gcdonner wrote:Sudsy wrote:gcdonner wrote:
Have you considered that we already are the wife and have already been presented to Christ? Paul's comments in Eph were made before the end of the OC. When we partake of communion it is a covenant meal, a marriage covenant meal, the marriage supper of the Lamb and he drinks it new WITH us each time, just as he said he would.
Something to think about, eh?
Is there some evidence somewhere that this is how the earliest church viewed this that communion participation is one and the same as the marriage supper of the Lamb ? Curious.
Have you read Matt 22 and the parable of the wedding feast?
Origen says this about the new covenant relating to marriage of Christ to the Church:
19. The Divorce of Israel.
Now, keeping in mind what we said above in regard to the passage from Isaiah about the bill of divorcement, we will say that the mother of the people separated herself from Christ, her husband, without having received the bill of divorcement, but afterwards when there was found in her an unseemly thing, and she did not find favour in his sight, the bill of divorcement was written out for her; for when the new covenant called those of the Gentiles to the house of Him who had cast away his former wife, it virtually gave the bill of divorcement to her who formerly separated from her husband - the law, and the Word. Therefore he, also, having separated from her, married, so to speak, another, having given into the hands of the former the bill of divorcement; wherefore they can no longer do the things enjoined on them by the law, because of the bill of divorcement. And a sign that she has received the bill of divorcement is this, that Jerusalem was destroyed along with what they called the sanctuary of the things in it which were believed to be holy, and with the altar of burnt offerings, and all the worship associated with it. And a further sign of the bill of divorcement is this, that they cannot keep their feasts,
Communion is the New Covenant meal, the New Covenant is the marriage to Christ, therefore the
Marriage Supper of the Lamb is represented by our communion meal.
Luk 22:18 For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.
Mat 26:29 But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom. (ie, in a new way)
We drink it in the heavenly Jerusalem, the covenant city, where we now dwell, since the writer to the Hebrews tells us that:
Heb 12:22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling...
Who is the New Jerusalem?
Rev 21:9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.
10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God...
According to Paul, the heavenly Jerusalem was symbolic of the Church, & the New Covenant. (Gal 4:21-31)
Jesus hasn't left us waiting at the altar for 2000+ years has he?
Interesting quote by Origen, it seems you agree with him in support of preterism-
Origen also is quoted as saying "The Apostles taught infant baptism" as a statement, and not as an opinion-
The world waited a long time for Christ's first Advent, and it's not like we're sitting around waiting- there is work to be done! However, 2000 years (or however many exactly) really isn't a long time, it's not like "WE" individually are waiting 2000 years, we live this life in a vapor of time and then are with the Lord, in His presence! The holy martyrs mentioned in the book of Revelations, are somewhat impatient for the end of days, for final judgement- even they need a reminder to be patient-
I love this reminder from our dear Apostle Peter in 2 Peter 3:8:
3Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, 4And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. 5For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: 6Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: 7But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
8But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.