary, it is my understanding that it was a custom of the times to literally do that sort of thing with "perfume" on the door latch.

 

[SavedByGrace3]

The Song of Solomon seems to be avoided by many pastors and ministries. If all scripture is given by inspiration of God, then why the silence on this Love Song? Could it be for the following reasons:

1) A women's breast are mentioned six times.
2) A women's breast are compared to grapes (7:7).
3) A women's breast are compared to two young roes (4:5).
4) A women's breast are a resting place for a man (1:13).

Only modern western culture sexualizes breasts. They are, after all, for feeding babies.
Anything else is just in your head.

 

[Piano Player]

As descriptive as it is, the English version has been toned down a bit.

 

[Henhouse]

To paradigm (and Didas, too, BTW):
I don't think so. It isn't all about breasts. Or else we'd shuck Proverbs, too.

Prov:5:19: Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love.

Maybe Soloman was too Westernized?

S of S has been controversial not only because of it's topic, but also it's been debated if it was really written by Soloman (thus some versions name it Song of Songs), as well as whether or not it is a type of Christ and the church.

Also, as to the 'wet dream' idea; it was the girl talking at that point, so problaby not. (The man was outside; the girl went to open the door.)

 

[eutychus]

Prov:5:19: Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love.

The Dean of my college spoke on Proverbs 5 (which he calls the "most erotic passage in Scripture") last Wednesday in Chapel! Dr. Scroggins was a beast, and God worked awesomely, as he always does through his spoken word.

To answer the original question, SoS is one of the most practical books of the Bible when it comes to daily living. It speaks of an exclusive relationship that is passionate in movement and communication.

Only modern western culture sexualizes breasts. They are, after all, for feeding babies.
Anything else is just in your head.

Though I'm a girl and therefore limited to knowing what goes through a guy's mind, ask a tribesman in Kenya what he thinks of his woman's endowment and see if the first thing that comes to his mind is feeding the children.

Aside, I'm against the whole idea that it is an allegory. I have fully embraced the church as the Bride of Christ, but having God say to us, "Your two breasts are like two fawns, twins of a gazelle which feed among the lilies."? That is stretching a bit, yeah?

 

[jepvc4]

The Song of Solomon also alludes to more than just breasts. You forget to mention chapter seven, which starts with the lady's legs, then her navel, her waist, her breasts, then neck, then eyes, then nose, her hair...

But wait, let's back up and go to chapter four, which also names off a variety of aestetically pleasing bodyparts: eyes, hair, teeth, lips, temples, neck, then finally her breasts. In verse six , we see that the lover is making love to his woman, making references to the "mountain of myrrh and hill of incense" and not leaving until daybreak. Then in verse 16 there is the beloved, asking that the winds blow upon her "garden" and spread its fragrance, and for her lover to come to her garden and taste its fruits.

I think that breasts are only the tip of the iceberg in this book. Maybe for our "westernized" culture, especially our "super sanctified" church culture, mentioning breasts are taboo, I would be hard pressed to see how a church explains SoS 4:6 and 4:16 as something other than sex. Seems to me, an alternate explanation would only work on a six year old.

My two cents on the book is that is is a wonderful story of the passion, emotional and physical, that should exist between lovers. Their very hearts and bodies should ache with anticipation for each other's company and for each other's physical intimacy.

 

[jepvc4]

Man, did I kill this thread or something?

 

[tambora]

Only modern western culture sexualizes breasts. They are, after all, for feeding babies.
Anything else is just in your head.

But God is the one who says breast are sexual instruments. How can God who is the eternal one be western in His culture? No, breast serve a dual function as feeders of babies and sexual instruments for males.

 

[renegade pariah]

The confusion about sex in Christianity probably comes from passages such as "the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak", and the real world problem of sexual impropriety such as rape and adultery which are prevalent wherever the base desires are not restrained. Ignoring the rightful place of sensuality and sexual passion as a loving expression between man and wife is probably a disservice within a sexually confused society. Sexual propriety is an issue in all religions and deserves more debate in a world where sexual exploitation and sexual diseases are so rampant.

 

[Sougent]

Sex, as is everything else, is created by God. Man has done a lot of bad things with it, but it shouldn't be ignored and God saw fit to give us His thoughts on the matter in Song of Solomon.

 

[mark kennedy]

The Song of Solomon seems to be avoided by many pastors and ministries. If all scripture is given by inspiration of God, then why the silence on this Love Song? Could it be for the following reasons:

1) A women's breast are mentioned six times.
2) A women's breast are compared to grapes (7:7).
3) A women's breast are compared to two young roes (4:5).
4) A women's breast are a resting place for a man (1:13).

There is no sex in the Song of Songs (which was Solomon's). You have to understand that these two were betrothed but they did not actually live together. At that time two people would commit there children to a future marriage and the two had very little to say about it. At the proper time they would have a big celebration where the families along with the bride and groom would all get together. The opening verses of the Song of Solomon are thought to be a bedchamber but its not, they are sitting at the kings table and the groom is reclining against the bride.(1:13) Keep in mind there are no chairs so they are all sitting on the floor around the table. It reminds me of John reclining against Jesus at the last supper. This is natural affection, nothing more.

Now as you might imagine these arranged marriages produced some pretty unhappy marriages but these two are crazy about one another. The real problem is that the grooms father could not let them set up house until everthing was in order. Now both of them were responsible for making arragements in order to be able to set up house and she leases a grape orchard from Solomon.

Here is one of your mentions of breasts and it has nothing to do with sex.

"We have a little sister, and she had no breasts. What shall we do for our sister in the day when she is spoken for?"

Here her brothers are asking her if she is ready for this and if she needs anything. The reference to her having no breasts speaks of her as a child, she responds:

"I am a wall and my breasts like towers"

Basically she is saying that she is a grown woman now and the song finishes with here sealing a deal on a vineyard which was here resposibility. Women at that time would cultivate gardens that required walls to keep out pests like foxes who burrow in the roots.

I will say this, they were allowed to have intercourse if they could find the time. The entire song they are trying to get together and they meet under an apple tree while watching their flocks. He comes to her mothers house and talks to here through the lattice around here mothers garden and actually visits her one night but he leaves when she doesn't unlock the door to her bedchamber. Most likely her mother had let him in. He leaves and goes back to Jerusalem and she goes to Jerusalem to find him. She is attacked by the guards who mistook her for an intruder. She talks to the daughters of Jerusalem and they tell him where he is. She praises him in a way that startles the Daughters of Jerusalem and she explains just how wonderfull this guy is. Throught to song the daughters of Jerusalem and the friends of the groom praise their love

Throughout the song they are trying to get together but they can't because they have to see to there responsibilities. It makes a wonderfull analogy of Christ and the church as we wait for the parosia (appearing) but it is after all a love song about two young people that inspiried Solomon to write a long love song. It would be suitable as a part of abstiance education becuase it emphasises being responsible and making every provision for you family before starting it.

Grace and peace,
Mark

 

[Kam_Islash]

I am fairly certain that the word tranlsated as Navel doesnt actually mean navel.

Well thats what they said on the History Channel.

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