Sep 7

Reference links:

Song of Songs 5:1-8:14 2 Corinthians 9:1-15 Psalm 51:1-19 Proverbs 22:24-25

Overview of Song of Songs Overview of the Second Epistle to the Corinthians Overview of the Psalms Overview of the book of Proverbs

Old Testament

We finish Song of Songs today. We read more descriptions of love and descriptions of the lovers. Some of this is quite overtly sexual.

One line that stood out to me was this:

But my vineyard is mine to give

Given the context of the line and the subject of the poem as a whole, this line seems like a clear declaration that women have the freedom to choose their love. That choice is not to be made lightly

Promise me, O women of Jerusalem,
not to awaken love until the time is right.

But the love and sexuality of a woman are her property. This is a welcome counter to those who would claim that women cannot be trusted with their own sexuality.

New Testament

Paul continues to encourage the Corinthian church to give money to the church in Jerusalem. What makes that church so much more needy, I wonder. Paul then goes on to talk about how giving generously results in a greater harvest than giving less. I certainly can get behind the concept.

Psalms and Proverbs

This proverb struck a cord. There have certainly been people I have cut out of my life because, despite my best efforts, they consistently brought out the worst in me.

Don’t befriend angry people
or associate with hot-tempered people,
or you will learn to be like them
and endanger your soul.

Sep 6

Reference links:

Song of Songs 1:1-4:16 2 Corinthians 8:16-24 Psalm 50:1-23 Proverbs 22:22-23

Overview of Song of Songs Overview of the Second Epistle to the Corinthians Overview of the Psalms Overview of the book of Proverbs

Old Testament

New book means summary day! According to Harris's Understanding the Bible

The only erotic poetry in the Bible, the Song of Songs defies easy classification or interpretations.  Its frank celebration of sexual passion challenges interprets to explain the book's presence in sacred Scripture. Puzzled or embarrassed by the poet's joyous reveling in physical sensuality, many commentators have labeled the work an allegory -- a fictional narrative in which characters, objects, and actions symbolize some higher truth. To Jews, the Song became an allegory of Yahweh's love for Israel; to Christians, it became an expression of Christs's love for his "bride," the church. But to most modern scholars, this collection of love lyrics is precisely what it appears to be: an affirmation of the human capacity for sexual pleasure.

That ancient commentators, both Jewish and Christian, regarded the book as functioning allegorically, however, suggests that the poem's eroticism may have a spiritual dimension.

In short, even if the author of the poem did not mean it allegorically, it has taken on allegorical aspects in practice.

Despite the traditional attribution of the books to Solomon,

Solomon, nonetheless, is not thought to be the author. Some scholars believe that these erotic poems originated as hymns associated with a Near Eastern fertility goddess, such as Asherah, who was married to the god El (in Ugaritic lore) or Baal (in Canaanite tradition). If so, the Asherah-El-Baal cultic elements have entirely disappeared from the extant texts. Other scholars propose that these verses were intended to be sung at country weddings in ancient Israel.

On to the reading! I don't have a ton to say about it. The Song of Songs is very much romantic/erotic poetry. Lot's of lovely poetic imagery, although some of it is less meaningful to the modern audience (such as comparing white teeth to sheep). Given that I am not reading it as an analogy, more something to be enjoyed and commented upon.

New Testament

Today's reading seems to be Paul's attempt to convince the Corinthian church that they can trust all the money they donate to the people he is sending.

Psalms and Proverbs

Today's message from Proverbs: don't rob the poor or exploit the needy. Always a good point to make.