Peter Misselbrook's Blog
May 29 2019 - Song of Songs 1:1-2:17 – A love song

The Song of Songs is attributed to Solomon (Song 1:1). It consists of a poetic celebration of the love between a man and a woman. Several voices are heard in this poem and are helpfully identified in headings found in most modern versions such as the NIV. So, for instance, a woman speaks of the one she loves in chapter 1 verses 2-4 and the man responds in verses 9-11. Other voices are labelled "Friends" in the NIV. I was in the habit of listening to The Daily Audio Bible for several years. Brian Hardin from Tennessee reads through the Old and New Testaments on a yearly schedule. When he comes to the Song of Songs he would normally be joined by his wife. The two of them would read the different parts and read together the sections spoken by many voices.

But what is this love song doing in the Bible? Some of the material in it is so sensual and suggestive that young Jewish boys were not allowed to read it before their bar mitzvar, their coming of age.

One of the common ways to explain the inclusion of this book in the Bible is to suggest that it should be read allegorically. Jewish commentators often argued that the book describes the depths of the relationship of mutual love that exists between God and his people Israel. In a similar way, Christians, following the New Testament description of Christ as bridegroom to the church, his bride (John 3:29; Eph. 5:22ff.; Rev. 18:23ff.), have often read this book as a description of Christ's love for his people and of our love for Christ.

Those who have adopted this approach to the book have shown great ingenuity in interpreting the various details in the Song. One famous commentary by a Baptist minister named John Gill (1697-1771), begins the summary of chapter 1 as follows: "In this chapter, after the general title of the book, verse 1 the church expresses her strong desires and most ardent wishes for some fresh discoveries of the love of Christ to her, and for communion with him, verse 2, and having tasted of his love, and smelled a sweet savour in his grace, and enjoyed fellowship with him in his house, verses 3, 4. she observes her blackness and uncomeliness in herself, and comeliness in him, the trials and afflictions she met with from others, and her carelessness and negligence of her own affairs …" Interpretations of this sort do damage to the plain sense of the text.

The Song of Songs (also known as The Song of Solomon), should be read first and foremost as love poetry. It has a place in the Scriptures because the God who made us, and made us male and female, made us that male and female might find love one with another and that children might be conceived and born into such a relationship of love. And the Bible is not prudish about these things, nor does it consider sexuality and sensuality unspiritual. On the contrary, here we find a whole book devoted to celebrating passionate love. Here is perfect material for teaching young people about love which is more than a sexual act; love which is rooted in heart-to-heart devotion rather than the desire to use (and maybe even exploit) another. With this perspective in mind, try reading through all eight chapters of this beautiful song to love (we are only reading the first two chapters in our journey through the Old Testament in a year).

But having said all that, if this is a celebration of human love, how much more should we celebrate the love that God has for us in the Lord Jesus Christ! More than that, the best and deepest expressions of human love are a reflection of the fact that we have been created in the image of God. In this sense we can look beyond the pages of the Song of Songs to delight in Christ's love for us and to find extravagant ways to express our love for him in return.

Living God, I give you thanks and praise for the wonder and joy of human love. But I thank you even more for your great love for me in the Lord Jesus Christ, a love which nothing can destroy. You have drawn me into the embrace of the unfathomable love that exists between you as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Help me to celebrate your gift of love. 

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May 29 2020 - 2 Corinthians 13:1-13 – Lives put back together

Paul uses an interesting verb in his closing exhortations to the Corinthians. The single word is translated in the NIV as “aim for perfection” (2 Corinthians 13:11). Paul has used the cognate noun just two verses earlier when he writes, “our prayer for you is for your perfection” (13:9 NIV).

I say that this is an interesting verb, for we first meet it in the New Testament in Matthew 4:21 where we read of Jesus coming upon James and John while they were in their father’s boat “mending their nets”. This same verb is used there of their “mending” activity. They were removing all of the weeds and other items that had become entangled in the nets, mending any tears and generally restoring them to all that they were designed to be and making them fit for purpose. It is this verb and cognate noun that is used by Paul in his prayers for, and instruction of, the Christians at Corinth. This sense is reflected in the 2011 revision of the NIV which renders these verses, “our prayer is that you may be fully restored” (v.9) and “Strive for full restoration” (v.11).

God is at work in us, his people, mending broken lives. He has done this first by sending us his Son who was broken for us. Through his resurrection from the dead he has not only been restored but also glorified; “he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by God's power” (13:4). So he has become a perfect Saviour; completely fitted to our need. Now by his Spirit he is mending our broken lives. He is removing all the rubbish that has become so entangled in the fabric of our lives that it has shaped who we are and who we have become. He is mending the tears in our lives, tears caused by ourselves and by others; damage caused by the situations we have faced and disappointments we have suffered. He is putting our lives back together and making us again to be all that he intended us to be – making us like Christ. In all of this, he makes us fit for service – like mended fishing nets ready for the hands of the fisherman.

This is God’s purpose not for our lives only, but also for the world that he has made. God is in the restoration business. His purpose is to take this world that has been damaged and spoilt through human rebellion and to restore it in and through Christ that it may again reflect the purpose and glory of its creator; that it might be made new.

Let this be our prayer for ourselves – for our perfection; for us to be made whole again; made all that we were meant to be; made like Christ. Let this be the passion of our lives; the thing we aim for above all else. Let this also be our prayer for one another, prayer that shapes our attitudes towards others and our interactions with them; “Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you” (13:11). Let this be our prayer for our broken world and the vision that shapes our work in the world that we might be menders rather than destroyers; co-workers with God in bringing about his Shalom.

Lord, mend my life: remove the rubbish; repair the damaged areas; heal the hurts. Make me like Jesus. Make me fit for your use. Use me in the work of your kingdom; enable me to touch the lives of others and to bring healing and restoration to the glory of your name.

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Peter Misselbrook