“In the closing verses of this glorious song, the Bride speaks of the jealousy that fills her heart for the honor of her Beloved. As God is jealous for His own glory, so His Bride should be jealous for His honor, putting no selfish interest above her loving service of Christ. The Bride then speaks of Solomon’s vineyard, leased out to keepers, which is the same metaphor used by Christ to describe the Church in Matthew 20:1.

The zeal of Christ for His Church is seen in His words, ‘My vineyard, which is mine,’ in which He emphatically affirms His exclusive right in the governing of its affairs. The keepers of the vineyard have no right to introduce their own policies, but must act as the servants of their master’s will. They are to ‘listen for His voice’ (vs. 13).

The share that He requires of the keepers is 1,000 silver coins, which the Church is happy to surrender to Him. Out of this share, He provides for their welfare. Here is a final affirmation of the ownership of Christ in His Church, along with her glad surrender to Him of all that is His by right, out of the zeal that fills her heart for His honor.

In worship Christ says, ‘The vineyard is mine,’ and His Bride says, ‘You will have the whole of the glory,’ yet all of this is done not from a sense of obligation, but for the sake of the Beloved.” (Comin, 216)