Song of Songs 5:15Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Consequently, in her portrayal of beauty, the bride aligns with the wise, and like them, embellishes the pinnacle, standing adorned in gold, which is evident to anyone who has examined the passages regarding the tabernacle. As Bezaleel adorned the tops of each pillar and placed it upon a golden base, so too, the bride, with a pure gaze upon the Bridegroom's beauty, remarks that His head is as pure gold, referring to the term ‘Kephaz’, and claims that the ‘boughs’ are established upon golden pillars. We maintain the integrity of this concept, guided by St. Paul, who referred to Peter, James, and John as pillars among the Apostles. It is crucial to discern how one can be esteemed as a pillar so that we may also be deemed worthy of such a designation. The wisdom of St. Paul teaches us that a 'pillar' is 'the support of the truth' (1 Tim. 3:15). Even though the truth, which serves as the foundation of the 'pillars' and adorns the hands and head, is like gold, one who transforms its foundation to reflect marble will not err. Thus, the implication of the statement is that the 'pillars' of the body are "pillars of marble," meaning they sustain the universal Church through a radiant life and sound doctrine: through them, the feet of faith are strengthened, the flow of virtue is fulfilled, and the entirety of the body is made abundant through the enthusiasm of divine trusts. This is achieved through two aspects—truth and affirmation. Gold represents the truth, which, according to Paul, forms the bedrock of the Divine household. He states, "No man can lay any other foundation than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ" (1 Cor. 3:11), and Christ is the Truth upon which the pillars of the Church are built. The marble signifies the lightness of life and the steadfast disposition towards goodness. Just as there were multiple pillars within the visionary tabernacle and within the house of wisdom, now two pillars suffice to uphold the entire body, suggesting a deeper implication in this riddle. This possibly prepares the next thought: there are numerous laws guiding virtue and many commandments of wisdom, all leading to the same goal, yet the condensed message of the Gospel simplifies the complexities of virtuous living. As the Lord states, "On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets" (Matthew 22:40). There is no doubt that equal strength is necessary to carry weight, whether suspended or pushed; in both cases, the same pressure is felt by the one supporting the burden whether it hangs from him or is held up by his hand. Thus, when the Lord proclaims, "On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets," and the bride states that the body rests upon two pillars set on golden bases, it is fitting to reflect on these two commandments—one called 'the first' and the other akin to it. The first commandment is to love God with all one’s heart, soul, and strength, while the second, to love one’s neighbor as oneself, complements the first. Paul, in preparing Timothy for a dwelling acceptable to God, establishes these two pillars in him, naming one 'faith' and the other 'conscience' (1 Tim. 1:5). Faith signifies love for God with one’s entire being, while good conscience reflects a loving attitude towards others. The current interpretation does not conflict with the previous idea, as in both instances it is possible to be pillars like Peter, James, and John, or anyone else deemed worthy of such a title. For whoever excels in these two commandments establishes themselves, as the Apostle states, "as a pillar and support of the truth" (1 Tim. 3:15), for through these two virtues, the entire body of truth is sustained, akin to branches, while the golden foundation of faith grants stability, constancy, and strength in all goodness. Following these praises, as if to summarize the Bridegroom’s beauty, the bride proclaims, "His visage is like Lebanon, chosen like a cedar tree. His throat is sweetness, and His desire is all that is pleasing." Here, the bride clarifies that the praise pertains to the visible beauty of the Bridegroom, which she depicts as a body comprised of individual members forming the Church. She indicates that He has one appearance, likening it to the dark cedars that cover Lebanon, illustrating that nothing lowly and earthly adds to the beauty of the body unless it aspires to rise like a cedar and reaches for the heights. To express the comparison more clearly, she states, "The sight of Him is like the chosen Lebanon." The selection of anything results from a contrast with its opposite. Thus, although good things may share the same name, whether they are genuinely good or simply appear so due to deception, one who rightly discerns prefers the chosen genuine good over the misleading. In likening the Bridegroom's appearance to the chosen Lebanon, this implies that two types of Lebanon are referenced—one deemed evil and discarded, prophesied to be shattered like a calf, together with the cedars of Lebanon (Psalm 28:5-6), and the other chosen and esteemed, boasting divine and godlike beauty. The significance becomes clear: in a rightful and original sense, there is one true King, the sovereign over all creation, while the prince of darkness falsely claims royal power. The legions of angels serve the true King, while legions of demons attend to the prince of darkness. The true King reigns over principalities, authorities, and powers, while the one who opposes similarly commands them, all of which will eventually become ineffective when evil is rendered to nothingness, as the Apostle states, "when He will abolish all authority and power and strength" (1 Cor. 15:24). The Prophet envisions the King of glory "sitting on a throne high and exalted" (Is. 6:1), asserting He will elevate His throne above the stars and will be "like" the Most High (Is. 14:13). The Lord of the universe possesses vessels of honor "in His great house," while others are "vessels of wrath fitted for destruction" (Rom. 9:22). The Lord of angels grants life and peace to those worthy, whereas "fury, sorrow, and wrath send forth fierce angels" (Ps. 77:49). Should we dive into every boast of the adversary in the presence of true goodness? Since Mount Lebanon, abundantly covered with towering cedars, captivates the senses, Scripture often divides this mountain into contrasting meanings, serving specific purposes in various contexts. In the Prophets, we encounter the same term exalted and condemned. "The Lord that crushes the cedars of Lebanon" and "destroys all Lebanon under the cedars" (Ps. 28:5-6), proclaims that vice and its heights, which rise above virtue, shall ultimately cease to exist; conversely, He also repurposes this term positively: “The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree, and grow like a cedar in Lebanon” (Ps. 91:13). The truly righteous (the righteous being the Lord), who for our sake emerged from the earth, manifests as the elevated "phoenix" flourishing amid our nature, transforming into a mountain upon which cedars rooted in faith "multiply." As soon as they are "planted" in the house of God, "they shall flourish in the courts of our God" (Ps. 91:14). Understanding the Church, as directed by the Apostle, serves as the house where God's chosen cedars dwell; the courts symbolize the eternal dwellings, where flourishing and the realization of hopeful aspirations will occur. Thus, as the body of Christ consists of individual members, many members unite to form one body, as the Apostle notes (1 Cor. 12:12); this reality allows the bride to refer to the Bridegroom's complete beauty as "the chosen Lebanon," illustrating the distinction between the chosen and the rejected Lebanon. This chosen Lebanon, according to Isaiah, will fall alongside its heights when "a shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse, and a branch will grow from its roots" (Isaiah 11:1), transforming the nature of lions, lynxes, and asps into gentleness, causing "the lion to graze with the calf, and the lynx to rest with the goat" (Isaiah 11:6), ruled by that humble "Child" who is "born to us" (Is. 9:6), His hand interacting with the aspid’s den, rendering their venom harmless. When this transpires, the Prophet declares, "Lebanon and the lofty will fall" (Is. 10:34). The mysteries contained in this prophecy are evident to all, as anyone can recognize the Child born to us who neutralizes the asp’s power, calming the ferocity of destructive beasts, allowing coexistence with gentle creatures. Therefore, this metaphorical fall of Lebanon signifies the cessation of evil and the genesis of righteousness, the bride likening the Lord's beauty to the chosen Lebanon, articulating, "His visage is like Lebanon, chosen like a cedar tree."

Paul states that the Church is the pillar and foundation of the truth (1 Tim. 3:15). While the truth, which underpins the pillars and enhances the hands and head, is gold (see Hos. 5:11; 14), one who converts its foundation to mimic marble shall not go astray. Consequently, the implication is that the body's pillars are of marble, meaning they uphold the collective Church through a brilliant life and sound doctrine. Through them, the feet of faith gain fortitude, the flow of virtue is fulfilled, and the entire body becomes erect through the zeal inspired by divine trusts. This success is reached through the dual principles of truth and affirmation. Gold symbolizes truth, which, as stated by Paul, serves as the foundation of the Divine household. He declares, "For no man can lay any other foundation than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ" (1 Cor. 3:11). And it is Christ who embodies the Truth on which the Church's pillars stand.