Discussion questions.

1. How should Christians think about sexual intimacy?

2. How would you interpret the book, Song of Songs?

Introduction
The song of songs, which is sometimes called song of Solomon is a part of the
wisdom literature in the canon. This book comprises a number of poems which
make up the song. The authorship of this book is highly debated. Some
evangelicals think of Solomon as the author of this book raising the point that it is
stated in 1 kings 4:32 that Solomon wrote thousand and five songs he states that
this song is arguably the greatest song written by Solomon.

Other scholars are of a different view arguing that they ship of this book was that
Solomon, but then it was dedicated to Solomon because of how song of Solomon
chapter 1 verse one is integrated or translated in the Hebrew . Scholars who think
of Solomon as the posit that it is the greatest song of songs that’s why that’s why
it’s called the song of songs, and now have not been able to settle on who the
author of this book is some argue that it is Solomon who is the author say that
this book was written, dedicated to Solomon because when you look at of
Solomon, chapter 1 verse one in the Hebrew song of songs which is Solomon can
be translated as interpreted us the Song of Songs which is dedicated to Solomon.
Now this book is divided into eight chapters and said earlier there of poems that
make up this song. we can identify three voices in this book the voice of a woman,
young woman, a man and other young woman all chorus voices. The woman is
perceived as the main speaker because she spoke 53% of the time the man 34%
of the time and others 13%.

The content of this book one might say is “unconventional “ because there is a
mention of several sexual But then, a book in the Bible we have to understand
that it is part of the canon for a reason Paul told Timothy that the that scriptures
breed out by God and profitable for teaching for reproof for correction and for
training in righteousness, second Timothy, chapter three verses 16. Therefore, us
believers there are lessons to be led from this book. In other words God has
something to teach us from the song of Solomon. Questions to be discussed one.
How should the song of Solomon be understood and interpreted? Two what does
the Bible have to say about romantic love? now to address the first question.
How should the song of Solomon be understood and interpreted the song of
songs have been viewed differently by many Christians overtime scholars still
wrestle with the interpretation of this book this makes it quite an obscure book.
Some of the early church fathers allegorized or spiritualized the interpretation of
this book, making it a conversation between God and the bride, which is the
church, and so fesses connotes sexual intimacy were spiritualized. But to
spiritualize The book means that we lose sight of what the book is actually
communicating. In his commentary on the Song of Songs, Daniel J. ESTES writes
that “the song of songs is not read as an allegory no is it viewed typically, but
instead the song, in addition to its literal meaning, also yields, theological and
ethical significance, that illustrates truths, thought, explicitly elsewhere in the
biblical text.”
Also, there are several roadblocks if one tries to understand the poems
progressively as we do in comparison with our modern day movie plots you know
you can see the buildup from one point to another because of this challenge
where the poems are not in perfect sync with one another different scholars have
interpreted and understood these poems of the song in away, where the song is
in line with the meta-narrative of the Bible. Again with it interpretation most
scholars are of the view that based on the wedding theme in chapter 3 the
activities of the couple were progressive from my proposals stage in chapters, one
and two to the wedding in chapter 3, and then consummation in chapter 4. This
view is not without pushback. The question then becomes, how should you
understand chapter 1 verses 2 to 4 where the bride or the lady says the king
brought me into his chambers? To address the issue of the car, not being sexually
intimate before marriage or before the wedding night these scholars posit that
perhaps the girls words may have been postulated as musings dreams,
soliloquize, reminiscences, or flashbacks another
school of thought is that these expressions of the girl, were passionate yearnings
or desires, which were never fulfilled until her wedding night. Again a view, quite
remote, from the previous views is that of Douglas O Donnell who Argues that the
whole song was written in the contest of marriage. Therefore, making it easy to
understand the language of sexual intimacy applied in the chapters. He goes on
further to say that the three times in the book where the young versions were
admonished by the lady to not disturb or awaken love, until it pleases, are after
sexual intimate, encounters between the couple.
Clearly there’s a level of ambiguity and uncertainties about the state of the couple
as Scholars have expressed different views as to whether the entire song was
written in the marriage contest oh, it proceeded from a proposal stage to a
wedding then consummation. Despite the Clash of views, they all agree that the
song does not promote sexual intimacy before marriage.

1. Desire for love and intimacy, 1:2-2:7 the first poem Begins by the woman
conversing her she states let him kiss me with the kisses his smile or love is better
than wine the paralyzation of kisses suggest that it’s not on the cheek or as Paul
said greet one another with a holy kiss but the kisses mentioned connotes the
romantic kiss between couples. It’s quite unusual for a woman to request to be
kissed. The norm has been for men or husbands to initiate intimacy. But here we
find a woman, desiring to be passionately kissed. The lesson to be drawn from
this as seen other verses of the book is that intimacy shouldn’t be initiated by only
one party. In versus to be, she says, for your love is Bertha than why praising the
love of the man universe three she transitions from physical praise to the praise
of the man’s character. Why she says your name is oil called out we can finding
other parts of the Bible, where the Bible speaks of a good name, which symbolizes
character. And in versus Fossi, we see a response from what the ESV calls others,
and these young ladies are singing a chorus affirmation of the couples love. as we
read further, from versus five and six of chapter 1, see the young woman describe
herself. She says she’s dark, but lovely, and the reason why she’s dark is because
the sun has looked upon her, and compass has skin color to the curtains of
Solomon and the tents of kedar probably comparing herself to the other maidens,
and so because of actions, she has lost her complexion and she has not been able
to attend to her feminine needs. no in versus eight through 10 although the lady
is not fully confident of her beauty, the man doesn’t tow her line but
compliments, her as the most beautiful among woman as he compares her to a
mare among , pharaoh’s chariots. Then in versus 11 we see the other respond
with the verse will make for you ornament of God started with silver again
affirming the words of the man no the woman versus 13 and 14 again compliment
him us she compares had a beloved to a class of Hanna blossoms, which signifies
protection. ask Henna where flowers that serve us Herges around vineyards.
Then, still in the spirit of love, they complement each other in verse 15 of chapter
1 the man calls, the woman and the woman calls the man beautiful. And it is
obvious from versus two and three of chapter 2, that the content with each other,
as the man sees the woman to stand out among the young woman. also, the
woman perceives the man to be the best among the young man. some scholars
suggest that the language used in versus 3 to 6 by the woman indicates her need
for sexual intimacy. As she makes statements like his fruit was sweet to my taste.
He brought me to the banquet house and span of me, was love, sustain me with
reasons refresh me with apples I am sick with love is left hand is under my head,
and his right hand embraces me, then there is a shop break us in verse seven she
admonishes the dances of Jerusalem to not stay or awaken Love until it pleases
meaning they should abstain from sexual intimacy until marriage. this verse I
enjoy you or daughters of Jerusalem by the ghazals of the doors of the field that
you not stay up we can love until it pleases it’s three times in the book of
Solomon the first in chapter 2 verse seven the second chapter 3 verse five, and
the last in chapter 8, verse three. Douglas o Donnell, the author of an invitation to
intimacy is of the view that the woman admonishes fellow women to abstain
from sex after heightened sexual action. That is they should wait patiently as
romantic love is a good thing and it’s something to be enjoyed and it into it until it
pleases.
There is a lesson here for couples husbands, compliment your wives, wives
husbands. There is also a lesson for singles to abstain from sexual intimacy.

2. Springtime , 2:8-2:17 from versus eight through 17 of chapter 2 note that this
couple seasons and times this poem commented of the woman text about the
coming off man, and then reports what have beloved says to them, beloved
being, the man is said to have said, arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come
away for behold, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear
on the Earth. The time of sink has come, it is clear to he was given a description of
spring time time or seasoning, wet plants and flowers begin to blossom to bad to
grow and so it’s fair to resume that this car at the time in the relay or the stage
season where they had to transition to another level or a new page and verse 15
makes it evident that this new season wasn’t going to last without effort being
put in us he says catch the foxes for us the little foxes, the that spoils vineyards
for our vineyards are in Blossom. Ecclesiastes chapter 3 talks about seasons, and
times that there is a season and a time for every matter and heaven, a time to
embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing what season are you in a couple?
Are you in your winter time or is it your spring time? This can also be applied to
singles what season are you in now?

3. Feast of love, 3:1-5:1

for the woman to say on my bed by night, interpreted as a dream or understood
as she daydreaming about her lover. Subsequent verse of two shows the length
she would go to seek after love stated seek him. Oh my soul loves in the book in
chapter 5 verse seven she gets bruised and beaten by the watchmen of the city
because she’s sick with love as she states versus eight of chapter 5. As she
narrates this dream in versus fall, chapter 3 she talks about bringing him into her
mothers house and chamber could also be interpreted as an intimate moment as
she then preaches to the other young ladies to stay pure. Foot chapter 3 verses
six through 11 some have stated that it is Solomon approaching the woman
however Garrett Duane, right that Solomon is not a current chapter 3, but as a
symbol us the Ali versus chapter 3 one through five can be compared and
contrasted to six through 11. Is there instances of mother, in verses 4 and verses
11 respectively. Now, in chapter 4 verses one to seven the compliments, the
beauty of the lady as he gives a detailed description of her upper body in versus
one to five. The man is blinded by love as he doesn’t see, or notice any floss, like
those mentioned by the woman in chapter 2 verse one. Versus eight and nine he
invites her to intimacy, and for 10 to 15 compliments, her love making ability.
verse 16 she invites him into her chapter 5 verse one he goes in complies, and
everyone praises the feast of love.

Conclusion.
What’s been communicated here?
Sexual intimacy is a gift from God to married couples to be enjoyed. In a broader
perspective, the Song of Songs can be seen as analogous to the unflinching love
God has for his children just us in efficient chapter 5 is 22 to 23. The relationship
of Christ to the church is analogous to the relationship of a husband to a wife.