But I say to you," he continues, "do not take an oath at all: neither by heaven, for it is God's throne; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. You should not swear by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black." The soul, as depicted in the Song of Songs, reaches perfection by casting aside its spiritual obscurity, shedding every doubt-filled and uncertain thought, so it may perceive truth clearly and without hesitation. This truth transcends the Throne of God referred to as heaven, the holy city of God called Jerusalem, and the esteemed head from which hair cannot turn white or black. Instead, it invokes the countryside, imploring, "I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem, by the strength and fortresses of the villages." The one recognized as completely virtuous and free from all vice speaks not frivolously; rather, she conveys only the word of God, from Whom, according to Micah, "whatever is good, and whatever is good" (Zechariah 9:17), and nothing else. This truth becomes clear to anyone who, based on the Lord's testimony, has comprehended the blessings of the bride who has renounced all forbidden oaths, avoiding invoking the royal city or the Throne of the Great King. From this, we understand how cautious we must be about invoking God's name in oaths: we are advised against referencing the Throne or the city when making oaths. Moreover, He disregards even the beautiful head, which He later describes as golden, asserting that its hair cannot turn white or black—indeed, how can gold become tarnished with black or white? Without doubt, this is due to His offering a certain oath to the virgins that does not contradict the Gospel's teachings and serves as a basis for lauding those who have sworn, in accordance with the Prophet’s declaration, "Everyone who swears by Him shall be praised" (Psalm 62:12). Thus, the essence of what has been articulated arises not from the dual means of affirming truth that the Gospel law presents, which states, "Let your word be 'yes' or 'no'" (Matthew 5:33). Therefore, as it is forbidden to invoke the name of the Royal Throne, the name of the city where the King resides is equally prohibited, as is the use of the expression "the true head" in an oath; only “yes” and “no” should be used. The pureness of these expressions reflects the truth inherent in the word "yes"; hence, it follows that the spell cast by the bride over the young women is confined to the meaning of "yes" that underscores the permission of our soul. It reads: "I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the strength and fortresses of the villages: if you find my brother, what shall you tell him? For I am wounded by love." Although these words have been addressed previously, we will briefly summarize the points presented. The Apostle declares that an oath is an unchangeable thing (Hebrews 6:18), certifying truth by its very nature, and, as he articulates, "For every dispute, there is a final word" (Hebrews 6:16). Therefore, the bride implores the virgins to securely uphold what has been entrusted to them. Since everyone "swears by the greater," as the Apostle notes (Hebrews 6:16), it is crucial to identify what the greater is that the bride invokes in her oath to the young women: "I will swear to you," she declares, "O daughters of Jerusalem, by the strength and fortresses of the villages." What, then, is the highest to us in this context? We recognize that "villages," in a figurative sense, signifies the world; the Lord has designated the world as such (Matthew 13:38). Thus, what are the powers and strongholds of this world presented in the oath that would render the oath binding? We must therefore include an additional interpretation that conveys the meaning differently: "I will slay you, O daughters of Jerusalem, with the strength of the chamois and the deer of the countryside." These names, invoked in the oath to affirm truth, reveal both the strength and power present in this life. Within mankind, there are two attributes that render him sacred to God. The first is the infallible understanding of true existence, protecting against the deceptive biases that might lead to idolatrous or heretical views of the Divine, encapsulated in the term "to her." The second is purity of thought, which prohibits any harmful passions from taking root in the soul—this too resonates with the term "her." Thus, with this dual relationship to virtue, one that directs one’s gaze toward the True Substance and the other that dispels harmful passions, the reminder of the chamois and the deer serves to illustrate power. The chamois has perfect vision, while the deer possesses the ability to devour and eradicate all creeping evils. This is the message the bride relays to the virgins: they should strive for reverence in their perception of the Divine and maintain a life of purity—free from passions. If we can achieve this, then the unwavering truth may be affirmed in us: "to her." This is the oath that guarantees truth, by which "everyone who swears" can take pride in themselves, as the prophet states. For indeed, whoever has achieved undoubted success in evaluating both dimensions—the genuine faith that sees the truth clearly and the righteous life that remains pure from all vice—he swears to "the Lord" that he will not "give sleep to his eyes or slumber to his eyelids until he finds in himself a place for the Lord" and becomes a dwelling for Him who inhabits him (Psalm 131:2-5). Therefore, if we are likewise children of the Most High Jerusalem, let us heed the instruction of the Bride's guide: how may we perceive the Desired One? Thus, what does she declare? If we apply this spell upon ourselves to be "in the power" of the chamois' sights and within the "strongholds" of the deer's strength, then we will be capable of gazing upon the pure Bridegroom—the embodiment of love—and each soul will utter to Him, "I am wounded with love." And just as we recognize the beauty in the wounds of love, as illustrated in the saying: "The wounds of a friend are preferable, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful" (Proverbs 27:6). It is clear who the true Friend is, whose wounds hold more value than the affection of an enemy—this is evident to any who do not comprehend the mysteries of salvation. The true and everlasting Friend is the One who loved us steadfastly while we were yet sinners. On the contrary, an unfaithful and cruel foe is the one who brings destruction to the innocent. The commandment against wrongdoing appeared elementary, as separation from delightful matters was viewed as a plague, while the allure of visible pleasures received accolades. Yet, experience has shown that the imagined afflictions from a friend are more beneficial and desirable than any hollow praises from an enemy. Consequently, since the beautiful Lover of our souls "perfects" His love in accordance with the truth that "Christ died for us while we were still sinners" (Romans 5:8), the bride, who reciprocates the love of her beloved, displays in herself a deeply-rooted arrow of love, signifying her communion with the Divinity of the Bridegroom. For, as it is stated, "God is love" (1 John 4:8), the piercing of faith revealing itself in one's heart. If it is necessary to name this arrow, let us refer to what we learn from Paul: "faith energized by love" (Galatians 5:6). Therefore, let each receive this as it pertains to their own understanding.
THEOSIS