ELTBefore Bride כלה
The Hebrew word for "bride" is כלה ('kallah'), which doesn’t only mean a woman who is promised in marriage but also includes the idea of learning from the one she is united with—in this case, Christ. When we break down the letters of kallah ('כלה'), we can understand it better:
- כ ('kaf') represents "the Son of God,"
- ל ('lamed') means "those who are being taught" or "learners,"
- ה ('he') represents "those who don’t understand."
So, kallah ('כלה') can be understood as "the Son of God teaching those who do not understand." This shows the close relationship between Christ and the church (His bride), where Christ, as the teacher, helps those who were once spiritually confused to understand God’s truth.
The Bride as a Learner
The church, which is called the bride of Christ, is meant to learn from Him. Just as a bride is united with her husband, the church is united with Christ. But their relationship is also about teaching and learning. Christ, the Son of God, teaches the church His truths, helping it grow spiritually and become more like Him.
Christ’s Role as Teacher
Throughout the Gospels, Christ is shown as a teacher who shares God’s truth with those who are willing to learn. For the church, learning from Christ is not just about gaining knowledge, but about being changed by Him. This teaching brings the church into a closer relationship with Christ. As the bride of Christ, the church grows in wisdom and understanding through His Word, which is an important part of their relationship.
The Connection Between Bride and Learning
The word kallah ('כלה') connects the idea of the bride with the idea of learning from Christ. It shows that the church, as Christ’s bride, is not only united with Him in love, but also grows through the learning and wisdom that He provides. This is a special bond that goes beyond just a relationship—it’s about growing together in faith and knowledge.
Discussion
Bride and Learner
The word kallah ('כלה') usually means "bride," but it also has a deeper meaning. It shows that the bride is not only united with her husband in love, but she is also learning from him. This is important because it reminds us that in the relationship between Christ and the Church, the Church is learning from Christ. This learning process is a big part of what makes their relationship special.
The Bride Learning from Christ The Church, as Christ’s bride, learns from Him. This means that the Church is always growing in its understanding of God’s Word. The more the Church learns from Christ, the more it becomes like Him. This shows that being part of the Church is not just about love, but also about growing and changing by learning Christ's teachings.
Christ as Teacher
Christ is portrayed as the teacher of His bride, the Church. This is a key part of the relationship between Christ and the Church. Christ teaches the Church, helping it grow in wisdom and understanding. This teaching goes beyond just learning facts; it’s about being transformed spiritually. Christ helps the Church grow closer to Him by teaching His truths.
From Ignorance to Understanding
Before the Church knew Christ, it was in spiritual ignorance. The letter ה ('he') in the word kallah ('כלה') shows that the bride (the Church) starts out not understanding spiritual truths. But as the Church learns from Christ, it goes from not knowing to understanding. This is a powerful transformation where the Church moves from confusion to knowledge, thanks to Christ's teaching.
Marriage and Learning
A marriage is not just about love; it also involves learning and growing together. The same is true for the relationship between Christ and the Church. This idea teaches us that the bond between Christ and the Church is always growing. Through this relationship, the Church learns and grows in its faith, becoming more like Christ with each step.
