Why The Cross Is a Marriage Bed (Christopher West)

Christopher West and Matt Fradd talk about what Chastity inside of a marriage looks like (i.e. what sexual acts are allowed).

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[sandstorm]

The title made me raise an eyebrow at first, but oh wow realizing that Christ's death created "children" when he told Mary to take John as her son, makes it make so much sense!!!
One of my favorite passages is Ephesians 5 telling married couples how to act. It says men must love their wife by GIVING HIS LIFE for their bride just as Christ did for his church, so the marriage bed metaphor is more real than I thought!

I love these kinds of deeper metaphors and parallels that can be found all throughout Christianity.

[CatholicNicklas]

Some of these comments are missing the point, this is a beautiful theological truth from St. Augustine.

[ddoggall]

Many old (and beautiful) churches have a baldacchino above the altar; the altar is as a marriage bed where Our Lord and His bride, the Church, consumate the marriage in the Eucharist (COM-union) producing new life within the Body of believers.

[GraceElaineSings]

These insights are PROFOUND. I feel Like Christopher and Saint Francis would have a lot to discuss.

[paddydiskin]

That explanation is so beautiful, so, so beautiful.
Thank you Christopher West.

[stephengontis]

It strikes me that various commenters are likely more than willing to accept Christ as the Bridegroom, while refusing the full reality of His Consummation as Bridegroom. Saint Augustine (and here, West) are right on the money.

[robertortiz-wilson]

The average viewer will find this too confusing and unfortunately “new.” I suppose they would indeed have to read the book.

[mariamoments]

Having the crucifix above your marital bed is also important

[EOShorts]

This video lead me to view further videos of this man going deeper into this subject. I think it important to say the Eastern Orthodox do not share this sexualizing of the mysteries. I mean no disrespect but this whole idea seems to express a sort of pagan fertility/sex ritual. Just because a parallel can be made, doesn’t mean it should be made, or that it even reflects the truth about these deeper mysteries. Just a general objection; why are we “sons by adoption”? A marital act in the marital bed is not needed to make this gift life-giving, if we are sons and daughters by adoption. The mysteries are life giving in a sense far beyond the need for “the grape is the ovary and the wheat is the seed and the chalice is the garden of Mary’s womb” ect ect ect. These are themes I learned in my occult studying prior to my conversion. Themes that dismiss the reality of Christ, by the way, and dilute our faith down to just another worldly sex ritual, or freemasonic spiritual alchemy causing disbelief among the onlookers.

But for those interested in the symbolism without sexualizing our union with God; the bed is also a “type” of tomb, as sleep is a type of death. And marriage is a death to self. We sacrifice ourselves to the other and in our life giving sacrificial love we emulate Christs marriage to the Church, and the cross can still be seen as a marital bed if need. It’s not fleshy. God is not “making love to us” when we receive the Eucharist. I find this man’s work in this area deeply innapropriate and crossing boundaries where there should be much more reverence for Gods mysteries.

Forgive me, a sinner

[eduardomira]

wow just wow! this was an eye opener. And I mean that in a good way. Is like seeing anew.

[shell..]

Oh man I need to listen to that about a hundred times.

[minaparish]

Made a great deal of sense to me. Thank you!

[jtrcuber]

So is Mary also seen as a sort of bride to Christ in the same way the Church is?

[UVJ_Scott]

The Church is the Bride. Christ the Groom.

[jacktracy]

John 6:47 KJV "Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believes on ME has EVERLASTING LIFE."
If you do not know where you will go if you died right now that means you do not have EVERLASTING LIFE and that means you deny what CHRIST said and that means you deny CHRIST.

[dean_stan]

Maybe it’s as simple as God needs his priests the opposite to what the devils demons are! Which is pure in thoughts, words & deeds… without sin 🤍🖤

[danielballabani]

I wonder if it's THE tim pool who asked the question

[JessicaPavone-rl]

So this is all metaphorical not litteral though...is what it's saying

[clarekuehn]

Well, it isn't bride for bride if a woman does it, either: church includes men; metaphorical church feminine (not female), so in reality this was a bad argument.

[andrewclark]

Sounds like the thoughts of Augustine not of God. The wedding of the Lamb is described in Rev 19 and nowhere in scripture that I can find is the idea of the cross as a consummation event with the church nor that somehow Jesus mystically marries his mother. I didn’t hear any scriptural support quoted for these ideas so where do they come from?