Song of Songs 4:10Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

It has been sufficiently demonstrated, through both the canonical Scriptures and the letters of Cyprian, that individuals engaging in sinful behavior, resistant to transformation, can still be involved in baptism—both administering it and receiving it. Such individuals do not truly belong to God's holy Church, even if they appear to be part of it, for they are driven by greed, theft, borrowing, envy, malice, and similar vices. In contrast, the Church is described as the singular dove (Song 6:9), pure and chaste, a bride without blemish (cf. Eph. 5:27), a garden enclosed, a sealed fountain, a garden of delightful pomegranates (Song 4:12-13), along with all other similar metaphors that express her nature.

In this transformation, we shall listen to what is being proclaimed from the perspective of those who have died to bodily desires, avoiding the pull of concepts appealing to the carnal mind, for the one who is dead to passions will interpret words through the lens of purity and imperishability, focusing on the mountain “where Christ sits at the right hand of God” (Col. 3:1), in Whom there exists no passion, allowing us to forget the lowly and earthly things.

Let us therefore pay attention to the Divine teachings through which the Word illuminates the beauty of the spotless bride, perceiving them as though we have transcended flesh and blood, becoming part of the spiritual realm. “What is the sweetness of your affection, O sister of My bride? What is the richness of your nurturing more than wine, and what is the scent of your garments more than every fragrance?” It is clear to anyone familiar with the divinely inspired messages that those who do God's will are called “brother,” “sister,” and “mother” of the Lord (Matt. 12:49). The chaste virgin who has united with Him to partake in the pure bridal chamber is truly called a bride. However, upon reflecting on the meanings of these Divine sayings, it seems that this proclamation does not merely extol the beauty of the bride but indicates that the Bridegroom reveals the reasons for the bride's increased beauty. She would not receive nurturing from the wellspring of good teachings, figuratively referred to as “teats,” unless she had first made herself a sister to the Lord through her righteous deeds and had been renewed in her virginity via new birth, thus becoming the betrothed of Him who has joined with her.

Therefore, as He refers to her as both His sister and His bride, He delineates the reason for the transformation of her nurturing from something inferior to something greater and more perfect; instead of providing mere milk for the sustenance of infants, they now dispense pure wine for the joy of the mature, whose goodness remains untainted by ordinary means. In these words from the Bridegroom, akin to the affectionate exchanges between spouses, mutual admiration is evident. The Bridegroom responds to the Church in a manner reminiscent of the praises she initially offered for His beauty. In her earliest expressions, desiring for the Divine word to dwell within her, symbolized with “lobes,” she articulated the motivation behind her yearning—that the “delights of His nurturing” exceed any earthly wine and surpass all the world's fragrances: “The delights of Thy nurturing are sweeter than wine, and the fragrance of Thy peace is more captivating than all aromas” (Song of Songs 1:1-2).

From various passages in Scripture, we learn this profound truth of Divine wisdom—that God manifests Himself to us in accordance with our own voluntary relationship with Him (the goodness of God is testified by David in the Psalm [Ps. 72:1], while another prophet indicates that for those living brutishly, He is as a bear and a leopard [Hosea 13:7-8]). There lies a mystery in how He relates to us, illustrated by the Gospel principles where those positioned on the right and those on the left discern the word of the King differently; for some, these words are rich with goodness, while for others, they are fearsome and severe, reflecting the state of the hearers. The Word thus pays tribute to the bride: as she has glorified the Lord's beauty, so too does He praise her. He commends the positive change in her nurturing; having ceased to provide mere milk, it now yields wine that brings joy to the hearts of the mature, who no longer suffer the burdens of infancy but are equipped to draw forth the abundant blessings from the cup of wisdom.

Thus, having honored the nurturing for its generous flow of wine, the Word also exalts the bride for her fragrance by stating, “the scent of your garments is more delightful than every fragrance.” This praise must be interpreted through the lens of Holy Scripture, through which we discover the essence of what is considered fragrant. Every sweet aroma brings pleasure to our senses, which informs us that the Word regards everything deemed fragrant as that which aligns with Scriptural definition. For instance, when Noah offered a sacrifice to God, “the Lord smelled the soothing aroma” (Genesis 8:21). Consequently, the sacrifice is a fragrance to God. Following this, many sacrifices are prescribed in the law for atonement, thanksgiving, salvation, purification, and sin. All these may be categorized as aromas, alongside the entirety of first fruits, burnt offerings, portions of the sacrifice, the breast of the offering, the liver, the fat of the kidneys, leaven, flour mingled with oil, and incense of mixture, all of which were offered to God by fire, adding to the compendium of aromas.

Therefore, when we learn that the bride’s perfume is favored over all other fragrances, we understand from this declaration that the sacrament of truth, as revealed in the teachings of the Gospel, stands alone as a fragrance before God, superior to any lawful offerings, as it transcends shadows and images, manifesting in the purity of truth. For if any prior offerings were regarded by the Lord as a “soothing aroma,” their value was not based merely on their physical appearance, but on their deeper significance. This is evident in the high proclamation of the Prophet, who states, “I will not accept bulls from your house, nor goats from your folds. Shall I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats?” (Psalms 49:9, 13). Although many animals were sacrificed, there exists a deeper intention, which is to eradicate the passions within us. It is stated, “Offer to God a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise” (Psalms 50:19). Thus, the sacrifice of praise glorifies Him who is pleased by such a fragrance.

Thus, having surpassed the odorous offerings of the law, the spiritually fragrant soul, like Paul, who became the “fragrance” of Christ (2 Cor. 2:15), embodies a life adorned with a diverse mixture of virtues worthy of the Bridegroom's delight, complementing the tangible aromas of the law with an incorporeal and virtuous fragrance, as expressed: “The scent of Thy peace is more fragrant than all aromas” (Song of Songs 1:2).

Since the seal protects that which it encases, deterring thieves through its mark, and preserves everything unclaimed securely within the ownership of its guardian, the tribute herein affirms the bride's highest virtue: her mind, kept pure and devoid of passions, remains impervious to any adversaries. For her Lord adorns this wellspring with beauty, unmarred by any disruptive thoughts, thus ensuring the transparency and delicacy of her heart remain intact.

Christ thus guides His Church through these sacraments that strengthen the very essence of the human spirit. Upon recognizing the completion of this divine grace, He rightly proclaims to her: Oh, how gracious are your embraces, my sister, my bride! Oh, how far surpass your embraces the taste of wine, and the aroma of your attire exceeds all fragrances! Honey streaming from your lips, O bride; honey and milk beneath your tongue, and the scent of your garments resembles the fragrance of Lebanon! The enclosed garden is my sister, the bride, the locked well, the sealed spring (Song 4:10-12). This signifies that the sacrament must remain guarded within you, to prevent its corruption by immoral actions and betrayal of purity, to avoid its revelation to those who ought not to know, and to keep it from being casually discussed among the unfaithful. Therefore, let your faith be steadfast, and maintain the sanctity of your life with silent integrity.

A sealed garden—surrounded entirely by a wall of purity; a sealed spring—because virginity is the wellspring of honor, safeguarded by the unbreakable seals of chastity, in which God's image is mirrored, for the purity of the body coexists with the purity of simplicity.

Take care, then, that the strength of your spirit is not dulled or distorted by the naïveté of physical pleasures, causing the entire enclosure to crumble and allowing the wellspring to be opened. This must be kept closed and defended through diligent effort and careful vigilance of the mind. An enclosed well, a sealed spring. For when the vigor of the spirit diminishes, the senses become overwhelmed by earthly pleasures—senses that can lead to destruction and are in great peril, which could be restrained, if only there were a careful watch maintained by a robust spirit.

In such gardens, where the image of God is etched in signs, the flow of a pure spring shines forth. This ensures that even those waters which might be scattered over the lairs of spiritual predators do not become tainted. Here, chastity is safeguarded by a spiritual barrier, remaining inaccessible to theft. Just as a garden, protected from thieves, emanates the aroma of vine, fragrant with olive trees and adorned with roses—so in the spiritual garden should piety blossom in place of the vine, peace in place of the olive tree, and the chastity of consecrated virginity in place of the rose.

The divine sacraments are granted not to those who are unprepared but to those who have been initiated. Furthermore, it is not given to those who have returned to wrongdoing after their initiation, but to those who uphold a righteous life or who have cleansed themselves through repentance.

The sweet aroma of your garments resembles the scent of frankincense (cf. Song of Songs 4:11). We previously noted that the Bridegroom Himself is identified as her garment; this is affirmed by blessed Paul, who states, All ye that were baptised into Christ have put on Christ (Galatians 3:27). The Bridegroom embodies both eternal God and mortal man, having been born in the latter days of the Blessed Virgin. Remaining in His divine essence, He united Himself with our humanity, adorning the bride, who had been previously unclothed. Thus, it is said of her, ‘The fragrance of your garment is like the fragrance of frankincense,’ for you have clothed yourself in Christ, who is both divine and human. Frankincense symbolizes theology, as it was offered to God under the Old Covenant.

What is the nourishment for your child, O sister of my daughter-in-law? What could nurture your child more than wine, and what is the scent of your attire more elevated than all other fragrances? ‘Your breast,’ meaning the sources of doctrine, from the wine of the spiritual and the chalice of the mystery, possesses greater allure. Your garments are splendid, for you have been clothed in Me. Their fragrance is ‘more fragrant than all fragrance,’ signifying its superiority to lawful virtues, which are symbolized by these scents. By addressing her as both sister, bride, and neighbor, we see the depth of her relationship. She is near to Him, as she claims, ‘My soul clings to Thee’ (Psalm 62:9); she is the Bride, because she receives the seeds of teaching from Him and bears the fruit of godliness; and she is Sister, for He, by His humanity, shares her origin. He continues to extol her: The honey and milk are under your tongue, and the scent of your garments is like the fragrance of Lebanon. According to Paul, the Church is akin to a body, composed of many members (Rom. 12:5, 1 Cor. 12:27), with some serving as eyes, others as ears, and others as mouths. The intention behind the Bridegroom’s statement about ‘a honeycomb of honey and milk under your tongue’ refers to the Church's teachers, who articulate the doctrine of righteousness like a honeycomb, sharing its sweetness and nourishing their listeners. They possess not only honey in their mouths but also milk, providing appropriate nourishment to every stage of life (cf. 1 Cor. 3:2, Heb. 5:12). ‘And the fragrance of your vesture is as the fragrance of Lebanon.’ This has been previously explained.

The enclosed garden, my sister and bride, is a sanctuary, protected and secure. She is described as a perfect structure, bearing not merely one but a multitude of fruits embodying righteousness and virtue. Enclosed, for she is fortified and safe from harm, as it is affirmed, 'And the gates of hell shall not prevail against her’ (Matt. 16:18). She is unlike that which emerged from Egypt, which was vulnerable to all who passed through, and to the sparrows in the oaks (Psalm 79:14), but is strengthened by a protective fence. Like the grapes that are hidden, her waters are accessible only to those deemed worthy, not to the worldly, but to those who have been instructed in the divine truths, and not to those who, after receiving purification, choose to engage in wickedness, but to those who live virtuously and repent.