Felipe Rios
Member
I want people who will be reading this post to think outside the box. I know this view is foreign to most Christians and it will be the first time some will hear of this view. As we all know, tradition isn’t always correct and scriptural. With this is mind, I want the reader to look at scripture at face value and put aside any presumptions or traditions that have been taught for many years.
Most Christians believe that the bride of Christ is the Church or a group within the church. The problem I have with that is that the Bible does not say that the church is the bride of Christ. Most will use Ephesians 5:22-33 and 2 Corinthians 11:2 to make this assumption. Neither of those passages state the church is the bride. As a matter of fact, the bride of Christ is only identified in Revelation 21:9-10.
Revelation 21:9-10 says, "Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and spoke with me, saying, "Come here, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb. And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God."
Notice how the angel did not show him a people, the church, a group within the church, Israel, etc. The angel showed him a literal city of gold. If the church was the bride, wouldn't the angel show him a people and then go on to describe the people of God, the bride? The angel shows him the bride which is the City New Jerusalem and then goes on to describe this bride in the following verses (v.11-27). If we are going to be intellectually honest, we clearly see that the angel was to show John the bride of Christ. The angel DOES NOT show him a church or churches, neither does he show him God's redeemed in whole or in part. He showed him a city.
I know your first reaction will be: “How can Jesus marry a city?” This is very possible for two reasons. First, with Jesus all things are possible. Second, Jesus will marry this city to show the relationship He has with this city which will be the “mother” of those who dwell in it (Gal.4:26). The idea of a King marrying an actual city is not foreign to scripture. As a matter of fact, Isaiah 62:4 states, “It will no longer be said to you, "Forsaken," Nor to your land will it any longer be said, "Desolate"; But you will be called, "My delight is in her," And your land, "Married"; For the LORD delights in you, And to Him your land will be married.”
Your second reaction might be: “Revelation 21:2 states that this city comes down “as” a bride, therefore it is not the bride.” This can be easily explained. The reason why Rev.21:2 says that the New Jerusalem comes down prepared "as" a bride is because the New Jerusalem is a bride in "figure" NOT in "fact." This city is not an "actual" bride with flesh and bones. Jesus marries this city simply to show the relationship between Him and His/our eternal abode. Hence the reason why this city is called "our mother" in Gal.4:26. This city is the bride of our Father Jesus Christ and is our mother in figure to show our relationship to this city.
Let’s now look at the most common verses that are used to teach that the church is the bride of Christ found in Ephesians 5:22-33. There are 3 things that I would like to point out about these verses. 1) None of these verses say that the church is the bride. 2) These verses shows us that the church is the BODY of Christ. Notice how verse 23 says that the church is the body of Christ. The emphasis throughout these verses is that the church is the body, not a bride. What Paul is teaching here is that husbands need to love their wives just as Christ loves his body, the church. 3) According to the context, the mystery spoken of in verse 32 is the unity that Christ has with each local church. The mystery is that the church is the body of Christ, not that the church is the bride!
What about 2 Corinthians 11:2? Doesn’t it state that the church is espoused to Christ and that she will marry Christ one day? Let’s look at what Paul said: “For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin.” The Corinthian was facing many false prophets who were trying to deceive the church. Paul was afraid that they would be deceived, hence the reason why he says in verse 4, “But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.” This verse is simply an illustration as to how each local church is to behave itself. All Paul is teaching is that the churches of God need to behave themselves and remain pure (in doctrine and walk) JUST LIKE a wife is supposed to behave and remain pure for her husband. THAT IS ALL! Paul is not teaching bridal relationship or the doctrine of the bride. If we take 2 Cor.11:2 literal, then that would mean that Paul would not be in the bride since he is the one doing the espousing. But we know that would not even make sense. Nevertheless, Paul is using a figure or illustration to show that churches need to remain pure until Christ comes back for His churches.
The parable of the marriage supper in Matthew 22:1-14 emphasizes everything I have been saying. This parable makes it very clear that those who are called to the wedding are called to be the “guests” to this wedding (v.11), NOT to be the bride. As a matter of fact, this parable does not identity who the bride is. It simply identifies the king (God the Father), the son (Jesus Christ) and the guests (those who accept the gospel). Those who accept this invitation and prepare themselves properly are the redeemed who truly repented and believed in Christ and robed themselves with the righteousness of Christ. The ones who don't prepare themselves will not have access to this wedding and will be thrown to outer darkness (hell). The children of God are then the "blessed ones" who are admitted to the wedding of the Lamb as spoken of in Rev.19. We are simply the "guests" to this wedding, not the bride.
The interesting thing is that Jesus NEVER called his church (his disciples) a bride. He makes it very clear who the church is in a scene where He was approached by the Pharisees in Matthew 9:14-15, “Then the disciples of John came to Him, asking, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” 15 And Jesus said to them, “The attendants of the bridegroom cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them, can they? But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.” Notice how Jesus calls his disciples “attendants of the bridegroom,” and He doesn’t call them the “bride of the bridegroom.” The word “attendants” here can also be translated as “guests, wedding guests, sons of the bridechamber, children of the bridechamber, and friends.” All translations mean the same thing and it clearly shows that we (disciples) are the guests/friends to this wedding, not the bride.
Many theologians try to spiritualize Revelation 21:9-10 by saying that the New Jerusalem is a symbol of the church so therefore the bride is the church. The problem with that interpretation is that if the New Jerusalem is a symbol or metaphor of the church then that would mean that we would have to spiritualize the whole chapter and that can be very dangerous. We would have to find the meaning for: the measurement, the wall, the street, the tree of life, the river, etc. The city described in Revelation 21 is a literal city which Abraham and patriarchs waited for.
The bible is very clear on the identity of the Bride. “Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and spoke with me, saying, "Come here, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb. And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God."
I know this view may be strange to some because they have never heard it. We have to keep in mind that we have to follow the Bible and not tradition. I hope this can spark some good conversations and good thoughts. God Bless!!!
Most Christians believe that the bride of Christ is the Church or a group within the church. The problem I have with that is that the Bible does not say that the church is the bride of Christ. Most will use Ephesians 5:22-33 and 2 Corinthians 11:2 to make this assumption. Neither of those passages state the church is the bride. As a matter of fact, the bride of Christ is only identified in Revelation 21:9-10.
Revelation 21:9-10 says, "Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and spoke with me, saying, "Come here, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb. And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God."
Notice how the angel did not show him a people, the church, a group within the church, Israel, etc. The angel showed him a literal city of gold. If the church was the bride, wouldn't the angel show him a people and then go on to describe the people of God, the bride? The angel shows him the bride which is the City New Jerusalem and then goes on to describe this bride in the following verses (v.11-27). If we are going to be intellectually honest, we clearly see that the angel was to show John the bride of Christ. The angel DOES NOT show him a church or churches, neither does he show him God's redeemed in whole or in part. He showed him a city.
I know your first reaction will be: “How can Jesus marry a city?” This is very possible for two reasons. First, with Jesus all things are possible. Second, Jesus will marry this city to show the relationship He has with this city which will be the “mother” of those who dwell in it (Gal.4:26). The idea of a King marrying an actual city is not foreign to scripture. As a matter of fact, Isaiah 62:4 states, “It will no longer be said to you, "Forsaken," Nor to your land will it any longer be said, "Desolate"; But you will be called, "My delight is in her," And your land, "Married"; For the LORD delights in you, And to Him your land will be married.”
Your second reaction might be: “Revelation 21:2 states that this city comes down “as” a bride, therefore it is not the bride.” This can be easily explained. The reason why Rev.21:2 says that the New Jerusalem comes down prepared "as" a bride is because the New Jerusalem is a bride in "figure" NOT in "fact." This city is not an "actual" bride with flesh and bones. Jesus marries this city simply to show the relationship between Him and His/our eternal abode. Hence the reason why this city is called "our mother" in Gal.4:26. This city is the bride of our Father Jesus Christ and is our mother in figure to show our relationship to this city.
Let’s now look at the most common verses that are used to teach that the church is the bride of Christ found in Ephesians 5:22-33. There are 3 things that I would like to point out about these verses. 1) None of these verses say that the church is the bride. 2) These verses shows us that the church is the BODY of Christ. Notice how verse 23 says that the church is the body of Christ. The emphasis throughout these verses is that the church is the body, not a bride. What Paul is teaching here is that husbands need to love their wives just as Christ loves his body, the church. 3) According to the context, the mystery spoken of in verse 32 is the unity that Christ has with each local church. The mystery is that the church is the body of Christ, not that the church is the bride!
What about 2 Corinthians 11:2? Doesn’t it state that the church is espoused to Christ and that she will marry Christ one day? Let’s look at what Paul said: “For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin.” The Corinthian was facing many false prophets who were trying to deceive the church. Paul was afraid that they would be deceived, hence the reason why he says in verse 4, “But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.” This verse is simply an illustration as to how each local church is to behave itself. All Paul is teaching is that the churches of God need to behave themselves and remain pure (in doctrine and walk) JUST LIKE a wife is supposed to behave and remain pure for her husband. THAT IS ALL! Paul is not teaching bridal relationship or the doctrine of the bride. If we take 2 Cor.11:2 literal, then that would mean that Paul would not be in the bride since he is the one doing the espousing. But we know that would not even make sense. Nevertheless, Paul is using a figure or illustration to show that churches need to remain pure until Christ comes back for His churches.
The parable of the marriage supper in Matthew 22:1-14 emphasizes everything I have been saying. This parable makes it very clear that those who are called to the wedding are called to be the “guests” to this wedding (v.11), NOT to be the bride. As a matter of fact, this parable does not identity who the bride is. It simply identifies the king (God the Father), the son (Jesus Christ) and the guests (those who accept the gospel). Those who accept this invitation and prepare themselves properly are the redeemed who truly repented and believed in Christ and robed themselves with the righteousness of Christ. The ones who don't prepare themselves will not have access to this wedding and will be thrown to outer darkness (hell). The children of God are then the "blessed ones" who are admitted to the wedding of the Lamb as spoken of in Rev.19. We are simply the "guests" to this wedding, not the bride.
The interesting thing is that Jesus NEVER called his church (his disciples) a bride. He makes it very clear who the church is in a scene where He was approached by the Pharisees in Matthew 9:14-15, “Then the disciples of John came to Him, asking, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” 15 And Jesus said to them, “The attendants of the bridegroom cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them, can they? But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.” Notice how Jesus calls his disciples “attendants of the bridegroom,” and He doesn’t call them the “bride of the bridegroom.” The word “attendants” here can also be translated as “guests, wedding guests, sons of the bridechamber, children of the bridechamber, and friends.” All translations mean the same thing and it clearly shows that we (disciples) are the guests/friends to this wedding, not the bride.
Many theologians try to spiritualize Revelation 21:9-10 by saying that the New Jerusalem is a symbol of the church so therefore the bride is the church. The problem with that interpretation is that if the New Jerusalem is a symbol or metaphor of the church then that would mean that we would have to spiritualize the whole chapter and that can be very dangerous. We would have to find the meaning for: the measurement, the wall, the street, the tree of life, the river, etc. The city described in Revelation 21 is a literal city which Abraham and patriarchs waited for.
The bible is very clear on the identity of the Bride. “Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and spoke with me, saying, "Come here, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb. And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God."
I know this view may be strange to some because they have never heard it. We have to keep in mind that we have to follow the Bible and not tradition. I hope this can spark some good conversations and good thoughts. God Bless!!!
I was a bit worried you'd take the book thing wrong (as we don't know one another). I'm glad you took it as light as I intended it to be taken.