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.
which the particle, named above, h(toimasme/nh is illustrated. In this way, Rev 21,2 is also closely associated to Rev 19,7 for precisely the preparation of the bride (h(toi/masen e(auth/n) was also mentioned within the wedding hymn. Thus, the three bridal passages Rev 19,7-8; Rev 21,2 and 21,9 are woven closely together.
2. Traditional background: Jerusalem/Zion as bride and wife
The conception of a city as a female figure has a long history especially in the western Semitic-Syrian region and it also occurs in the Judeo-Christian tradition, above all in prophecy42. The starting point for this tradition could be the idea of the ancient oriental city goddess as she appears, for example, in Sumerian texts43. Even in the most ancient sources, the female personification of cities is associated with symbols of weddings. This ancient oriental linguistic tradition then made its way into Judaism and female personifications of cities such as Samaria, Jerusalem or Babylon belong to the characteristic wealth of metaphors of the Hebrew Bible as well as the subsequent scriptures (i.e. PsSal; JosAs; 4 Es). The city goddesses play a further role in the context of Greek culture as becomes clear in Athene or Roma. In the region of Syria-Palestine and Asia Minor or, in other words, the region of those to whom Rev is addressed, Tyche is known as the city patron in the Hellenistic era44. Images of such city Tyches (tuxh_ po/lewj), bearing the characteristic feature of the wall crest as a head adornment, can often be found on coins after 1 B.C.45.