JBL 109/2 (1990) 269-287 “HIS BRIDE HAS PREPARED HERSELF’: REVELATION 19-21 AND ISAIAN NUPTIAL IMAGERY JAN FEKKES IIL 221 E. Wall Street, Camano Island, WA 98292 In the visionary drama of the book of Revelation, two of the principal dramatis personae which appear are the collective images of Harlot-Babylon and the Bride-New Jerusalem. A variety of parallels between the Babylon section (chaps. 17-18) and the New Jerusalem section (chaps. 21-22) show that the author of Revelation consciously and consistently plays one against the other by adopting similar introductory phraseology, thematic sequences, and verbal patterns. It is appropriate then that the introduction of the bride theme (Rev 19:7-9) immediately follows the celebration of the harlot’s judg- ment (19:1-4). Within the hymnic pericope of Rev 19:5-9, vv. 7-9 announce the wedding of the Lamb and the preparation of his bride. This passage prepares for and anticipates Rev 21:2, where the bride is introduced and 21:9-21, where the bride is described. In all three places the author of Revelation builds on OT traditions that use marriage symbolism to describe the relationship between Yahweh and his faithful people. The purpose of the present article is to explore the interrelationship of the three passages that make up the bride construct in Revelation (19:7-9; 21:2; 21:9, 18-21) and their dependence on OT nuptial imagery, in particular Isa 61:10 and 54:11.12. I. Revelation 19-21 and Isa 6110 Rev 19:7-8 Rev 21:2b yadpwper xat dyaXhGev “Iepovoadhy xaviy cov... xxl Bdawpev thy SéEor adeg Fromaopévny ths vopgnv Be FABey 6 ydp0¢ 105 dpviov rexoaunuévyy t@ dvBpl arbeiis. xl yori aod trolpacey Eaxuriy ah IB6Dn, ade tor meprBadreor Bocawoy Napnpdv xaBapsy 2d yp Biaawov xe Brxcredparcer tiv dylev dorty 269270 Journal of Biblical Literature Isa 61:10 WWE LNW xa edgpoaivy edppavOhcovrar SWI DIN MND ent xdeiov, dyaddkate A guy 2D TON pov eri tH xvpio* evéSuce yéo YONI IWIN ue iudcov cwrnptov xat yrdva JAND RAY APTS DY edepooivys cg wuelo neodOrxé TDD ANE ITD? wor plrpav xad dg voweny TOD TWN xorexdopnos pe xdopep. The influence of Isa 61:10 on Rev 21:2b has long been acknowledged by commentators! In view of this, it is surprising that the possibility of a similar inspiration in the earlier parallel passage of 19:7-9 has been left relatively unexplored. Part of the reason for this is that in chap. 19, commentators have generally been concerned with and distracted by the presence of traditions relating to the eschatological wedding parables found in the Gospels, especially Matthew? These affinities are not to be denied; but, on the other hand, they do not account for all the various strands of marriage imagery which John employs. A breakdown of those elements of wedding symbolism that appear in Rev 19:7-9 (and the related passage in 21:2) betrays instead asynthesis of OT and early Christian traditions, with Isa 61:10 offering several parallels. 19:7ba The eschatological “wedding” (yuo) in which the Messiah is “bridegroom” (vugtos, though John does not specifically use this word of Christ): Matt 22:1-13; 25:1-13 (cf. Mark 2:19-20 par; 2 Cor 11:2; Eph 5:22-33; John 3:29), 19:7bB; The people of God as the “bride” (yov4, vSpen): Isa 61:10 (cf. (21:2, 9; 62:4-5; Hosea 2; 2 Cor 11:2; Eph 5:22-33). 22:17) 19:7bB, The bride “prepared” (étosdtiw) and “adorned” (xoopéeo): Isa (21:2b) 61:10 (ef. 49:18). 19:8a, 14 The bride divinely granted (¢868n ath) a wedding garment: Isa 61:10. 19:9a The wedding meal (Setxvoy 105 -yduov): Matt 22:1-13 (using &pistov; cf. Matt 26:9; 4 Ezra 9:47). 19:9a The invited guests (of xexAnuévor): Matt 22:1-13 Elsewhere in Revelation where John has transmitted early Christian + P.van Bergen, “Dans lattente de la nouvelle Jerusalem.” Lumiére et vie, Supplement biblique 45 (1959) 1-9; R. Batey, New Testoment Nuptial Imagery (Leiden: Brill, 1971) 57; D. Aune, “Bride of Christ.” ISBE, 1. 547. = L.A. Vos, The Synoptic Traditions in the Apocalypse (Kampen: Kok, 1965) 163-74; E. Schiissler Fiorenza, The Book of Revelation: Justice and Judgement (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1985) 104; T. Holtz, Die Christologie der Apokalunse des Johannes (Berlin: Akademie, 1962) 190.Fekkes: Revelation 19-21 and Isaian Nuptial Imagery 27 traditions, they have almost always appeared in close combination with par- allel OT traditions (eg., Rev 6:12-17 and 14:14-20). Rarely does the prophet present distinctly Christian testimonia on their own authority, independent of some related OT foundation. It is consistent with this pattern that in the present case we find a similar integration of old and new combining direct prophetic statement with later Christian development. However, it is impor- tant to note that, after its introduction (19:7-9), when the bride theme is taken up again (21:2) and developed (21:9-21), the OT connections prevail and identifiable early Christian traditions fade from view. This makes it all the more important to recognize the introductory func- tion of 19:7-9 in relation to the presentation of the Bride-New Jerusalem of Revelation 212 Although in the latter the bride may be described primarily on the basis of OT motifs, it will be argued that the nuptial imagery of chap. 21 should not be explained in isolation from the combination of OT and early Christian tradition found in the hymnic preamble of 19:7-9. With this understanding of the complementary relationship between Rev 19:7-9 and 21:2ff. in mind, we can now move on to discuss in more detail the extent and nature of the Isaiah allusions contained in these two passages. (1) Rev 19:7a yadpeoper xal dyadhiGyev... dtr... , “Let us rejoice and be glad... .for..” Various parallels to this introductory call to praise have been noted by commentators, e.g., Matt 5:l2a (xatpete xai &yadhaobe, Sct. . .), Pss 96 (97); 18:24. But if any specific source is to be sought for this somewhat stylized phrase, a more likely candidate would be Isa 61:10a, which offers a similar structure, diction, and theme. There, as in Revelation, an introductory expression of praise to God (using YW and 5°3, which are commonly trans- lated with yaipw and éyahAvko respectively) is followed by the ground of praise (2, “for”), which contains not only marriage imagery but a similar clothing allegory as well. (2) Rev 19:7b8 xai 4 yovi aicos, “and his bride” che Vimory xexooprevny to dvbgl abciic, “as a bride adorned for her husband” 3 Contra Holtz, who on the basis of variations in terminology between 19:7-9 and 212 questions whether the two passages should be closely connected (Christologie, 186-87). Such differences, however, are typical of John's method of thematic recapitulation; cf. G. B. Caird, A Commentary on the Revelation of St. John the Divine (New York: Harper & Row, 1966) 234. + A few mss (R? gig co Apr) read viugn for yuvf in 19:7, The use of yuv4 here in anticipation of the wedding follows Jewish convention, where engagement (BM; Mish. DIN; wmarese) served as a formal and legally binding starting point of a marriage, which was then consummated with the wedding (TMM: yéu06) Deut 22:23-24; Matt 1:18-25; Joseph and Aseneth 21:1 “It does not befit a man to sleep with his wife [yuri] before the wedding [np6 sv yoo” (C. Burchard, “Joseph and Aseneth;” OTE, 2. 241); Greek text from C. Burchard, "Ein vorlaufiger griechischer Text von Joseph und Aseneth” Dielheimer Blattor zum Alton Tostoment 1A (1979) 2-53. CL also Jeseph and Aseneth 21:3; 23:3; IDB, 3. 284.