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fierysword · 2 years

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Lady Wisdom in Song of Songs

The idea that God is the man and the church is the woman in Song of Songs never resonated with me. While reading Rabbi Rami Shapiro’s Embracing the Divine Feminine, I discovered the interpretation that God (in the form of Wisdom - Sophia in Greek) is actually the woman in Song of Solomon.

This just feels right, especially considering the woman does the majority of the talking in the book and she offers the definition of love (in other words, she's the one who imparts knowledge about God). Lady Wisdom is also called Solomon’s bride in Wisdom of Solomon. Furthermore, Proverbs 7:4 says to call Wisdom your sister, which is used as a term for endearment for the woman in Song of Songs.

Here are my reflections as I read through the book with that interpretation.

Scarcely had I passed them when I found the one my heart loves. I held him and would not let him go till I had brought him to my mother’s house, to the room of the one who conceived me. (3:4)

As Rabbi Rami Shapiro writes, “Wisdom leads you into her mother's house, indeed onto her mother's bed, deeper into the feminine mysteries, the dark interior where all opposites unite and where Wisdom and the seeker of Wisdom become one. Wisdom's Mother is YHVH [Proverbs 8:22-25], the Unknown and Unknowable Is-ing that gives rise to all things.”

This makes a lot of sense. Why would the church be guiding God into its mother’s house? It's also notable that while fathers are not mentioned once, mothers are mentioned seven times throughout Song of Songs. Seven is a biblically significant number believed to represent wholeness. God is said to have seven spirits (Revelation 4:5), including the spirit of Wisdom (Isaiah 11:2). The woman in Song of Songs (Lady Wisdom in this interpretation) is called Shulamite, which Rabbi Rami translates as "wholeness". I don't actually know what I'm getting at here, but I do believe the connections are significant.

But my dove, my perfect one, is unique, the only daughter of her mother, the favorite of the one who bore her… Who is this that appears like the dawn, beautiful as the moon, bright as the sun, majestic as the stars in procession? (6:9-10)

This reminds me of Proverbs 8, which says that Lady Wisdom was given birth by God and that she is God’s delight. There’s also the dove symbolism, which is used in the Bible (and was used throughout the surrounding cultures) as a symbol of the divine feminine (more info here). We also see associations of Sophia with the moon, sun, and stars, reminding me of the Woman of Revelation, which many interpret to be an appearance of Sophia.

I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys. (2:1)

Flowers have often been used as symbols for the divine feminine.

I opened for my beloved, but he had turned and gone. My heart sank at his departure. I sought him, but did not find him. I called, but he did not answer. I encountered the watchmen on their rounds of the city. They beat me and bruised me; they took away my cloak, those guardians of the walls. (5:6-7)

This reminds me of the abuse of Christ, which offers support to the idea of Christ as an incarnation of Sophia (I personally think Christ incarnated male for cultural reasons).

“You are a garden locked up, my sister, my bride; you are a spring enclosed, a sealed fountain. Your plants are an orchard of pomegranates with choice fruits, with henna and nard, nard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon, with every kind of incense tree, with myrrh and aloes and all the finest spices. You are a garden fountain, a well of flowing water streaming down from Lebanon.” “Awake, north wind, and come, south wind! Blow on my garden, that its fragrance may spread everywhere. Let my beloved come into his garden and taste its choice fruits.” (4:12-16)

Several thoughts: This reminds me of Wisdom as the Tree of Life (Proverbs 3:18) and the fruits of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). This is also reminiscent of Sirach 24:13-19. Lastly, we see here that Wisdom is associated with the elements of Earth, water, and air.

For love is as strong as death… Its sparks are fiery flames, the fiercest blaze of all. (8:6)

God is Love, so this rounds out the association of different elements with God.

I would lead you and bring you to my mother’s house— she who has taught me. I would give you spiced wine to drink, the nectar of my pomegranates. (8:4)

This reminds me of Proverbs 9:2 which says Wisdom has “mixed her wine”. I’m also interested in the symbolism of the pomegranate, which was used culturally as a yonic symbol. Wisdom is also described as a Tree of Life, which the Book of Revelation says bears its fruit each month (22:2), reflected by the menstrual cycle.

Regardless, the concept of Wisdom offering us the nectar of her pomegranate is cool to me, and I’m happy to have a biblical basis to incorporate the symbol of pomegranates into my spirituality.

Your navel is a rounded goblet that never lacks blended wine. (7:2)

The yonic imagery is even more explicit here. Since Jesus offered wine as representative of his blood, I’m thinking of how Julian of Norwich compared the blood of Christ to the blood of menstruation and childbirth, as well as the medieval depictions of Christ’s wound as a vulva from which the church is born.

#christian mysticism #song of songs #Sophia in song of songs #biblical symbolism #divine feminine #Jesus Sophia #Lady Wisdom #Christian Goddess #menstruation #pomegranates #sophia #tree of life #divine feminine in the bible #christian feminism

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quotesfromscripture · 2 years

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Counsel is mine and sound wisdom; I am understanding, power is mine. By me kings reign, and rulers decree justice. By me princes rule, and nobles, all who judge rightly. I love those who love me; and those who diligently seek me will find me.

Proverbs 8:14-17 NASB (1995)

#bible verse #lady wisdom #understanding #wisdom #the nature of God #leadership #rulers #justice #seek God #power #guidance #instruction #proverbs 8 #new american standard bible #kings

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biblebloodhound · 4 months

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Listen to Lady Wisdom (Proverbs 9:1-12)

Life is full of choices. Whether we quibble about how much free will or deterministic fate a person actually has, or has not, we are still left with the ability to choose how we shall proceed and/or respond to basic life situations.

Sophia, Divine Wisdom, by Mary Plaster Wisdom has built her house; she has set up its seven pillars.She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine; she has also set her table.She has sent out her servants, and she calls from the highest point of the city, “Let all who are simple come to my house!”To those who have no sense she says, “Come, eat my food and drink the wine I have…

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#choices #decision making #divine wisdom #folly #foolish #good and bad #lady folly #lady wisdom #life choices #patience #proverbs #proverbs 9 #spiritual life #spiritual wisdom #wisdom

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jesus-had-relatives · 11 months

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#29 Discussion of 'Lady Wisdom'

That Solomon was so wise and yet fell from grace is a cautionary tale. King Solomon asked God to give him wisdom rather than wealth. Solomon received this gift from God, as well as becoming fabulously rich. In his writings, Solomon personifies wisdom as ‘she’ and compares her to ‘Lady Foolishness’ (Proverbs 9:13) inviting the reader to choose wisdom over foolishness. Solomon himself was led…

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#Lady Wisdom #Proverbs #Sirach #Wisdom of Solomon

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rogeliodavid · 1 year

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Highlights from Proverbs 1 thru 5

My son, listen to your father when he corrects you, and don’t ignore what your mother teaches you.

My son, don’t follow [those who do wrong]. Don’t even take the first step along that path.

Planning ahead will protect you, and understanding will guard you.

Don’t ever let love and loyalty leave you. Tie them around your neck, and write their initials around your heart. Then God will be pleased and think well of you and so will everyone else.

Honor the Lord with your wealth and the first part of your harvest.

My son, don’t reject the Lord’s discipline, and don’t be angry when he corrects you. The Lord corrects the one he loves, just as a father corrects a child he cares about.

Don’t envy those who are violent.

God is a friend to those who are good and honest.

Don’t take the path of the wicked; don’t even go near it.

Above all, be careful what you think because your thoughts control your life.

#Proverbs #ERV #lady wisdom

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sugarpasteltmnt · 2 months

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I read all of tnv today and I am insane for it please take my offering (that only took me like 2 hours sorry I have a project I have a deadline for and I couldn’t sacrifice much more time)

RIP Donnie in the back doing the family guy pose i love it so much LOOOOOOOOL

ALSO!!! PLEASE DO YOUR ASSIGNMENT FANFICS CAN WAIT!!!

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pratchettquotes · 10 months

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"Hope she does all right as queen," said Nanny.

"We taught her everything she knows," said Granny Weatherwax.

"Yeah," said Nanny Ogg, as they disappeared into the bracken. "D'you think...maybe...?"

"What?"

"D'you think maybe we ought to have taught her everything we know?"

"It'd take too long."

"Yeah, right."

Terry Pratchett, Lords and Ladies

#nanny ogg #granny weatherwax #esme weatherwax #magrat garlick #lords and ladies #discworld #terry pratchett #education #royalty #witches #teaching #mentorship #knowing #wisdom #experience #credit #time commitment #everything she knows #everything we know

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seasaltandwisdom · 3 months

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i praise you lady athena,

leader of battles, sprung from the head of zeus,

i say this prayer out of devotion and love for you.

i say thanks for all the wisdom you bring us,

i don't ask for anything besides for you to be with me.

it will be, as you allow it, i believe in your guidance.

#hellenic polytheism #helpol #athena #athena worship #athena prayer #hellenic prayer #greek deity #prayer to athena #hellenic deities #beginner hellenic #praised be to athena #goddess #goddess of war #goddess of wisdom #daughter of zeus #thank you for hearing me lady athena

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notesbynataly · 1 month

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monstersdownthepath · 20 days

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do you ever get a dumb joke stuck in your head

#a rare look at my staggering artistic talent #this was born from a Bit that happened in my session last night #the party went out of their way to help two ghosts that were essentially set dressing #and i had pharasma reward them for it #and the Bit was the psychopomps questioning their lady's wisdom in aiding these otherwise unremarkable mortals

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ssaalexblake · 1 month

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honestly the best moment in the woman who fell to earth is when Yaz and Ryan are tasked with operating a crane by the doctor and they have to youtube it to work out how. So underappreciated. So realistic. Of Course they'd go on youtube to work it out and of course there's be a video on there telling people how to work a crane.

#dw shit #ryan has gr8 moment ppl ignore and this is one of them #another one is in spyfall where he calls the master 'that old guy' with all the wisdom of a 19 year old #to be fair he's right he's Old old but he looks like 35 dude chill out #makes me want to ask him if he thinks 13 is some older lady bc lol #i mean she IS dad zoned so fair #she's also old as balls so also fair

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fierysword · 2 years

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She is Divine Wisdom. She watches over all people and all things in heaven and on earth, being of such radiance and brightness that, for the measureless splendor that shines in Her, you cannot gaze on Her face or on the garments She wears. For She is awesome in terror as the Thunderer’s lightening, and gentle in goodness as the sunshine. Hence, in Her terror and Her gentleness, She is incomprehensible to mortals, because of the dread radiance of divinity in Her face and the brightness that dwells in Her as the robe of Her beauty. She is like the Sun, which none can contemplate in its blazing face or in the glorious garment of its rays. For She is with all and in all, and of beauty so great in Her mystery that no one could know how sweetly She bears with people, and with what unfathomable mercy She spares them.

St Hildegard regarding the Holy Spirit as Wisdom: Scientia Dei (Knowledge of God)

#st hildegard #holy spirit #caritas #sophia #lady sophia #lady wisdom #wisdom #light of God #panentheism #panentheism in christianity #sun

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biblebloodhound · 1 year

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Listen To Lady Wisdom (Proverbs 3:13-18)

We want the kind of life that brings contentment, joy, and happiness. So, how does it come?

Tree of Life, by Margarita Kriebitzsch, 2013 You’re blessed when you meet Lady Wisdom, when you make friends with Madame Insight.She’s worth far more than money in the bank; her friendship is better than a big salary.Her value exceeds all the trappings of wealth; nothing you could wish for holds a candle to her.With one hand she gives long life, with the other she confers…