QT 31/01/2025 Fri. Song of Songs 2. Catch the foxes for us. 要为我们捉拿狐狸.
QT 31/01/2025 Fri. Song of Songs 2. Catch the foxes for us.
READ http://www.esvbible.org/song2
Why are there foxes and why these need to be caught? If these foxes are not caught, what would happen to the relationship between the man and woman in Song 2?
Song of Songs 2:15–17
[15] Catch the foxes for us,
the little foxes
that spoil the vineyards,
for our vineyards are in blossom.”
[16] My beloved is mine, and I am his;
he grazes among the lilies.
[17] Until the day breathes
and the shadows flee,
turn, my beloved, be like a gazelle
or a young stag on cleft mountains. (ESV)
Indeed, not catching these foxes would spoil the vineyards that are in blossom. The vineyard that is in blossom likely reflected the one-flesh relationship between a man and a woman. This one-flesh relationship was a great gift to humans designed by The LORD. Granted that humans have fallen short in many ways after Adam and Eve (Genesis 3) and in rebellion against God's design. However, not all of the delight and beauty of the man-woman relationship have been totally destroyed even after the fall of mankind. Much beauty and possibilities for good still remained today. Do not despair.
Song of Songs, which means "the best song of all songs" shows readers that instead of a male-female relationship filled with deceit, taking advantage of others, minimised contribution, abuse and turmoil, there is still much purpose and meaning in such relationships. We write songs for beauty and endorsements of what we see around us. But "Song of Songs" means that of all the songs that we write to praise what we see, this song is the ultimate of all songs—the best song of all the songs. This is the book's important teaching!
For one, Song of Songs reflects the beauty of God's designs. Reading Song 2 would disclose the lyrics of this "best of all songs" categorisation of the contents. Secondly, the subject matters relate to all that God designed—physical intimacy, the emotional need of receiving praise that enhances self-image and endorsement of personal worth that is already there but not applauded, and the intensity of this man-woman relationship that surpasses all.
Foxes (2:15) have been said to relate to (1) third parties that might jeopardise this couple's love, (2) insects that physically damage their vineyard such that their meeting place is ruined, (3) remnants of the fallen nature of humanity that would internally strain their relationship. (4) Perhaps, any obstacles that might ruin their relationship, stun it's growth, or even worse, break up this intimacy between them might be classified as "foxes".
Whether we are single or married, we continue to support and endorse what God had taught about the possibility of meaningful relationships that reflect the fantastic God-mankind relationship that counts for eternity.
QT 30/01/2025 星期五. 雅歌 2. 要为我们捉拿狐狸.
http://m.bbintl.org/bible/ncv/son/2
为什么会有狐狸,为什么需要抓住这些狐狸?如果不抓住这些狐狸,雅歌 2 章中的男女关系会怎样?
所罗门之歌 2:15-17 要为我们捉拿狐狸,就是毁坏葡萄园的小狐狸,因为我们的葡萄园正在开花。” 16 我的良人属我,我也属他,他在百合花中细赏。17 我的良人啊!等到天起凉风,日影消逝的时候,愿你归来,好像崎岖山上的羚羊或是小鹿。
的确,如果不抓住这些狐狸,就会破坏正在开花的葡萄园。 开花的葡萄园很可能反映了男女之间的一体关系。这种一体的关系是耶和华设计给人类的伟大礼物。诚然,在亚当和夏娃(创世纪第三章)之后,人类在许多方面都做得不够好,悖逆了上帝的设计。然而,即使在人类堕落之后,男女关系中的喜悦和美好也并没有被完全摧毁。今天,许多美好和美好的可能性依然存在。不要绝望。
雅歌(原文为歌中的歌)的意思是 “所有歌曲中最好的歌曲”,它向读者展示了男女关系中的许多目的和意义,而不是充斥着欺骗、利用他人、最小化贡献、虐待和动荡的关系。我们写歌是为了追求美,为我们身边的事物代言。但 “雅歌 ”意味着,在我们为赞美我们所看到的一切而写的所有歌曲中,这首歌是所有歌曲中的终极--所有歌曲中最好的一首。这是本书的重要教义!
首先,雅歌反映了上帝设计之美。阅读雅歌 2,就会发现歌词中 “百歌之最 ”的分类内容。其次,歌词的主题与上帝的设计息息相关--肉体上的亲密关系、接受赞美的情感需求(赞美能提升自我形象,认可个人价值)、这种超越一切的男女关系的强度。
据说狐狸(2:15)指的是:(1)可能危及这对夫妇爱情的第三者;(2)对他们的葡萄园造成实际损害的昆虫,以致他们的会面场所被毁坏;(3)人类堕落本性的残余,使他们的关系受到内在压力。(4) 也许,任何可能破坏他们的关系、阻碍其成长,甚至更糟糕的是破坏他们之间亲密关系的障碍都可以归类为 “狐狸”。
无论我们是单身还是已婚,我们都将继续支持和赞同上帝的教导,即建立有意义的关系的可能性,这种关系反映了上帝与人类之间的奇妙关系,这种关系是永恒的。