CHURCH AS THE BRIDE OF CHRIST

Hebrew:     bride                     kallah = the complete or perfect one

                   bridegroom          chathan = one who contracts affinity

                   married                baal = Lord, master, owner

                   wife                      ishshah = woman, a wife,female

                   husband               baal =to rule, posses, have, marry

Greek:        bride                    numphe = bride; young wife

                   bride chamber     numphon = bride chamber

                   bridegroom         numphios = bridegroom

                   husband               aner = a man

                   wedding               gamos = a rejoicing or marriage feast

                   marriage              gamos = marriage or marriage feast

                   married                gameo = to marry

                   marriage              gamiskomai = to be given in marriage

                   marriage              ekgamisko = give in marriage

Old Testament

Psalm 19:1-5 “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.  Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.  There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard.  Their line is gone out through all the earth and their words to the end of the world.  In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun, which is as a bridegroom (chathan) coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.”

Isaiah 49:18 “Lift up thine eyes round about, and behold: all these gather themselves together, and come to thee.  As I live, saith the Lord, thou shalt surely clothe thee with them all, as with an ornament, and bind them on thee, as a bride (kallah) doeth.”

Isaiah 54:4-6 “Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more.  For thy Maker is thine husband (baal); the Lord of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.  For the Lord hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife (ishshah) of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy God.”

Isaiah 61:10 “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom (chathan) decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride (numphe) adorneth herself with her jewels.”

Isaiah 62:4-5 “Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land anymore be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the Lord delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married (baal). For as a young man marrieth (baal) a virgin (bethulah = separation, virginity,virgin), so shall thy sons marry thee: and as the bridegroom (chathan) rejoiceth over the bride (numphe), so shall thy God rejoice over thee.”

Jeremiah 2:32 “Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride (kallah) her attire?  Yet my people have forgotten me days without number.”

Jeremiah 3:14, 20 (Larger Passage- 3:14-25 “Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord; for I am married (baal) unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion: Surely as a wife (ishshah) treacherously departeth from her husband, so have ye dealt treacherously with me, O house of Israel, saith the Lord.”

Jeremiah 7:34 “Then will I cause to cease from the cities of Judah, and from the streets of Jerusalem, the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom (chathan), and the voice of the bride (kallah): for the land shall be desolate.”

Jeremiah 16:9 “For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will cause to cease out of this place in your eyes, and in your days, the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom (chathan), and the voice of the bride (kallah).”

Jeremiah 25:10 “Moreover I will take from the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom (chathan), and the voice of the bride (kallah), the sound of the millstones, and the light of the candle.”

Jeremiah 31:32 “Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband (baal) unto them, saith the Lord:

Jeremiah 33:11 “The voice of joy, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom (chathan), and the voice of the bride (kallah), the voice of them that shall say, Praise the Lord of hosts: for the Lord is good; for his mercy endureth forever: and of them that shall bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the Lord.  For I will cause to return the captivity of the land, as at the first, saith the Lord.”

Joel 2:16 “Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom (chathan) go forth of his chamber, and the bride (kallah) out of her closet.”

New Testament

Matthew 9:15 (Mark 2:19 - Same Greek words; Luke 5:34 – Same Greek words) “And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bride chamber (numphon) mourn, as long as the bridegroom (numphios) is with thee?  But the days will come, when the bridegroom (numphios) shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.”

Matthew 22:2-4, “The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage (gamos) for his son.  And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding (gamos): and they would not come.  Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my  oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage (gamos).

Matthew 22:2-4,8-9, 10-12, 14 “Then saith he to his servants, The wedding (gamos) is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.  Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as he shall find, bid to the marriage (gamos).  So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding (gamos) was furnished with guests…For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Matthew 25:1, 5-6, 10 “Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins (parthenos = one put aside, a virgin ), which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom (numphios)…While the bridegroom (numphios) tarried, they all slumbered and slept…And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom (numphios) cometh; go ye out to meet him… they  went to buy, the bridegroom (numphios) came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage (gamos): and the door was shut…

Mark 2:19-20 “And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bride chamber (numphon) fast, while the bridegroom (chathan) is with them?  As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.  But the days will come, when the bridegroom (chathan) shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.”

Mark 12:25 “For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry (gameo) nor are given in marriage (gamiskomai); but are as the angels which are in heaven.”

Luke 5:34-35 “And he said unto them, Can ye make the children of the bride chamber (numphon) fast, while the bridegroom is with them?  But the days will come, when the bridegroom (numphios) shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.”

Luke 12:35-38 “Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding (gamos); that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.  And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.”

Luke 14:8 “When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding (gamos), sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honorable man than thou be bidden of him: And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room.”

Luke 20:34-35 “And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry (gameo), and are given in marriage: (ekgamisko) But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry (gameo), nor are given in marriage (ekgamisko):”

John 2:1- 2, 9 “And the third day there was a marriage (gamos) in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage (gamos)…When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew the governor of the feast called the bridegroom (numphios)…This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.”

John 3:28-30 “Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.  He that hath the bride (numphe) is the bridegroom (numphios): but the friend of the bridegroom (numphois), which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s (numphios) voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.  He must increase, but I must decrease.”

II Corinthians 11:2“For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband (aner), that I may present you as a chaste virgin (parthenos = virgin, one put aside) to Christ.”

Ephesians 5:21-33 “Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.  Wives (gune), submit yourselves unto your own husbands (aner), as unto the Lord.  For the husband (aner) is the head of the wife (gune), even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the savior of the body.  Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives (gune) be to their own husbands (aner) in everything.  Husbands (aner), love your wives (gune), even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of the water of the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing: but that it should be holy and without blemish.  So ought men (aner) to love their  wives (gune) as their own bodies.  He that loveth his wife (gune) loveth himself.  For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and chrisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.  For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife (gune), and they two shall be one flesh.  This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning  Christ and the church.  Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife (gune) even as himself; and the wife (gune) see that she reverence (phobe = to be terrified, affrighted,  afraid, to be in awe, reverential fear, deeply respect, honor) her husband (aner).”

Revelation 18:23-24 “And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; (Babylon)  and the voice of the bridegroom (numphios) and of the bride (numphe) shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.  And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.”

Revelation 19:7-9 “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage (gamos) of the Lamb is come, and his wife (gune) hath made herself ready.  And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.  And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage (gumos) supper (deipnon = evening meal, supper) of the Lamb.  And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.”

Revelation 21:1-3 (Larger Passage – 21:1-7) “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.  And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride (numphe) adorned for her husband (aner).  And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.”

Revelation 21:9-11 (Larger Passage – 21:8-27) “And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride (numphe), the Lamb’s (arnion = a little lamb, a lambkin, male lamb, as stronger for lifting) wife (gune).  And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, Having the glory of God…

Revelation 22:17 “And the Spirit and the bride (numphe) say, Come.  And let him that heareth say, Come.  And let him that is athirst come.  And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.”