There is a greater than Solomon here

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 11:29-32.

While still more people gathered in the crowd, he said to them, "This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah.
Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation.
At the judgment the queen of the south will rise with the men of this generation and she will condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and there is something greater than Solomon here.
At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation and condemn it, because at the preaching of Jonah they repented, and there is something greater than Jonah here.


Commentary of the day
Saint Gregory de Nyssa (c.335-395), monk and Bishop
Homily 1 on the Song of Songs (Migne 1992, p.40 rev.)

« There is a greater than Solomon here»

In the sacred text of the Song of Songs we shall find the soul clothed, in a sense, in the garment of a bride to prepare it for a pure and spiritual marriage with God that has nothing to do with the body. For He, «who wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth» (I Tim. 2,4), shows us in this book the most perfect and glorious path of salvation, I mean, by way of love. For some are saved by fear, as for example, when we break off from sin because we have our eyes on the threatened punishment of Hell. There are others, too who live lives of virtue because of the rewards promised to the good; and these possess their goal not by charity but by their hope of reward.

But he who runs in spirit to reach perfection, casts out fear. For this is the attitude of a
slave, who does not stay with his master out of love... He loves with his «whole heart and soul and strength» (Mk 12,30) not the creatures that come from God but he who is the source of all good. This disposition should be in the souls of all of us, according to the words of Solomon...

Do you suppose I'm referring to Solomon, Bathsheba's son, who offered a thousand oxen on the mountain and who sinned by following the advice of the foreign woman? I am not. No, I am thinking of another Solomon who was also born of the seed of David according to the flesh, whose name was «peace». [the name 'Solomon' means «man of peace» (1 Ch 22,9)]. He is the true King of Israel, the builder of God's Temple, the possessor of universal knowledge. His wisdom is measureless; more, his essence is wisdom and truth; his name and his thoughts are perfectly divine, wholly sublime. Solomon was used by him as an instrument and he is the one who, through his voice, speaks to us first in Proverbs, then in Ecclesiastes, then in the Song of Songs. Thus he presents methodically and in order for our reflection the means of making progress towards perfection.