companions" of the former, angels and saints in heaven, and by "the maidens" of the latter, believers on the earth.
The following is a specimen of Origen's method of interpretation:—
2, 3. Let him kiss me, &c. This is the suppliant voice of the bride, of which
the meaning is, "How long will my bridegroom send kisses by Moses and
kisses by the Prophets? I want to touch his lips. Let him come," she
says to the father of the bridegroom, "and give me kisses of his mouth."
The father hears and sends his son; she seeing him near says, "How good are thy breasts above wine, and the odour of thy perfumery above all sweet spices." The bridegroom Christ, sent by the Father, comes anointed to the
Spouse, who says to him, "Thou lovest righteousness and hatest wickedness:
therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness
above thy fellows." If the odour of that ointment be upon us, we shall
become a sweet savour of Christ. Sin has putrid effluvia, virtue breathes
forth sweet perfume. The one is an emanation of the flesh, the other of
the Spirit.
Thy name, &c. This is prophetic. Only so far as the name of God comes into the world is this ointment poured forth. In the Gospel, a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment poured it upon the head of Christ. One who was a sinner poured it upon his feet, and one who was not a sinner poured it upon his head. These are not narratives merely, but mysteries. It is not wonderful that the house was filled with the odour of the ointment, since the world will be. It is written in the same place concerning Simon the leper. I think the leprous Simon to be the prince of this world, whose house at the coming of Christ was filled with sweet odour. Therefore do the virgins love thee, because, through the Holy Spirit, the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts. The maidens at first are not present, but, upon hearing a chorus from them in praise of the bridegroom, she says, The virgins love thee. By their coming up it is said, 'After thee and the odour of thine ointments we will run.'
4. Draw me, &c. In a race all run, but one receiveth the prize. This prize is Christ. The bride, pure and fair, having entered into the royal apartments, returns to the maidens, and tells them what she has seen. The king hath brought me into his chambers. He praises the bride. He says, Justice hath loved thee. Then the bride says to the maidens,
5. Black I am, &c. Do not look upon me because I am blackened, for the sun hath looked upon me. How black and without whiteness, is she beautiful? Black with sin, and comely because converted. Because not yet purged from all sin she is called black, but her dark colour will not remain. She is made white as she ascends to greater things, according to ch. viii. 5. "Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved?" Tents of Kedar, say the Hebrews, are dark: skins of Solomon, such as ornamented the temple, were comely.
296-373. Athanasius, Archbishop of Alexandria, was born
