I'll quote myself:
So how could the Bride be the saints in this clear verse?:
In this verse it is quite clear the Bride of Christ is the New Jerusalem, not the saints at all, right?
Please explain how a pure bride can be "a mother" as declared 2000 years ago and yet a bride at Christ's return?
Let those who are inclined to cling to the tradition view that the church is the bride, and that the marriage is after Christ comes, and the saints are caught up to Heaven, answer the following questions:
1. Who are illustrated by the man found at the marriage, Matt. 22, not having on the wedding garment?
2. Will any be caught up by mistake, to be bound hand and foot, and be cast down to the earth again?
3. If the church is the wife, who are they that are called to the marriage as guests?
4. Jerusalem above is the mother of the children of promise; but if the church is the Lamb's wife, who are the children?
in interpreting bible symbolic language or a metaphor or a parable : are we limited to assign a symbol one is to one?
The reason i ask is that in John 10.... Jesus describes himself as the door and the good shepherd at the same time:
John 10
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Parable of the Good Shepherd
10 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 A stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 This figure of speech Jesus spoke to them, but they did not understand what those things were which He had been saying to them.
7 So Jesus said to them again, “Truly, truly, I say to you
, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and [a]have it abundantly.
11 “
I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, 15 even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd. 17 For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. 18 No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.”