22:17 How are we to understand this?
22:17 How are we to understand this?
The general consensus among bible commentators, based on the premise that the church is the bride of Christ, is that the Holy Spirit and the church are inviting all unsaved peoples here to partake of the salvation - the water of life - in Christ. However, the bible does not teach that the church is the bride, but rather, New Jerusalem is.
Therefore, it is New Jerusalem, allegorically the progenitor of all Christians ... the mother of us all, that is referred to here, not the church (cp Ga 4:26; Rev 19:7-8; 21:2, 9-10).
For more detailed studies on the bride of Christ see comments on Ro 7:4, 2 Cor 11:2, Eph 2:15-16 (B), Eph 4:13, 5:25-32, Rev 19:7-9, 21:2.