The Pulpit Commentary — Song of Songs — Section 74

Ver. 3.-The pre-eminence of Immanuel. In Eastern lands, far more. than in Western, men are dependent on ripe fruit to allay their hunger. A man may walk all day among the oaks of Bashan or among the cedars of Lebanon, and find no food. To discover an apple tree or a citron tree among the trees of the forest would come a.g a surprise--as a meal direct from Heaven. Equally true is it that men wander from teacher to teacher, from one religious system to another, in quest of saving knowledge, and find it nowhere, until they find Jesus, the Christ. In search of soul-rest and soul-purity, men try practical morality, asceticism, bodily mortification, Church sacra- ments; but they are doomed to disappointment. For Jesus, the Son of God, is the only Saviour, and, apart from hilh, the soul is starved, diseased, undone. "As the citron tree among the trees of the wood, so is my Beloved among the sons." L THE SUPERLATIVE EXCELLENCE OF JESUS CHII.I8T. 1. Here is the idea of rare- ness. The event was rare to find a citron tree among forest trees. So Jesus stands alone. AB Adam stood alone, the head of a new order of life, the Hea.d of. the human race ; so Jesus is without a parallel, the covenant Head of the new family. He is "the only begotten Son." By nature and by right, as well as by transcendent goodness, he is unapproachable. In him alone "dwells the fulness of the Godhead bodily." He is the God-Man: "God manifest in the flesh." "Let all the angels of God worship him." 2. Here is implied delicious fragrance. The blossom of the citron is not only beautiful to the eye; it is sweet and refreshing to the nostril. And it is a constant perfume. While ripe fruit is found on some branches, fresh blossoms are adorning others. Impressive emblem this of the rich fragrance of Immanuel's love. With the sweetness of his dis- position nothing can compare. It spreads to-day from the frozen plains of Greenland to the sultry cities of Burmah. From the equator to the poles, the fragrance of the Saviour's love is diffused. It refreshes the fainting; it revives again those" who are ready to perish." Some kinds of apples are named "nonpareils," Jesus is the real "Nonpareil;" he has no equal 3. The figure suggests fruitfulness. This is a theme that will loosen into eloquence every Christian tongue. Every part of Christ's nature is fruitful The woman, afflicted with old disease in Canaan, found fruitful blessing even in the hem of his garment. He is fruitful as a Teacher, for his words dispel all the perplexities and fears of the human family ; he is fruitful as a Healer, for his gracious virtue cures every disease of body and of soul; he is fruitful as our Priest, for his one sacrifice atones for every sin; he is fruitful as Intercessor, for his righteous pleadings always prevail; he is fruitful as a King, for his reign brings order, content- ment, righteousness, peace; he is fruitful as a Friend, for all that he has he shares with. his saints. For fruitfulness he is the Vine. II. THE SuPERLATIVE USEFULNESS OF JEsus CHRIST, "I sat down under his shadow witb great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste." Jesus is not simply excellence in his Person ; his virtues are suited to the needs of men. 1. There is shady rest. The dwellers in the temperate zone can little appreciate what shade is to d wellcrs in th~ tropics. The fierce heat of noon means exhauation, pain, fever. Rest in cool shade  TRE SONG OF SOLOMON. 63