In the days of Yeshua, a youth would select a maiden whom he desired to take as his wife. Accompanied by his father, he would journey to the abode of the young woman, where they would meet with her and her father. In this assembly, the two fathers would engage in deliberation over the matter of the "bride price" – a sum of currency or goods exchanged between the groom and the bride's father. It served as a form of recompense for the privilege of espousing his daughter.
Once the agreement on the "bride price" was reached, the father of the prospective groom would fill a goblet with wine and bestow it upon his son. The son, bearing the cup, would then approach the would-be bride and stand before her.
As he extended the cup, he would speak these words: "All that I am and all that I possess, I offer unto you. Will you be my bride? Will you consent to be joined with me in matrimony?"
At this juncture, the young woman possessed the freedom to refuse the cup and decline the proposal. Alternatively, she could respond affirmatively, accepting the cup and partaking of its contents. Then, in turn, she would take the cup and present it to her suitor, saying, "All that I possess and all that I am, I give unto you. I shall be your bride. I shall become your wife." These ceremonial customs constituted the establishment of betrothal.
Now, let us return to the connection between the Passover and the Bride. For my people, Passover signifies the commemoration of God's redemption of Israel, His chosen Bride, from the clutches of Egypt.
Consider the words of Isaiah 54:5:
"For your spouse is your Maker,
Whose name is the Lord of hosts;
And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel,
Who is known as the God of all the earth."
Moreover, Jeremiah 31:31-32 reveals:
"Behold, the days are approaching, says the Lord, when I shall establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah—not like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt. For this is the covenant which they broke, though I had espoused them, declares the Lord."
Let us now examine the Passover supper that Yeshua partook in with His disciples. Unleavened bread, marked by stripes and piercings, is customarily present at every Seder. When He took the bread, He invoked a blessing, broke it, and distributed it among His disciples, saying, "Take, eat; this is My body."
Furthermore, a traditional Seder entails the pouring and consecration of four cups. The third cup is known as the cup of Redemption. When Yeshua reached this moment, He diverged from the customary prayer. Instead of uttering the familiar words, "Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, Creator of the fruit of the vine," He declared:
"Drink from it, all of you, for this is the blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the forgiveness of sins." (Matthew 26:26-28)
The disciples were astounded. Essentially, Yeshua was expressing, "All that I am and all that I possess, I offer unto you. I love you. Will you consent to become My bride?" He proposed marriage to them, employing the very language traditionally associated with such a proposition, intertwined within the feast they had observed throughout their lives.
Yeshua was renewing the covenant with His disciples. It signified a reconciliation with Israel and the redemption of all humankind. It constituted a reestablishment of the marital bond.
When we partake in communion, we too renew our covenant with Him. He presents Himself to us afresh, seeking our response. By accepting His cup, we declare