Click this link to hear an audio version of the below text narrated by SOTH member Jerry Rhinehart:
Mark 12:18-27 NIV
Marriage at the Resurrection
18 Then the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him with a question. 19 “Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. 20 Now there were seven brothers. The first one married and died without leaving any children. 21 The second one married the widow, but he also died, leaving no child. It was the same with the third. 22 In fact, none of the seven left any children. Last of all, the woman died too. 23 At the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?” 24 Jesus replied, “Are you not in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God? 25 When the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. 26 Now about the dead rising—have you not read in the Book of Moses, in the account of the burning bush, how God said to him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? 27 He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are badly mistaken!”
What was odd about the question asked by the Sadducees?
There are people who want to believe their own version of truth and then try to persuade others that it is the truth. The Sadducees were like that. They only believed a portion of the words of Moses and made up the rest. They did not believe in life after death so their question was designed to demonstrate what appeared to be the absurdity of resurrection. Instead of answering their question directly, You tried to open their minds to other possibilities. Lord help me to recognize it when I approach You and others with a closed mind. Help me to be open to Your truths, which at times are uncomfortable or hard to understand. Lord teach me to be willing to learn more and grow in my faith through Your Word and Spirit. I pray for trust. I look forward to the day when I live with You in Heaven. In that time all who are to be, have been. There will be no need for procreation. All will be friends in heaven. There will be no sin or sadness, hurt or bad feelings. You will be the main focus for every person. Each person will live in peace and love in Your heavenly communities. I thank You that through Your death, forgiveness, and resurrection, I will have a place prepared for me to live with You in heaven for eternity. I pray that Your gift of grace will be accepted freely so that more people will also have eternal hope for heaven. I live in confidence in my eternal future. Amen and Amen.