Bridal relationships. - It must not be inferred that we deny the occurrence of bridal relationships in the other

Gospels; they are there, and we recognise them, but what we wish to draw attention to is that bridal relationships are

perpetuated now among that great company of believers outside the Body at the present time:

`He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him,

rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled' (John 3:29).

Now it is nowhere said, either in the synoptic Gospels, or in John, that those addressed actually formed part of

the bride; neither, therefore, do we. John the Baptist makes it clear that he formed no part of the bride, his being a

special relationship as, `the friend of the bridegroom'. In Matthew, Mark, and Luke the disciples are spoken of as

`children of the bride-chamber', who, of course, are not the bride, and in Matthew 25 virgins go out to meet the

approaching bridegroom, not as brides, but to be present at the marriage feast.

The bride is distinguished from those blessed ones who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb in

Revelation 19:7,9, as also in Matthew 22, so that all we can say here is, that while the bride herself may not be in

process of formation during this present period, the great company who are called to the marriage supper of the

Lamb are being gathered out.

Light on the subject may be obtained from the parable of Matthew 22. We have first of all the invitation to the

wedding of those `who had been bidden'. Following their refusal the invitation is repeated, with the urgent addition,

`All things are ready'. This they made light of. The word translated `made light' here is rendered `neglect' in

Hebrews 2:3. As a consequence these refusers are destroyed and their city burned. This clearly refers to the

destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70.

But after this date, and consequently after the ministry of Peter and Paul in the Acts, a further invitation is sent

out, this time into the highways, with the result that the wedding is furnished with guests. This exactly corresponds

with the subsequent ministry of John in his Gospel, which extends the marriage feast invitation to believers now.

Again, the first of the eight signs of John's Gospel is that given at the marriage feast in Cana of Galilee. There

the water was turned into wine, and there the Lord manifested forth His glory. At this feast Christ is not the

bridegroom, both He and His disciples being present as `guests'. This first sign therefore suggests that those who

came under John's ministry here form the great company who shall be invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.

The other sheep. - The Lord's people are never called sheep in the epistles of the mystery, neither is the Lord

called their Shepherd. It is Israel who say: `We are His people and the sheep of His pasture' (Psa. 100:3). During

our Lord's earthly ministry He said: `I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel' (Matt. 15:24).

John's Gospel, however, contains a revelation concerning `other sheep' which the Lord had and which He would

`And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear My voice; and

there shall be one fold (flock) and one Shepherd' (John 10:16).

Who are those other sheep? The answer that comes most readily and acceptably is, `Israel of the Dispersion',

but is this the right answer? The other sheep are declared to be `not out of (ek) this fold'.

We must distinguish between the two words translated `fold' in the A.V. of verse 16. Aule is `fold', while

poimne is `flock'. Aule is most probably derived from the Hebrew ohel, tent or tabernacle. Primarily it means an

open courtyard, and John himself uses the word in 18:15, where it is translated `palace'. Originally sheep-folds

were in the open court of the house, and the word is so used in 2 Chronicles 4:9; Psalm 65:4; 135:1; Isaiah 1:12, and

many other passages. These other sheep were not `of this fold', were not connected with those courts of the Lord

into which it was the peculiar prerogative of Israel to enter. The dispersion could hardly be so designated.

The word poimne, flock, is intimately associated with poimen, shepherd, the flock being viewed not so much as

so many sheep, but as so many sheep under one shepherd. Poimnion, the diminutive, is found in Acts 20:28,29

where it most certainly is used of the church of God: