Hello Nancy,
Who is the bride?
Hosea 2:18-22
I will espouse you to me forever: I will espouse you in right and in justice, in love and in mercy;
I will espouse you in fidelity, and you shall know the LORD.
On that day I will respond, says the LORD; I will respond to the heavens, and they shall respond to the earth;
The earth shall respond to the grain, and wine, and oil, and these shall respond to Jezreel.
I will sow him for myself in the land, and I will have pity on Lo-ruhama. I will say to Lo-ammi, "You are my people," and he shall say, "My God!"
Jer 31: 31-33
The days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah.
It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers the day I took them by the hand to lead them forth from the land of Egypt; for they broke my covenant and I had to show myself their master, says the LORD.
But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD. I will place my law within them, and write it upon their hearts; I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
We see here that the Lord promises a new covenant to the people of Israel, that it is an everlasting marital covenant between God and His people.
It is this promised new covenant which Jesus is referencing when He says: "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which will be shed for you"
Who does He enter into this new covenant with? The twelve apostles who are representative of the whole house of Israel (exodus 12:6).
All who hear the call and enter into this covenant are united with Christ and with one another, and truly become 'the people of God'
1cor 10: 16-17
The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?
Because the loaf of bread is one, we, though many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf.
So then, as a people, we are the bride, united with our Husband, one body...
Eph 5:29-32
For no one hates his own flesh but rather nourishes and cherishes it, even as Christ does the church,
because we are members of his body.
"For this reason a man shall leave (his) father and (his) mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh."
This is a great mystery, but I speak in reference to Christ and the church.
But who are the guests?
Mark 2:18-19
The disciples of John and of the Pharisees were accustomed to fast. People came to him and objected, "Why do the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?"
Jesus answered them, "Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast.
Identifies Christ's disciples as the guests... but how can we be both guests and bride?
As individuals we are guests at the feast, but as a people, united in Him and through Him we are (together) His bride..
Consider another metaphor... as individuals we are bricks (living stones) being built up as a glorious temple in which our Lord, God dwells... Together we are the temple, individually the stones... in the same way we individually are guests at the feast and corporately the Bride...
I noticed someone mentioned Eve taken from Adams side... this is a 'type' of the Church taken from Jesus' side on the cross. The water and blood that poured forth are the 2 great sacraments of the Church, Baptism and the Eucharist.
This is the one who came through water and blood, Jesus Christ, not by water alone, but by water and blood. The Spirit is the one that testifies, and the Spirit is truth.
So there are three that testify,
the Spirit, the water, and the blood, and the three are of one accord.
Peace be with you!
Christ is risen!
Alleluia!