Section 744
IV. The motive which she makes use of to prevail upon Christ to comply with her invitation
"For there will I give thee my loves;" that is, when we are alone in the field, or at our lodgings in the villages, or when we are together in the vineyards, visiting the vines and pomegranates, I will show thee my love; I will open all my heart to thee, and thou shalt know how much I love thee. And, 1. We are not to suppose that this is the first time of her loving Christ, or of her manifesting it to him, for she loved him long before; but she mentions this now to gain her end; for she knew very well what would take with Christ's heart, what was grateful to him, and that nothing was more so than expressions of her love to him, and this she had learned from his own words, in chapter 4:10, "How fair is thy love, my sister, my spouse! how much better is thy love than wine!" Christ knew very well she loved him; but yet he loved to hear her say she did. What made Christ ask Peter so often whether he loved him or no? it was not because he doubted of it, but because he loved to hear him express it. 2. By her loves, may be meant the manifestations of her love to him, in the observance of his commands; the offering up the sacrifices of prayer and praise unto him; as well as all other branches of religious worship and service in his house, which she promises to him there; and this sense the Targum inclines unto. 3. This, being expressed in the plural number, may intend not only the excellency of her love to Christ, and the various ways of manifesting it to him, but also the abundance of it: here was an overflow of it in her soul; her heart was brimful of it, and she seems to want an opportunity of venting it; for which purpose she desires to be alone with Christ, as Joseph did with his brethren, that so she might, with the greater freedom, let out her affections to him. 4. Communion with Christ, and the flourishing condition of his churches, tend much to enlarge a believer's heart with love to Christ, and to draw out his affections towards him, "we love him, because he first loved us," 1 John 4:19, I see not why the word for loves, may not be rendered, my lovely flowers; as a word nearly the same, in the following verse, is by some rendered, "those lovely flowers give a good smell, as Junius and Tremellius;" which seem to refer to the flowers here; such as were to be met with in plenty in fields and vineyards, and among vines and pomegranates, as lilies, violets, etc. and may be an allusion to lovers, who used to give to those they loved, sweet smelling flowers;[4215] and here may signify the graces of the Spirit, and the actings of them, which are fragrant and acceptable to Christ.