Mark 12:18-27 NASB
¹⁸Some Sadducees (who say that there is no resurrection) came to Jesus, and began questioning Him, saying,
¹⁹Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves behind a wife and leaves no child, his brother should marry the wife and raise up children to his brother.
²⁰There were seven brothers; and the first took a wife, and died leaving no children. ²¹The second one married her, and died leaving behind no children; and the third likewise; ²²and so all seven left no children. Last of all the woman died also.
²³In the resurrection, when they rise again, which one’s wife will she be? For all seven had married her.
²⁴Jesus said to them, “Is this not the reason you are mistaken, that you do not understand the Scriptures or the power of God? ²⁵For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.
²⁶But regarding the fact that the dead rise again, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the burning bush, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? ²⁷He is not the God of the dead, but of the living; you are greatly mistaken.”
What the Pharisees and Herodians failed to do (See Mark 12:13-17), now the Sadducees may succeed. They will have thought: He must be such a self-made rabbi – in fact a layman in theological sense! – So we must not try to catch him on political side issues, but on theological main issues’.
So they bring in the resurrection question!
Armed with that question, they approach Jesus.
But then of course they are only concerned with clamping down or catching Him (Cf. Luke 20:20). So it is a matter of formulating the question.
They make sure to keep up the appearance of a normal dispute question and to appeal to the books of Moses (Genesis through Deuteronomy).
The entire problem surrounding the alleged life after death will have to provide ‘proof’ for the impossibility of this!
They already have a first serious rebuke in advance (Mark 12:24).
They are wrong with their unbelief in the resurrection (Mark 12:18).
Their neatly dressed problem about that poor sevenfold widow resolves in Jesus’ knowing of the Word of his heavenly Father, the almighty Creator. He, who will recreate everything (Including the people of course!), As they as biblical experts should know (See for instance Isaiah 65:17-25).
In doing so, they should gain a little more awareness of the absolute newness of that future world. God is working toward us being perfect.
We no longer need to edit and secure our future through anything. For our new, spiritual body (1 Corinthians 15:40-44) sexuality and marriage are superfluous (Mark 12:25; Luke 20:34,35). We can also move freely like the angels and are immortal and perfect!
Jesus could not cite his resurrection as proof.
For the time being, his three most intimate students had enough questions about that (See Mark 9:9,10). That is why He also refers to Moses (Mark 12: 26,27).
He shows that the Patriarchs are living safely with God in heaven pending their resurrection (Hebrews 12:23). Likewise, we look forward to our resurrection or glorification.
Question for self-reflection
▪︎ When will Jesus’ followers be resurrected or transformed? (Compare 1 Corinthians 15: 50-53.)
Prayer suggestion
▪︎ Thank God for the glorious future He will create.
Twitter: @SchoemakerHarry
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