The Bride of Christ

A cursory inspection of Scripture suggests that Paul never used the phrase the “Bride of Christ” — the classic motif of the church. However, Paul does say “We are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones” (Eph 5:30), i.e., “ye are the body of Christ (sōma Christos), and members in particular” (cf. 1Co_12:27). 

 It is plausible that we are not the “Bride of Christ,” in as much as such is never explicitly stated or supported in Scripture. However, our identity as the “Body of Christ” by comparison is robust, explicit, and redundant — we are the “Body of Christ” (cf. Rom_7:4; 1Co_10:16; Eph_4:12). 

Does not mutually exclusivity preclude our identity as both bride and bridegroom? 

Before addressing the “quintessential” “Bride of Christ” prooftext, it is essential to comprehend that which Paul had built and watched over so faithfully — Paul “in his time plays many parts,” a nursing mother, a vigilant father, and a jealous husband:

“We were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children” (cf. 1Th 2:7). 

“Have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel” (cf. 1Co 4:15). 

“I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.” (cf. 2Co 11:2 ).

Paul, in 2 Corinthians 11:2, espoused the “Body of Christ” to “himself” that he “may present [us] as a chaste virgin to Christ.” 

 Koine Greek scholar A. T. Robertson expounds the so-called 2 Cor 11:2 “prooftext”: I espoused (hērmosamēn). First aorist middle indicative of harmozō, old verb to join, to fit together (from harmos, joint). Common for betrothed, though only here in N.T. The middle voice indicates Paul’s interest in the matter. Paul treats the Corinthians as his bride.

Paul sees for himself the ruin of that which he had built and watched over so faithfully. He had spent himself for the assembly, accomplishing that which was behind of the sufferings of Christ; and he had to see that which he had so much loved (which he had cared for even as a mother cherishes her nursling which he had planted as God's plant on the earth) grow feeble as to its condition and testimony in the world, depart from the source of strength, and become corrupt. What a painful experience! But it is that of the servant of God in all ages and in all dispensations.” John Nelson Darby (1800 – 1882)

©2018 Christian. Textual content may be copied and distributed, but it may not be sold. https://a-hillside-church.blogspot.com/

The Bride

“Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife 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” (Rev 19:7-8). “And they shall look upon me whom they have pierced,” and she shall mourn making “herself ready.” 

 Yet, “holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling,” looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” “And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a ‘bride’ adorned for her husband” (Rev 21:2). 

“In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (Joh 14:2-3).



By Joseph Martin Kronheim (1810-1896) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons ©2018

©2018 Christian. Textual content may be copied and distributed, but it may not be sold.

Babylon, the Glory of Kingdoms

"And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees' excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there. 

 But wild beasts of the desert shall lie there; and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures; and owls shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there. 

 And the wild beasts of the islands shall cry in their desolate houses, and dragons in their pleasant palaces: and her time is near to come, and her days shall not be prolonged” (Isaiah 13:19-22).

 Alexander the Great, arguably, the greatest military leader who ever lived, after subduing the Persian Empire which previously had subdued the Babylonian Empire, died, at the age of 32, in the palace of Nebuchadnezzar, in Babylon! 

“Babel, like the cities of the Pentapolis, had now become a perpetual desert… . When Alexander once thought of making Babylon the metropolis of his empire. He was carried off by an early death.

Ten thousand workmen were at that time employed for two months in simply clearing away the rubbish of the foundations of the temple of Belus (the Nimrod-tower)” (K&D; Isaiah 13:20-22).<sup>2


1</sup>By Gustave Doré (http://www.danshort.com/bible/page1.php?p=239) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

²Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament; Johann (C.F.) Keil (1807-1888) & Franz Delitzsch (1813-1890).
©2018 Christian. Textual content may be copied and distributed, but it may not be sold. https://a-hillside-church.blogspot.com/

The Fulness of Times

Earth rise, NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter¹

“Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: That in the dispensation of the fulness of times (καιρός kairos G2540) he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him" (Eph 1:9-10).

 Our Father hath purposed in himself that in the dispensation of the “fulness of times” He would gather together in one all things in Christ. However, there is confusion regarding this “fulness of times” in so much that many believers will never understand “the mystery of His will" pertaining to the Body of Christ!

 Contributory to that confusion is another passage, and the phrase the “fulness of time,” unrelated to the Eph 1:10 phrase “fulness of times”!

 “But when the fulness of the time (χρόνος chrónos G5550) was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law” (cf. Gal 4:4-5).

 The word translated “times” in Eph 1:9-10 is of uncertain derivation; a space of time² while the word translated “time” in Gal 4:4-5 designates a fixed or special occasion.²

 The fulness of “times” when the Father gathered together in one all things in Christ, was of uncertain derivation, a space of time, i.e., the dispensation of grace prophesied by Paul.

 The fulness of “time” when God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, was the fixed and special occasion when Christ was born, prophesied by Old Testament prophets.

 ² χρόνος chrónos G5550; of uncertain derivation; a space of time (in general, and thus properly distinguished from καιρός kairos G2540, which designates a fixed or special occasion. (cf. Strong’s Definitions).


¹By NASA/Goddard/Arizona State University - Flickr, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=45854207

©2018 Christian. Textual content may be copied and distributed, but it may not be sold. https://a-hillside-church.blogspot.com/

One Hundred and Forty-nine Souls

Captain Shults¹

“Southwest 1380 has an engine fire, descending.”²

After being “cleared to Philly” and after “skipping to Philly air space”

 “Southwest 1380, down to 6000.” 

 “One hundred and forty nine souls on board” 

 “We need a single channel, no more channel switching”

 “We’re gonna need a long final” 

“Can you have medical meet us on the runway? We’ve got injured passengers.” 

 “They said there is a hole and someone went out”

“In sight” (visual approach). 

“Going 27L switching to tower good day” 

 Some years ago, Captain Shults reminisced: the captain's chair gave her "the opportunity to witness for Christ on almost every flight." 

 This time the Captain guided “one hundred and forty nine souls” to safe harbor save one.

 "... I declare unto you the gospel... By which also you are saved... first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures" (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:1-4).

¹Public Domain, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=57170362
²Abbreviated cockpit audio

©2018 Christian. Textual content may be copied and distributed, but it may not be sold. https://a-hillside-church.blogspot.com/

God Our Father

Into the Night, NASA, Hubble¹

“He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies” (Psa 18:11).

“Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ” (Eph 1:2).

Paul introduces each of his epistles by bringing to remembrance God “our Father,” with the singular exception of his final letter. However, in the Ephesian epistle, Paul reveals “our Father” in ways He has never been revealed before:

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Eph 1:3).

Our Father “hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love” (cf. Eph 1:4).*

Our Father “predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will" (cf. Eph 1:5).*

Our Father “To the praise of the glory of his grace… hath made us accepted in the beloved.”In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace” (cf. Eph 1:6-7).*

Our Father “hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence” (cf. Eph 1:8).*

Our Father “made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself” (cf. Eph 1:9).*

Our Father “in the dispensation of the fulness of times” gathered “together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him” (cf. Eph 1:10).*

Our Lord Jesus Christ “In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of” Our Father “who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will” (cf. Eph 1:11).*  

“We should be to the praise of” Our Father’s “glory, who first trusted in Christ” (cf. Eph 1:12).*

Our Lord Jesus Christ “In whom you also trusted, after that you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that you believed, you were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of [our Father’s glory]" (cf. Eph 1:13-14).*

 *Not an exact quote -- cf. (Latin: confer/conferatur, i.e "compare") – please compare with referenced text.



¹ News release ID: STScI-2016-03. Material credited to STScI on this site was created, authored, and/or prepared for NASA under Contract NAS5-26555. Unless otherwise specifically stated, no claim to copyright is being asserted by STScI and it may be freely used as in the public domain in accordance with NASA's contract. http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/

 ©2018 Christian. Textual content may be copied and distributed, but it may not be sold. https://a-hillside-church.blogspot.com/

That Unsettling Feeling

This post remains under construction!

What I have written I have written

“They crucified him, and two other with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst.” And as was the custom Pilate wrote a title, for the condemned: his name, his city, and his “crime,” and put it on the cross.

“And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS. This title then read many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin. Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not, The King of the Jews; but that he said, I am King of the Jews.

Pilate answered, What I have written I have written” (cf. John 19:18-22).

©2018 Christian. Textual content may be copied and distributed, but it may not be sold. https://a-hillside-church.blogspot.com/