Song 1:3 | KingComments | STEP | The bride then talks about the ointment oils with which the groom was anointed. She smells it. She loves the smell of it; it still hangs, as it were, in the air. His love, which is better than wine, is surrounded by the scent of a mixture of ointments. Wine as a picture of earthly joy, is replaced by the smell of oil. The oil speaks of the Holy Spirit ( ). The work of the Holy Spirit has become perfectly visible in the Lord Jesus, of Whom we read “how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and [how] He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him” ( ). He spread a wonderful fragrance around Himself in everything He said and did. The fruit of the Spirit consists of nine parts ( ). Those parts together are like this mixture of ointment oils. When we read in the Gospels how the Lord Jesus went His way on earth, we see all aspects of the fruit of the Spirit in His whole action. Each part is expressed perfectly and in complete harmony with the other parts in everything He says and does. For all who know and enjoy His love, each verse in the Gospels spreads a full, wonderful scent of Him. The Father knows and enjoys in a perfect way the composition of this ointment oil, that is the fruit of the Spirit, in the life of His Son. We can only smell or notice the wonderful smell of it per part, because “we know in part” ( ), that is, “piece by piece”, little by little. It is not possible for us to fully fathom the glory of the Lord Jesus in its depths, as it is written: “No one knows the Son except the Father” ( ). The mystery of His Person, that He is perfect God and perfect Man, remains hidden from us. We should not try to understand this (cf. ). But we can be impressed by the perfection of its individual parts as we admire Him for all He has shown us of Himself. The Lord Jesus is the Anointed One. Everything that flows out of Him, all oils spread a pleasant fragrance, both for God and for people. People do not spread that scent ( ). A single misplaced word or an inappropriate comment can immediately spoil the atmosphere. This was never the case with the Lord Jesus. Sin is an aroma to death. The fragrance of Christ in the gospel leads to life or to death ( ). What smell emanates from us? Then the bride says: “Your name is [like] purified oil”, or better: “Your name is as ointment poured forth” (Darby Translation). Isn’t that beautiful? If I call the name of an animal, for example a lion, this is not just a name. When that name is mentioned, the image of the king of animals appears before our attention. When we think of the name of the Lord Jesus, what kind of image appears to our attention? His Name is an oil that is poured out, so that the whole expands and the surface is covered with oil. We can imagine that above this whole surface hangs a wonderful fragrance. In this way the knowledge of the name of the Lord Jesus will cover the earth, whereby each one knows another aspect or other aspects of that Name, and enjoys it and expresses his admiration for Him about it. The pouring out also reminds us of the giving of His life, which He has poured out into death. That makes His name so great. Calling the name “Jesus”, the name He received at His birth, gives as fragrance that He came to save His people from their sins ( ). It is the Name for Whom every knee will bow ( ). To help us enjoy the scent of that name a little more, Isaiah pours out as an ‘oil stream’ some of His names that give a wonderful scent: “For a Child will be born to us, a Son will be given to us; … and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace” ( ). His name is “Wonderful”. Who can understand Who He is as God and Man in one person? Then His name is “Counselor”, for with Him is counsel and wisdom. He knows what He does, He knows what needs to be done. He knows our life. If we have questions and problems, we may ask Him for advice and He will give it ( ). His name is also “Mighty God”. He not only says what we have to do, He not only shows us the way to go, but He also helps us to follow His advice. He oversees the whole, for He is the “Eternal Father”. His goal is to give us peace, for He is the “Prince of Peace”. Do these names – and there are so many more names in Scripture, each with its own special scent – not give us, when we think about this, a pleasant scent, a scent in which we want to live as if in a pure atmosphere? If we live in that fragrance, it will be spiritually cling to our ‘clothes’, that is in our behavior. Everything in our life is permeated by it. Then the people around us will start to smell that smell as well. All around the believing, but carnal Jacob, hung the fragrance of the field. This was because he had put on the clothes of Esau ( ). If we behave like the world, the fragrance of the world hangs around us. That should not be the case. The name of the groom is all sweetness for the bride. But she also has an eye for the fact that the value of that name also attracts the love of others. She talks about “the maidens” who love him for the same reason as she does. In prophetic application we can think of the cities of Judah, who like Jerusalem will love the Messiah. The lesson for us is that we need to be aware that our love for the Lord Jesus is shared by others. Love rejoices in the Object of love and enjoys it when others also have that love. “Maidens” is also translated as “virgins”. By this is meant women and men who keep themselves free from the world to live only for the Lord Jesus ( ; cf. ; ). They want it because they love Him.

‏ Song of Solomon 1:3

An Oil Poured Forth

The bride then talks about the ointment oils with which the groom was anointed. She smells it. She loves the smell of it; it still hangs, as it were, in the air. His love, which is better than wine, is surrounded by the scent of a mixture of ointments. Wine as a picture of earthly joy, is replaced by the smell of oil. The oil speaks of the Holy Spirit (1Jn 2:20 ; 27).

The work of the Holy Spirit has become perfectly visible in the Lord Jesus, of Whom we read “how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and [how] He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him” (Acts 10:38). He spread a wonderful fragrance around Himself in everything He said and did.

The fruit of the Spirit consists of nine parts (Gal 5:22-23). Those parts together are like this mixture of ointment oils. When we read in the Gospels how the Lord Jesus went His way on earth, we see all aspects of the fruit of the Spirit in His whole action. Each part is expressed perfectly and in complete harmony with the other parts in everything He says and does. For all who know and enjoy His love, each verse in the Gospels spreads a full, wonderful scent of Him.

The Father knows and enjoys in a perfect way the composition of this ointment oil, that is the fruit of the Spirit, in the life of His Son. We can only smell or notice the wonderful smell of it per part, because “we know in part” (1Cor 13:9a), that is, “piece by piece”, little by little. It is not possible for us to fully fathom the glory of the Lord Jesus in its depths, as it is written: “No one knows the Son except the Father” (Mt 11:27a).

The mystery of His Person, that He is perfect God and perfect Man, remains hidden from us. We should not try to understand this (cf. Exo 30:31-33). But we can be impressed by the perfection of its individual parts as we admire Him for all He has shown us of Himself.

The Lord Jesus is the Anointed One. Everything that flows out of Him, all oils spread a pleasant fragrance, both for God and for people. People do not spread that scent (Jer 48:11). A single misplaced word or an inappropriate comment can immediately spoil the atmosphere. This was never the case with the Lord Jesus. Sin is an aroma to death. The fragrance of Christ in the gospel leads to life or to death (2Cor 2:15-16). What smell emanates from us?

Then the bride says: “Your name is [like] purified oil”, or better: “Your name is as ointment poured forth” (Darby Translation). Isn’t that beautiful? If I call the name of an animal, for example a lion, this is not just a name. When that name is mentioned, the image of the king of animals appears before our attention. When we think of the name of the Lord Jesus, what kind of image appears to our attention? His Name is an oil that is poured out, so that the whole expands and the surface is covered with oil. We can imagine that above this whole surface hangs a wonderful fragrance. In this way the knowledge of the name of the Lord Jesus will cover the earth, whereby each one knows another aspect or other aspects of that Name, and enjoys it and expresses his admiration for Him about it.

The pouring out also reminds us of the giving of His life, which He has poured out into death. That makes His name so great. Calling the name “Jesus”, the name He received at His birth, gives as fragrance that He came to save His people from their sins (Mt 1:21). It is the Name for Whom every knee will bow (Phil 2:10). To help us enjoy the scent of that name a little more, Isaiah pours out as an ‘oil stream’ some of His names that give a wonderful scent: “For a Child will be born to us, a Son will be given to us; … and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace” (Isa 9:6).

His name is “Wonderful”. Who can understand Who He is as God and Man in one person? Then His name is “Counselor”, for with Him is counsel and wisdom. He knows what He does, He knows what needs to be done. He knows our life. If we have questions and problems, we may ask Him for advice and He will give it (Psa 32:8). His name is also “Mighty God”. He not only says what we have to do, He not only shows us the way to go, but He also helps us to follow His advice. He oversees the whole, for He is the “Eternal Father”. His goal is to give us peace, for He is the “Prince of Peace”.

Do these names – and there are so many more names in Scripture, each with its own special scent – not give us, when we think about this, a pleasant scent, a scent in which we want to live as if in a pure atmosphere? If we live in that fragrance, it will be spiritually cling to our ‘clothes’, that is in our behavior. Everything in our life is permeated by it. Then the people around us will start to smell that smell as well. All around the believing, but carnal Jacob, hung the fragrance of the field. This was because he had put on the clothes of Esau (Gen 27:15-16 ; 27). If we behave like the world, the fragrance of the world hangs around us. That should not be the case.

The name of the groom is all sweetness for the bride. But she also has an eye for the fact that the value of that name also attracts the love of others. She talks about “the maidens” who love him for the same reason as she does. In prophetic application we can think of the cities of Judah, who like Jerusalem will love the Messiah.

The lesson for us is that we need to be aware that our love for the Lord Jesus is shared by others. Love rejoices in the Object of love and enjoys it when others also have that love. “Maidens” is also translated as “virgins”. By this is meant women and men who keep themselves free from the world to live only for the Lord Jesus (Rev 14:1-5; cf. 2Cor 11:2; Jam 4:4). They want it because they love Him.