Marriage...Christ and His Bride

Why did Jesus die? There are many answers to this question. Let me highlight one.

1. TO GIVE MARRIAGE IT’S DEEPEST MEANING
Ephesians 5:25
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and
gave Himself up for her,

The church is also referred to as the bride of Christ (Rev. 19 & 21).

God’s design for marriage (in the Bible) pictures the husband loving his wife the way Christ loves His people…His bride.

God’s design for marriage pictures the wife responding to her husband the way Christ’s people should respond to Him.

Jesus came to call His bride, and to die for her, to display the way marriage was meant to be.
Jesus loved His bride to the point of death, and told her, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

God’s idea for marriage begins for the first two people… Adam and Eve.

Paul quotes Genesis 2:24

Ephesians 5:31-33
31 FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND SHALL BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH.

Then in the very next passage Paul interpreted what he quoted.

32 This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.

This means that in God’s mind & eternal plan, marriage was designed to display Christ’s relationship to His people. It’s called a mystery because this purpose of marriage was not clearly revealed until the coming of Christ.

And look at the very next verse:

33 Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband.

Love and respect between a husband and wife is a picture of Christ’s love for His Bride…the world is watching.

Since this mystery was in God’s mind from the beginning, it was also in Christ’s mind when he faced death.


Husbands: Among the many reasons for Christ’s suffering, is this…He was telling you husbands how to love your wife.

Eph 5:25
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her,

Will you suffer for the well being of your wife? Give up your rights? Will you suffer disappointments or abuses... even from her?