The Wisdom of the Songs

The songs lie near to bridal, sober, and well-minded things. For if one takes the words by considering the opinion of many and staring at nothing, he might think the songs are erotic and full of passion, but the words are bridal, filled with sobriety. And if you do not understand the songs by intellect, come to the proverbs, and ascend by way and by steps to those things. Wisdom built a house for herself (as the word is about a woman, Prov 9:1), and sent out her own servants. And again elsewhere it says: You have been loved by her and will keep her (Prov 2:17). It is not the love of a woman, but the love of wisdom defining its limits. For where there is the possession of wisdom, there is the definition of love. For passions are not according to wisdom, but thoughts are wise. Horses became female, the impulse being irrational. Therefore, if in the songs you hear what is said concerning a bridegroom and a bride, do not fall down, nor listen to these things passionably, but train the passions from the impassive ones.

Therefore, the divine study of the Songs, filled with sobriety, signifies the passion of Christ. For the things narrated concerning the passion of the Savior also mention the place: He entered into a garden, because of the one buried there. And he mentioned the aromas: He took my myrrh full; for the economy was fulfilled. And after the resurrection he said: I ate my bread with my honey (Rev 19:9). For they gave to him wax from the bee. And the songs again said things concerning the spikenard wine: I will make you drink from the fragrant wine. And regarding the ointment poured upon his head, elsewhere it says: Until the king reclines at his side, my nard gave his fragrance. For while he was reclining in the house of Simon the leper, a woman entered, having taken an alabaster jar of precious, faithful nard, and poured it upon his head (Mark 14:3). So also concerning the instrument of the cross. The wood of the cross, which carries, made its pillars silver. The beginning of the cross was silver, the betrayal. For just as a beautiful house has a golden roof lying above, while all the construction of it consists of pillars, so also the beginning of the crucifying and rising of Christ was silver. For if Judas had not handed him over, he would not have been crucified. Because of this, as naming the passion its beginning, it made its pillars silver.

His entry was into the purple. For this reason they clothed him in purple, playing indeed, but working prophetically; for he was a king. Even if they acted most according to mockery, they acted completely; and it became a symbol of royal dignity. And though it was a crown of thorns, it was a crown, and it was placed by soldiers. For kings are proclaimed by soldiers. His entry was into the purple, and within it was a paved floor. The diligent ones of the church know the paved floor, which is called Gabbatha, in the place where Pilate was.

These things have been written to me in a deviation regarding the one who came to the bed for the garment. He said therefore to him: 'Rise, take up your bed and walk.' The disease was for many years, but the plaster was sharp. The paralysis was for many years, but the cramp was sharp. For the Maker is the one providing various cures to the blind, the one who strangely granted the plaster through the application of mud. For to the one seeing, if mud is poured on him, it hinders seeing; but Jesus, through mud, granted seeing to those not seeing. And to others again, through other means, the power was shown; for to the one he said, 'Rise, take up your bed and walk.' How much astonishment do you think it took those seeing? But the thing seen was wonderful, while the unbelief was terrible. And a disease of many years is healed, but a long-standing unbelief was not healed. But the Jews persisted in their sufferings, and they did not want to be healed.

If it is necessary to be struck with amazement by what happens, it is necessary to worship the Physician of souls and bodies. But they were grumbling. For they were descendants of grumblers, those turning beautiful things into bad things, those saying the bitter is sweet, and the sweet is bitter. But Jesus was working with all economy on the Sabbath, working things concerning the Sabbath, so that the work might convince. Since word fights word, but the deed is unarguable, he healed on the Sabbath, teaching, so that the word might not become an adversarial word, but the work might convince those seeing.

They were arguing: 'It is a Sabbath, it is not permitted for you to carry your bed.' A lawgiver was present, and another was saying 'it is not permitted for you.' 'Establish, Lord, a lawgiver over them,' as it has been said concerning the Savior. But he, having been fully healed both soul and body by the Physician, having received a wise word from Wisdom, immediately...