Doves of fire

The lover’s eyes are doves, just like his beloved’s (Song of Songs 5:12).  John’s description of Jesus in Revelation 1 draws on the model of the Song, with variations.  In John’s blason of Jesus, though, the eyes of Jesus are like flames of fire not doves.

Though the exact connection eludes, it is possible to trace something of the analogical logic.  Eyes are the lamps of the body, not only receiving light into the body but blazing out into the world.  Eyes and fire make sense.  Eyes are also organs of judgment, so eyes as fire again is sensible.  But the linkage of doves-eyes-fire seems to depend on the symbolism attached to the Spirit, who comes as dove on Jesus and as flame on the disciples at Pentecost.  The common symbol of the flaming dove for the Spirit is rooted in Scripture (Psalm 68’s unusual description of a dove covered with silver and gold is a variation on this), and to that Scripture adds the less common association of eyes with flames and doves with eyes.   The Spirit is the link: For the flaming dove-eyes are the seven spirits of God (Revelation 5:6).