Ruben Zimmermann, «Nuptial Imagery in the Revelation of John», Vol. 84 (2003) 153-183
In this article is argued that the nuptial imagery of the Book of Revelation is not limited to chapters 19 and 21 but rather runs throughout the book. While the imagery is certainly most pronounced in the final part of the book, it also appears in the letters to the churches (bridal wreath in Rev 2,10; 3,11), in the scene depicting the 144,000 as virgins (Rev 14,4-5), and is encountered again in Rev 18,23 (silencing of the voice of bridegroom and bride) and Rev 22,17 (summons of the bride) at the end of the book. Thus the wedding metaphors can be seen as one of the structural patterns of Revelation as a whole directly in contrast to the metaphors of fornication.
between sovereignty and the wedding image and clearly shows proximity in both motif and language to the doxology of Rev 19,6-8, as the table shows:
Rev 19,6–8 |
Motif |
Ps 44 (LXX) |
||
v. 6: e)basi/leusen ku/rioj o( qeo_j | (divine) |
o( basileu_j ... o( ku/rio/j sou (v. 12) |
||
[h(mw=n] | King | o( qro/noj sou o( qeo/j ... (v. 7); (cf. king [basil*] also in vv. 5.6b.7b.10a. 15a.14a.16b) | ||
o( pantokra/twr. | omnipotence |
a!rxontaj e)pi_ pa=san th_n gh=n (v. 17b)cf. e)n pa/sh| genea=| kai_ genea=| (v. 18a) |
||
v. 7: xai/rwmen kai_ a)galliw=men | joy |
e!laion a)gallia/sewj (v. 8)e)n eu)frosu/nh| kai_ a)gallia/sei (v. 16) |
||
kai_ dw/swmen th_n do/can au)tw=| ... | glory (Doxa) | pa=sa h(
do/ca au)th=j qugatro_j
basile/wj (v. 14) |
||
h( gunh_ au)tou= h(toi/masen e(auth/n | adorned bride | (quga/ter ...) e)n krosswtoi=j xrusoi=j peribeblhme/nh pepoikilme/nh (v. 14, cf. 10.15) | ||
v. 8: kai_ e)do/qh au)th=| i#na periba/lhtai bu/ssinon lampro_n kaqaro/n: | wear bright garment | e)n i(matismw=|
diaxru/sw| peribeblhme/nh
pepoikilme/nh (vv. 10.14) |
||
to_ ga_r bu/ssinon ta_ dikaiw/mata tw=n a(gi/wn e)sti/n: | righteousness/ justice | basi/leue e#neken
a)lhqei/aj kai_ prau%thtoj
kai_ dikaiosu/nhj
(v. 5b) h)ga/phsaj dikaiosu/nhn (v. 8) |
Psalm 45 (44 LXX) extols the wedding, taking place with the sheer jubilation and joy of all participants, of a king and a bride adorned in splendid robes. This king legitimizes his power directly from God and is himself addressed as "God" (v. 7). At a time when the political monarchy was long a thing of the past, an idealistic monarchy was described doxologically. It was a monarchy showing clear messianic overtones in formulations such as "anointed with oil, token of joy", "eternal throne", and "sceptre of righteousness". The bride can also be metaphorically interpreted as "Zion", as is not least suggested by the placement, by the Sons of Korah, of the Psalm in the Hebrew Canon (before the Zion Psalms)32.
The similarity to the royal wedding of Rev becomes obvious based simply on the parallels of motif. The inter-textual connection between