12
Mar
2014

Jonathan Edwards Christology of the Song of Songs

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12 Mar 2014

Two weeks ago, I had the privilege of giving a lecture on “Jonathan Edwards’ Christology of the Song of Songs” at the Jonathan Edwards for the Church Conference at Durham University. The lectures given at this Conference will be published in a volume by EP in the near future. For now, you find the audio and video of the talk here. You can also find some of the material included in that lecture in my earlier post, “Jonathan Edwards on Christ and the Song of Songs.”

About Post Author

Nick Batzig is the senior pastor of Church Creek PCA in Charleston, SC and an associate editor for Ligonier Ministries. Prior to serving at Church Creek, Nick was a pastor at Wayside PCA on Signal Mountain, TN. Formerly, Nick served as the founding pastor of New Covenant Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Richmond Hill, GA and as the editor of Reformation21 and the Christward Collective--sites of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals. He frequently writes for Tabletalk Magazine, Reformation 21, He Reads Truth, and the Christward Collective. Nick was also the host of East of Eden, a podcast devoted to the Biblical and Systematic Theology of Jonathan Edwards. You can friend him on Facebook here and follow him on Twitter @nick_batzig

7 Responses

  1. Scott D. Andersen
    Reply

    this is fantastic, thanks. Look forward to listening, enjoyed very much your earlier post and related posts on the Song.

    Reading Greag Beale, “The Temple and the Church’s Mission”, has me considering if some of the language in the Song would tie in with Beale’s thesis that Jesus is the True Temple and all who are joined to him spiritually are part of the True Temple. Per Beale’s thesis he sees the garden as the first temple, with a mandate to Adam as priest/King to serve and guard the garden and expand it outward until it fills the whole earth. The tabernacle was a relfection of this, as was Solomon’s temple. All pictures that the ultimate goal is the whole world, already but not yet until the final consumation in the New Heavens and the New Earth.

    Thus “A garden enclosed is my sister my spouse, a spring shut up, a fountain sealed” and “a fountain of gardens, a well of living water, and streams from lebanon” (Song 4:12-15) are also part that revelation of the temple expanding to fill the whole earth. Beale has no references in his book to the Song, but if you are familiar with this work maybe you could comment.

    thanks,

    scott

  2. Scott D. Andersen
    Reply

    I meant to say in my last paragraph:

    “Thus, possibly…” as in I didn’t mean to make an assertion but suggest possibly a connection for consideration.

    Thinking further:
    Perhaps there could then be other connections in the Song to the “garden” as part of the true temple of God in the bride joined to her husband. Maybe in the chariot that Solomon built in Song 3, with pillars of silver, bottom of gold, covering of purple and the midst thereof being paved with love for the daughters of Jerusalem? Also Song 4 last verse, and first verse of Song 5 where the friends also are invited to join in the garden.

  3. Scott D. Andersen
    Reply

    Finally was able to listen to the above lecture. Very helpful. And addressed very much my questions above. In the lecture you mentioned to be on the watch for a new book being published collecting JE’s writings on the Song. Do you have any more information on that book? Is there a pre-order for it.

  4. Scott D. Andersen
    Reply

    Also, Having listened to your lecture, while driving, I was unable to make note of the JE sermons you strongly suggested reading. Would love if you could provide the sermon name, or a link to these sermons. Especially the one where JE preached before “a more advanced auditory” in which his method and exposition was more on display than when he preached the same sermon in North Hampton. I think the sermon was on Song 1:3

    Thanks,
    sda

  5. Nicholas T. Batzig
    Reply

    Scott, thank you for the feedback. Beale is excellent on the BT of the Garden and actually has an interesting statement about the Song in his comments on Jesus’ statement, “Behold I stand at the door and knock” in Rev. 3:20 in his commentary on Revelation.

    The sermon I recommended is on Cant. 1:3 in the McMullen ed. volume “The Blessing of God.”

    1. Scott D Andersen
      Reply

      Thank you for the reply. I located a copy of the book “The Blessing of God” and I’m looking very much forward to receiving and pursuing especially the sermon on Cant 1:3.

      Hope to hear more and more from you on Edwards and the Song. Or other Christ-Centered work you are doing on the Song of Solomon.

      Very happy to get this information from you. Sorry that it took me so long to come back and check for a reply.

      sda

      1. Scott D Andersen
        Reply

        I should add you have helped me much with your Edwards on the Song. I did look up his Notes on Scripture and was able to make us of them.

        Let us know when you have any further information regarding a new book being published collecting JE’s writings on the Song. I do follow you on facebook so if you post something there I will see it.

        sda

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