Section 567
I. It will be proper to consider who is meant by Solomon and I apprehend
We are not to understand this literally of Solomon, the son of David, and king of Israel; but mystically, of Christ, who was typified by him; it may be said of this place, what our Lord said in another case, that a "greater than Solomon is here;" Solomon was undoubtedly an eminent type of Christ; the whole seventy-second psalm, which is entitled, A Psalm for Solomon," is generally expounded, not only by Christian, but also by Jewish interpreters[3691] of the Messiah, whom Solomon prefigured; and there is an agree-merit and likeness between them in the following things: 1. They were both the sons of David: Christ, as well as Solomon, was so according to the flesh; God promised that the would raise up the Messiah from his seed, which promise he accordingly made good: the Jews lived in the expectation of him, as being to spring from him; and therefore when Christ put that question to them, "What think ye of Christ? whose son is he?" they readily answer, "The son of David" hence he is called both the root and offspring of David;" as he is God, he is thereof of David; and as he is man, he is his offspring. 2. They were both the sons of God; see 2 Samuel 7:14 compared with Hebrews 1:5 only with this difference; Solomon was the son of God by adopting grace; Christ, by nature and eternal generation. 3. They were both Jedidiah's, beloved of God: that Solomon was so, is manifest from 2 Samuel 12:24, 25 and therefore had that name given unto him; that Christ is the dear son of God's love, was testified by a voice from heaven more than once, particularly at his baptism, and at his transfiguration upon the mount (see Matthew 3:17, 17:5). 4. They were both kings and preachers in Jerusalem; for Solomon (see 12) and of Christ it is manifest that here he exercised great part of his public ministry; and here also did he sit upon the throne of his father David, though in a spiritual way. 5. He was a type of Christ in his wisdom: It is said of him (1 Kings 4:30, 31) that his "wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east-country, and all the wisdom of Egypt; for he was wiser than all men:" and of Christ it is said (Colossians 2:3) that "in him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge;" he as much, nay, infinitely more exceeded Solomon in wisdom, than he did all other men; for never man spake such words of wisdom, his enemies themselves being witnesses, as he did. 6. He was also a type of Christ in the largeness of his kingdom: as God gave him "largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea-shore;" so he likewise gave him a kingdom suitable to its. and made him to reign "over all kingdoms, from the river unto the land of the Philistines:" Christ's kingdom, however small it may appear now, shall in the latter day be very large; for "he shall have dominion from sea to seas and from the river unto the ends of the earth; for when he takes to himself his great power, and reigns, "the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ;" (see Psalm 72:8; Revelation 11:15, 17). 7. He prefigured him in the peaceableness, as welt as in the largeness of his kingdom: Solomon's kingdom was a peaceable one, as well as a large one; "he had peace on all sides round about him;" and his subjects "dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig-tree, all his days:" which was all typical of Christ and his kingdom; one of whose titles is, "the prince of peace;" whose scepter is "the gospel of peace;" whose kingdom is not "meat and drink, but righteousness and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost;" and whose subjects are "the sons of peace;" on whom he bestows peace of conscience now, and will introduce them into an everlasting peace hereafter. 8. He was also a type of him in the riches of his kingdom: there was such plenty of gold in the days of Solomon, "that silver was nothing accounted of," but was as common "in Jerusalem as stones;" Christ's "riches are unsearchable;" he has riches of grace, and riches of glory, which he bestows upon his subjects, so that they are all as kings and princes: it may be much more truly said of all Christ's subjects, what the king of Assyria in a boasting manner said of his princes, "Are not my princes altogether kings?" all the subjects of Christ's kingdom are princes, and all these princes kings; and therefore it must needs be a very rich and opulent one. 9. Solomon was a type of Christ likewise in his marriage of Pharaoh's daughter, an Egyptian woman; one that was an" alien from the commonwealth of Israel, and a stranger from the covenant of promise;" which is not more surprising, nor indeed so much, as that "the Holy One of Israel, the God of the whole earth," should espouse to himself such poor, mean, vile, and sinful creatures, as we by nature are; so that he who is our Maker, is also our husband; astonishing! stupendous grace! 10. He was a type of him in his building the temple, which prefigured the church of Christ which is built on Christ, "the rock, the foundation, and corner-stone; in whom all the building, fitly framed. together, groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:" nay, it is not only built upon him, but it is also built by him, therefore to him all the glory should be ascribed; for "he shall build the temple of the Lord, and he shall bear the glory," Zechariah 6:13. And now seeing that Solomon was a type of Christ in so many instances, it need not be wondered at, that he should bear his name in this, and in some other parts of this Song. But,