MONDAY August 28
The Church as the Bride of Christ: Part 1
Compare Ephesians 5:25–27, 29 with the foundling story of Ezekiel 16:1–14. What elements of that story does Paul reflect in his own sketch?
As Paul, in Ephesians 5:25–27, 29, shapes his wedding-marriage metaphor for the church and its relationship with Christ, he draws creatively on the customs and roles of an ancient wedding. In relationship to the church as bride, Christ is the divine Bridegroom who:
(1) Loves the church as bride (Eph. 5:25). We must never forget that this is heart work for Jesus. He loves us!
(2) Gives Himself as the bride price. In the context of ancient wedding arrangements, the bridegroom would “purchase” the bride with the “bride price,” which was usually a large sum of money and valuables, so large that ancient village economies depended upon the custom. Christ pays the ultimate price for the church as His bride since He “gave Himself for her” (Eph. 5:25, NKJV). In the incarnation and at the cross, He gives Himself as the bride price.
(3) Bathes His bride. The preparation of the bride was an important part of the ancient wedding festivities. As is also true today, it was the bridesmaids and female relatives of the bride who prepared her for the ceremony. Paul, though, imagines the divine Bridegroom preparing His bride for the wedding! It is He who sanctifies and cleanses her “by the washing of water” (Eph. 5:26, ESV), a probable reference to baptism.
(4) Speaks the word of promise. This cleansing is performed “with the word” (Eph. 5:26, ESV), pointing to the word of promise that the divine Bridegroom speaks to His bride, perhaps in the context of the betrothal ceremony (compare Eph. 1:3–14, Eph. 2:1–10, noting God’s promises to believers at the time of their conversion). Betrothal was the ancient version of modern engagement, but was a much more serious set of negotiations, which included a written agreement about the bride price (from the husband) and the dowry (assets the bride would bring to the marriage from her family).
(5) Prepares and adorns the bride. When the bride is finally presented to her Groom, she is fabulously beautiful, appearing in flawless splendor (Eph. 5:27). Christ not only bathes the bride; He prepares and adorns her, as well.
When it is explained so well, what JESUS did for us is truly awesome. JESUS did everything for the church!!
I would like to also point out that, the bride price can be accepted or rejected by the bride and her family. Once again, there is an element of choice that is always given.
Firstly Christ payed the bride price, not with money or anything so cheap, he paid with his life. Bride price was determined by the groom and his family in the majority of places that this is the custom. The more sought after the bride the higher the price. The fact that Christ paid with his life should demonstrate just how cherished his church “bride” was to him. His willingness to pay and indeed go through with paying the price should let us know just how important we are to him. It should make us seek to always be worth in being a true representation of his people.