II. She describes him by his locks
II. She describes him by his locks
Which, she says, "are bushy and black as a raven." By hislocksmay be meant, either
1st, The thoughts,[3953] counsels and purposes of God, who is the head of Christi which, 1. Like the hairs of a man's head are innumerable: the purposes of his heart concerning man's salvation; his thoughts of love, grace, and mercy towards sinners, "cannot be reckoned up in order to him; they are more than can be numbered; the sum of them is so great," that they exceed the sand upon the sea-shore. 2. Like bushy and black locks, are intricate, dark and obscure, unsearchable and incomprehensible; God's thoughts and purposes of distinguishing grace are out of our reach, and beyond our comprehension; and therefore are said to be "higher than our thoughts, even as the heavens are higher than the earth:" when we seriously consider that the great and infinite Being should pitch his thoughts of love from all eternity upon poor, sinful creatures; and upon some, and not all; and resolve on their everlasting salvation, and not on others; it obliges us to say, with the apostle, "O the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!" Romans 11:33. 3. Yet these thoughts and purposes of God's heart, so Jar as they are made known to us, are like bushy and black locks of hair, very beautiful and delightful: How glorious and beautiful is the draught, the model and scheme of salvation, which was drawn in the eternal mind? with what exactness is it managed? what wisdom and grace appear in that "fellowship of the mystery," which the gospel leads us into an acquaintance with? "How precious are those thoughts of love which run through all, as well as " how great is the sum of them?" Or,
2dly, By these locks may be meant, the multitude of believers,[3954] which grow upon Christ, as the head of the church and these may be compared to hair for their number, their dependence on Christ, and their reception of life and nourishment from him, as has been observed on chapter 4:1 and these being called locks of hair, may intend their being congregated in gospel-order, their being united in faith and love, and their walking together in all the ordinances of Christ; "endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace." Now saints being thus joined together in holy fellowship, having strict regard to Christ's truths and commands, do much adorn the head, Christ Jesus; and are a lovely and delightful sight to spectators; see Colossians 2:5. And these locks are said to be, 1. Bushy; the word may signify heaps;[3955] and so denotes the multitude of believers that spring from, and have their dependence on Christ, the head: or it may be rendered, thick,[3956] being well-set; or pendulous,[3957] hanging down in a beautiful order: and this may intend the ornament that believers are to Christ; "childrens" children are the crown of old men;" believers are "a crown of glory to Christ;" they are "a royal diadem in his hand," and upon his head: or it may be translated, crisp or curled;[3958] and so be expressive of the hardness and strength of believers; curled hair[3959] being the strongest and hardest: believers though weak in themselves, yet are strong in Christ; not only to perform duty, but to withstand enemies, and endure hardness as good soldiers of Christ Jesus; they are "strengthened with all might in the inner man," to fight the Lord's battles, are undaunted in their spirits, and immoveable as a rock. 2. They are said to be "black as a raven;" saints are black with original and actual sin, as they are also with infirmities, reproaches, scandal and persecution; they have mean thoughts of themselves; and though exalted on the head, Christ, yet look upon themselves as the least of saints, and chief of sinners: though I rather think, this does not intend their blackness by sins, infirmities, etc. nor their humble thoughts of themselves; but rather, their real beauty, which they have from Christ, and that ornament and glory which they are unto him. Or else,
3dly, By these locks may be meant, Christ's administrations in the discharge of his kingly office: and this seems to me to be the best sense; for, as by his head, is intended his regal power and government; so by his locks, the administrations of it; which though sometimes dark, intricate and obscure, being attended with severity to his enemies, and so may be said to be bushy and black; yet being managed with the utmost wisdom and prudence, and according to the strictest rules of justice and equity, look very beautiful and comely, and are admired and; wondered at by all the saints (see Revelation 15:3, 4).
Moreover in general these bushy and black locks of Christ may denote, 1. The fullness of wisdom which is in Christ; curled hair is a sign of an hot and dry brain,[3960] which produces acuteness and sharpness of wit: all wisdom is in Christ; he is the wisdom of God; who has not only fullness of it for himself, which is requisite to qualify him for, and carry him through the work he is engaged in; but has also a fullness of it: for the saints, to whom "he is made of God wisdom as well as righteousness." 2. His youthful strength, vigor and courage, of which his black hair is accounted a sign: in Revelation 1:14. Christ's hair is said to be "as white as wool, as white as snow," to denote his senile gravity; that he is "the ancient of days; who exists from everlasting to everlasting:" but here his locks are said to be black, to set forth his juvenile vigor and strength, which is always in its bloom, without any change or alteration: he is the mighty God in his highest nature, and "mighty to save," as mediator; he gave the fullest proofs of his strength and courage in fulfilling all the law required, in bearing all that justice inflicted, and in conquering all his and our enemies. 3. These black locks set forth the beauty of Christ: black hair was accounted the most beautiful, not only by the Jews but by the Romans; as is manifest from what is said by many of the poets,[3961] concerning both men and women: it was very desirable to them; insomuch that these, whose hair was not naturally black, used various ways and methods to make it so, and among other things, both Pliny[3962] and Ælianus[3963] tell us, they used the eggs, brains, and blood of ravens for that purpose. Now when Christ's locks are said to be black as a raven, the meaning is, that he looks exceeding beautiful, being "fairer than Absalom," or any of the children of men; his black shining locks, hanging down in a beautiful order from his head of gold, make him look very stately and majestic; and as the blackness of the raven is a very fine black, and what is natural to it, and not made by art; so the beauty of Christ is exceeding great, it is natural to him; it is not derived from another, as ours is from him, but what is original, underived and essential to him; and this proves him to be the most excellent beloved, and "the chiefest among ten thousand."