THEOSISGregory of Nyssa
It is important to understand the beauty described in each of His members. “The head of His head is the gold of Kephaz.” When translated from Hebrew, this term signifies pure gold, unblemished and without impurities. The translators of the Hebrew text into Greek appear to have left this term untranslated, as they could not find a suitable Greek equivalent that captured the strength of the original Hebrew. Knowing this meaning informs our understanding: the head of the body—the Church—is Christ. Here, we refer to Christ not in the sense of the eternal Godhead, but rather to the incarnate human through whom divine presence interacted with humanity. He is the embodiment of purity, in whom resides “every fulfillment of the Godhead bodily” (Col.
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2:9), the initial mingling through whom the Word adopted our nature, rendering it spotless and devoid of its natural frailties. As the Prophet foretold: “Sin shall not be made, neither shall flattery be found in His mouth” (Isaiah 53:9); and He was “tempted according to all things after the likeness of our nature, except sin” (Hebrews 4:15). Thus, the Head of the body—the Church—is pure, untainted, and free from flaws, resembling perfect gold.
The dark, curly hair, once likened to the violent wreakers of havoc, alluded to in the parable of those who harm the eye and are destined to be food for eagles' chicks (Proverbs 30:17), now rises as lofty trees toward the heavens, symbolizing the aspirations from earth to the divine heights, enhancing the beauty of the Bridegroom. Everyone is familiar with the work of these strands as expressed in the Bridegroom’s own words: “My hairs were filled with drops of water.” His hair, which the prophets refer to as clouds, sends forth drops; this represents the rain of teaching that brings vitality to barren lands, cultivating them in the richness of God’s provision. It seems fitting that the term “clouds” in Scripture also signifies the Apostles, some of whom, due to their previous lives, were once in darkness: robbers, tax collectors, persecutors, akin to the raven, a black, predatory creature. This reflects the ruler of the “dark authorities” (Colossians 1:13), who, transformed from a ravenous past—“a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a vexer” (1 Tim. 1:13)—has been prepared for grace, becoming a figure blessed by heavenly dew and imparting the teachings of profound mysteries to the entire body—the Church.
In this framework, the bride refers to these revelations as garments; when placed upon the golden Head, they significantly enhance beauty, inspired by the Spirit, and serve as elegant crowns adorning the pure Head. It seems that this prophecy refers to these adornments: “Thou hast set on His head a crown of honest stone” (Ps. 20:4), implying that they can be understood both as splendid hair and as precious stones that embellish the Head.