The Ketubah

By PJ Sorensen

When the New Covenant was written, Jewish wedding customs included a betrothal period before the wedding ceremony. The bride gave her consent and the parties involved established the terms of the marriage contract (ketubah). When the covenant was sealed with the bride and groom drinking from a cup of wine, the couple was betrothed and legally bound to one another, usually for one year. It was forbidden to consumate the marriage until after the actual wedding ceremony. Both the bride and the groom had specific responsibilities to prepare for the marriage.

Throughout the year following his betrothal, the groom worked hard to prepare the bridal chamber, often by adding a room in his father’s house. The bridal chamber was where the couple would have their honeymoon for seven days following the wedding ceremony. The bridal chamber did not have to be a palace but it was no inferior work either. The groom’s father gave the final inspection and decided when the bride and groom could enter the chamber (chuppah). It was a lengthy and difficult procedure.

In addition, the groom or his father usually paid the bride’s father a handsome price (mohar) for the bride. (Refer to Genesis 34.) Often, the bride price was not tendered just with cash but by work or other means. Genesis 29 records that Jacob worked seven years for Rachel. 1 Samuel 17:25 records that King Saul promised one of his daughters to anyone who could slay Goliath. This gift was a requirement by law. It symbolized the exchange of the giver’s life for the bride, much like a blood covenant, creating a strong bond between the two families.

While the groom worked on the bridal chamber, the bride prepared by purification and anticipation.

In Jewish law, various circumstances required both men and women to immerse in a ritual bath to purify the body. Every adult woman took such a bath monthly which made her ceremonially clean. This bath also symbolically insured the betrothed woman’s virginity and prepared her for the groom’s arrival. In addition, the bride wore a veil in public to signify her betrothal.

The groom, best man, and other male escorts would leave the Jewish groom’s father’s house and conduct a torch light procession to the home of the bride. As a result of the bride not knowing the exact time the groom would come for her, the groom’s arrival would be preceded by a shout forewarning the bride to be prepared for the coming of the groom.

Each day, the bride waited in anticipation. Every night before bed, the bride prepared her oil lamp in case her groom returned for her after dark. Night after night she listened for the shofar, the ram’s horn, that signaled the arrival of the groom. At any hour, the young groom might return for his bride. The bride’s oil lamp would help light the way as she headed with her attendants through the dark streets of the village to meet him.

Yeshua had these marriage customs in mind when He told the parable of the 10 virgins. In this story, He spoke of the five wise virgins who were ready for the groom’s arrival and the five foolish ones who had failed to prepare. The wise virgins took their lamps and enough oil to light their way when the bridegroom arrived. The foolish virgins did not have enough oil for their lamps. (Matthew 25:12)

Every aspect of the Jewish wedding ceremony has a symbolic parallel in the wedding of Yeshua to his bride. G-d paid the bridal price by sending His Son. (Romans 8:3-4) Yeshua’s sacrifice on the cross paid for the sins of His bride. The New Covenant sealed and confirmed the agreement and conditions for marriage between Yeshua and his bride.

While we wait for His return, Yeshua is preparing a place for us as is written in John 14:1-3 and He will return for us, just as the Jewish groom comes for his bride. Yeshua has spared no expense in His preparations. We shall enjoy a week of days with the L-rd in the bridal chamber.

Yeshua waits for His Father’s word and the angels’ shofar blast that will announce His return for His bride. Like a thief in the night, the bridegroom will come for His bride. As we await His return, Yeshua reminds us to be prepared, like the five wise virgins.

It shall be a glorious time for those who have believe and accepted the Bridegroom, HaShem/The Lord, Yeshua Hamashiach/Jesus Christ. Will you be there?

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