152 – Jesus the Bridegroom

The most consistent illustration and description of Jesus in his relationship to Christians and to Israel is the bridegroom.

Don’t make the novice mistake of thinking that this is literal—whether reading about Jesus as the bridegroom in the Bible or reading an article about Jesus as the bridegroom in the Bible. It is a figurative relationship, not at all erotic, and a good Bible student should easily recognize it as such. Jesus does not literally marry any of us; he had no wife or literal romance during his life on Earth according to the Bible, only in ancient, demeaning fiction written by non-Christians.

The Bible dedicates two entire books to marriage, making it the most important illustration for understanding God’s Son.

The Book of Hosea records a living example of the steadfast love of a good husband—like God was—toward the unfaithful nation of Israel. This also applies to us as Christians who constantly make foolish and regrettable mistakes, yet God still loves us and works through circumstances to bring us to have a healthy, faithful love back toward Him.

Song of Songs uses the “superlative genitive” noun case—where “of” makes this mean “the greatest song of all songs that ever were and ever will be”. It is about love in marriage. But, combined with Hosea, what John the Baptist said about Jesus, what Jesus said about himself, and Revelation’s description of Jesus as the bridegroom, the Song of Songs was a foreshadowing picture of the personality of God’s great love for us. Whatever we feel about ourselves, no matter how insecure, God’s love for us is greater than we could ever convince Him to have.

John the Baptist describes Jesus as the bridegroom and talks about the “friend of the bridegroom”, which is wedding terminology. Jesus told multiple parables about wedding customs and gave us the Holy Spirit as a kind of wedding engagement gift, a down payment for his promise.

God is a ruling Father and His Son, Jesus, is a bridegroom “given” to us. Jesus has all the power and authority, yet he is our friend who loves us in a deep way that no human terms fully describe.

Song of Songs, Hosea, Matthew 9:14-15; 22:1-14; 25:1-13, Luke 5:33-35; 14:7-11, John 3:27-30, Revelation 19:7; 21:2 ; 22:17