Wikipedia's definition of Bride price is:
Bride price, is an amount of money or property or wealth paid by the groom or his family to the parents of a woman upon the marriage of their daughter to the groom ... The agreed bride price is generally intended to reflect the perceived value of the girl or young woman.
Both Exodus 22 & Deuteronomy 22 speak about this price.
The Dowry however, (which it is often confused with) is an amount of money or property which is given to the groom whom a girl marries.
Today is the day when we remember the greatest bride price of all. For such a bride Jesus was prepared to pay what ever it took.
Philippians 2: 6 Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his
own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
To give up all of heaven, all of it's riches to purchase a bride seems enough (who could be worth that?), but then He goes on to pay the ultimate price:
Matt 27: 27 Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and
gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. 28 They stripped
him and put a scarlet robe on him, 29 and then twisted together a
crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right
hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of
the Jews!” they said. 30 They spit on him, and took the staff and struck
him on the head again and again. 31 After they had mocked him, they
took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him
away to crucify him.
And then to take on the Father's wrath for all sin!
Rom 3: 25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding
of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his
righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed
beforehand unpunished— 26 he did it to demonstrate his righteousness
at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who
have faith in Jesus.
Isa 53 10 Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
and though the LORD makes his life an offering for sin,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.
11 After he has suffered,
he will see the light of life and be satisfied;
by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,
and he will bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,
and he will divide the spoils with the strong,
because he poured out his life unto death,
and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors.
What a bride price! What a cost! What amazing bride could be worth this? The Church! His Church! You and I!
I struggle regularly with why Jesus would do this for me, how can I possibly do anything but make this amazing bride less worthy? less valuable? but the reason for His Passion is His Church, and I am part of it, He chose me to be so in full knowledge of all my sin.
And so the most expensive bride has been offered the highest price by her groom and amazingly there is no dowry to pay. No price can be paid - for everything has already been given.
Today truly is Good Friday
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