He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.
Various have been the opinions of pious men, what is meant by this banqueting house of Jesus. Some have supposed it to mean the scriptures, which are indeed full of wine on the lees, and of marrow, for the perpetual feast of God's people. Others have conjectured, that it is meant to convey by the expression, the gospel of Christ, which is much the same amount. And others have formed an opinion that it refers to the several ordinances of Christ's church, which also open stores of rich banqueting. And others have conceived, that it implies the covenant of grace, which, of consequence, includes all the rest. And perhaps, as this is most comprehensive of blessings, we may very safely accept this sense of the passage. But, what I particularly beg the Reader to remark with me, that under which sense soever the banqueting house of Jesus be accepted, it is Christ, and Christ himself alone, that it is here said to bring the church into it. Sweet and blessed thought this to the believer! No man, says Jesus, can come to me, except my Father who hath sent me draw him. John 6:41. No Man says Jesus, cometh unto the Father but by me. John 14:6. It is the spirit which quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing. John 6:63. Oh! how thrice blessed is it to behold all the Persons of the Godhead engaged in one and the same act, to bring souls unto Christ! And how truly delightful is it to the souls of the faithful, when, from the quickening, enlightening, leading, and strengthening influences of the Holy Ghost, a soul finds himself savingly brought to and acquainted with Jesus? The banner of love, was perhaps meant to intimate the warfare and conflict in a life of grace. Jesus's name and love, are unfurled over the believing soul; but though in him we have peace, in the world we must have tribulation. John 16:33; Isaiah 11:12. And yet perhaps in an higher sense than this of the battles of his people, the banner over the church in her Lord's banqueting house, might be meant to set forth the victory which he hath obtained over death, hell, and the grave, in the blessings of which conquests the church hath her part: and hence in the after part of this song, the church is described to all her foes as terrible as an army with banners. Song of Solomon 6:10; Song of Solomon 6:10. Reader! let us each ask his own heart, hath Jesus indeed brought us into his banqueting house? Can we at this moment look up and behold his banner over us! If so, we may and must indeed read his love in letters of blood; for so hath Jesus marked his love to all his redeemed.