biotech.icmb.utexas/botany/acrohst.html

2. “Rose of Sharon” ...is the autumn-flowering pale-lilac meadow-saffron, i. e. Colchicum autumnale … in the park-like tract (about 8-12 miles wide and 44 long) of the Palestinian Maritime Plain extending along the Mediterranean from Joppa to Mt. Carmel. Paul Haupt. Journal of Biblical Literature, 36:1/2, 147. 1917 Colchicum autumnale is most commonly known as autumn crocus, but in various regions it is known as naked-ladies, colchicum, and meadow saffron… http://biotech.icmb.utexas.edu/botany/acrohst.html

3. “Rose of Sharon” It's a perennial herb in the lily family… which grows from a corm (a solid bulb)... http://biotech.icmb.utexas.edu/botany/acrohst.htm

4. “Rose of Sharon” ...each stalk produces a single white-to-purplish-pink flower that resembles a crocus. The extreme toxicity of this plant has been known since the times of ancient Greece, but in the fifth century, herbalists in the Byzantine Empire discovered it could be used to treat rheumatism and arthritis, and the Arabs began to use it for gout. The useful active ingredient in the plant is an alkaloid called colchicine...http://biotech.icmb.utexas.edu/botany/acrohst.html

5. “Rose of Sharon” Poisoning from this plant resembles arsenic poisoning; the symptoms (which occur 2 to 5 hours after the plant has been eaten) include burning in the mouth and throat, diarrhea, stomach pain, vomiting, and kidney failure. Death from respiratory failure often follows. Less than than two grams of the seeds is enough to kill a child… http://biotech.icmb.utexas.edu/botany/acrohst.html

6. “Rose of Sharon” ...is the autumn-flowering pale-lilac meadow-saffron, i. e. Colchicum autumnale … in the park-like tract (about 8-12 miles wide and 44 long) of the Palestinian Maritime Plain extending along the Mediterranean from Joppa to Mt. Carmel. Paul Haupt. Journal of Biblical Literature, 36:1/2, 147. 1917 Colchicum autumnale is most commonly known as autumn crocus, but in various regions it is known as naked-ladies, colchicum, and meadow saffron… http://biotech.icmb.utexas.edu/botany/acrohst.html

7. “Rose of Sharon” It's a perennial herb in the lily family… which grows from a corm (a solid bulb)... http://biotech.icmb.utexas.edu/botany/acrohst.htm

8. “Rose of Sharon” ...each stalk produces a single white-to-purplish-pink flower that resembles a crocus. The extreme toxicity of this plant has been known since the times of ancient Greece, but in the fifth century, herbalists in the Byzantine Empire discovered it could be used to treat rheumatism and arthritis, and the Arabs began to use it for gout. The useful active ingredient in the plant is an alkaloid called colchicine...http://biotech.icmb.utexas.edu/botany/acrohst.html

9. “Rose of Sharon” Poisoning from this plant resembles arsenic poisoning; the symptoms (which occur 2 to 5 hours after the plant has been eaten) include burning in the mouth and throat, diarrhea, stomach pain, vomiting, and kidney failure. Death from respiratory failure often follows. Less than than two grams of the seeds is enough to kill a child… http://biotech.icmb.utexas.edu/botany/acrohst.html

10. Allegory? Anthology?

11. Allegory? • Christ and His Bride • KJV headings • Some of our hymns

12. Allegory? Christ and His Bride identity of the bride… • the individual believer • the church corporate • the Virgin Mary

13. Allegory? Among the known advocates... • Hippolytus (died sometime after 235) • earliest known advocate • breasts (4:5) = the Old & New Covenants

14. Allegory? Among the known advocates... • Origen (185 - c. 254) • his “rash act” • his commentary • examples of his interpretation... Beams/rafters, Little foxes, the "opposing forces and the wicked powers of demons who by means of base thoughts and perverted notions destroy the bloom of the virtues of the soul and ruin the fruit of faith" • “describing the Church which is the spiritual house” • beams “those who protect the church” • “stronger ones…are called rafters” • Ergo, bishops = rafters & priests = beams The kisses of his mouth - “the words of faith and love and peace” that came from the mouth of Christ himself, contrasted with the kisses delivered by the angels and the prophets. Ointments - the anointing of the Holy Spirit. LXX reads, "and the fragrance of your ointments is above all the spices." Origen took the spices to be the "words of the Law and the Prophets." The daughters of Jerusalem - "the daughters of this earthly Jerusalem who, seeing the Church of the Gentiles, despise and vilify her" Being dark - due to "the sun of Justice" having "looked askance" because of the Gentiles' "unbelief and disobedience"; "by reason of her former sins" Our bed (NAS, ESV: “couch”) is the place we share with Christ. The lily of the valley is Christ The bride "represents the church gathered from the Gentiles"

15. Allegory? Accounting for the historical dominance of the allegorical interpretation • Jewish interpretations • Metaphors in Scripture • Greek philosophy • Ascetic Gnosticism • Origen's bent

16. Allegory? Evaluating the Allegorical Interpretation • Inconceivably Ignored by NT writers

17. Allegory? Evaluating the Allegorical Interpretation Garrett: "Fairly unambiguous allusions to love play appear in the text...Such language is simply inappropriate as a description of the love between God and his people, other biblical metaphors notwithstanding.” • Inconceivably Ignored by NT writers But why??

18. Allegory? Evaluating the Allegorical Interpretation • Inconceivably Ignored by NT writers • Ineffective • Can we criticize Origen without indicting ourselves?

19. Allegory? Anthology?

20. Anthology? • THE ARGUMENT FOR THE ANTHOLOGY VIEW: • (no doubt this is too simplistic) • drama didn't exist among Jews • Seems similar to some (Syrian, Egyptian) love poems of the time

21. AGAINST THE ANTHOLOGY VIEW: • THE EVIDENCE THAT THE SONG IS A LITERARY UNIT • Difficulty of making this argument... • Nonetheless... Anthology?

22. AGAINST THE ANTHOLOGY VIEW: THE EVIDENCE THAT THE SONG IS A LITERARY UNIT Anthology? • Seven distinct units that seem to be related and arranged symmetrically • Identified by... • theme of Separation/Union • by distinctive content (e.g., dialogue, event, etc.)

23. AGAINST THE ANTHOLOGY VIEW: THE EVIDENCE THAT THE SONG IS A LITERARY UNIT Anthology? • Seven distinct units that seem to be related and arranged symmetrically • Arranged symmetrically • opening words of mutual love and desire • young man's invitation to the young woman • young woman's nighttime search • their wedding day • young woman's nighttime search • young woman's invitation to the young man • closing words of mutual love and desire

24. AGAINST THE ANTHOLOGY VIEW: THE EVIDENCE THAT THE SONG IS A LITERARY UNIT Anthology? • Seven distinct units that seem to be related and arranged symmetrically • Arranged symmetrically • Related by imagery, phrases, themes • imagery, e.g. “gazelle” • phrases: adjuring the daughters of Jerusalem • theme of city vs. country

25. AGAINST THE ANTHOLOGY VIEW: THE EVIDENCE THAT THE SONG IS A LITERARY UNIT Anthology? • Seven distinct units that seem to be related and arranged symmetrically • Arranged symmetrically • Related by imagery, phrases, themes Pleasant Countryside • opening words of mutual love and desire • young man's invitation to the young woman • young woman's nighttime search • their wedding day • young woman's nighttime search • young woman's invitation to the young man • closing words of mutual love and desire troubled city night troubled city night Pleasant Countryside

26. AGAINST THE ANTHOLOGY VIEW: THE EVIDENCE THAT THE SONG IS A LITERARY UNIT Anthology? Seven distinct units that seem to be related and arranged symmetrically Arranged symmetrically Related by imagery, phrases, themes

27. Allegory? Anthology? CONCLUSION: The Song… ...celebrates romantic, sexual love. ...is a unit, composed of several parts designed to fit together as a whole. ...the case for unity seems to point to a climactic point at the center of the Song which raises questions I cannot yet answer.