ELTBefore Married לקח
The Church as the Bride of Christ
The Bible calls the church the "bride of Christ" to show the close and loving relationship between Jesus and His followers. The Hebrew word for "married" is לקח (laqach), which means "to take" or "to marry," but it also means "teaching" or "doctrine." This tells us something important: in the Bible, marriage and teaching are connected in a special way.
In marriage, a husband and wife join together in a promise, called a covenant. In the same way, the church is joined to Christ in a covenant of salvation. The word laqach reminds us that marriage shows the oneness we have with Jesus, who lives in us through His Spirit.
Paul’s Teaching About Marriage
In the Bible, Paul gives advice to women, telling them to learn from their husbands, especially about church teachings (see Ephesians 5:22-33 and 1 Corinthians 14:34-35). But Paul also says that he’s not just talking about marriage between a man and a woman—he’s talking about Christ and the church.
In this picture, Jesus is like a husband, and the church is like His bride. Just as a husband leads and teaches his wife, Christ leads and teaches the church. His Word (the Bible) is how He helps His bride grow in faith and live a holy life.
The Church Learns From Christ
Paul explains that a wife learns from her husband, but he’s really talking about how the church learns from Jesus. Jesus is the teacher, and the church is the learner. This relationship shows how important it is for the church to listen to Jesus and follow His teachings. His Word helps the church become stronger in faith and live in a way that pleases Him.
Marriage and Teaching
The Hebrew word laqach shows us how marriage and teaching are connected. Just as a husband and wife are united by love, the church is united with Christ in love and by learning from His teachings. These teachings guide the church in truth and help it grow in faith.
So, when we think about the church as the bride of Christ, we can see it’s not just about love—it’s also about learning from Jesus, who leads and cares for His people.
Conclusion: Growing in Faith
In conclusion, the relationship between Christ and the church is a beautiful picture of marriage, where the church learns from Christ and grows spiritually. Christ, as the "husband," teaches and guides the church, helping it become more like Him. This understanding shows us how important it is to learn from Christ as we grow in our faith.
