DIGRESSION I - Some excellencies of Christ proposed to consideration, to endear our hearts unto him
Christ on His terms and be saved in His way. The soul acknowledges, "Lord, I once wanted You and salvation in my way, partly through my efforts and as if by the works of the law. But now, I am willing to receive You and be saved purely by grace. Although I used to follow my own desires, I now fully surrender myself to be guided by Your
Spirit. For in You, I find righteousness, strength, justification, and glory." This is receiving the Lord Jesus in all His splendor and eminence. Believers should deeply contemplate this and exercise their hearts in embracing Him. It is the essence of intimate communion with the Son, Jesus Christ—to receive Him with all His excellencies as He offers Himself to us. Let us frequently meditate upon this, comparing Him to other beloveds such as sin, the world, and legal righteousness. Let us prioritize Him above all else, counting everything else as loss and worthless compared to Him. Let us be convinced of His sincerity and willingness to give Himself, with all that He is as our mediator, and declare our wholehearted surrender to Him. Let us make it known to Him that we belong to Him alone. He delights to hear our declaration, for our voice is sweet to Him and our countenance is comely. As a result, we shall undoubtedly find sweet refreshment in Him.
DIGRESSION I
To strengthen our hearts in the aforementioned surrender of ourselves to the Lord Christ as our husband, and to pave the way for stirring up the consequential conjugal affections that will be discussed later, I will digress to provide a more comprehensive
description of some of the personal excellencies of the Lord Christ.
These excellencies truly endear the hearts of His saints to Him.
First and foremost, His Deity and the glory that accompanies it make Him exceedingly excellent and desirable. He is known as "Jehovah our Righteousness" in Jeremiah 23:6. When Zion rejoices at His coming, the foundation of that joy is the declaration, "Behold thy
God!" as mentioned in Isaiah 40:9. The apostle declares, "We have seen His glory," referring to the glory of the only-begotten Son of God (John 1:14). Even the holiest saints have been awestruck by the beauty of an angel, and the most hardened sinners have trembled before the glory of these celestial beings, who themselves bow in the presence of our Beloved, acknowledging their unworthiness to bear the radiance of His glory (Isaiah 6:2; John 12:39–41). He is described as "the fellow of the Lord of hosts" in Zechariah 13:7.
Though He once appeared in the form of a servant, He never regarded it as robbery to be equal with God (Philippians 2:6). His majesty dwells in an incomprehensible light. We, as finite beings, cannot fully comprehend the perfection of the Almighty. His greatness is as high as heaven, deeper than hell, longer than the earth, and broader than the sea (Job 11:7–9). We can only admit our foolishness and lack of understanding. We have not acquired wisdom or knowledge of the holy. Who among us has ascended to heaven or descended? Who has gathered the wind in their fists or bound the waters in a garment? Who has established the ends of the earth?
What is His name, and what is His Son's name, if you can tell?
(Proverbs 30:2–4).
If one were to ask, as they do in the Song of Solomon, what sets the Lord Jesus, our beloved, apart from other beloveds and makes Him so desirable, lovely, and worthy of acceptance, I would ask, what sets a king apart from a beggar? The distinction is vast. However, this
comparison is insignificant since both are born alike, must die alike, and will face judgment thereafter. What sets an angel apart from a worm? A worm is a creature, and an angel is no more; the Lord has made one to crawl in the earth and the other to dwell in heaven.
There is a proportion between these two creatures—they share certain qualities. But how do all the insignificant things in the world compare to the infinitely blessed God? Can a speck of dust or a drop of water be weighed against Him in the balance? This is the God who strikes fear in the sinners of Zion, causing them to cry out, "Who among us can dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us can dwell with everlasting burnings?" I could offer a glimpse of His excellency through many of His properties and attributes, by which He reveals Himself to the faith of poor sinners. However, just as one does not pick every flower they see in a garden filled with countless varieties, I will attempt to open a door and provide a glimpse into the infinite excellency of the graces of the Lord Jesus as "God blessed for evermore." I will present the reader with one or two instances and allow them to gather for their own benefit whatever else they please.
One such instance is the endless, unfathomable grace and compassion that exist in Him as the God of Zion, who is our husband. It is not the grace of a creature or all the grace that can reside in a created nature that will suffice for us. We are too needy to be satisfied by such a limited supply. There was a fulness of grace in the human nature of Christ, for He did not receive the Spirit by measure (John 3:34). His fulness is comparable to the abundance of light in the sun or the vastness of water in the sea (I am not referring to communication but sufficiency). It is a fulness far surpassing that of angels, yet it is still a created and therefore limited fulness. If we were to separate it from His Deity, surely the countless thirsty, guilty souls who daily drink deep and large draughts of grace and mercy from Him would exhaust this fulness and cause it to run dry. In that
case, it would provide no supply at all apart from a moral perspective. However, when His humanity is inseparably united with the infinite, inexhaustible fountain of His Deity, who can fathom its depths? If there is enough grace for sinners in an all-sufficient God, it is found in Christ. There can be no sufficiency elsewhere. The Lord provides this reason for the peace and confidence of sinners in Isaiah
54:4-5: "Thou shalt not be ashamed, neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame." But how is this possible? How can we bear so much sin without shame? How can we carry so much guilt without confusion? The Lord declares, "Thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is His name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall He be called." This is the foundation of all peace, confidence, and consolation—the grace and mercy of our Maker, the God of the whole earth. In Him, kindness and power are united. He is both our Creator and our Redeemer. He says, "Look unto me and be ye saved; for I am God, and there is none else" (Isaiah 45:22). Surely someone will say, "In the LORD have I righteousness" (verse 24).
It is on this basis that even if the entire world were to come together to drink freely from the wells of salvation, drawing continuously from a single promise, and an angel were to cry out, "Drink, O my friends, yes, drink abundantly! Take as much grace and pardon as will be more than sufficient for the world of sin that resides in each of you," they would not be able to deplete the grace of that promise by a hair's breadth. There is enough grace for millions of worlds, if they were to exist, because it flows from an infinite, unfathomable fountain. "Fear not, O worm Jacob, I am God, and not man" is the source of sinners' consolation. This is the "head of gold" mentioned in the Song of Solomon 5:11, the most precious fountain of grace and mercy. The infiniteness of this grace, stemming from its source and fountain, addresses any objections that might hinder our souls from
drawing near to communion with Him and freely embracing Him.
Does this not suit us in all our distress? What is our finite guilt in comparison to it? Show me a sinner who can magnify their iniquities to the dimensions of this grace. Herein lies enough mercy for the greatest, oldest, and most stubborn transgressor. "Why will ye die, O house of Israel?" Beware of those who would deny the deity of Christ.
If there were no grace for me beyond what can be contained in a mere human, I would rejoice even if my portion were found under rocks and mountains.
Consider, therefore, His eternal, free, unchangeable love. If Christ's love towards us were merely the love of a human being, no matter how excellent, innocent, and glorious, it would have a beginning, an end, and perhaps be fruitless. The love of Christ in His human nature towards us is exceedingly intense, tender, precious, compassionate, and heightened by His sense of our miseries, His understanding of our needs, and His experience of our temptations. All of this flows from the rich store of grace, pity, and compassion bestowed upon Him for our benefit. However, as wonderful as this love is, it cannot be infinite, eternal, or absolutely unchangeable in and of itself. If that were the case, our Saviour could not say, as He does, "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you" (John 15:9). His love would not be comparable to and equalled with the divine love of the Father, which possesses the properties of eternity, fruitfulness, and unchangeableness, serving as the main anchors for the soul that rests upon the bosom of Christ. But now, let us consider the following:
1. His love is eternal. He declares, "Come near to me, hear this: I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I. And now the Lord GOD and His Spirit have sent me" (Isaiah 48:16). He Himself is "yesterday, today, and forever" (Hebrews 13:8), and so is His love. He is the Alpha and
Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end, who is, who was, and who is to come (Revelation 1:11).
2. His love is unchangeable. Our love is reflective of ourselves; as we change, so do all our affections. But the love of Christ remains constant, just as He Himself does. We may love someone today and hate them tomorrow. Our affections fluctuate, but Jesus Christ remains the same, and so does His love. "In the beginning, You laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands. They will perish, but You remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will roll them up like a robe; like a garment, they will be changed. But You are the same, and Your years will have no end" (Hebrews
1:10-12). He is the LORD, and He does not change, which is why we are not consumed. Those whom He loves, He loves to the end. His love never had a beginning, and it will never have an end.
3. His love is fruitful. A person may love another as they love themselves, yet that love may be powerless to help them. They may pity them in their imprisonment but cannot release them, sympathize with them in their misery but cannot provide relief, suffer with them in their troubles but cannot ease their burden.
We cannot love grace into a child or mercy into a friend. We cannot love them into heaven, although it may be the fervent desire of our souls. Abraham's love made him cry out, "Oh, that Ishmael might live before You!" but it was not to be. However, the love of Christ, being the love of God, is effective and fruitful in producing all the good things that He wills for His beloved.
He loves life, grace, and holiness into us. He loves us into covenant and loves us into heaven. His love is truly desiring the
good of others, and whatever good He wills by His love, that willing brings about the desired good.
These three qualities of Christ's love make it exceedingly remarkable and Him exceedingly desirable. How many millions of sins, each of which would be enough to condemn us all, has His love overcome!
What mountains of unbelief it has moved! Consider the life of any saint, examine the state of their heart, and see the many stains, blemishes, defilements, and weaknesses that mar their lives. Tell me, is the love that bears with all this not worthy of admiration? And does it not exhibit the same love towards thousands every day? What streams of grace—purifying, pardoning, quickening, assisting—flow from it each day! This is our Beloved, O daughters of Jerusalem.
2. He is also desirable and worthy of our acceptance in His humanity. Even in His humanity, He is exceedingly desirable, and I will highlight two aspects: (1) His freedom from sin, and (2) His fullness of grace. The Scriptures portray Him as exceedingly lovely and amiable in both of these regards.
3. He was free from sin. He was the Lamb of God without spot or blemish, the chosen male offering to be presented to God, while all other sacrifices and those who offered them were subject to the curse (Malachi 1:14). The purity of snow cannot compare with the whiteness of this lily, this Rose of Sharon, even from His birth. "For such a high priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners" (Hebrews 7:26).
Even sanctified individuals, whose stains have been somewhat washed away, are exceedingly fair in the eyes of Christ Himself.
He says, "You are all fair, my love, and there is no spot in you." If someone who has never had the slightest blemish or stain is fair, how much fairer is He?
It is true that Adam had this spotless purity at his creation, as did the angels. However, they were created directly by God without the involvement of any secondary cause. Jesus Christ, on the other hand, is like a plant and root that emerges from dry ground, a blossom from the stem of Jesse, a bud from the loins of sinful humanity. He was born of a sinner, at a time when there had been no innocent flesh in the world for four thousand years, and every person in his genealogy was infected with sin. To have a rare and untainted flower grow in paradise, a garden planted by God Himself, is not so surprising. But as the psalmist says, to hear of it in a wood, to find it in a forest, to have a spotless bud brought forth in the wilderness of corrupted nature, is something that even angels would marvel at.
Moreover, this entire human nature was not only defiled but also cursed. It was not only unclean but also guilty—guilty of Adam's transgression, in whom we all sinned. That the human nature of Christ should be derived from this sinful nature yet remain free from guilt and pollution is truly worthy of adoration.
Objection: But you might ask, "How is this possible? How can a clean thing be brought forth from an unclean thing? How could Christ assume our nature without its defilements and guilt? If Levi paid tithes in the loins of Abraham, how is it that Christ did not sin in the loins of Adam?"
Answer: There are two aspects to original sin:
1. The guilt of the first sin, which is imputed to us. We all sinned in Adam. Whether we understand it relatively as "in whom" or illatively as "since all have sinned," it is all the same: that one sin is the sin of us all. We were all in covenant with Adam, and he was not only our natural head but also our federal head. Just as
Christ is to believers, so was Adam to us all. His transgression of that covenant is counted as our own.
2. The inheritance of a polluted, corrupted nature from Adam.
"Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean thing?" "That which is born of the flesh is flesh," and nothing more. The wisdom and mind of the flesh are also corrupted. A polluted fountain will produce polluted streams. The corruption of the first person infects the nature of all subsequent persons.
However, Christ was most free from both aspects:
Firstly, He was never federally united with Adam, and therefore not liable for the imputation of Adam's sin. It is true that sin was imputed to Him when He was made sin, thereby taking away the sin of the world. But this imputation occurred in the covenant of the Mediator through His voluntary acceptance, not in Adam's covenant through legal imputation. If Adam's sin had been reckoned to Christ as his descendant, He would not have been a suitable high priest to offer sacrifices for us, as He would not have been "separate from sinners." If Adam had remained innocent, there would have been no need for Christ to be incarnate and mediate for sinners. Therefore, the purpose of His incarnation did not take effect until after the fall.
Although He was in Adam in a natural sense from his creation, according to God's purpose, He was not in him in a legal sense until after the fall. Thus, in relation to His own person, He had no more connection to Adam's first sin than to any personal sin of any individual whose punishment He voluntarily bore. We are not liable for the guilt of our ancestors who followed Adam, even though we are naturally connected to them. Therefore, this in no way diminishes
His perfection.
Secondly, as for the pollution of our nature, it was prevented in Him from the moment of conception. "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee; therefore, also, that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God" (Luke 1:35). He was "made of a woman" (Galatians 4:4), but the portion from which He was made was sanctified by the Holy
Spirit so that what was born of it would be holy. The sanctification of the Holy Spirit not only prevented the union of soul and body, which would have made Him partaker of the whole nature and its pollution as a son of Adam, but it also accompanied the very separation of His bodily substance in the womb for that sacred purpose for which it was set apart. Therefore, on every account, He is "holy, harmless, undefiled." Furthermore, He "committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth" (1 Peter 2:22). He "fulfilled all righteousness"
(Matthew 3:15), and His Father was always "well pleased" with Him (verse 17) because of His perfect obedience. Even in the sense that He charges His angels with folly and finds the inhabitants of heaven not clean in His sight, His excellence and desirability shine forth.
Such was He, such is He. And yet, for our sake, He was willing not only to be regarded as a transgressor by the vilest of men but also to endure from God the punishment due to the most wicked sinners.
But more on that later.
Moreover, the fullness of grace in Christ's human nature highlights its loveliness and desirability. If I were to fully consider His perfections in this regard—from what He possessed in the womb to His growth and development during His earthly life, as well as the culmination of all those perfections in glory—it would all contribute to the purpose at hand. However, I am only providing a brief overview of these matters. Two things are readily apparent upon initial consideration: all kinds of grace were present in Him, and all degrees of grace were perfected in Him. Both aspects contribute to
the fullness that was in Him. I am referring to created grace, so I speak of its kinds. It is grace inherent in a created nature, not infinite, so I also speak of its degrees.
As for the source of grace, the Holy Spirit was not given to Him in measured amounts (John 3:34), and the Father was pleased to have all the fullness dwell in Him (Colossians 1:19) so that He might have preeminence in all things. But these points are commonly discussed.
This is the Beloved of our souls, "holy, harmless, undefiled," "full of grace and truth"—abundantly filled to meet every purpose of grace, fully equipped to be an example of obedience to both men and angels, completely sufficient for uninterrupted communion with God, ready to provide supply to others, perfectly suited to the needs and occasions of human souls, gloriously reflecting His status as the Son of God, victorious over all temptations, perfectly aligned with the entirety of God's righteous and holy laws, capable within the limits of His limited, created, finite nature, exuding the utmost beauty and glory as the living temple of God, and pleasing to the soul of His
Father. He is an eternal monument to the glory of God, who bestowed such inconceivable excellencies upon the Son of Man.
And this is the second point to consider in endearing our souls to our Beloved.
3. Consider that He possesses all these qualities in one person. We have not been discussing two separate entities—a God and a man—but one who is both God and man. The Word that was with God from the beginning and was God (John 1:1) also became flesh (verse 14). This was not a mere appearance or a conversion into flesh, but rather the assumption of that holy thing born of the virgin (Luke 1:35) into personal union with Himself. Thus, the "mighty God" (Isaiah 9:6) is a "child given" to
us, and that holy thing born of the virgin is called "the Son of God" (Luke 1:35). The union of soul and body makes a man what he is, and in the case of the man Christ Jesus, the subsistence of both united in the person of the Son of God makes Him who He is. I have extensively discussed the proof of this elsewhere; here
I present it only in general terms to demonstrate the loveliness of Christ for this reason. From this arises the grace, peace, life, and security of the church and all believers, as can be clearly seen through a few considerations:
4. Because of this union, He was fit and able to suffer whatever was due to us in the very act in which the Son of Man gave His life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28). God redeemed His church with His own blood (Acts 20:28), and in this act, the love of God was manifested as He gave His life for us (1 John 3:16). It was on this account that His breast was spacious enough to receive the points of all the swords sharpened by the law against us and His shoulders strong enough to bear the burden of the curse that was due to us. Therefore, He willingly undertook the work of our redemption (Hebrews 10:7-8), saying, "Lo, I come to do Your will, O God," because He knew His ability to complete it. If He had not been a man, He could not have suffered; if He had not been God, His suffering would have availed neither Himself nor us—He would not have satisfied the infinite demands. Had the great and righteous God gathered all the sins committed by His elect from the foundation of the world, searched the hearts of all who would exist until the end of the world, and accumulated every sin from their fallen nature to the smallest deviation from His holy law, even in their regenerate and unregenerate states, and laid them upon a holy, innocent creature—how overwhelming and burying they would have been, forever separating that creature from the presence of God's love!
Therefore, the apostle precedes his glorious description of Christ with regards to purging our sins: "He has spoken to us by His
Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power" has "purged our sins" (Hebrews 1:2-3). It was He, the Son and heir of all things, through whom the world was made, the brightness of His Father's glory and the express image of His person, who accomplished it. He alone was able to purge our sins. For this work, "God was manifested in the flesh"
(1 Timothy 3:16). The sword awakened against Him who was the companion of the Lord of hosts (Zechariah 13:7), and it is through the wounds of that great shepherd that the sheep are healed (1 Peter 2:24-25).
5. Because of this union, He becomes an endless, unfathomable fountain of grace for all who believe. The fullness that the Father entrusted to Christ to be the great treasury and storehouse of the church does not lie, and has never lain, in the human nature considered on its own. Instead, it resides in the person of the mediator, who is both God and man. Consider what His communication of grace entails, and this will become evident.
The foundation of all grace lies in His satisfaction, merit, and redemption. These are the moral causes of all the grace we receive from Christ. Therefore, all grace belongs to Him. All the promises, mercy, love, grace, and glory of the new covenant became His to bestow. However, it is not that they are all actually present and reside in the human nature, and from there are communicated to us by sharing a portion of what is inherent in it. Rather, they are morally His, by a covenant, to be bestowed according to His wisdom as the mediator who is both God and man—the only begotten Son made flesh (John 1:14). From His
fullness, we receive grace upon grace. The real communication of grace occurs when Christ sends the Holy Spirit to regenerate us and create all the habitual grace, along with its daily supplies, in our hearts, making us participants. This sending of the Holy
Spirit by Christ as mediator, God and man, is extensively explained in John 14, 15, and 16. I will elaborate on this later.
This is what I mean by the fullness of grace in Christ, from which we derive our beginning and all our supplies. This makes
Him, as the Alpha and Omega of His church, the initiator and perfecter of our faith, excellent and desirable to our souls. Upon the payment of the great price of His blood and full acquittal based on the satisfaction He provided, all grace (which I will discuss at length later) becomes, in a moral sense, His, at His disposal. He bestows it on us or works it in our hearts through the Holy Spirit according to His infinite wisdom and as He deems necessary. How glorious is He to the soul on this account!
What is most excellent to us is that which meets us in our needy condition—giving bread to the hungry, water to the thirsty, and mercy to the perishing. All our relief is found in our Beloved. He is the life of our souls, the joy of our hearts, our refuge from sin, and our deliverance from the wrath to come.
(3.) He is perfectly suited to be a mediator, a peacemaker, an arbiter between God and us. He is one with Him, one with us, and one within Himself, in the unity of one person. His ability and universal fitness for His role as mediator are often demonstrated. Herein lies
"Christ, the power of God and the wisdom of God." The infinitely glorious wisdom of God shines forth in this, something we may better admire than express. What soul acquainted with these truths does not bow down in reverence and astonishment? How glorious is the Beloved of our souls! What reason could be lacking to encourage us to find our rest and peace in His embrace? Unless unbelief
obstructs every avenue of relief and refreshment, rendering our hearts impervious to any consolation, it is impossible not to gather from this the endearing qualities that make Him the one we must deal with. Let us dwell on these thoughts. This is the hidden mystery, unquestionably great and eternally admirable. Yet, how often do we waste our contemplations on trivial and perishing things? Even if we gained no advantage from this astonishing dispensation, its excellence, glory, beauty, and depths still deserve our utmost inquiries, the vigor of our spirits, and the substance of our time. But when our life, peace, joy, inheritance, and eternity are all wrapped up in this, should the thoughts of it not constantly reside in our hearts, always refreshing and delighting our souls?
(4.) He is excellent and glorious in the fact that He is exalted and invested with all authority. When Jacob heard of the exaltation of his son Joseph in Egypt and saw the chariots sent for him, his spirit fainted and then revived with an abundance of joy and overflowing affection. Is our Beloved lost, He who, for our sakes, was on earth poor and persecuted, reviled and killed? No! He was dead, but now
He is alive. Behold, He lives forever and ever, and He holds the keys of hell and death. Our Beloved is made a lord and ruler (Acts 2:36).
He is made a king, established by God as king on His holy hill of Zion (Psalm 2:6), and He is crowned with honor and dignity after being
"made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death"
(Hebrews 2:7-9). And what is He made king of? "All things are put in subjection under His feet" (verse 8). What power does our Beloved possess over them? "All power in heaven and on earth" (Matthew
28:18). He has been given power over all flesh (John 17:2). And how does He exercise this authority in glory? He grants eternal life to His elect, ruling them in the power of God (Micah 5:4) until He brings them to Himself. As for His enemies, His arrows pierce their hearts
(Psalm 14:5); He stains His vesture with their blood. Oh, how
glorious is He in His authority over His enemies! In this world, He terrifies, frightens, and awes them, convicting and crushing their hearts and consciences, filling them with fear, terror, and unrest until they yield Him feigned obedience. Sometimes, with outward judgments, He bruises, breaks, and turns the wheel against them, staining the earth with their carcasses. Ultimately, He will gather them all—beasts, false prophets, nations, and more—and cast them into the lake of fire and brimstone.
He is gloriously exalted above both good and evil angels in this authority (Ephesians 1:20-22), "far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come." They are all under His feet, subject to His command and absolute control. He is seated at the right hand of God in the highest exaltation possible, fully reigning over the entire creation. He has received a name above every name (Philippians 2:9). Thus, He is glorious in His throne, which is at "the right hand of the Majesty on high"; glorious in His commission, which is "all power in heaven and on earth"; glorious in His name, a name above all names—"Lord of lords and King of kings"; glorious in His sceptre, for "a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of His kingdom"; glorious in His attendants, with "chariots numbering twenty thousand, even thousands of angels," among whom He rides on the heavens and sends forth the voice of His strength, attended by ten thousand times ten thousand of His holy ones; glorious in His subjects, as all creatures in heaven and on earth are put in subjection to Him; glorious in the manner of His rule and the administration of His kingdom, full of sweetness, efficacy, power, serenity, holiness, righteousness, and grace towards His elect, and filled with terror, vengeance, and certain destruction towards rebellious angels and men; glorious in the outcome of His kingdom, when every knee shall bow before Him, and all shall stand before His
judgment seat. And what we have pointed to here is only a small fraction of His glory. This is the Beloved of the church, its head, its husband, and the one with whom we have communion. However, I will discuss the entire exaltation of Jesus Christ at length elsewhere.
Having discussed these general aspects to further motivate communion with Christ in the mentioned relationship, drawing from His excellencies and perfections, I shall now turn to the description given by the bride in the Song of Solomon for the very same purpose.
"My Beloved is white and ruddy, the chief among ten thousand. His head is like the finest gold; his locks are bushy, black as a raven. His eyes are like doves beside the streams of water, bathed in milk, and set like jewels. His cheeks are like beds of spices, yielding fragrance.
His lips are like lilies, dripping with sweet-scented myrrh. His hands are like gold rings, set with beryl. His body is like bright ivory, adorned with sapphires. His legs are like pillars of marble, set upon bases of fine gold. His countenance is like Lebanon, as majestic as the cedars. His mouth is most sweet; yes, He is altogether lovely.
This is my Beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem."
The previous general description given of Him, in verse 10, has already been considered. The following specifics are provided as evidence to support the claim that He is "the chiefest among ten thousand."
The bride begins by describing His head and face in verses 11-13.
Regarding His head, she first speaks generally about its substance, stating that it is "fine gold." Some interpret it as "pure gold" or "solid gold." The Greek translation, LXX, renders it as "mass of gold" by retaining elements of both Hebrew words, ָּפז ֶּכ ֶחם. Gold possesses two prominent qualities—splendor or glory and durability. These are what the bride refers to when speaking of Christ's head. His head
symbolizes His government, authority, and kingdom. It is said, "A crown of pure gold was on His head" (Psalm 21:3), and here, His head is described as gold due to the crown of gold adorning it.
Similarly, in Daniel, the monarchy that represented the pinnacle of glory and durability is referred to as the "head of gold" (Daniel 2:38).
These two qualities—splendor and eternity—are characteristic of Christ's kingdom and authority.
(1.) His kingdom is glorious. He is full of glory and majesty, and in His majesty, He rides triumphantly (Psalm 45:3-4). "His glory is great in the salvation of God; honor and majesty are laid upon Him.
He is made blessed forever and ever" (Psalm 21:5-6). We could delve into the particulars and demonstrate that there is no aspect that can make a kingdom or government glorious, which is not found in Christ's kingdom with all its excellencies. It is a heavenly, spiritual, universal, and unshakable kingdom, all of which contribute to its glory. However, that is a discussion for another time.
(2.) His kingdom is also enduring, even eternal—solid gold. "His throne is forever and ever" (Psalm 45:6). "Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever" (Isaiah 9:7). His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom (Daniel 7:27), a kingdom that will never be destroyed (Daniel 2:44), for He must reign until all His enemies are subdued. This is the head of gold—the splendor and eternity of His government.
If we consider the head in a natural sense, the focus may be on the glory of His Deity or the fullness and excellence of His wisdom, which the head represents. The allegory should not be limited as long as it aligns with the analogy of faith.
Regarding the adornments of His head, the bride describes His locks, which are said to be "bushy" or curled, and "black as a raven." His curly locks are black, and the reference to the raven emphasizes their darkness, not alluding to the nature of the raven itself. If we interpret the head in a political sense, His locks of hair, described as curly and seemingly entangled but actually falling in perfect order and beauty, represent His thoughts, counsels, and ways in governing His kingdom. They are black or dark due to their depth and unsearchability, just as God is said to dwell in thick darkness. They are also curly or bushy because of their intricate interweaving, emanating from His infinite wisdom. His thoughts are numerous, resembling the hairs on one's head, seemingly perplexed and entangled, but in reality, they are arranged in perfect order, like curly bushy hair. They are deep, unfathomable, and dreadful to His enemies, while exuding beauty and comeliness to His beloved. Thus,
His thoughts, counsel, and wisdom in governing His kingdom are characterized by darkness, complexity, and manifold orderliness—a mystery to the carnal eye but deep, multilayered, and appealing to His saints.
In a natural sense, black and curly locks signify comeliness and youthful vigor. The strength and power of Christ in executing His counsels and ways are revealed as glorious and lovely.
The next aspect described is His eyes in verse 12: "His eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters, washed with milk, and fitly set."
The allusion is clear—doves are gentle birds, not birds of prey, and they possess bright, shining, and penetrating eyes. They are also known for their affinity for streams of water. The mention of washed eyes in milk or clear, white, crystal water enhances their beauty.
Furthermore, they are said to be "fitly set," meaning they are
proportionate and contribute to their beauty and radiance, like precious stones in a ring setting.
Eyes are meant for sight, discernment, knowledge, and understanding of things to be seen. Therefore, the reference here pertains to the knowledge and discernment of the Spirit of Christ
Jesus. In this allusion, four qualities are attributed to His eyes: tenderness, purity, discernment, and glory.
1. Tenderness and compassion toward His church are denoted by the comparison to dove's eyes. He looks upon His church with the eyes of gentle doves, exhibiting tenderness and compassionate care. There is no anger, fury, or thoughts of revenge in His gaze. This understanding of the eyes aligns with the interpretation in Deuteronomy 11:12, "The eyes of the LORD your God are always on it [the promised land]." Why? "Because the LORD your God cares for it." Christ's eyes are on us with tender care, expressing His wisdom, knowledge, and understanding in all aspects of His love for us. He is the stone, the foundation stone of the church, adorned with seven eyes, representing perfect wisdom, knowledge, care, and kindness for its guidance.
2. Purity is represented by the allusion to washed dove's eyes. This can be understood subjectively as the excellence and unstained purity of His sight and knowledge within Himself, or objectively as His delight in beholding purity in others. "He is of purer eyes than to behold evil" (Habakkuk 1:13). "He has no pleasure in wickedness; the foolish shall not stand in His sight" (Psalm 5:45). If the righteous soul of Lot was vexed by witnessing the vile deeds of wicked men (2 Peter 2:8), despite having human eyes tainted with impurity, how much more does the pure eyes of our
dear Lord Jesus abhor the filthiness of sinners! Yet, His love for us is exemplified by His willingness to cleanse us from our defilement. When we are so stained that no other solution suffices, He washes us with His own blood (Ephesians 5:25-27).
His aim is to present the church to Himself in glorious holiness since His eyes are too pure to take joy and delight in any other condition. He does not abandon His bride until He can say to her, "You are altogether beautiful, my love; there is no flaw in you" (Song of Solomon 4:7). He removes our spots and blemishes through the renewing work of the Holy Spirit and adorns us completely with His righteousness, all because of the purity of His own eyes that cannot behold iniquity.
3. Discernment—His eyes see as doves do, swiftly, clearly, and comprehensively, penetrating to the depths of what they observe. In another passage, His eyes are likened to a flame of fire (Revelation 1:14). This is to convey that the churches should understand that He is the One who searches the hearts and minds of individuals (Revelation 2:23). Christ possesses discerning eyes, nothing is hidden from Him, and all things are open and exposed before Him. He is the One who "knows all men" and does not require any testimony about man because He knows what is in man (John 2:24-25). His penetrating gaze cuts through the thick veil of hypocrisy and reveals the true nature of individuals. He sees the innermost being and the reality of people before Him. His vision is not like ours; He contemplates the hidden recesses of the heart. Not a single sigh, groan, longing of love, or desire is hidden from Him. He sees in secret.
Glorious performances by the most accomplished hypocrites are useless before Him. His eyes penetrate all, and the filth in their hearts lies bare before Him.
4. Beauty and glory are also implied. Every aspect of Christ is beautiful, for He is "altogether lovely" (verse 16). However, His sight and wisdom are especially glorious. He embodies the wisdom of God itself, and His understanding is infinite. Our knowledge is stained with imperfections, even when perfected, it remains finite and limited. In contrast, His understanding is untainted by darkness, unmarred by limitations.
Thus, he is beautiful and glorious. His head is like pure gold, and his eyes resemble gentle doves, washed in milk and set perfectly in place.
The next aspect emphasized is his cheeks. They are likened to a bed of spices or sweet flowers, symbolizing a pleasant fragrance, beauty, and orderliness. The mention of sweet savour, spices, and wellgrown flowers denotes the cheeks of Christ. The interpretation that these cheeks represent the two tables of stone with various lines drawn on them, as suggested by the Chaldee paraphrast, is strained and speculative.
In a man, the cheeks represent comeliness and courageous masculinity. Christ's comeliness, as previously explained, stems from His fullness of grace for us, while His masculine courage relates to His authority and rule. These attributes of comeliness and courage are ascribed to His cheeks, highlighting His spiritual beauty and desirability. The cheeks possess a:
1. Sweet savour, order, and eminence. Just as God delights in the sweet fragrance of the grace and obedience of His servants, believers find a sweet savour in the grace of Christ. They find rest, delight, and refreshment in His grace. The graces of Christ please their spiritual senses, revive their spirits, and bring joy to their souls. When Christ is near, believers perceive His aroma, much like Isaac smelled Jacob's clothes, saying, "The smell of
my son is as the smell of a field that the LORD has blessed"
(Genesis 27:27). Their souls are refreshed by His presence.
2. Order and beauty, like spices arranged in a garden bed. The graces of Christ are akin to spices meticulously organized in rows, enabling believers to recognize and receive from them according to their needs. The beauty lies in their harmonious correspondence with one another. Christ's graces are distinctly and orderly presented in the gospel, allowing sinners to observe them by faith and draw from His abundant provision as required. These graces are intended for the use of believers, found in the promises of the gospel. Light, life, power, and all forms of consolation reside in Christ—a constellation of shining, glorious graces. Believers survey all His graces, recognizing their splendor and excellence, while focusing primarily on those most relevant to their particular circumstances. Through faith and prayer, they gather these blessings from the bed of spices. No one who comes to Him leaves without refreshment. Everything they need is available and provided. What can they not take?
What can they not gather? Every necessity of the weary soul is met, as the promises of the gospel serve as the beds where these spices are arranged for their benefit. It is through this orderly arrangement that the covenant is declared to be "ordered in all things" (2 Samuel 23:5).
3. Eminence. His cheeks are lifted up like a tower of perfumes, made conspicuous, visible, and prominent. Similarly, when the graces of Christ are proclaimed and lifted up in the preaching of the gospel, they become a tower of perfumes—a fragrant offering to God and mankind.
The next phrase in the verse states, "His lips are like lilies, dropping sweet-smelling myrrh." It alludes to two natural perfections: the glorious colour of lilies and the sweet fragrance of myrrh. The beauty and splendor of the lilies surpassed even that of Solomon's magnificence, as stated by Jesus (Matthew 6:29). Myrrh's aroma is so exceptional that Scripture compares it to excellence (Psalm 45:8).
Christ's lips, dripping sweet-smelling myrrh, symbolize His Word— its fragrance, excellence, and usefulness. His Word is truly remarkable and surpasses the glory, beauty, and utility of natural things. Those who preach His Word for the salvation of souls are referred to as a "sweet savour unto God" (2 Corinthians 2:15), manifesting the aroma of the knowledge of God (verse 14). While there are various properties of myrrh that can be explored, and the allegory can be extended to describe the excellencies of the Word, I will focus on the general concept. The Holy Spirit intends to convey that the Word of Christ is sweet, savory, and precious to believers.
They perceive His excellence, desirability, and beauty in the precepts, promises, exhortations, and even in the most severe warnings contained in it.
The spouse continues, "His hands are like gold rings set with the beryl." The word "beryl" in the original text is "Tarshish," which the Septuagint has retained without specifying a particular precious stone. Some suggest it may be onyx or chrysolite—any precious stone shining with a sea-green colour, as the word also signifies "sea." Gold rings adorned with precious, shimmering stones possess value and desirability for profit and adornment. Similarly, the hands of Christ represent all His works—the effects brought about by the cause. All
His works are glorious, stemming from wisdom, love, and generosity.
Furthermore, it is stated, "His belly is like bright ivory, overlaid with sapphires." This refers to the smoothness and radiance of ivory,
along with the preciousness and heavenly colour of sapphires, used to enhance the excellence of Christ. In this case, "belly" actually signifies His inward bowels, encompassing His heart. It is unnecessary to prove that in Scripture, whether ascribed to God or man, "bowels" denotes affections. Christ's tender love, indescribable affections, and kindness toward His church and people are portrayed through this imagery. Just as polished ivory adorned with heaps of precious sapphires is a beautiful sight, the tender affections, mercies, and compassion of the Lord Jesus towards believers are even more glorious.
Verse 15. The strength of his kingdom, the faithfulness and stability of his promises, the exalted glory of his person in his dominion, and the sweet and excellent communion with him are depicted in these words: "His legs are like pillars of marble set upon sockets of fine gold; his countenance is majestic like Lebanon, surpassing the splendor of the cedars. His mouth is exceedingly sweet."
Having gone this far in describing him, the spouse concludes with a general assertion: "He is wholly desirable—completely to be desired or beloved." It's as if she were saying, "I have enumerated some of the perfections of earthly creations, the most valuable, precious, useful, beautiful, and glorious things below. I have compared some of their excellences to those of my Beloved. Through this allegory, I cannot go any higher; I find nothing better or more desirable to portray and present His loveliness and desirability. But alas! all of this falls short of His perfections, beauty, and comeliness. He is entirely to be desired, to be beloved."
He is lovely in His person—the glorious all-sufficiency of His deity, the gracious purity and holiness of His humanity, His authority and majesty, His love and power.
He is lovely in His birth and incarnation—when He, who was rich, became poor for our sake, taking on flesh and blood because we share in the same. He was made of a woman, so that He could be made under the law for our sake.
He is lovely throughout His entire life, displaying more than angelic holiness and obedience, even amidst poverty and persecution—doing good while receiving evil, blessing and being cursed, reviled, and reproached all His days.
He is lovely in His death, yes, most lovely to sinners—never more glorious and desirable than when He came broken and dead from the cross. He carried all our sins into a land of forgetfulness; He made peace and reconciliation for us; He obtained life and immortality on our behalf.
He is lovely in His entire mission, in His great undertaking—in His life, death, resurrection, and ascension. He serves as a mediator between God and us, to restore the glory of God's justice and to save our souls. He brings us to the enjoyment of God, bridging the infinite gap caused by sin.
He is lovely in the glory and majesty with which He is crowned. He is now seated at the right hand of the Majesty on high. Although He is fearsome to His enemies, He is full of mercy, love, and compassion towards His beloved ones.
He is lovely in all the provisions of grace and consolation, in all the dispensations of His Holy Spirit, in which His saints participate.
He is lovely in all the tender care, power, and wisdom that He exercises in protecting, safeguarding, and delivering His church and people, even in the face of opposition and persecution.