allegorical theory became fixed in the synagogue
is contained in the Midrash _Chazita_ and in the Targum, which is a
commentary rather than a translation. The spouse is Israel, her royal
lover the divine king, and the poem is explained as tracing the great
events of the people's history from the Exodus to the Messianic glory
and final restoration.[4]

The authority of Origen, who, according to Jerome, surpassed himself in
his commentary of ten volumes on this book, established the allegorical
theory in the Christian church in the two main forms in which it has
since prevailed. The bridegroom is Christ, the bride either the church
or the believing soul. The latter conception is, of course, that which
lends itself most readily to purposes of mystical edification, and which
has made Canticles the manual in all ages of a wide-spread type of
religious contemplation. But the other view, which identifies the bride
with the church, must be regarded as the standard of orthodox exegesis.
Of course the allegorical principle admitted of very various
modifications, and readily adapted itself to new religious developments,
such as the rise of Mariolatry. Within the limits of the orthodox
traditions the allegory took various colours, according as its mystical
or its prophetical aspect was insisted on. Among medieval commentators
of the former class S. Bernard holds a pre-eminent place; while the
second class is represented by Nicolaus de Lyra, who, himself a
converted Jew, modified the Jewish interpretation so as to find in the
book an account of the _processus ecclesiae_ under the Old and New
Testaments. The prophetic exegesis reached its culminating point in the
post-Reformation period, when Cocceius found in the Canticles a complete
conspectus of church history. But the relaxation of traditional
authority opened the door to still stranger vagaries of interpretation.
Luther was tempted to understand the book of the political relations of
Solomon and his people. Others detected the loves of Solomon and
Wisdom--a view which found a supporter in Rosenmuller.

The history of the literal interpretation begins with the great
"commentator" of the Syrian Church, Theodorus of Mopsuestia (died 429),
who condemned equally the attempt to find in the book a prophecy of the
blessings given to the church, and the idea even at that time expressed
in some quarters that the book is immoral. Theodorus regarded the
Canticles as a poem written by Solom