Attributed commentary excerpt
John Gill's Exposition on Song of Solomon 8:2
A historical reference excerpt for this verse. Read it alongside the biblical text and other available sources.
Exposition of the Old and New Testament
John Gill (1697–1771) · 18th-century historical commentary
Source: BibleWord.ai's local reference edition of this named work.
I would lead thee, [and] bring, thee into mother’s house, etc.] The general assembly and church of the firstborn is mother to the church visible, to particular churches and believers, where they are born, educated, and brought up; for which they have a great affection, as persons usually have for the place of their nativity and education. And here the church desires to have Christ with her; either to consummate the marriage between them, (<012467>Genesis 24:67); or to have the knowledge of him spread among her relations, those of her mother’s house, who belonged to the election of grace; or to enjoy his presence there, with great delight and pleasure: the act of “leading” thither shows great familiarity with him, great love and respect for him, a hearty welcome to her mother’s house; and was treating him becoming his majesty, great personages being led, (<236011>Isaiah 60:11); all which is done by prayer, in the exercise of faith: and the act of “bringing” denotes on her part the strength of faith in prayer; and on his part great condescension; (see <220304>Song of Solomon 3:4). Her end in all was, as follows, [who] would instruct me; meaning her mother; the allusion may be to a grave and prudent woman, who, taking her newly married daughter apart, teaches her how to behave towards her husband, that she may have his affections, and live happily with him: the house of God is a school of instruction, where souls are taught the ways of Christ, the doctrines of the Gospel, and the duties of religion; nor are the greatest believers above instruction, and the means of it. Some render the words, “thou shalt”, or “thou wouldest teach me”f479; meaning Christ, who teaches as none else can; he teaches by his Spirit, who leads into all truth; by the Scriptures, which are profitable for instruction; by his ministers, called pastors and teachers; and by his ordinances administered in his house; where the church desired the presence of Christ; and might expect instruction from him, being in the way of her duty; and to hear such marriage precepts, as in (<194510>Psalm 45:10,11). In return, the church promises Christ, I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine, of the juice of my pomegranate; or, “wine of my pomegranate”f480; of which mention is made in Jewish writingsf481 and by other authorsf482: there was a city in the tribe of Dan, called “Gathrimmon”, (<062124>Joshua 21:24); the winepress of the pomegranate, or where they made pomegranate wine. Spiced wine was much used by the ancients, and in the eastern countries: so Phoenician wine, or wine of Byblis, is said to be odoriferousf483; so the wine of Lebanon, (<281407>Hosea 14:7); the Babylonians had a wine they called nectarf484: spiced wine was thought less inebriatingf485, and therefore the ancients sometimes put into their wine myrrh and calamus, and other spicesf486; sometimes it was a mixture of old wine, water, and balsam; and of wine, honey, and pepperf487. Now these sorts of wine being accounted the best and most agreeable, the church proposes to treat Christ with them; by which may be meant the various graces of the Spirit, and the exercise of them in believers; which give Christ pleasure and delight, and are preferred by him to the best wine; (see <220410>Song of Solomon 4:10, 5:1). With the Hebrew writers, pomegranates are said to be a symbol of concordf488: the pomegranate was a tree of Venusf489.
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