ALLUSION TO THE SONG OF SONGS IN JOHN'S GOSPEL AND REVELATION.

This study looks at the influence of the Song of Songs on John's Gospel and the book of Revelation by analysing the validity of a number of claimed allusions to the Song in those books. Some attention is given to determining the right criteria for finding NT allusions to OT texts in general and it is found that many of the criteria previously proposed by writers in this field are somewhat unhelpful. A number of passages which it has been suggested allude to the Song are unconvincing, but it is concluded that the Song did have a significant influence on the writer(s) of John's Gospel and Revelation and/or their theological communities. The content of these allusions points somewhat to the NT writers taking a typological approach to the Song and it is suggested that this should form the starting point for contemporary hermeneutics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]