Male & female: we are Jesus’ bride
This is taken from Knowing Jesus as His Bride
___________________________________________
Last time we talked about how Jesus is the perfect husband. He loves us and gave up His life to make us pure and holy—to bring us [His Bride] to spiritual maturity. With this understanding of the character of our husband, let’s take a look at the wifely responses to our husband’s lordship and love. The wife’s role is very different. We are the helpmate given by the father to help the groom. Let’s take a look at what is said in Genesis.
Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make a helper that fits him.” [Genesis 2:18]
This throws a different light on things, doesn’t it? The wife comes out of this context—the need for a helper suitable to the man. I don’t want to put too much on this, but Jesus is the second Adam. It seems likely that we are the second Eve. Could we really be the helpmate suitable for Jesus? That is certainly what scripture seems to be saying.
Paul’s argument that Jesus is the second Adam is found in chapter 5 of Romans. His exposition states that Jesus undid all the damage from Adam’s sin. I fully realize that this is a little stretch, but let’s take it out a little further.
If Adam needed a helpmate, does Jesus need one as well? We are clearly called His bride. What did Adam say about his created helpmate? God had created Eve from Adam—specifically using a rib of his.
“At last!” the man exclaimed. “This one is bone from my bone, and flesh from my flesh! She will be called ‘woman,’ because she was taken from ‘man.’” This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one. Now the man and his wife were both naked, but they felt no shame. [Genesis 2:23–25]
So, how does this compare with our relationship with Jesus? Very well, actually. Jesus was the first son born of God. He needed someone to relate to closely and to be His helpmate. Now, why God would need a helpmate is beyond me (we’ll find out in the new creation), but let’s take it where it goes here.
We are made out of Jesus in a very real way.
John tells us in the third chapter that our birth from above is like this:
Jesus replied, “It is absolutely true that no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of both water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life (flesh reproducing flesh), but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born from above.’ [John 3:5–7]
Jesus was the first man born of both man and God. Mary and the Father were Jesus’ parents. So, He was the first in the Kingdom of God (appropriate that the King be first). But we also are born of the flesh and of God. Jesus makes it clear that we must be born of both. Don’t be confused by the fact that we have two fathers. So Jesus can say,
“Finally, one who is flesh of my flesh and spirit of my spirit.”
For this reason Jesus is pleased to leave the Father and cleave to his wife who is us. But this is far superior to the earthly version. Just like Passover is the symbolic image of what Jesus did on the cross, marriage is the symbolic image of who we become in the Kingdom of God.
The Bride is not spoken of much in scripture, but the image in Revelation 21 is stunning.
Then I, John, saw New Jerusalem, God’s holy city, coming down out of heaven, prepared as a bride dressed up for her husband. [Revelation 21:2]
And who is this bride but us? We are those born of flesh and the spirit. We are man reborn from God. No one else is in that city. And we are all one: Father, Holy Spirit, Jesus and us. Jesus prayed that we would all be one in His priestly prayer of John 17. We can certainly assume that His prayers are answered. New Jerusalem is a single organism of which we are part. There is no separation there. There is perfect communication there. Remember the words from Genesis:
Now the man and his wife were both naked, but they felt no shame.
Completely open and transparent, walking in the light with each other, we are working for and supporting the work of our husband. Is there any better calling than that?
Related articles
