The Bible is the monk's book. The thought and teaching of Saint Bernard of Clairvaux was so saturated with Scripture that the reader often cannot decided where the Bible ends and Bernard begins. From direct quotations to fine allusions, Bernard assumed that his readers were as familiar with the Bible as he was himself. Saint Bernard chose the Song of Songs as the vehicle for expressing his deepest and highly personal longing for God, his striving for 'full knowledge, clear vision, a strong bond of union, a relationship which cannot be broken apart, and perfect likeness.'
