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extended picture

English translation: (read it as) an allegory with a deeper symbolic meaning

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:extended picture
Selected answer:(read it as) an allegory with a deeper symbolic meaning
Entered by: Yvonne Gallagher

07:08 Oct 4, 2016
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Art/Literary - Religion / About the book of Song of Solomon
English term or phrase: extended picture
Allegorical interpretation. The sensuous descriptions in this book have provided motivation to read the Song of Solomon as an allegory, namely, as an ***extended picture*** of the love between Israel’s God and his people, and then between Christ and his bride (either the church or the individual soul). This approach, in fact, dominated exposition of the book until the nineteenth century. The limitation of such an approach, however, is that it runs the risk of diminishing the wisdom character of the Song of Solomon and its endorsement of God’s good work of creation as evidenced in marital love. But even though virtually all scholarly interpreters today see the book primarily as a celebration of love and the gift of sexual intimacy, some would add that the Song of Solomon—by showing the pure and passionate love of the man and the woman in the story—can also enable believers to appreciate more deeply the intensity of the spiritual love-relationship between God and his people (as, e.g., this is further reflected in the picture of marriage depicted by Paul in Eph. 5:22–33).

What is the sense of "extended" here? Does it mean "broad" in this case?
Ana Juliá
Spain
Local time: 09:27
(read it as) an allegory with a deeper symbolic meaning
Explanation:
this is about interpreting the Book of Solomon as an allegory, (see title of paragraph) giving another layer of meaning and symbolising the love of God for humankind, not just a sensuous/erotic love poem/story
"...can also enable believers to appreciate more deeply the intensity of the spiritual love-relationship between God and his people.."

Note that modern scholars don't necessarily agree with this interpretation

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Song_of_Songs
"Jewish tradition reads it as an allegory of the relationship between God and Israel.[9] Christian tradition, in addition to appreciating the literal meaning of a romantic song between man and woman, has read the poem as an allegory of Christ and his "bride", the Christian Church."

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/allegory
http://literarydevices.net/allegory/

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Note added at 7 days (2016-10-12 01:59:13 GMT) Post-grading
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Glad to have helped
Selected response from:

Yvonne Gallagher
Ireland
Local time: 08:27
Grading comment
Thanks
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +3broader representation
Margarida Martins Costelha
4 +1(read it as) an allegory with a deeper symbolic meaning
Yvonne Gallagher
3 +1indirect deeper symbolic illustration
Lingua 5B


  

Answers


17 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
broader representation


Explanation:
suggestion

Margarida Martins Costelha
Portugal
Local time: 08:27
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in PortuguesePortuguese
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  philgoddard
5 hrs
  -> Thank you, Phil
agree  claudia bagnardi
9 hrs
  -> Thank you, Claudia
agree  acetran
1 day 6 hrs
  -> Thank you!
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
indirect deeper symbolic illustration


Explanation:
this is what an allegory is as a descriptive device

Lingua 5B
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Local time: 09:27
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in SerbianSerbian, Native in CroatianCroatian

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  AllegroTrans: isn't this just a play on Gallagy's words?
8 hrs
  -> haven't taken notice of that answer, sorry
agree  acetran
1 day 1 hr
neutral  Yvonne Gallagher: yes, it is just playing around with what I already said and without any fresh input or references
3 days 23 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
(read it as) an allegory with a deeper symbolic meaning


Explanation:
this is about interpreting the Book of Solomon as an allegory, (see title of paragraph) giving another layer of meaning and symbolising the love of God for humankind, not just a sensuous/erotic love poem/story
"...can also enable believers to appreciate more deeply the intensity of the spiritual love-relationship between God and his people.."

Note that modern scholars don't necessarily agree with this interpretation

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Song_of_Songs
"Jewish tradition reads it as an allegory of the relationship between God and Israel.[9] Christian tradition, in addition to appreciating the literal meaning of a romantic song between man and woman, has read the poem as an allegory of Christ and his "bride", the Christian Church."

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/allegory
http://literarydevices.net/allegory/

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 7 days (2016-10-12 01:59:13 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

Glad to have helped

Yvonne Gallagher
Ireland
Local time: 08:27
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 108
Grading comment
Thanks

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  AllegroTrans
11 hrs
  -> Many thanks:-)
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



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