Put me as a seal upon thy heart, as a seal upon thy arm, for love is strong as death, jealousy as hard as hell, the lamps thereof are fire and flames.
שִׂימֵ֨נִי כַֽחוֹתָ֜ם עַל־לִבֶּ֗ךָ כַּֽחוֹתָם֙ עַל־זְרוֹעֶ֔ךָ כִּֽי־עַזָּ֤ה כַמָּ֙וֶת֙ אַהֲבָ֔ה קָשָׁ֥ה כִשְׁא֖וֹל קִנְאָ֑ה רְשָׁפֶ֕יהָ רִשְׁפֵּ֕י אֵ֖שׁ שַׁלְהֶ֥בֶתְיָֽה׃
11 Church Fathers comment on this verse · 13 commentaries
Regarding jealousy: refer to Proverbs 6:34
When love cultivates humility in individuals, it also fosters purity; a man who truly loves his wife, despite any strong desires, will remain faithful to her alone. Scripture tells us, "strong as death is love." Therefore, lust arises solely from a deficiency of love.
In whatever manner or moment death arrives, it is beyond resistance through any craft; regardless of the medical interventions employed to combat it, one will inevitably face it; those born into mortality cannot evade the harshness of death. Thus, the world holds no power over the force of divine love. This is evident as love bears a resemblance to death: just as death demonstrates its might to sever ties, love manifests its strength in delivering salvation. Many, captivated by love, have renounced this worldly existence to find true life in God.
It is appropriately asserted that love is as potent as death, either because it cannot be conquered by anyone, or because in this earthly existence even death reflects the essence of love, as our Lord declares: Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends (John 15:13); or perhaps because, similar to how death releases the soul from the confines of physical sensations, love liberates the soul from the temptations of the flesh.
When faced with the allure of worldly pride, regardless of how magnificent it may appear, allow your thoughts to ascend to paradise. Start embodying the person you aspire to be in the future, and you will hear from your beloved: ‘Put me like a seal on your heart, like a seal on your arm’ (Song of Songs 8:6). Bound together in both body and spirit, you will declare: ‘Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it’ (Song of Songs 8:7).
Consequently, the Lord Jesus, motivated by an immense love, and adorned with the beauty and grace that cleanse those who have been redeemed from sin, addresses the Church: “Put Me as a seal upon your heart and as a ring on your hand,” proclaiming, “You are beautiful, my beloved, you are lovely, and there is no blemish in you” (cf. Song 4:7). “Place Me as a seal on your heart,” so that your faith may radiate through the sacrament that has been fulfilled. Let your actions also shine forth, reflecting the image of God, in whose likeness you are created.
God has anointed you, the Lord has sealed you, and placed the Holy Spirit in your heart (cf. 2 Cor. 1:21-22). Thus, you possess the Spirit within you. Furthermore, since the Holy Spirit dwells in your heart, Christ resides there as well. This is reiterated by Christ’s words to the Church in the Song of Songs: “Put Me as a seal on your heart, as a ring on your hand.”
Even though Christ was already foreshadowed, it is said, “Put Me as a seal upon your heart, and as a ring upon your hand.” Christ is the seal upon the forehead, and the seal upon the heart: on the forehead, we are called to acknowledge Him, on the heart, to love Him, and on the hand, to serve Him. Thus, let His image radiate in our profession of faith, in our love, and in our deeds, striving that, if possible, His full likeness will be imprinted within us. He is our head, for Christ is the head of every man (1 Cor. 11:3), our eye, enabling us to behold the Father through Him, our voice, allowing us to communicate with the Father, and our right hand, through which we offer our sacrifices to God the Father. He is also our seal, signifying perfection and love. The loving Father has endorsed the Son with His seal, as noted, “For on Him the Father God has set His seal” (John 6:27). Therefore, our true love is Christ. This love is righteous, for He laid down His life for our sins; it is good because it removes transgressions. Hence, may our souls be clothed with love—a love as intense as death—as love signifies the end of sin; for the one who loves the Lord refrains from sinning. Love does not harbor ill will, nor does it delight in unrighteousness, but bears all things (1 Cor. 13:5-7). Who is this that does not pursue their interests but seeks the well-being of others? The power of this death is manifested through the sacrament of baptism, which buries every sin and erases guilt.
Thus, as you have been called to a higher standard beyond worldly beings to heavenly ones, where your life is spent on earth, embrace the commandments of the Lord and uphold them. “Put Me as a seal upon your heart,” that your prudence and actions may reveal the image of God—Christ, who encompasses the fullness of the divine nature imparted from the Father. This is why the Apostle Paul states that we are sealed in the Spirit (cf. Eph. 1:13), for we bear the image of the Father in the Son, and the seal of the Son in the Holy Spirit. Sealed by the Holy Trinity, let us remain vigilant to ensure that no moral laxity or temptation to spiritual infidelity unseals the commitment we have engraved in our hearts.
Let us recognize the truth of this promise, as concluded in the Song of Songs, where the Lord Jesus reassures you: “Put Me as a sign on your right hand, that peace may illuminate your heart, and Christ may be evident in your actions, establishing wisdom, righteousness, and salvation within you.”
Cultivate a sense of jealousy, for it will prevent you from permitting others to eclipse your honor or to hide anything from you, compelling you to ensure that only one remains close to your heart. Jealousy is as intense as the grave (Song of Songs 8:6) and challenging to manage, with the grave symbolizing a definitive concept associated with death. Likewise, love is equally potent; it possesses wings, and flames burn brightly around those wings. What could possibly rival such passion when it is ignited to such an extent? Its fire cannot be extinguished.
The Bridegroom declares to the Bride, “Put me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm.” The heart signifies the intellectual capacity of the soul, while the arm represents its action-oriented power. He desires to be the focus of all your thoughts and deeds. This will not be difficult for you if you maintain your love for Me, which is as unyielding as death. Death reigns over all due to Adam's transgression (Romans 5:14), yet Love triumphs over everything, even over death itself. Foster a spirit of jealousy; through jealousy, you will ensure that no one surpasses you or takes precedence over your unity with Me. For indeed, “jealousy is as cruel as the grave.”
I have come to understand the might of God's love; for to me, the One who was mysteriously and incorruptibly born from you took on human form. I have grasped the immense depth of your compassion for us; for you sent your only Son to assist us. I have recognized the wisdom of Solomon, who declares, “Love is as strong as death; for through it the sting of death will be broken, through it the dead will be granted life, through it death itself will experience its own demise, having lost its dominion over us; through it the serpent, the instigator of evil, will be captured and brought low."
Just as death strips the body of its vitality, a profound love for everlasting life extinguishes affection for physical pleasures. Those who are wholly consumed by this love become almost impervious to worldly, external cravings.
Love is as powerful as death. It is likened to the stronghold of death because, undoubtedly, when one truly encounters it, they entirely relinquish their attachment to worldly desires. Thus, monks should embody this love for God and their neighbor while safeguarding themselves from the sinful temptations of this world, much like Adam did in paradise prior to the fall.
Who, O Lord, has pierced You so profoundly that You are soaked in blood without having suffered a wound? It is a love that transcends death in its strength: 'Love is as strong as death.' O blazing love, which cannot be extinguished by torrents of water or even by blood! The two forces that fought within Christ the Savior, causing Him to sweat blood (Luke 22:44), were fear and love. Fear filled His heart with distress and hesitation, leading Him to plead with His Father to remove the cup, which the angel displayed to Him: ‘My Father, let this cup pass from Me’ (Matt. 26:39). In contrast, love ignited a yearning within Him, urging Him to accept this cup and fulfill His Father’s will: ‘If this cup cannot pass from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done’ (Matthew 26:42). Thus, these two conflicting emotions, battling within Him, left Him stained with blood as He passed away in anguished sweat.
Zeal for the faith embodies a deep yearning for the truth found within it, which, when it encounters the authentic faith, leads to fulfillment and joy. However, if it fails to discover the genuine faith or witnesses it being diminished by the carelessness of untruthful believers, troubled by conflict, and threatened by adversity, it consumes the passionate believer themselves. In the Song of Songs, Solomon illustrates this intense and consuming nature of jealousy by stating, “Jealousy is as cruel as hell.” He compares it to hell not because it desires to cast anyone into such a state—true jealousy arises from love—but rather because it perceives the beloved children of God heading towards destruction and, out of deep compassion, it experiences their impending doom within itself.
Alternatively, jealousy, infused with love, is willing to share in the burdens of hell for those it cherishes, aiming to alleviate their suffering and guide them to safety through its own trials. This is reflected in the Apostle Paul's fervent love for the Israelites, as he expressed a desire to be separated from Christ for the sake of his brethren, wishing for their belief in Him. A reflection on the feast of St. Nicholas.
If you find yourself fatigued or confronted by temptations and challenges while striving to fulfill the commandments, seek the assistance of God’s love to rejuvenate your spirit: ‘for strong as death are any; - its wings are the wings of fire’ (Song of Songs 8:6). Through this love, “those who endure the Lord shall change their strength, they shall fly like eagles, they shall flow and not be troubled” (Isaiah 40:31).
In His sacrifice, beloved, He demonstrates His profound love for humanity. "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). The Wise One also reflected on this love: "strong as death is love, cruel as hell is jealousy" (Song of Songs 8:6).
In the garden, beneath the apple tree where she was conceived, she drifts into a serene sleep in the embrace of her beloved. He kindly asks her companions not to interrupt her rest, gently awakens her, and, offering support, guides her, likely towards her mother’s home. Her friends marvel at the splendid procession of the Shulammite; addressing her groom, she expresses her longing for a prompt union with him, for her love is profound and irreplaceable, unable to be diminished by anything.
Passages read together with this verse.
THEOSIS