Commentary on the book Song of Solomon

“Commentary on the Book of Song of Solomon” is one of the early exegetical works of Blessed. Theodoret of Cyrus. It was probably written before 431 at the request of Bishop John of Germanicia. Blzh. Theodoret agrees with the opinion of other interpreters (primarily Origen) that everything in this book is mysterious and must be understood in a spiritual sense. This is an image of the love of Christ the Bridegroom for His Church the Bride. In other persons, talking either with the Groom or with the Bride, the blessed one. Theodoret sees Angels. He rejects the bishop's opinion. Theodore of Mopsuestia, that the “Song of Songs” describes carnal love between a man and a woman (as Solomon’s answer to those who reproached him for marrying an Egyptian woman, the daughter of Pharaoh). According to the blessed Theodoret, the student must first determine the historical character of the Scriptures. Otherwise, the text may become a source of fantasy and lose authority. “Commentary on the Book of Song of Solomon” is a sequential presentation of all 8 chapters of this biblical book. *The title of the work in Latin is lnterpretatio in Canticum Cantlcorum. Blessed Theodoret, Bishop of Cyrus, Explanatory words on the book of Song of Songs Chapter 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 A wise and proud mind expresses its unbelief everywhere and finds stumbling blocks everywhere. Having given in to this somewhat unreliable leader, many refute the inspiration of the book “Song of Songs.” Some say that Solomon wrote in it about himself and Pharaoh’s daughter. Others imagine it as a royal conversation, where the name of the Bride means the people, and the name of the Groom means the Sovereign. What unproven opinions! If this were so, then the famous man Ezra, famous for his virtues, after the captivity of the people of Judah and after the burning of the church and everything contained in it, restoring the sacred books through the Holy Spirit, would never have included the book “Song of Songs” among them. Consequently, it, like the others of the Old Testament, has the Holy Spirit as its creator. Eusebius of Palestine, Origen of Egypt, Cyprian of Carthage, both Gregory, Diodorus, John and other men famous for their piety and wisdom, on whom we can almost always rely, have no doubt about this. But what, they will tell me, is the reason that has overcome others to regard the book of “Song of Songs” as uninspired? This question is not so difficult to solve. But I think that, reading it, and seeing in it mastics, kisses, thighs, legs, belly, eyes, stakti, backgammon, crins, etc., they accepted all this in a sensual way, attached themselves only to the literal meaning, and therefore considered it unworthy of origin from such a Divine principle. But they were deceived. They should have recognized the manner in which the Holy Scriptures are expressed. Holy Scripture, especially in the Old Testament, expresses much allegorically, so that the understanding is closed under the proper words. This is, for example, the place of the prophet Ezekiel in chapter sixteen (Ezek. 16) and many others. So, having established this, let us proceed without any fear to the interpretation of the book of the Song of Songs, as if it were inspired by God, let us begin, calling on the same Holy Spirit for help and crying out with blessed David: “Open my eyes, that I may understand the wonders of Your Law” (Ps. 119:18). I think this interpretation will not be unhelpful. But perhaps it will seem inexpressive and inaccurate to others. In this case, I ask the kind reader to excuse my shortcomings and replace them with his insight. Since we, with the Grace of God, have begun to interpret the book of the Song of Songs, we will first of all explain its very inscription. "Song of Songs of King Solomon." Why did not Solomon call this book “Song”, but “Song of Songs”? Wise and pious men say that in the Inspired Scripture nothing is written in vain, therefore there must be a reason for this. We find many songs in the prophets. And the great Moses, in addition to others composed by him, sang a victory song when the sea, having divided, opened the way for the Israelites, and became a tomb for the Egyptians (Ex. 15:1-19). And blessed David also built victory, morning and evening hymns on his sweet-voiced harp. But the Wise Solomon composed neither a victory nor a morning song, but a wedding song. Victory songs have as their subject the destruction of enemies and the liberation of prisoners; since this is an example: “having taken away the battle to the ends of the earth, the bow will crush and break the weapons, and the shields will be burned with fire. Be abolished and understand that I am God: I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted upon the earth” (Ps. 45:9–10) or “Lift up your gates, O princes, and be lifted up the gates of eternity, and the King of glory will come in... The Lord is strong and mighty, the Lord is mighty in battle.” (Ps. 23:7–8). In these songs, the Prophets glorify the victory of the King and glorify Him for the freedom granted to the captives; but the Song of Songs describes the marriage of this King and His love for the Bride. The name of the Bride here refers to those who got rid of captivity, received freedom, were returned by this King, constantly remembering His benefits, nourishing the greatest love and devotion for Him and not wanting to separate from their Deliverer for a single minute of time. So, the book of the Song of Songs, firstly, is so called because other songs were compiled for it and are used as a guide; secondly, for the fact that it teaches us the highest degrees of God’s goodness and reveals the deep and holy mysteries of His love for people. For this is the height of goodness, the last degree of God’s love for mankind, infinite mercy, immeasurable Love, that the Creator, Creator, Lord, God and Master of man, this mortal, possessed of passions, corruptible, ungrateful and useless animal, not only delivered him from death and the yoke of the devil, granted him freedom and adopted himself, but also named and created him the bride, like the groom, united with him, poured out countless gifts on him, built for him both a bed and a palace, clothed his nakedness, became for him himself a robe, and food, and drink, and a way, and a shield, and life, and light, and resurrection. But I would begin to count the sand or the drops of the sea if I attempted to accurately depict God’s love for mankind.