Customer Reviews

The Song of Songs

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Watchman Nee, with his simple yet profound approach to life in Christ, leads us deeper into understanding the relationship Father God desires with us as He prepares us to become the bride of Christ.

Nee reveals a God-centered purpose to this often misunderstood treasure of Holy Scripture. For those who regularly underline key passages and thoughts, there are two options. Put away your markers or be prepared to highlight the entire text. I found it difficult to read large portions at one sitting due to the depth of discovery revealed by this wonderful saint's insights.

It's an exellent challenge for those who want to draw ever nearer to the Lord.

Outside of the Bible and "My Utmost for His Highest," this book had the greatest impact on my personal Christian walk. It is not a book for babes nor casual Christians. It's meat and more meat. If you want a deeply intimate, passionate, unquenchable love relationship with Christ, take this book to heart and apply its teachings. It is not an easy read and I found it most productive to read small sections at a time. This is followed by meditating on and praying over each learned tidbit. It is a precious, passionate, crystal clear exposition of a spiritual truth tragically unknown to most Christians. If you truly desire an intimate relationship with God; get, read, mull, digest, and apply the teachings of this book. I am on my third reading and continue to learn from it. Nee was truly endowed with the gift of divine perception.

I have read and studied a number of Watchman Nee books over the years, right along with the Scriptures. I must say that this is one of the very best. I am very glad that I ordered it and had some time to examine it.

This Watchman Nee book focuses in considerable detail on "The Song of Songs" (that is the Hebrew title, though this Old Testament book has gone by other names, including "The Song of Solomon" and "Canticles"). Though originally viewed by some early Church authorities as controversial (probably because of its supposed prurience), "The Song of Songs" was ultimately accepted and approved as "cannonical" and has subsequently proven to have been a favorite of various Christian "mystics" over the centuries.

However, beyond perhaps being told somewhere along the line in passing that it is an allegory about Christ (as the Bridegroom) and His love for the Church, it has unfortunately remained a largely obscure and little studied book for many modern day Christians. That no longer need be the case! Nee's writings, which are quite accessible and easy to read, can really open up this portion of the Scriptures to a much fuller understanding. And, after one carefully studies "The Song of Songs" with the help of Nee's little book, they will clearly see why so many "mystics" have been drawn to it.

Now, over the years, some very sincere and respected believer-scholars have regarded the "Song of Songs" as mainly an allegory. Others, however, just as genuine and well-meaning, have instead claimed that the book is primarily a straightforward historical account of a special romance which occurred between King Solomon and a Shulammite woman which is intended to serve as a model of joyous and honorable marriage. Well, I say, why can't it be both!?

In his little commentary, Nee takes the allegorical view. In it, he proceeds line by line in the poetry that comprises the "The Song of Songs" and explains how the account marvelously and beautifully chronicles and unfolds the stages of a believers relationship with God through Christ, progressing from the initial calling and pursuit, to the believer's increasing desire for deliverance from the self and the "world", to full spiritual development and union.

One suggestion: I think that Nee's book on "The Song of Songs" is targeted to a more spiritually mature and experienced Christian and might not be entirely suitable for those who may yet be "new in the Lord".

I've read this book three times. Every single time I have grown in intimacy with God, I have matured as a Christian, I have a clearer understanding of God, His divine purpose, and how deeply He loves His children.

Nee's God-given gift of discernment shine in this text. He plumbs the depths of God's word and presents the teachings of it in all its unlimited detail. I found my own spiritual growth challenged and deepened after each reading. There is power in the truths herein.

It is not a read for the spiritual child, however. It is too deep for many but if you truly desire to know God, to mature and have a spiritually mature relationship with God, read and devour this book. You won't be sorry.

Song of Songs is one of those perplexing books in the Bible that contains mysteries. Watchman Nee makes a qualifying statement in the introduction on symbolism. He describes the use of figures of speech in all works, including the Bible. It is this feature which makes for different interpretations of a book like the Song. Other Bible teachers have interpreted this book in a totally different way, seeing the Shulamite turning down Solomon's advances and the "he" in the various passages being someone else. When pronouns such as "he" are not directly connected to an identifying source of origin, it's easy to see how there can be different interpretations.

Another example of this can be found in the phrase about "the lily of the valley," which most people use to refer to the Lord Jesus. Nee interprets that as the Shulamite, i.e., that she is just a common lily among many others.

Having said all that, Nee's study is still benefical. You can tell he is thoroughly Bible literate as he constantly uses the Bible to interpret the Song. He traces various symbols back to other passages. The insights he brings in this study remain valid because the general theme is built on orthodoxy. He isn't advancing any "new gospel" but deepening an understanding of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Bought this around 2003; one of the best classic Christian books out there; I am not a Christian but it still holds truths.

I have several of Watchman Nee's books so I'm not unfamiliar with his writings. However, I disagree with Mr. Nee's interpretation of Song of Songs as being the only right and true interpretation as several reviewers seem to think. I would also add that I doubt that I would agree with everything that Tommy Nelson has to say about Song of Songs in His writings on Songs of Songs. Mr. Nee's interpretation is really no different or better an interpretation than Mr. Nelson's interpretation because both are interpretations made by mere men. But that doesn't seem to stop some from praising one author as having the right interpretation and stating that the other author's interpretation is entirely wrong.

One could interpret Song of Songs as an allegory which describes our relationship with Christ, but I personally (yeah, I know what you are thinking; it is my opinion!) do not think that that was what God had in mind, or Solomon for that matter. It seems to me that those who hold to the allegorical interpretation tend to try and make these super-spiritual sounding allegories to somehow reach a righteous and/or spiritual nirvana. The logical end to the allegorical approach results in intercourse becoming useful for nothing more than procreation; this means that we are really no different from animals in terms of sexuality. We become like the bull and the cow; the bull does his duty and goes his way having possibly impregnated the cow so as to continue the species as God designed them to do. This is demeaning to human sexuality!

I will outline a couple of reasons why I disagree with Mr. Nee's interpretation.

1. God created all things, correct? After God had finished creating the earth and all that was in the earth he said that it was "good", correct? Did God create the possibility for us to experience pleasure, especially when we have sexual relations with our spouse? If God had not created us with the ability to experience pleasurable feelings, then where could they have come from? Did Satan create them? The Bible contains no record of Satan creating anything. So where else could they have come from if God did not create them and at the end of His creating, call them good? Are pleasurable feelings sinful? If so, then it is a cruel and sick joke that God has played on us! If not, then why did God created them? My opinion is that they are good and wonderful feelings, but some were meant to be enjoyed within the protective bounds of marriage. If you understand what God had in mind for marriage, then you can see how the protective bounds of marriage create the ideal environment to experience certain pleasurable feelings, namely those stemming from sexual intimacy.

2. If we have no guidebook for how we should conduct ourselves before and after marriage, then where are we to turn for such guidance? Obviously the heathens focus quite a lot on the pleasure aspect, so where does that leave us? Since I know of no other source in which to turn, then we are left up a creek and without paddle! The two greatest commandments in the Bible are Love God, and love other people (in a nutshell). Our relationship to God, and our relationship to people are both important, though the relationship with God supersedes the relationships that we have with other human beings. Those who take the allegorical approach to interpreting the Bible tend to over-emphasis the relationship with God and under-emphasis the relationship with other people. Does this sound like it contradicts the TWO (not merely one commandment; love the Lord your God...) greatest commandments? It should.

3. Science has proven that certain chemicals are released in our brains during sexual intimacy that promotes bonding between husband and wife. Why would our enormously complex brains release such chemicals if God had not created them to do so? Perhaps we are evolving and pleasure was seen as advantageous to our survival (note the sarcasm). If there is pleasure, the God must have created it, along with the chemicals known to induce pleasurable feelings within us when doing certain things. Can the pleasures be misused and abused? Most definitely! That can be seen throughout history all the way back to the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve.

I hope this is helpful for you so that you may understand the wonderful gift from God that sexuality is to married couples. I once held the allegorical view which Mr. Nee subscribes to, but have since abandoned it because I found compelling evidence to do so, namely a book entitled 'Grasping God's Word' by J. Scott Duvall and J. Daniel Hays (can be found here on Amazon.com). They tackle the allegorical approach to interpreting Scripture and demonstrate that it is an style of interpretation that neglects, wholesale, the context of the surrounding verses, the chapter (no chapter and verse in original manuscripts), the entire book, surrounding books, and the Bible as a whole. "Context determines meaning", my Hermeneutics professor would say over and over again. That is primarily why I have abandoned the allegorical approach; it is an unsound and foolish way to interpret Scripture.

I have wrestled with Song of Songs and the meaning thereof and I believe that God designed marriage for and wants us to experience a relationship with another human being within marriage to give us a taste of the relationship that God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit share in their triune relationship. The triune relationship consists of three, perfectly selfless persons who share everything with each other and perform certain, specific tasks. The Son's specific task was to be the perfect sacrifice to deal with sin and to offer redemption to human beings. The Holy Spirit has an ongoing task in which He counsels and comforts us. Jesus stands before God the Father, as a Great High Priest after the order of Melchizedek, on our behalf and stands ready to aid us in our time of need (Hebrews).

I would encourage you to wrestle with these varied interpretations of Song of Songs while looking to the Holy Spirit to guide your understanding of this amazing book in the Bible. Don't side with Nee, Nelson, or any other person, including myself, until you have wrestled and searched diligently for the truth. God will not ignore those who search for truth.