How does Song 7:5 connect to the theme of love in Ephesians 5:25? Texts in View “Your head crowns you like Carmel, and the flowing locks of your hair are like purple; the king is captivated by its tresses.” “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her.” Poetic Captivation and Covenant Love • In Songs 7:5 the bride’s beauty so enthralls the king that his heart is “captivated.” • Ephesians 5:25 speaks of a love that moved Christ to give Himself up for His bride, the church. • Both verses show wholehearted, exclusive devotion—one through poetic admiration, the other through sacrificial action. Shared Imagery: Head, Crown, and Honor • “Your head crowns you like Carmel” (Songs 7:5) links the bride with royalty and dignity. • Christ is called “head of the church” (Ephesians 5:23), and His sacrificial love grants honor to His bride. • Proverbs 12:4, Isaiah 62:3 add that a virtuous spouse is a “crown,” echoing the honor language. Captivation Compared with Sacrifice • The king’s delight in Songs 7 reflects an emotional captivation—he cannot look away. • Christ’s love in Ephesians 5:25 moves beyond emotion to self-giving action—He “gave Himself up.” • Taken together, true marital love delights in the beloved and then expresses that delight through costly, purposeful service. Old and New Testament Harmony • Songs 7:5 shows marital love as passionate and celebratory; Ephesians 5:25 grounds that same love in Christ’s redeeming work. • The poetic picture foreshadows the gospel reality: the King (Christ) is captivated by and committed to His people. • John 15:13—“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends”—ties the themes of delight and sacrifice together. Practical Implications for Marriage Today • Delight: Husbands cultivate active admiration for their wives, expressing verbal and visible appreciation. • Sacrifice: Admiration must mature into servant-hearted actions—time, protection, spiritual leadership. • Honor: Treating a wife as a “crown” means guarding her dignity and celebrating her God-given beauty (1 Peter 3:7). • Whole-person love: Passion (Songs 7) and purpose (Ephesians 5) are not rivals; they complete the biblical vision of marriage. Seeing Christ in Both Passages • The king captivated by his bride’s tresses whispers of Christ’s affectionate gaze toward His church. • Christ’s cross-shaped devotion in Ephesians fulfills the royal admiration hinted at in the Song. • As believers rest in that perfect love, earthly marriages become living parables of the gospel—delighting in, honoring, and laying down life for one another. |
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