Understanding The Bible
STUDY REFERENCE
Clarence E. Mason's "OLD TESTAMENT POETIC BOOKS"
The Book Canticles, Song of Solomon, Song of Songs
CANTICLE NUMBER 2
1:7-8 "An Answer Which Did Not Answer"

 

Return to Syllabus

Dr. Clarence E. Mason, Jr.
Philadelphia College of Bible
1969

CANTICLE 2
1:7-8: "An Answer Which Did Not Answer"
The Setting of the Song
Place:
Lebanon (Bride's home)
Time: Before marriage
Occasion: When the shepherdess seeks (unsuccessfully) to find out the identity of the strange shepherd who has won her love, but is silent concerning himself.
 

HISTORICAL SETTING SPIRITUAL APPLICATION
The Shulamite requests (1:7)
"You are a shepherd I realize, but actually WHO are you?"

(Note: read it, ".. .why should I be as one that wandereth beside the flocks, " i.e., as one who is not known, not recognized.)
Christ woos and wins us as the humble Shepherd, whose identity is unknown to the world at large; and He is a stranger to us until He saves us. We must take Him by faith.
Solomon replies (1:8)
He says in essence, "I have nothing to hide, but do not care to reveal my identity. Go ask the king's shepherds." Of course, he knows she WON'T!!
We should love Him for HIMSELF and not His titles and position, and what they can mean to us. Let us learn His self-effacing humility.

 

Return to Syllabus

 

"Mason's Notes"


(formerly Philadelphia Biblical University, Philadelphia College of Bible.)
Copyright © 2012 to present,
All rights reserved.

Cairn University

200 Manor Avenue
Langhorne, PA 19047
United States of America
"Mason's Notes" Study materials on this website are made available here free, through the generosity of Cairn University, and may be copied for use in Bible study groups, in limited numbers, providing that no charge is made for them.  No further distribution or use of these materials is allowable under U.S. or International Copyright Law without the express permission of Cairn University.

20160408