A hidden treasure was found in the debris of the April 2019 fire that devastated Notre Dame. The capstones that held the vaulted ceilings were not only engraved on the bottom, but also carved on the top—the side facing the roof, which no one ever saw. Stonemasons in the 12th century carved exquisite details as their worship to God, for His eyes only.
When their offering was revealed to me, it enticed my own heart to join in worship.
I want to discover hidden treasures in Scripture, the eternal cathedral erected to God’s glory. I want to see from the vantage point of my own time 2,000 years away, but I also want to experience what the authors carved for their own culture’s eyes to see.
I am French, so I am wired to love history and beauty. Because I have lived on three continents, four countries, and five cities through six professional roles, I have learned to decipher traditions to experience the cultural beauty surrounding me.
Every time we open our Bibles, God beckons us to discover hidden beauty, but our 21st century Western culture cannot readily appreciate the nuances. Like Notre Dame’s stonemasons, the biblical authors carved elements that only their culture could see. If you have ever lost sight of the beauty of your relationship with God and your identity in Him, might you be drawn anew by looking at the cultural topside of some well-known Biblical capstones?
I invite you to discover that Jesus symbolically equated His last days on Earth to a Jewish betrothal—from Palm Sunday to the cross—and that, in doing so, He invited us to embrace our identity as His bride.
PURSUIT OF THE BRIDE
In Jesus’s day, a Jewish man would initiate the betrothal with an official visit to his intended’s parents’ home. When we celebrate the incarnation at Christmas, we declare that Jesus initiated the betrothal by visiting our home with His heart set on marriage.
If the groom-to-be was particularly wealthy, he would dazzle his bride by riding to her on a donkey, instead of the customary walk across the village. On His Palm Sunday colt, Jesus flaunts His glorious heavenly riches. Behold the high King of Heaven, the powerful Son of God, the radiance of God’s glory!
The betrothal ceremony was the groom’s opportunity to provide the bride-price—lavish enough to take the young woman’s breath away. Its extravagance showcased the groom’s worth. Nothing is more valuable than the life of the Son of God, which makes the cross the ultimate bride-price. No bride was ever provided for more dearly. God Himself, Author of life, paid with His life because only such a bride-price showcases His worth.
The bride-price also symbolized the bride’s worth. The cross displays Jesus’ unfathomable love and respect for His betrothed. It acted as a foretaste of the bride’s glorious future. We are sealed with the promised Holy Spirit as our inheritance—a foretaste of intimacy with Christ, for our redemption and His glory.
Finally, the bride-price authenticated the bride’s new identity. In Christ, we are now forever redeemed, despite our former unfaithfulness. Remember, He paid the bride-price to redeem a prostitute, not a maiden. When I behold the depravity of my heart and the depth of His love, I am overcome with gratitude. I desperately want Him to transform me into the person He created me to be, for His glory and my delight.
SEALING THE COVENANT
Upon payment of the bride-price, betrothal was sealed once the couple shared a covenant cup of wine and piece of bread. Jesus’s disciples tasted the cultural spices He was sprinkling at Passover; we, too, experience these flavors every time we partake of Communion, declaring that we await Him, our betrothed.
The cup emptied, the couple parted ways for a season. The bride was to prepare for her upcoming life by embracing its calling, assuming its role, and practicing its ways. We do not earn salvation by doing good deeds; we do good because salvation is already ours. Jesus washed His disciples’ feet during our betrothal ceremony to model what He expects: "As I have loved you, so you must love one another” (John 13:34).
Meanwhile, the groom would build a home for his bride. This building project was often considered the measure of a man; consequently, the expertise of carpenters and stonemasons made them particularly attractive partners. Down to His earthly career, Jesus is the perfect groom.
The Jewish groom’s traditional parting words to his bride loom large: “I go and prepare a place for you, [and] I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am” (John 14:3). Jesus was a groom sealing the betrothal agreement with His bride, the church-to-be, across time and space.
Jesus is now building a home for His bride. Six days were sufficient to create the delightful intricacy of our universe; He has now been perfecting our eternal dwelling for 2,000 years. No wonder the prophets who got a taste of Heaven lacked adequate language to describe their experience.
Once the new home was ready, the groom would ride back to the bride’s house with singing, trumpets, and brightly lit torches. She had to be ready at a moment’s notice. From that day forward, they would be together forever. No more tears, no more goodbyes.
No wonder Jesus chose the wedding at Cana to reveal His identity as the bridegroom come to fetch His bride.
CHRIST AS BRIDEGROOM
The humble offerings hidden under the Notre Dame roof remind us that we, too, are invited to experience the beauty of our Lord. We delight Him by delighting in Him. As we discover these beauties, we grow in awe and worship.
Jesus spent thousands of years planning His proposal, dropping prophetic hints along the way. He taught and accomplished miracles to woo us, culminating with payment of the full bride-price at crucifixion. He proved His indescribable worth by resurrecting from the dead. He is now preparing a place for us in His Father’s house, and He will come back to take us to be with Him. Until then, He gave us instructions to live with our eyes on Him, embracing our blood-bought identity as His own: “I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine” (Song 6:3).
So, beloved, remain devoted to Him. Live for Jesus every day. Be spiritual and practical. Adorn yourself with purity and charity. Serve others in His name. Be lavish in your generosity. Love others with His love overflowing.
Beloved, Bride of Christ, strive to be as extravagant in your passion for your Lord as He is for you.
Further Study & Reflection
Read:
"Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know" (Jeremiah 33:3).
Reflect:
- When was the last time I felt awe and wonder in my walk with God?
- How can I seek out the treasures of Scripture in a fresh way this week?
Pray:
Father, thank You for the depths of wisdom in Your Word. Give me a heart that searches for You daily and rejoices in the treasures You reveal. Amen.