185-254. We come now to the Christian Expositors of this book, whom we shall introduce in the same chronological order, and of whose views a concise explanation will be given. The first of these is Origen, who has been justly celebrated for his genius and extensive acquirements. He was born in Alexandria in 185, and died in Tyros in 254. His commentaries upon Scripture are very extensive, and though containing much that is valuable, abound with fanciful allegories and inexplicable mysteries. His attachment to the Platonic philosophy drew him aside from the simplicity of inspired truth, and his instruction in Hebrew by R. Hillel,[1] imbued him with Hagadic interpretations of the sacred text.
His commentary upon the Song of Songs was very voluminous, of which fragments only remain, but these are of a very elaborate kind, and sufficient to reveal his whole design. He admits an historical sense as an epithalamium on the marriage of Solomon with Pharaoh's daughter,[2] but in him we meet with a full exhibition of the allegorical allusion to the marriage union of Christ and his Church, which has been adopted by the majority of expositors to the present day. He says, "Blessed is he who enters the holy place, but more blessed is he who enters the holy of holies; blessed is he who keeps the Sabbath, but more blessed is he who keeps the Sabbath of Sabbaths; so blessed is he who sings holy songs, but more blessed is he who sings the Song of Songs.
He finds in it four distinct parties; a bridegroom and bride with their separate companions. By "the bridegroom," we are to understand Christ, by "the bride," the Church, by "the
- [Footnote: Loanz, surnamed Baal Shem, [HE: rin.at d.vOdiym/] (Basle, 1606). Löw b. Joshua,
[HE: lEb 'ar^eyEh] (Wilmersdorf, 1674). Saul Löw, [HE: bin^eyan/ 'a:riy'El] (Amsterdam, 1778). Meyer (Frankfort on the Main, 1679). Solomon Ibn Melech, [HE: mik^elal ypOiy] (Amsterdam, 1661). Salomon b. Jacob (Prague, 1628).]
