Will Vaus

In our journey along Route 66 we come today to what some translations of the Bible call The Song of Solomon. Others call it the Song of Songs. In either case we must remember that the titles of books of the Bible were not originally part of the text.   Author   This book is called The Song of Solomon by some perhaps because verse 1 seems to ascribe authorship to Solomon. But some scholars think that verse 1 is a later addition to the book. And verse 1 could mean a song by, for, or about Solomon. Solomon is referred to seven times and several verses speak of the king, but Solomon’s authorship is doubted by most scholars today. Like the other Wisdom books of the Bible, The Song of Songs shows signs of being worked and reworked over many centuries. At the oldest level are love poems, perhaps wedding songs, many of which could go back to the time of Solomon. At the latest level are Persian and Greek phrases that indicate additions made after the exile. Perhaps the Song of Songs is...

  Today in our journey through the 66 books of the Bible we are visiting the book of Ecclesiastes... Author   No author’s name is suggested directly in the book. However, traditionally some passages have suggested to readers that King Solomon was the author. (See Ecclesiastes 1:1,12,16; 2:4-9; 7:26-29; 12:9; 1 Kings 2:9; 3:12; 4:29-34; 5:12; 10:1-8.)  Koheleth  is the Hebrew title of the book. The word means  teacher.  This title, the author’s unique style of Hebrew, and his attitude toward rulers, suggest that the author is not a monarch. (See Ecclesiastes 4:1-2; 5:8-9; 8:2-4; 10:20.) Christians know the book as  Ecclesiastes  which means “the one who assembled”. Ecclesiastes is the Greek rendering of  Koheleth  that is found in the Septuagint.   Date   No time-period is mentioned in the book. If Solomon is the author, then the date of composition would be sometime roughly between 970 and 930 BCE. If Solomon is not the author,...