The Mohar – The Bridal Price

There are two things that speak of the blood of Christ in the Kiddushin, the first was the cup (the Kiddush) and the second is the Mohar.  We looked at the Kiddush as part of the last post.  This time we are going to concentrate on the Mohar.  The Mohar is the bridal price or literally the acquisition of the bride.  Jesus paid this on the cross.

As to the history of the Mohar we can go all the way back to the Garden of Eden where God provided a bride for His son Adam. For Eve Adam had to pay a Mohar.  He had to be put to sleep and have surgery, a shedding of blood, to remove a rib in order to have a wife.  If that’s not a bridal price I don’t know what is.  My husband has had surgery before, but it wasn’t to get me.  We see Isaac paying a Mohar when money and gifts were sent along with a servant in order to acquire Rebekah.  Jacob paid a Mohar, in fact, he paid it twice for Rachel.  When he came to his father-in-law he did not say, “OK it is time for me to get married, give me my bride.”   He said, “Give me my wife”.

Jesus did not pay with silver and gold, He paid the ultimate price.  Isaiah 52:3 states, “For this is what the LORD says: “You were sold for nothing, and without money you will be redeemed.””(NIV) 

We sold our selves at the Fall.  We didn’t get anything out of it.  We lost.  “Without money you will be redeemed” the LORD said.  That’s Isaiah 52, the next chapter is Isaiah 53, the chapter of our precious suffering servant. 

Starting in Isaiah 53:5 if says, “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.  We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.  He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,   and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.  By oppression and judgment he was taken away.  And who can speak of his descendants?  For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was stricken.  He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.  Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering,  he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.  After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.  Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors.  For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”(NIV) 

That is holy ground.  That is the sacrifice of our beloved Bridegroom, His bridal price.  The price it took to acquire us.

Let’s look at Luke 22:19 which says, “And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.””(NIV)  Here Jesus’ body is being broken for us, it is being given for us.  That’s Jesus at the last supper.  So His body was broken, while we know that His bones were not broken, His body was broken.  Not a joint remained in place.  Then, of course, we have the blood since with that broken body came blood.

In Leviticus 17:11 and Deuteronomy  12:23 we are told that life is in the blood.  Do you believe that?  Life is in the blood.  So His blood needed to be shed.  We see in I Peter 1:18-19 that scripture states, “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.”(NIV) 

Did you catch it, “Without money you will be redeemed.”(NIV)

In Revelation 1:5b we read, “To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood.”(NIV)  Then in chapter 5:9 we are given this about Jesus, “And they sang a new song:  “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.”(NIV) 

Yes, it is His blood that redeems and it redeems completely.  He didn’t just pay part of the price, He paid all of it.

At the crucifixion in John 19:30 it reads, “When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.”(NIV)  It is finished!  Tetelistai is the word in Greek.  It means paid in full. 

He paid His mohar completely.  He purchased His Bride and He paid for her in full.  He purchased her for His Father and she is His.

The Mohar was paid by Yeshua Himself as yet another part of the Kiddushin and His responsibility in it.  In our next post we take a look at the final part of the Kiddushin, the giving of the seal.  Is not our Lord and His gift of salvation marvelous.

Paid For In Full,

Vicky