Protestantism
English
I am the rose of the fielde, and the lilie of the valleys.
1 The mutual love of Christ and his Church. 8 The hope, 10 and calling of the Church. 14 Christ’s care of the Church. 16 The profession of the Church, her faith and hope.
I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys.
The Bridegroom
I am a rose of Sharon,1 a lily of the valley.
- Sharon Plain is a region in the coastal plain of Israel
I [am] the lily of the field [[Heb. Sharon]] [and] the rose of the valleys.
Dialogue between Maiden and Her Beloved
I am a rose1 of Sharon, a lily of the valleys.
- More likely “meadow saffron” or “crocus.” Hebrew scholars and botanists suggest the term refers to Ashodelos (lily family), Narcissus tazetta (narcissus or daffodil), or Colchicum autumnale (meadow saffron or crocus) (e.g., Isa 35:1). The location of this flower in Sharon suggests a common wild flower rather than a rose. The maiden compares herself to a simple, common flower of the field
Catholicism
English
Christ caresses his spouse: he invites her to him.
Bride: I am a flower of the open field and a lily of the steep valleys.12
- 2:1She describes herself as a flower, so this cannot be him speaking. The word ‘campi’ is not synonymous with ‘field’; it tends more toward the meaning of a wide open space. The prefix ‘con’ intensifies the meaning of the world, so that the valley is not just any valley, but a steep (inaccessible) one. +The bride is the Church. A flower of the open field is accessible, but a lily in a steep valley is difficult to reach. Similarly, the Faith of the Church is accessible, yet contains mysteries difficult to reach and impossible to fully attain. The bride is also a type of the Virgin Mary; she is accessible by our prayers, yet she is ineffable.(Conte)
- 2:1I am the flower of the field: Christ professes himself the flower of mankind, yea, the Lord of all creatures: and, ver. 2, declares the excellence of his spouse, the true church above all other societies, which are to be considered as thorns.(Challoner)