Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves' eyes. (16) Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, pleasant: also our bed is green.
I include in one reading these verses, because the beauty of them is in my apprehension, heightened in being read together. The former, I conceive to be the words of Christ: the latter, those of his Church. Both are introduced with a behold, as if to intimate their importance, Jesus speaks of the fairness of his love; and he repeats it for her comfort: and he ascribes to her the eyes of the dove.
There is a vast comprehension in those few words to show the complacency and delight which Jesus hath in the person of his people, Christ himself is fairer than the children of men, for grace is poured into his lips: Psalms 45:2. And as Christ and his Church are one, through his comeliness, which he hath put upon her, she is lovely also. But what is particularly intended to be set forth by the a scribing to the Church doves' eyes, is not perhaps so easy to determinate. It hath been supposed by some that the ministers of the gospel are thus represented; for their office is to be eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame: to go in and out before the people, and to act as stewards, watchmen, and guides, to the Lord's Zion. But whether there be a peculiar reference to them, or a general reference to all the redeemed of the Lord, the representation is alike beautiful; for the eye of the dove is supposed to be chaste, and meek, and gentle; not beholding so much the blemishes of others, as earnest in humbleness to discover her own. The weeping eye of a penitent is suited also to the dove; for the Prophet describes holy mourners as the sorrowful dove of the valley. Ezekiel 7:16. And in another part of this Song the Church describes the eyes of her Lord, as by the rivers, washed with milk and fitly set. Song of Solomon 5:12. But if Jesus commends her love under these characters as a perfection of beauty, the Church, with all suited humbleness, takes his own gracious words and makes application of all that is truly lovely to him in the verse that follows; and to her view Jesus is all in all: as God and as man, and as both God and man in one person. She beholds him as the disciples beheld him, when he manifested forth his glory and they believed in him. John 2:11. She adds, as a further commendation, that he was pleasant; meaning, no doubt, that everything in him, and on him, was blessed to her soul: his cross, as well as his crown; his Person, blood, righteousness; all his promises, his providences, doctrines, ordinances, people, interest, communion, fellowship, exercises; yea, all belonging to Christ, and in Christ. The bed here spoken of, and which is said to be the mutual property, both of Christ and his Church, may probably mean the human nature; but some have supposed it refers to Zion herself. Certain it is, that it must have respect to what both parties are equally interested in. In this the Church is equally so with Christ, by virtue of her connection with him; for he is the Head of her body the Church, the fulness of Him that filled all in all. Ephesians 1:23. The greenness of it may be designed to set forth the everlasting verdure and fruitfulness of the Church in Christ. The seed of Christ are promised by Jehovah to spring up in the gospel Church as among the grass, as willows by the water courses. Isaiah 44:4.