Were the apostles members of the bride of Christ?
In 2 Corinthians 11:2 we have these words, “For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a CHASTE VIRGIN TO CHRIST.” In Revelation 21:9, the bride is referred to as “the Lamb’s bride.” Of course, this is in reference to the Lord Jesus Christ who is the “Lamb of God.” (John 1:29, 36). The Lord Jesus is referred to in the New Testament as the “bridegroom.” (Matthew 9:15, Mark 2:20, John 3:29, etc.)
Those who belong to the Lord Jesus Christ belong to His church. We read in Acts 2:47, “Praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.” (NASB). The Lord had spoken previously of the church that He would create in Matthew 16:18, “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” The language here clearly shows that at this point, the church had not yet been created. Just before the Lord Jesus ascended back to Heaven, He told His disciples, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” (Acts 1:8). The Holy Spirit’s coming into the world to indwell every believer marks the beginning of the church. I encourage you to read the 2nd chapter of Acts to learn about the beginning of the church.
The church is synonymous with “the body of Christ”, “the house of God” and “the bride of Christ.” Each showing a different characteristic of the Lord’s people in this present dispensation. Since the church began on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2, we know that everyone that is in the church is also part of the bride of Christ. All of the Lord’s 12 Apostles, including Matthias, were alive on the Day of Pentecost. (Acts 1:13; 21-26). So, yes, all the Lord’s Apostles are part of the bride of Christ.
Now, John the Baptist was NOT a part of the bride of Christ because he died before the beginning of the church. The Lord must have given him supernatural insight to what the bride of Christ would be because he wrote in John 3:28-29, “Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.” He understood that the bridegroom (Christ) would have a bride (the church), but that he would not be a part of it. He described himself as “the friend of the bridegroom.” We might think of that today as the best man. The Lord Jesus said of John in Luke 7:28, “For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist…” John was the last of the Old Testament prophets and his work as the forerunner of Christ to announce the Lord’s presence in the world cannot be overstated. Yet, since he died before the day of Pentecost, he is not part of the church, which is the bride of Christ. John was completely satisfied with his position. He wrote, “this my joy therefore is fulfilled.”
Dear reader, are you part of the Lord’s church, His body, His bride? Have you taken the Lord Jesus Christ to be your savior? I encourage you to consider these things and, if you have not, put your faith in the Lord Jesus so that you might be saved. To wait is to risk a lost eternity in the lake of fire! Matthew 11:28-30, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (CC) (631.6)