“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[c] 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’[d]? 27 He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are badly mistaken!” Mark 12.18-27
The religious leaders were out to get Jesus, yet they were no match for his intellect or intelligence. His knowledge of Scripture and God’s will was complete. He was the Word of God and thus had a total advantage over anyone trying to oppose him.
And yet, Jesus still listened, engaged, loved, and cared for those who were in opposition. Even though he put them in their place, correcting them according to the things of God, he was not afraid of a good argument!
In this segment, the Sadducees attack Jesus. The Pharisees and other religious elites have had their chance, now the Sadducees, who had very specific beliefs about the resurrection of the dead, confront Jesus. But even the premise of their argument holds no sway because as Jesus says, “when the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage.” So marriage in heaven will be a non-issue.
Jesus then affirms that God is not dead either. “He is not the God of the dead, but of the living.” Since God himself said, “I AM the God of Abraham…Isaac and Jacob.” God is alive, and our hope of eternal life with him can be complete when we put our faith and trust in Jesus as Messiah.
This is the hope we have — when we die, we will be raised to new life! Death could not hold Jesus, nor will it hold those who are in Christ. And those who came before Jesus, those who believed and were in God – God has made a way for them to be raised to new life with him.
Now, I dare say I fully understand the resurrection of the dead — do we go to heaven immediately when we die? I’m basing this on our own understanding of time. My comfort comes in knowing that God receives all who love and believe in him.
Have you received Jesus into your life? Do you have hope today and hope in the life to come? Are you finding your joy in Jesus now? Turn to him this very moment. Place your faith in God by praying this simple prayer: “O Lord Jesus, I trust you. I give you my heart and faith. Fill me with your Holy Spirit. Save me and forgive me of my sins. I love you and praise your name. Amen.”