This Lent and Easter we have been reading the Song of Songs - a marvelous book of biblical love poetry. In its last chapter we read: “Love is as strong as death and the love’s passion is as fierce as the netherworld.”
Unfortunately, many biblical commentators feel an urge to write something like: “please note, that ‘love is as strong as death, but it is not stronger!’” They are clearly under some evil spell of fossilized Judeo-Christian dogma (only God or Jesus are allowed to be stronger than death). They show their elemental prejudiced misunderstanding.
Firstly, we know that love in the Song of Songs, just as any true love, is a force inseparable from divine love. And secondly, within the Ancient Near Eastern linguistic as well as mythological context “Love being as strong as death” points clearly in the direction of courage and hope in ultimate victory of love or forces of love. *)
There is also a rhetorical reason why love is "only" as strong as death. Love is as strong as death - to keep the dramatic suspension open. Love is as strong as death - to encourage us to take sides. Love is as strong as death - so that we support and root for love. Love is as strong as death - to pull us in this life embracing story, to invite us to love and thus participate in this ultimate struggle and victory of love.
We all know to hope in the auspicious final outcome, but nothing is certain until the last moment. Come this Easter Sunday to rejoice in it. Indeed, love is as strong as death....
Unfortunately, many biblical commentators feel an urge to write something like: “please note, that ‘love is as strong as death, but it is not stronger!’” They are clearly under some evil spell of fossilized Judeo-Christian dogma (only God or Jesus are allowed to be stronger than death). They show their elemental prejudiced misunderstanding.
Firstly, we know that love in the Song of Songs, just as any true love, is a force inseparable from divine love. And secondly, within the Ancient Near Eastern linguistic as well as mythological context “Love being as strong as death” points clearly in the direction of courage and hope in ultimate victory of love or forces of love. *)
There is also a rhetorical reason why love is "only" as strong as death. Love is as strong as death - to keep the dramatic suspension open. Love is as strong as death - to encourage us to take sides. Love is as strong as death - so that we support and root for love. Love is as strong as death - to pull us in this life embracing story, to invite us to love and thus participate in this ultimate struggle and victory of love.
We all know to hope in the auspicious final outcome, but nothing is certain until the last moment. Come this Easter Sunday to rejoice in it. Indeed, love is as strong as death....
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*) For example here is a short quotation from the Ugaritic myth about the fight of Baal (divine patron of fertility/prosperity) with Mot (Semitic god of death). KTU 1.6.vi.16-22 and 33-35
They glowered at each other like burning coals.
Mot was strong,
Baal was strong.
They gored (each other) like wild bulls.
Mot was strong,
Baal was strong.
They bit (each other) like snakes.
Mot was strong,
Baal was strong.
They tugged (each other) like hunting dogs.
Mot fell.
Ball fell on top of him
at this moment goddess of sun, Shapash, intervenes and finally:
Mot lifted up his voice and cried:
Let Baal be installed on the throne of his kingship,
on the seat in control of his dominion.
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