Mark 12:21-25

Mark 12:21 (KJB)
And the second took her, and died, neither left he any seed: and the third likewise.

So the Sadducee tells the narrative about seven brothers marrying the same woman after each one had died. This would have gone in procession by means of the next eldest brother marrying the woman.

Mark 12:22 (KJB)
And the seven had her, and left no seed: last of all the woman died also.

Finally after seven husbands, the woman died also leaving no children.

Mark 12:23 (KJB)
In the resurrection therefore, when they shall rise, whose wife shall she be of them? for the seven had her to wife.

Here they thought that they would have Jesus because if seven husbands had her, then which one of the seven husbands could lay claim to her after they are all resurrected? They had assumed that the seven would be in constant argument about who had the right to her. These Sadducees like the Pharisees, whenever they put together a scenario where they would try and trap Jesus, found out that they were the ones who were always trapped because they did not know they were dealing with deity.

Mark 12:24 (KJB)
And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God?

This is the only written confrontation in all the gospels between Jesus and the Sadducees. Jesus makes it clear that they are in error in their understanding of the resurrection. This misunderstanding comes from the fact that they did not know the Scriptures. They had rejected all the Hebrew scriptures except the five books of Moses and therefore severely limited their knowledge. For example, if they would have accepted the prophets, they would have come to verses like Daniel 12:2 which speak of a general resurrection of everyone. (Dan 12:2 KJV) And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. They had also been in error concerning the power of God to be able to raise the dead on the last day. (1 Cor 2:5 KJV) That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. When you reject any part of the Scriptures, you are doing so to your own destruction.

Mark 12:25 (KJB)
For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven.

(1 Cor 15:44 KJV) It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. There will be a great difference between the natural body that is placed in the grave and the spiritual body which will be resurrected. Since death will be no more, then marriage for the purpose of procreation will no longer be necessary. The resurrected body will be like that of the angels which are a spiritual body. It is interesting that Jesus is likening the resurrected body to the angels, something which the Sadducees do not believe in. The principle is thus, just because someone believes a certain way or does not believe a certain way, has no effect on the truth. The Rabbis had taught that the world to come will be a continuation of the present one, but without evil or death. Jesus is trumping their belief by telling them that the world to come is going to be one of a higher order which will replace this present world. (Rev 21:1 KJV) And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea

Back.