The Bride of Christ

Christ’s second coming has much to do with marriage (the bride of Christ) and the establishment of His millennial kingdom.  In the coming months we will explore both.

 

To gain a deeper meaning of the bride of Christ, it helps to understand a little about ancient Hebrew marriage customs. 

In Genesis 24:2-4, Abraham tells his servant: But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac.  During the time when Abraham was in Canaan, a father typically arranged a marriage on behalf of his son.¹   

Betrothal was the first step in the marriage process, which involved the giving of a gift (called the mohar) from the prospective bridegroom to the father of the future bride, usually in the presence of witnesses.^2,3   

In addition to the mohar, it is likely that the bridegroom presented several gifts to the bride’s father at the time of the engagement.³  In Genesis 34:12, Shechem tells Dinah’s fathers and brothers: Make the price for the bride and the gift I am to bring as great as you like, and I'll pay whatever you ask me.  Only give me the girl as my wife."  

• In Genesis 24:53, Abraham’s servant gives Rebeka jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment

• In Genesis 29:18, Jacob offers Laban the bride-price of seven years of servitude.

• In Joshua 15:16, Caleb’s bride-price for marriage to his daughter Acsah is the slaughter of Kirjathsepher.

• In 1 Samuel 18:25, Saul instructs his servants to tell David that the bride-price for his daughter Michal is one hundred foreskins of the Philistines.

These passages show us that the bride-price does not always have to be paid with a financial gift.  A deed or service may be acceptable as a substitute.⁴   

This raises a very important question: Was Jesus’ suffering for our sins on the cross at Calgary the greatest dowry ever paid? 

The Jewish betrothal process also included a written contract (called shetar erusin).^2,3  This document detailed the mutual obligations of the bride and bridegroom.  It also included points that both of their families would negotiate and agree upon, such as the date and place of the wedding and the financial gift, or dowry, to the bridegroom.⁴  Once all the details of the marriage were settled, the bride and bridegroom would drink a cup of wine.  Then the bridegroom would leave his future bride to prepare a home for her; sometimes building another room upon his father’s house.⁵ 

Only the father of the bridegroom could determine when it was time for the bridegroom to fetch his bride.⁶   In John 14:2-3, Jesus says:

 ²In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.  ³And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

While the bride and bridegroom did not live together during their time of preparation, they were legally married.  This is illustrated in Matthew 1:18-21, when Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph.  In verse 19 Joseph is referred to as Mary’s husband.  The length of time between the betrothal and the wedding ceremony was typically up to a year.  For Jacob and Rachel, however, it was as long as seven years.  During this time the bride was busy preparing herself for married life.⁴ 

We read in Revelation 19:7:  Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.

Where are you in your walk with Jesus at this moment?  Are you making yourself ready? 

References: 1.  Howard F. Vos.  New Illustrated Bible Manners & Customs (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1999), 38-39; 137.  2.  Alfred Edersheim.  Sketches of Jewish Social Life.  (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc.,1994), 137.  3.  Ronald L. Eisenberg.  The JPS Guide to Jewish Customs.  (Philadelphia, PA: The Jewish Publication Society, 2004):33.  4.  Isaac Landman, ed.  The Universal Jewish Encyclopedia.  (New York, NY: Universal Jewish Encyclopedia Co. Inc., 1948),Vol. 7, 367, 369, 372.  5.  Alfred Edersheim.  The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah. (New York, NY: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1912), Volume 1, 150, 502.  6.  Fruchtenbaum AG.  The Footsteps of the Messiah.  (San Antonio, TX: Ariel Press, 1982): 143-144.