The Song of Solomon, also known as the Song of Songs, is traditionally believed to be the work of King Solomon. However, an alternative viewpoint relates to another author or curator whose work reflected Solomonic wisdom. Traditionally, the book was treated as a united work, but another viewpoint is that it is an anthology, a collection of poems arranged to reflect a story. The poetic structure involves romantic dialogue and is full of symbols and imagery. 

The central theme is romantic love, which makes some wonder about its inclusion in the sacred text. From a Jewish standpoint, it is seen as an allegory of God's affection for Israel and, in Christian thought, as a depiction of Christ's love for the Church. Despite the absence of direct references to God, its presence in the Holy Scriptures implies a recognition that romantic love is celebrated, provided it aligns with the broader scriptural context. Believers must celebrate romantic love within marriage, the most sacred of all relationships after God.

Ecclesiastes is considered one of the wisdom books. But unlike Proverbs, it has a sarcastic tone coupled with realism. If Proverbs started with the fear of the Lord, Ecclesiastes would end with the fear of the Lord. The text is about working with others; it is about working with allies or partners. However, the principles in the text can be applied to marriage, whose designer is God.

The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them (Proverbs 11:3, ESV).

Integrity is a cornerstone expectation for leadership across societies, whether in global nations, urban centers, or local communities. The absence of integrity often breeds a deficit of confidence, trust, and cohesion. Conversely, where integrity is present, one typically observes increased stability, trust, and unity. Based on history and current events, one may surmise that certain leaders suffered from a crisis of integrity. What they represented and did was disjointed. Shortcomings in morality and honesty have marred and depreciated the value of their leadership.

When certain Jews from Asia saw Paul at the Jerusalem temple, they incited the mob against him. They attacked the apostle with baseless charges, sparking a riot in which some Jews attempted to assassinate Paul. Roman troops arrived at the scene to quell the riot; they arrested Paul for his protection. Then Paul appealed to Cesar's legal system to avoid being taken to a Jewish court, which was undoubtedly a trap. Thus, Paul made his defense before King Agrippa and Festus, and the latter thought Paul had gone insane with too much learning. Paul included the essentials of the gospel message in his narrative. The essentials include the resurrection and repentance. Paul justified his mission by referencing the writings of the Prophets and Moses and a supernatural encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus.

The disciples waited for the promise of the Spirit, and the Spirit came powerfully, which opened the opportunity to proclaim. Peter preached what the Scriptures say about the Christ (Acts 2:1-15). Peter proclaimed to the crowd David’s words from the Psalms pertaining to the resurrection (Acts 2:25-28). Peter would then would announce that God has made Jesus both Lord and Christ whom the crowd crucified.

Luke, the writer of the Gospel of According to Luke and the Acts of the Apostles, narrated that Christ explained to His disciples that the Messiah would suffer and rise from the dead, which was according to the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms. He ordered them to be His witnesses, to proclaim what they saw and heard. Moreover, they would also proclaim repentance for the forgiveness of sins (Luke 24:44-49). The disciples would ask about the restoration of the Kingdom of Israel, but the Lord would admonish them. It was not their place to know what the Father had set. Their place would be to wait on the promise of the Spirit and then to be His witnesses.

Jesus appeared to His disciples after His resurrection. At first, they were frightened, but the Lord appeased them by showing His hands and feet that were pierced, proving that He was not just a spirit but alive physically. He ate fish in their presence to prove it. Jesus would then explain everything about Him in the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms. Everything that was written was fulfilled. Although the writer, Luke, did not elaborate on the details for the sake of space, we believe that such were explained in the New Testament Scriptures. The primary purpose of the Old Testament Scriptures was to foreshadow or foretell the coming of the Messiah. Everything in the Old would lead to the suffering, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Pharisees cast out the man who dared to speak against them. The blind man remained firm with his testimony on how Jesus gave him sight. Instead of succumbing to the apparent bullying tactics of the Pharisees, he remained amazed at the miracle. His sarcastic remarks against the Pharisees would ignite an ire that would isolate him. However, Jesus would find him and reveal Himself to the one who used to be blind.

Jesus gave sight to a man born blind; the purpose was to display the work of the Father. The blind man’s neighbors saw it and were amazed, but some reported the incident to the Pharisees. The Pharisees tried to verify the integrity of the miracle by summoning the parents of the man who received sight. The Pharisees could not believe that Jesus was from God because the healing took place on the Sabbath. Their misinterpretation and their legalistic attitude blinded them. They would summon the man who received sight once again.

Jesus healed a man born blind. But before the healing, the disciples asked who sinned, the parents or the man. Jesus answered that neither, but so that He can display the work of the Father. Such has been a consistent theme in the Gospel. According to John, the work of Jesus was meant to glorify His Father. But despite the miraculous act of God, which, by any standards, was amazing, some people leaned on legalism.