What are the characteristics of this bride and what is her relationship with the Bridegroom the King of kings like?

She is the icon of her Bridegroom, the Lord of glory, Jesus Christ. She bears Him within her and walks in the Lord under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Her most important traits are:

First: Enjoying the spirit of holiness. Her Bridegroom is the Son of God, who is Holy together with His good Father and the Holy Spirit. In His transfiguration, it was said: “He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun and His clothes became as white as the light” (Matt. 17:2). The white clothes resemble the Church of Christ who is united with Him as though He is clothed in her. This Church has become as white as the light because of her Bridegroom who dwells in her, and is the Sun of Righteousness who illuminates her, making her shine with light. We have already seen that these clothes refer to the eternal wedding where the bride is also arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright (Rev. 19:8) as she goes into the wedding in a great procession in the presence of the twenty four presbyters as St. Augustine says, “It is said: ‘ though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow ’ (Isa. 1:18). Of these people, Christ makes for Himself a garment without spot or blemish (Eph. 5:27). For this reason, when He was on the mountain and His clothes turned as white as the light (Matt. 17:2), which refers to the church that has been purified of sin.”

908 See St. Ambrose of Milan, Commentary of St. Ambrose on the Gospel according to Saint Luke , trans., Ide M. Ni Riain (Dublin: Halcyon Press, 2001) 2.84: pp. 58–59.

St. Cyril the Great says: “For the leaven is small in quantity, yet forthwith it seizes upon the whole mass, and quickly communicates to it its own properties. And the word of God operates in us in a similar manner: for when admitted within us, it makes us holy and without blame, and pervading our mind and heart, it renders us spiritual.”⁹⁰⁹

The source of the Church’s holiness and perfection is Christ’s resurrected life and her unity with Christ who is risen. The Church is called to live in dignity and glory as though perfection has already been attained. Origen explains that Christ is the Life of the Church as He says, “And the fact that the Church is the aggregate of many souls and has received the pattern of her life from Christ …”⁹¹⁰ He again says, “‘ Rise up my love, my fair one and come away. for lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone, the flowers appear on the earth ’ (Song. 2:12). We can say this passage is a sort of prophecy given to the Church to call her to the promised blessings of the future. She is told to ‘arise’ as though the consummation of the age were already reached and time of the resurrection come. And because this word of command forthwith seals the work of resurrection, she is invited into the Kingdom, as being now, by virtue of the resurrection, brighter and more splendid.”⁹¹¹

Second: The Church’s pride in the spirit of spiritual royalty. She follows the example of her Bridegroom in that she does not ask for any vain authority. When the multitudes wanted to take Him to make Him a king, He departed to the mountain by Himself alone (John 6:15). When Pilate asked Him, “Are you the king of the Jews,” He did not deny that He is a King and said to Him, “ it is as you say” (Matt 27:11, Mark 15:2). At the same time, He corrected Pilate’s understanding of Christ’s Kingdom, “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36). If Christ’s Kingdom is not of this world, the Church as well as the believers should realize that they are not of this world, so they ought not to occupy themselves with worldly politics or even church politics.

St. Jacob of Sarug says, “When you hear some good news, do not take heed to it and do not even rely on it as though it was true. Likewise, if you hear bad news, do not be afraid of it, for it cannot endure forever. In this age, good and bad news come and go like day and night, they chase each other like that, but have no authority to stay in one place or leave it, for Wisdom desires them to be like that. Let not your thoughts be troubled so that some news upset you and other news rejoice you. But let this news come and go, and you trust in God and in the hope of our faith as the Psalmist says, ‘the sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night, the Lord shall preserve you from all evil’ (Ps. 121:6–7).”⁹¹²

And so, the Bridegroom directs the eyes of His bride to search her depths rather than outside of her, thus he tells His disciples, “indeed the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke

909 St. Cyril of Alexandria, A Commentary upon the Gospel According to St. Luke: Part II , trans. R. Payne Smith (Oxford University Press, 1859) Sermon 98: p. 458.

910 Origen, The Song of Songs, Commentary and Homilies 2.6 (ACW 26:143).

911 Origen, The Song of Songs, Commentary and Homilies 3.14 (ACW 26:239, 245).

912 St. Jacob of Sarug, Letter 26.

17:21). He calls us to be kings that we may walk as kings, children of the King of kings, having this heavenly royalty within us, so that we may live in holiness and dignity without desiring any of the worldly matters. Thus, we do not allow these desires to rule over our hearts, our thoughts, or our emotions nor do we allow Satan to have any authority over us, since Christ Himself granted us a special authority, “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” (Luke 10:19)

Third: Taking Heed to the Purity of the inner temple: The heavenly Bridegroom was occupied with sanctifying the temple as Scripture says, “Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple and overturned the tables of the many chargers and the seats of those who sold doves. and He said to them “My house shall be called a house of prayer, but have made it a den of thieves” (Matt. 21:12–13). Imagine if Christ were to go into a church to find a fundraising party where a widow who only has two mites would not be allowed to enter, what would He do? St. Peter said to the lame man, “ Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk ” (Acts 3:6). Is there a church today with no silver or gold, and is instead offering Jesus of Nazareth who supplies all needs?

St. Jerome says that the priests used to abuse the fact that all Jews used to come from all over the world to celebrate the Passover, so they turned the temple into a marketplace. They let the moneychangers do their business in lending people money so they can buy sacrifices. These loans were offered without any interest (since the law prohibits it), but instead were offered in exchange to some gifts, which were pretty much a sort of interest.

It is a truly painful sight for God’s temple to lose its main goal and for the priests to deviate from their spiritual duty, and turn their message to be exclusively collecting money as Origen says, “So, if anyone sells, he is cast out, especially if he sells doves … For if I display before the common crowd what the Holy Spirit has revealed and entrusted to me, I sell it for a price and do not teach without payment, what else am I doing except selling doves, that is, the Holy Spirit? When I sell the Spirit, I am cast out of God’s temple.”⁹¹³ The shepherds lose their pastoral work when they use the word of God and the gifts of the Holy Spirit as a way to do business.

St. Jerome says, “Jesus daily enters the Temple of the Father and expels from his own Church all such bishops, priests, and deacons, as well as laymen and the whole crowd. He holds them all guilty of a single crime, namely, of selling and buying … Now let each one understand also concerning himself what we have said about the churches. For the apostle Paul says: ‘You are the temple of God, and the Holy Spirit dwells in you.’ May there not be business in the house of our heart. May there not be the commerce of selling and buying. May there not be desire for donations, lest an angry and stern Jesus enter and cleanse his own

913 Origen, Homilies on Luke 38.5 (FOTC 94:158).

temple in no other way but with a whip that he administers in order to make a house of prayer out of a den of thieves and a house of business.”⁹¹⁴

St. Jerome also comments on the cleansing of the temple and the overturning of the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves by saying, “Most people think that the greatest sign is that Lazarus was raised from the dead, that the man blind from birth received the light, that the Father’s voice was heard at the Jordan, that he was transfigured on the mountain and showed the glory of the triumphant one. But to me it seems that among all the signs that he did, this one is more wonderful, that one man, who was at that time so contemptible and lowly that he was later crucified, could expel such a great multitude at the crack of a single whip, with the scribes and Pharisees raging against him, seeing that their profits were ruined; that one man could overturn their tables and wreck their chairs and do the other things that an infinite army could not have done. For some sort of heavenly fire was radiating from his eyes, and the majesty of divinity was shining in his face, so that none of the priests dared to lay hands on Him.”⁹¹⁵

Fourth: Turning children into leaders in Christ Jesus. The Heavenly Bridegroom cared to elevate the status of children and called us to learn from their simplicity, humility, and faith in their parents, until we enter the kingdom of heaven. He says, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt. 18:3) It was marvelous for them to see the Lord calling on a child to stand in their midst as a model for the kingdom of heaven. Romans used to despise children, so they had no rights protecting them, causing parents to be violent in dealing with them. Childhood suffered a lot among the gentiles and even among the Jews; women and children were not counted during the census in Numbers 1–2.

On the other hand, as the Lord was elevating humanity into a spiritually mature life, He presented children as a model for this life that is able to take them into the kingdom. He was thus elevating humanity above the bodily maturity which is dependent on age to the inner soul’s maturity which is independent of age. I wish we can spread the spirit of leadership among our children, so that we do not control them like they were chess pieces when they are young, and then they repay us back in the same way by controlling us when they get the chance.

St. John Chrysostom warns parents from neglect in raising their children, highlighting the danger of this sin and went as far as deeming it as murder. He says,⁹¹⁶ “Your children will always be sufficiently wealthy if they receive from you a good upbringing that is able to order their moral life and behavior. Thus, strive not to make them rich, but rather to make them pious masters of their passions , rich in virtues. Teach them not to think up illusory

914 St. Jerome, Commentary on Matthew 3.21.12–13 (FOTC 117:236–237).

915 St. Jerome, Commentary on Matthew 3.21.15–16 (FOTC 117:238).

916 St. John Chrysostom— Lessons on Education Part 1 , Inner Light Productions, February 20, 2013. Online at http://www.innerlightproductions.com/2013/02/st-john-chrysostom-lessons-on-education.html

needs, reckoning their worth according to worldly standards. Attentively watch their deeds , their acquaintances, and their attachments—and do not expect any mercy from God if you do not fulfill this duty …

“We spare neither labors nor means in order to teach our children secular sciences, so that they can serve well the earthly authorities. Only the knowledge of the holy Faith, the service of the Heavenly King are a matter of indifference to us. We allow them to attend spectacles but we care little whether they go to Church and stand within it reverently. We demand an account from them of what they learned in their secular institutes—why do we not demand an account from them of what they heard in the Lord's house? …

“If good fathers would strive to give their children a good upbringing, then we would need neither laws, judges, courts, nor punishments. Executioners exist because we have no morality.”

Fifth: Do not hurt the feelings of anyone, even sinners. The Heavenly Bridegroom did not hurt the feelings of sinners, but lovingly guided them to repentance. He told the sinful woman who was caught in adultery, “‘Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?’ She said, ‘No one, Lord.’ And Jesus said to her, ‘Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more’” (John 8:10–11). Some people think that this woman was treated very cruelly and violently, so He considered this as enough chastisement for her.

St. John Chrysostom says, “When Christ tells the adulterous woman, ‘Neither do I condemn you,’ He is telling her, ‘I am the only one who is able to judge you, for I alone am the Judge but I have come to save the world and not to condemn it, so I will not condemn you.’ When He tells her, ‘Go,’ He was telling her, ‘Go and be at peace for your adultery has been taken away from you since I have taken away your sins so go!’ And when tells her to sin no more, He meant to tell her, ‘I ask you not to sin again. From now on, do not go back to this sin like a dog that returns to its own vomit (2 Pet. 2:22) so that you may not be punished.’”

St. Macarius the Great says, “He who changed the nature of the five loaves into the nature of a multitude, and gave a voice to the irrational nature of an ass, and converted the harlot to chastity, and prepared the nature of burning fire to bedew those who were in the furnace, and tamed for Daniel the nature of savage lions; He is able also to change the soul, which was waste and had become savage, from sin into His own goodness and lovingkindness and peace, by the holy and good Spirit of promise.”⁹¹⁷

St. Augustine also says, “We have heard the voice of justice (John 8:7–11), let us also hear the voice of clemency … For He, who had driven back her adversaries with the tongue of justice, raising the eyes of mercy towards her and tells her, ‘Neither will I condemn you. Go and sin no more.’ Let them take heed, then, who love His gentleness in the Lord, and let

917 St. Macarius the Great, Fifty Spiritual Homilies of St. Macarius the Egyptian , trans., A. J. Mason (London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 1921) Homily 44.2: p. 276.

them fear His truth. For The Lord is sweet and right. You love Him in that He is sweet but fear Him in that He is right … The Lord is merciful and pitiful. So He is, certainly. Add yet further, Long-suffering; add yet further, and very pitiful: but fear what comes last, And true. For those whom He now bears with as sinners, He will judge as despisers. The Lord is gentle, the Lord is long-suffering, the Lord is pitiful; but the Lord is also just, the Lord is also true. He bestows on you space for correction; but you love the delay of judgment more than the amendment of your ways. Have you been a bad man yesterday? Today, be a good man. Have you gone on in your wickedness today? But why do you assume that tomorrow will come? As if He, who has promised you pardon through repentance, promised you also a longer life. How do you know what tomorrow may bring forth?”⁹¹⁸

Sixth: Praying for all humanity. Even though Christ was very popular, He never involved Himself in politics and likewise all church leaders as well as all the congregation members should pray for everyone and not concern themselves with the politics of this world.

Seventh: Outreaching to everyone just like the Heavenly Bridegroom who came to our world in the flesh to visit humanity. Likewise, we should outreach to everyone in the spirit of love and wisdom that they may join us in the kingdom of heaven through the Holy Spirit.

Eighth: Partaking of the divine nature. The Apostle Peter says, “By which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (2 Pet. 1:4). We are not called to merely acquire some virtues but to unite with Christ and imitate Him so that we may acquire His love, His holiness, His longsuffering, His meekness and His simplicity. For this reason St. Peter says, “… you may be partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” As long as we are in the world, how can we escape corruption? The only way is by uniting with the Holy Lord and by His imitation. We should imitate Him so the corruption of the world may not harm us. It is a precious calling for us to reflect the rays of the divine attributes such as love, holiness, and meekness that we may be like Him (1 John 3:2).

St. Ambrose says, “How great is Christ’s love! For He has granted His disciples to be called by His titles. He says, ‘I am the Light of the world’ and then grants this title of His to His disciples saying, ‘You are the light of the world.’ He says, ‘I am the Bread of Life.’ And we, though many, are one bread. (1 Cor. 10:17). He says, ‘I am the True Vine’ and then tells you, ‘I had planted you a noble vine, a seed of highest quality’ (Jer. 2:21). Christ is the rock, ‘For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ’ (1 Cor. 10:4) and did not keep this title from his disciple who is also a rock as he had the strength of a rock and the steadfast faith. Your rock is your work and your spirit, on which you build your house so that no storm may destroy it. Your rock is the faith which is the steadfastness

918 St. Augustine of Hippo, Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 33:7 (NPNF I/7:199) amended.

of the Church so if you were a rock, you are a church! And if you are in the Church, the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.”

Ninth: Do not accept any person who wants to replace the Heavenly Bridegroom.

St. Augustine says, “You see that he who loves any person in place of Christ is adultery … “He who has the bride is the bridegroom” (John 3:29) … Be chaste, love the bridegroom … Now I see many adulterers who desire to get possession of the bride, purchased at so great a price, loved while deformed that she might be made fair, having been purchased and delivered and adorned by such an one; and those adulterers strive with their words to be loved instead of the bridegroom … Let us hear the friend of the bridegroom, not the adulterers against the bridegroom; let us hear one jealous, but not for himself.”⁹¹⁹

“John the Baptist says I rejoice not because of my own voice, but because of the Bridegroom's voice. I am in the place of hearer; He, of speaker: I am as one that must be enlightened, He is the light; I am as the ear, He is the word. Therefore the friend of the Bridegroom stands and hears Him. Why does he stand? Because he falls not. How does he not fall? Because he is humble. See him standing on solid ground; I am not worthy to loose His sandal strap. You do well to be humble; deservedly you do not fall; deservedly you stand, and hear Him, and rejoice greatly for the Bridegroom’s voice.”⁹²⁰

“What is his joy? To rejoice at the Bridegroom’s voice. It is fulfilled in me, I have my grace; more I do not assume to myself, lest also I lose what I have received … so that man may understand, then, that he ought not to rejoice of his own wisdom, but of the wisdom which he has received from God. Let him ask nothing more, and he loses not what he found. For many, in that they affirmed themselves to be wise, became fools. The apostle convicts them, and says of them, ‘because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them …’ so they should not attribute to themselves that which they did not have from themselves, but to Him from whom they had received it. Therefore, what God gave freely, He took from the unthankful. John would not be this; he would be thankful: he confessed to have received, and declared that he rejoiced for the Bridegroom’s voice, saying, Therefore this my joy is fulfilled.”⁹²¹

Tenth: Looking forward to the second coming of the Lord. St. Gregory of Nyssa says, “For it is them who wait for the return of their Lord from the marriage feast and sit at the heavenly portals with sleepless eyes, in order that the King of Glory, when he comes back from the marriage feast, may enter with their help into that supercelestial blessedness. Hence, as the hymn in the Psalms (Ps. 18:6) would have it, the Bridegroom, having emerged as from the bridal chamber, espoused the virgin—that is to say, us— in the mystic rebirth, even

919 St. Augustine of Hippo, Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 13.10 (NPNF I/7:90) amended.

920 St. Augustine of Hippo, Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 13.10 (NPNF I/7:90) amended.

921 St. Augustine of Hippo, Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 14.3 (NPNF I/7:94).

though she had been prostituted to idols, and restored her nature to virginal incorruptibility. Since, then, the marriage rites have already been carried out and the Church has been taken by the Word as His Bride (just as John says: ‘He who has the bride is the bride groom’ [John 3:29]), and the Bride has been taken into the inner chamber of the mysteries and the angels are awaiting the return of the King of Glory as He leads His Church as a bride, preparing her nature to be ready for His grace. And the point is that in our living we are to become like them, in order that just as they, dwelling far from evil and error, are ready to greet their Lord at His coming, so we also, sitting wakeful by the gates of our dwellings, may render ourselves for may render ourselves ready to hear when he arrives and knocks at the door, “for,” he says, ‘blessed are those servants whom their Lord finds doing this when he comes’ (Luke 12:37, 43). Since then, it is a blessed thing to hear and answer the one who knocks, the soul that ever seeks blessedness and that rightly watches over her treasures detects the one who stands at her door, and she says, ‘The voice of my Beloved knocks at the door’ (Song. 2:5).”⁹²²