Mark 12:25

18. And the Sadducees come to him, who say that there is no resurrection; and they interrogated him, saying, 19. Master, Moses wrote to us, that, if any man's brother die, and leave a wife, and do not leave children, his brother shall take his wife, and raise up seed to his brother. 20. There were seven brothers; and the first took a wife, and he, dying, left no seed. 21. And the second took her, and died, and neither did he leave any seed; and the third likewise. 22. And the seven took her, and did not leave seed. And last of all the wife died also. 23. In the resurrection, therefore, when they shall rise again, whose wife of them shall she be? for the seven had her for a wife. 24. And Jesus answering said to them, Is it not the reason why you err, that you do not know the Scriptures, nor the power of God? 25. For when they shall rise again from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels of God who are in heaven. 26. But as to the dead, that they rise again, have you not read in the book of Moses, how God spoke to him in the bush, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? 27. God is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living; therefore you greatly err. 27. And some of the Sadducees, who say that there is no resurrection, came, and interrogated him, 28. Saying, Master, Moses wrote to us, that if any man's brother die having a wife, and he die without children, his brother shall take his wife, and raise up seed to his brother.

This therefore which God hath spoken once, we are concerned to hear twice, to hear and believe, to hear and apply--that power belongs to God, Ps. lxii. 11; Rom. iv. 19-21. The same power that made soul and body and preserved them while they were together, can preserve the body safe, and the soul active, when they are parted, and can unite them together again; for behold, the Lord's arm is not shortened. The power of God, seen in the return of the spring (Ps. civ. 30), in the reviving of the corn (John xii. 24), in the restoring of an abject people to their prosperity (Ezek. xxxvii. 12-14), in the raising of so many to life, miraculously, both in the Old Testament and in the New, and especially in the resurrection of Christ (Eph. i. 19, 20), are all earnests of our resurrection by the same power (Phil. iii. 21); according to the mighty working whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself. 2. He sets aside all the force of their objection, by setting the doctrine of the future state in a true light (v. 25); When they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage. It is a folly to ask, Whose wife shall she be of the seven? For the relation between husband and wife, though instituted in the earthly paradise, will not be known in the heavenly one.

12:18-27 A right knowledge of the Scripture, as the fountain whence all revealed religion now flows, and the foundation on which it is built, is the best preservative against error. Christ put aside the objection of the Sadducees, who were the scoffing infidels of that day, by setting the doctrine of the future state in a true light. The relation between husband and wife, though appointed in the earthly paradise, will not be known in the heavenly one. It is no wonder if we confuse ourselves with foolish errors, when we form our ideas of the world of spirits by the affairs of this world of sense. It is absurd to think that the living God should be the portion and happiness of a man if he is for ever dead; and therefore it is certain that Abraham's soul exists and acts, though now for a time separate from the body. Those that deny the resurrection greatly err, and ought to be told so. Let us seek to pass through this dying world, with a joyful hope of eternal happiness, and of a glorious resurrection.

For when they shall rise from the dead,.... These seven brethren, and the woman; and so any, and every other: they neither marry, nor are given marriage: there will be no such natural relation subsisting, nor any need of any: but are as the angels which are in heaven; See Gill on Matthew 22:30.

25 . when they shall rise ] Had they known the power of God they could not have imagined that it was limited by death, or that the life of “the children of the resurrection” was a mere repetition of man’s present mortal existence. Compare the argument of St Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:39-44 , based on the endless variety of the creative power of God. as the angels ] The Sadducees denied not only the Resurrection, but the existence also of angels and spirits ( Acts 23:8 ). In His reply, therefore, our Lord embraces the whole area of their unbelief. He refers to the angels in heaven as persons, whose personal existence was a fact. Moreover in these words we have one of the few revelations which He was pleased to make as to the state after death. They imply that, as St Paul teaches, at the Resurrection “ we shall be changed ” ( 1 Corinthians 15:44 ), and the “ spiritual body ” will not be liable to the passions of the “ natural body .”

Verse 25. - But are as angels in heaven - not "the angels;" the οἱ is omitted. The blessed, after the resurrection, will be like angels as to purity, as to a spiritual life, as to immortality, as to happiness and glory. There will be no necessity for marriages in heaven. Here, on earth, the father dies, but he lives on in his children after death. In heaven there is no death, but every one will live and be blessed for ever; and therefore it is that St. Luke adds here, "Neither can they die any more." St. Augustine says, "Marriages are on account of children; children on account of succession; succession on account of death. But in heaven, as there is no death, neither is there any marriage." Mark 12:25

25. For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage—"neither can they die any more" (Lu 20:36). Marriage is ordained to perpetuate the human family; but as there will be no breaches by death in the future state, this ordinance will cease. but are as the angels which are in heaven—In Luke (Lu 20:36) it is "equal unto the angels." But as the subject is death and resurrection, we are not warranted to extend the equality here taught beyond the one point—the immortality of their nature. A beautiful clause is added in Luke (Lu 20:36)—"and are the children of God"—not in respect of character, which is not here spoken of, but of nature—"being the children of the resurrection," as rising to an undecaying existence (Ro 8:21, 23), and so being the children of their Father's immortality (1Ti 6:16).

Are as the angels - That is, as the angels in respect to connections and relations. What those connections and relations may be we know not, but this passage teaches that the special relation of "marriage" will not exist. It does not affirm, however, that there will be no recollection of former marriages, or no recognition of each other as having existed in this tender relation.

[Reformed Biblical] his verse. ## THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARK - Chapter 12 - Verse 17 Verse 17. No Barnes text on this verse. {z} "to Caesar" Matthew 17:25-27; Romans 13:7; 1 Pe 2:17 {a} "to God" E cclesiastes 5:4,5; Malachi 1:6 ## THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARK - Chapter 12 - Verse 18 Verses 18-27. See this passage full y explained in Matthew 22:23-33. Verse 18. No Barnes text on this verse. {b} "Then come unto hi m" Matthew 22:23; Luke 20:27 {c} "say there is" Acts 23:8 ## THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARK - Chapter 12 - Verse 19 Verse 19. No Barnes text on this verse. {d} "wrote unto us" Deuteronomy 25:5 {e} "his brother should" Ruth 1:11,13 ## THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARK - Chapter 12 - Verse 20 Verse 20 . No Barnes text on this verse. ## THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARK - Chapter 12 - Verse 21 Verse 21. No Barnes text on this verse. ## THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARK - Chapter 12 - Verse 22 Verse 22. No Barnes text on this verse. ## THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARK - Chapter 12 - Verse 23 Verse 23. No Barnes text on this verse. ## THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARK - Chapter 12 - Verse 24 Verse 24. No Barnes text on this verse. ## THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARK - Chapter 12 - Verse 25 Verse 25. Are as the angels. That is, as the angels in respect to connexions and relations. What t hat may be we know not; but this passage teaches that the peculiar relation of marriage will not