Bogoslovska smotra, Vol. 91 No. 2, 2021.
Stručni rad
https://doi.org/10.53745/bs.91.2.10
An Exegetical-Theological Analysis of Song 4:1-7 and Prov 31:10-31
Anđelo Maly
orcid.org/0000-0001-6681-7230
; Katolički bogoslovni fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Sažetak
Two biblical texts from the Song of Songs (4:1 -17) and the Book of Proverbs (31:10 -31) present two views of two biblical writers on the woman and her characteristics that are worthy of admiration and respect. Within a theological -anthropological interpretation confirmed by exegetical interpretations, selected texts represent, in a special way, harmony of human beings’ complex nature in the plan of Wisdom of creation and completion of all that has been created. The bride and the wife presented in the Song of Songs and the Book of Proverbs reveal the human being that will not be renewed only in his/her moral integrity, or only in his/her spiritual reality through which he/she has a possibility to enter into a relationship with God, but will be instead renewed also in his/her bodiliness because it is also a part of complete wisdom through which God does everything. Both texts, and especially the one from the Song of Songs, were the object of various and numerous interpretations. By comparing these two texts that often differ in their meaning, but, thus, also complete each other, the author focuses in this article on resolving their opposition to each other by using the fact that opposites are also completing and building up each other. In that sense, apart from focusing on exegetical interpretations of the aforementioned texts, the article focuses also on how these two biblical views of women are specific ways of discoursing on wisdom. Finally, through a theological interpretation of these texts through images of the bride and the wife, the author wishes to confirm the fact of personification of Wisdom as a female character in the context of the Old Testament literature. Two images: bride and wife, if one goes beyond their literal meaning, open up a possibility of gaining an insight into multifaceted biblical Wisdom that is at the same time immanent and transcendent and remains the mediator between God and human being. The human being who seeks wisdom as a virtuous wife (Who will find her?) and when he/she finds her, he/she climbs towards her (see Song 4:6) and admires her because she is without a fault (Song 4:7b).
Ključne riječi
Song of Songs; Book of Proverbs; bride; virtuous wife; personification of wisdom.
Hrčak ID:
266286
URI
Datum izdavanja:
29.7.2021.
Posjeta: 1.010 *