The Wedding Ceremony

Preparations for the Hebrew Wedding:

• Prerequisites: Two things have to happen before the wedding can take place

• Terms of the contract (Ketubah) have to be met

  • Mojar — Money paid to the Bride’s family

  • Mattan — Gifts given to the Bride

• Wedding chamber has to be finished

  • Usually a room added onto the Groom’s father’s house or somewhere on his property

  • Groom’s father has to decide the quality of the work on the wedding chamber is good enough

• Groom goes and brings bride to their new home

• Consummation of the marriage makes it official — Wedding guests are there, awaiting the news

Related Scriptures:

• Groom fulfills contract

  • “When He had received the drink Jesus said, ‘It is finished.’ With that, He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.” (John 19:30)

  • Greek word for ‘it is finished’ is ‘tetelestai’ — Found on bills/contracts from that time period and translates “Paid in full”)

• Groom prepares a place for his bride

  • “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms or mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” (John 14:1-3)

• Groom’s father decides when he can go get his bride

  • “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come.” (Mark 13:32-33)

• Groom and his friends go to the woman’s village, loudly announcing their arrival with shouting and blowing on horns

  • “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16)

• Once he has his father’s permission, the groom goes eagerly for his bride

  • Parable of the Ten Virgins (Matthew 25:1-13)