We have a little sister, and she has no breasts: what shall we do for our sister in the day when she shall be spoken for?
Read Chapter 8
Aponius
AD 500
This sister is undoubtedly understood to be the Jewish people (a people that we said was converted to the God of heaven in the final days), who are led out of the prophesied desert before the end of the world. [They are]“ascending from the desert” of unbelief, where God is not worshiped, “leaning upon” the Word of God, “flowing with delights,” known by faith in the indivisible Trinity, without which not only are there no delights, but the soul incurs danger of starvation. She is a sister because she descended from the seed of Abraham, from whom came Christ according to the flesh and the church according to faith, inasmuch as Abraham would be established by God as a father to the nations. And from these nations comes the church, which is made one body through faith in Christ, just as the soul of Christ is proven to be made one person with the Word, to whom the Word of God the Father united himself. It is the soul of our Lord Jesus Christ which is now understood to say, with pious affect...
little sister: that is, the Church, which is called the sister of Christ for the same reason that Christ is called her brother at the beginning of this chapter, is little, that is, humble and despised by the people of this present age, which was the case up to the time of Constantine.
has no breasts: that is, the Church did not have the freedom to pour out the milk of sacred doctrine through the preaching of the Catholic faith, which the Church did not dare to preach publicly at that time, but only in secret, except for some saints who offered themselves voluntarily to be killed for preaching the faith.
What shall we do: By "we" the Father and the Holy Spirit are understood to be working with the Son. For the activities of the Trinity are indivisible. (Nicholas of Lyra)
spoken to: that is when the Church is called on more abundantly from all parts of the world, though early on She was being prepared for greater growth. (St. Anselm)
She is the sister of the Lord our Savior and of all his church gathered from both peoples and of every saint. [This is] not only due to the assumption of her nature, whereby he was made man, but also due to the bestowal of grace whereby he gives those who believe in him the power to become children of God, so that he who was the only Son of God by nature might become “the firstborn among many brethren” through grace. - "Commentary on the Songs of Songs 5.8.8"
Our sister. Christ styles the Church his own and the synagogue's sister, promising her many benefits. (Worthington)
The relations of the spouse wish to have her married, though she seemed young, Ezechiel xvi. 7.
Spoken to, concerning marriage, or its consummation, Genesis xxxiv. 6., and Daniel xiii. 57. (Calmet)
The synagogue had but few to give her proper instructions. (Menochius)
But Christ would provide for her, if she were not wanting to herself. (Haydock) Ver. 9. Cedar. Procuring for her a rich and steady husband to protect her. These are the words of the bridegroom. The Christian Church seemed weak at first. But her pastors and martyrs caused her to triumph over all the powers of hell. (Calmet)
Those who correspond with the first grace, are furnished with others. (Menochius)
Our sister is little: Mystically signifies the Jews, who are to be spoken to: that is, converted towards the end of the world: and then shall become a wall, that is, a part of the building, the church of Christ.
