The Wedding Preparation Begins

Let’s rewind for moment to recall perhaps why Jesus may have waited to drink of the final cup. If Jesus is entering not only into a Passover meal but also into wedding ceremony, if his aim is to unite us to himself and redeem our race from the clutches of the devil; then when he would choose to drink the final fourth cup of Passover takes on utmost importance.

If were to look back into the ancient Jewish wedding celebrations, we would learn that once the wedding vows are finished, the couple then shares a final cup of wine to seal their marriage before the consummation of the marriage and the banquet begins. At the Last Supper, Jesus makes a similar important note. He tells us of his desire to drink the final fourth cup, “with us,” meaning he won’t take part in it on his own. Just like the previous cup, the final cup he also desires to share with us. Step by step then, let’s recall what happens in the days and moments prior which lead up to this night of nights, this hour of hours, and this wedding of weddings.

In reading about ancient Jewish weddings, we learned erusin and nissuin were the two main stages of marriage which every Jew at Jesus’s time knew by heart. Erusin was the betrothal and nissuin was the place of the final vows. If Jesus now is the bridegroom who has betrothed himself to his bride, the church; let’s see how he enters into the wedding ceremony in the days leading up to his hour.

Let’s see how he begins to transition from erusin to nissuin to offer his life in love for humanity. The incarnation was an erusin, a proposal of his love. In becoming man, God drew near to us to give us glimpses of his Divine life. Now shall come the final uniting, the place where nissuin takes on its beginning. The time where the bridegroom gives himself fully to his bride. Let’s see the unfolding of this wedding take place to see when Jesus partakes of vows of nissuin and drinks of the final cup of wine.

The Week of the Bridegroom

The first clue we have which reveals the time of Jesus’s wedding is about to transition from erusin to nissuin happens six days prior to the night of the Last Supper. In Bethany, Jesus is anointed with nard:

And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head. – Mark 14: 3

Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Beth’any, where Laz’arus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. There they made him a supper; Martha served, and Laz’arus was one of those at table with him. Mary took a pound of costly ointment of pure nard and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment. – John 12: 1-3

Nard hearkens back to the Song of Solomon. The scripture most sung during the procession of nissuin and the part of the bible which describes the love between a groom and his bride. Nard is an aromatic ointment, powerful in aroma, which often was used by the bride before the wedding. As a perfume, it was so pungent that even a drop of it would fill a room.

Here, days before his passion, a jar full of nard is poured upon Jesus’s feet and head. In Bethany, Jesus allows himself to be covered in the scent of his bride. In the Eastern Church, Jesus’s anointing at Bethany marks the beginning of what is referred to as the week of the bridegroom.

The second clue is that of the washing. One of the ancient Jewish traditions during the time of erusin consisted of the bride washing in the mikveh, a kind of religious bathtub, to prepare for marriage. The washing was seen as a way to purify oneself spiritually: signifying by immersion in water a new state in life which is to come through the final marriage ceremony.

Jesus, at his own baptism, a baptism for the repentance of sins, enters well before this week into the preparation of washing. There, he immerses himself into the depths of his bride’s brokenness; so he can redeem her from within. Jesus did not need to seek forgiveness from sin by baptism through John the Baptist, since he himself was sinless. Yet still, Jesus puts himself in his bride’s shoes to begin the work which all of Israel had been waiting for God to fulfill.

Speaking of shoes. Now fast-forwarded to the week of the bridegroom, a similar washing of his bride, the church, through his disciples continues:

Then he poured water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him. He came to Simon Peter; and Peter said to him, "Lord, do you wash my feet?" Jesus answered him, "What I am doing you do not know now, but afterward you will understand." Peter said to him, "You shall never wash my feet." Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have no part in me." Simon Peter said to him, "Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!" Jesus said to him, "He who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but he is clean all over; and you are clean . . . – John 13: 5-10

Notice the emphasis on two parts of the wedding preparation which Jesus mentions: Union: his desire for his bride to take part in his life; and purification: the importance that his bride, the church, has been made clean before the moments entering his hour.

Heard Again, Enough Again, Chosen Again

From the washing of the feet, we enter into what is called the Farwell Discourse: The last words by Jesus to his disciples before his passion and death. His prayer here encompasses chapters fourteen through seventeen of John’s Gospel. His words, actions, and moments of this night into the next morning tell us all about his heart for his bride:

“Let not your hearts be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” – John 14: 1-3

Here comes the language of nissuin, in the father’s house Jesus is going to prepare a place for his bride:

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch of mine that bears no fruit, he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already made clean by the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. . . . As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love.”

– John 15: 1-4, 9

Here comes first the reference to the wine of the Last Supper and the wine of the wedding. But even more so, notice Jesus’s reference for union, for his desire to abide with us just as he did when he walked with Adam and Eve in the garden. Way back then, Adam and Eve were called to “know” each other in love and from that deep abiding love to create new life. Here and now, Jesus expresses the same desire for us to “know” him, the Triune God, in the same way the first man knew the first woman, and from that knowing to be brought fully back to life. This will be how God will defeat death: By bringing us back to knowledge of the Father’s love.

“And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” – John 17: 3

Jesus  starts by revealing how he the New Adam has repaired the initial failings of the first man’s love for the first woman. In speaking about his disciples, and thus his bride, the church, Jesus says:

“Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you; for I have given them the words which you gave me, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me.” – John 17: 7-8

Where Adam failed to fill Eve’s mind with truth in the first command given to him; Jesus takes care to form his own bride, the church, in truth. Jesus makes sure his bride is heard, and he works tirelessly to renounce any lies she begins to believe throughout his ministry. Always pulling back the veil and renouncing misunderstandings or disbelief, Jesus is sure to make sure his disciples are always being formed in the right frame of mind. The result is that now, at this time for them to be put to the test. his disciples have placed their belief in him over a belief in the world’s claims for happiness.

“While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me; I have guarded them, and none of them is lost but the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you; and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I do not pray that you should take them out of the world, but that you should keep them from the evil one.”

– John 17: 12-15

Where Adam failed to till and keep the garden, guarding Eve within it; Jesus has guarded his bride. He lives fully into his call to shamar. Where Adam let the serpent into the garden to have his way with Eve and said nothing, Jesus gives his bride his Father’s word and keeps watch over her by way of prayer that the evil one may never reach her. His bride, the church, is enough to be spoken for and defended.

“And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be consecrated in truth.” – John 17: 19

Where Adam failed to choose Eve by taking no action to lay down his life while she was tempted; Jesus already has prepared to consecrate and set aside his own life so that his bride might also be set aside. Knowing what is to come will be his own disciples greatest test, he lets his own courage and strength be the foundation for his bride’s dignity and purity. His bride is chosen in truth.

Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to behold my glory which you have given me in your love for me before the foundation of the world.”– John 17: 24

In a startling recognition, we see too that not only is Jesus the bridegroom a sure gift to his bride; but very much so, he sees his bride as also a gift from the Father to him. Just like Adam delights in the gift of Eve, the bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh, Jesus delights in the gift of the disciples and the church given to him.

Lantern Light

Now for the groom shall come the lantern light procession in the night. John the Baptist, “the friend of the bridegroom” has already proclaimed the coming of the wedding well in advance. Jesus with the great gift of his life is ready for humanity to receive him as bridegroom and king. To his bride’s house he has gone, walking on earth among us. He has gathered his groomsmen by his side, the twelve apostles and all. He has chosen his bride, the church; guarded her; and prepared her for this night of all wedding nights and hour of all hours. He has received the gift of her life and the delight she means to him.

He, the bridegroom, has made all the preparations. Now he shall go to nissuin to lift up his bride; carrying her to the final wedding ceremony in the hour of the night. Now shall the ancient Jewish bridal procession come by lantern light:

So Judas, procuring a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons. – John 18: 3

There in the Passover’s full moon light, lanterns decorate the night. Humanity comes to kiss the groom in preparation for the marriage rite:

And Judas came up to Jesus at once and said, "Hail, Master!" And he kissed him. – Matthew 26: 49

In royal attire, crown and robe, the groom processes to a garden:

Then Pilate took Jesus and scourged him. And the soldiers plaited a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and clothed him in a purple robe; they came up to him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" and struck him with their hands. – John 19: 1-3

So they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called the place of a skull, which is called in Hebrew Gol'gotha.

– John 19: 17

Jesus’s mother is even there, just like at Cana she comes to witness this wedding and to let her heart enter in.

When the wine failed, the mother of Jesus said to him, "They have no wine." And Jesus said to her, “O woman what have you to do with me?” – John 2: 3-4

When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!”

– John 19: 26

Only now, the hour for the groom has finally drawn to end:

“My hour has not yet come." – John 2: 4

Then Jesus said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother!" And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home. – John 19: 27

Making vows, the groom drinks wine, granting pardon and amends:

And Jesus said, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." – Luke: 23: 34

Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfil the Scripture), "I thirst." A bowl full of vinegar stood there; so they put a sponge full of the vinegar on hyssop and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the vinegar, he said, "It is finished"; and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. – John 19: 28-30

Hanging on the cross, there at the forefront of the coming of his Father’s kingdom, at the consummation of his marriage, after every last second of his hour is finished; Jesus, the bridegroom, finally expresses his desire to drink from the fourth cup of wine. In a vow and desire for his bride’s love, he says:

“I thirst.” – John 19: 28

In the ancient Jewish ceremony, the first cup of wine is drunk during the kiddushin before erusin. It is called the cup of the covenant, the same kind of cup Jesus references at the Last Supper in the third cup of Passover. Around a year later, once the groom takes his bride into his Father’s home, under the wedding canopy, the chuppah; the second cup of a Jewish wedding is blessed through the Sheva Brachot prayers and drunk to finalize the marriage vows.

Once this cup is drunk, the nissuin of the Jewish marriage is finalized. Here at the cross we see the second cup of the ancient Jewish wedding is the aforementioned fourth cup of Passover. When Jesus decides the hour has come for Passover to be finished and nissuin to be completed, he makes his vows and states his thirst for our love and the final cup to come upon him. From the place of his thirst, we see a sponge of vinegar is stretched forth on hyssop to be given to Jesus:

So they put a sponge full of the vinegar on hyssop and held it to his mouth. – John 19: 29

Jesus asks for our love and for us to quench his thirst with the final cup of wine. He desires us to give him an act of the kind of love we have to offer him in return. After seeing the events of the wedding night unfold, it should come as no surprise that what we have to offer him is not much. Our wine has failed and fermented too long. It has grown old and weary and tired. All we are able to give him is vinegar in place of the best wine possible for our part in the greatest marriage and love offered. But the wine for the wedding and the sign of love he has to offer us in turn should be more than enough to suffice for our lack. It all starts with the hyssop and Passover centuries back.

A Long Time Coming

Upon the mention of hyssop, our eyes should pause. If we know the Old Testament and our Jewish roots, then John’s point will hit: Vinegar on hyssop. It was at the Passover of the Israelites in Exodus where this detail becomes important.

In order for the Israelites to pass over from slavery to freedom; they had to pass from spiritual death in worship of the Egyptian gods to spiritual life in worship of the one true God. To aid in this passing, the Israelites were asked to sacrifice a lamb, one year old, and then told to wipe the blood of the lamb on their doorposts. So, when the night came, death would pass-over their houses and spare their firstborn sons.

The item used to wipe the blood of the lamb on their doorposts is the same thing John alludes to here in chapter nineteen: Hyssop. The cross was a continuation of the Last Supper. It was the finishing of the Passover meal. It was the freedom of humanity from slavery to death.

The vinegar stretched on hyssop mentioned in John chapter nineteen, recalls to us the blood of Jesus the Lamb of God. It is wiped not on the wood of doorposts, but rather poured out on the wood of the cross for our sake.

Jesus has come and offered his life for our freedom. For freedom first and foremost from the clutches of Satan and his lordship of death. God has come as one of us and fought for us in a way we never would’ve guessed.

The fourth cup of wine should teach us much. Our God has come to unite himself to humanity. In response, all we are able to give him in return for his love is clubs and torches, crowns and thorns, death and scorn. The only wine we could offer to even consummate the marriage he desires to complete for us is vinegar, wine which has soured and fermented too long.

Yet, oddly this wine though is more than enough to suffice. Jesus’s surrender to our actions: To shed his blood and force upon him death; actually becomes the very means to answer our plight.

At Cana, the steward of the feast praised the groom for saving the “good wine" for last. Now at the cross do we see the New Bridegroom, God the Son, offering his “good wine,” his very body and blood, for his bride, the church.

In some way the best, most abundant, wine; the wine only God can provide; the wine we need from him; comes in a way we would least expect. It comes by the way of the offering of his blood, by the gift of his life.

Our salvation comes through the worst way possible, the death of God himself. This is the hour he surrendered to willingly. The hour of the greatest event to ever happen in human history. The event of our redemption comes by the death of one man, a simple backwater carpenter, but also God, nonetheless.

The blood of our God is the best wine saved for last. His love for us despite the worst we can offer remains steadfast.