Mark 12:18–27 Explained: Jesus, the Sadducees, and the Hope of the Resurrection
Having just challenged the very system that the Sadducees had built their wealth on by cleansing the temple, Jesus finds himself in a confrontation with them. They have come to ask a trick question, one that will shame him, and thus, take from his honor. However, their question has several presuppositions which Jesus shows to be false and then correct. He also shows that they do not truly understand the Scriptures. Not only does he overturn their trap, ending the challenge with more honor, but he instructs them on the ways of the kingdom. Jesus exposes this failure and uses the moment to teach them something that they must understand if they are to repent and follow him.
Discussion:
“And Sadducees came to him, who say that there is no resurrection. And they asked him a question, saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife, but leaves no child, the man must take the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. There were seven brothers; the first took a wife, and when he died left no offspring. And the second took her, and died, leaving no offspring. And the third likewise. And the seven left no offspring. Last of all the woman also died.”
Mark 12:18–22 (ESV)
The Sadducees, an elite aristocratic group of priests who probably descended from the Zadokite priesthood, came to Jesus with a challenge (Stein 2008, 552). The Sadducees were said to be very wealthy, and a source of their income was the exchange of money and sacrificial animals that was occurring in the temple. It was this very system that Jesus had interrupted when he cleansed the temple. A challenge was issued to their economic system, it is then natural that we see a confrontation.
When we read this story, we must remember that Jesus lived in a honor and shame society where people could obtain honor through challenging others. They viewed honor as a limited good, much like we view money today. Previously, the cleansing of the temple would probably have been viewed as a challenge to the High Priests and priesthood, the Sadducees. Thus, they either had to respond with a challenge or risk losing honor and status in their society. We have seen challenges happen with other groups, just recently the Pharisees. While the Pharisees attempted to issue a trap that could have caused Jesus to lose his life, it seems the Sadducees were content to embarrass and shame him.
They start out by asking what they think is a question with no good answer, if you believe in the resurrection. They are using a reductio ad absurdum, which is Latin for reduction to absurdity and is an argument tactic where you prove a point true by showing that opposing it is either illogical or impossible. This is exactly what the Sadducees are doing; you must either deny the resurrection, or you are stuck with an impossible answer (Collins and Attridge 2007, 560)!
This question is based on the commandment found in Deuteronomy 25:5–10 where a provision is given for a man that dies without a child. In this state, the women would find herself without an heir and someone to provide for her in her old age. Not only would that particular family line die, but she would die destitute and alone. The law then contained a provision where the man’s brother would “go into” the widow and provide for her an heir. The child born of such a moment would be considered the child of the dead man. We call this “Levirate marriage” today, which is Latin for brother-in-law marriage. Although it is questioned if this practice was even performed during the time of Jesus, it would have been an important question to the Sadducees, since they didn’t believe in the resurrection, the only way they would “live on” would be through their offspring (France 2002, 473). Having brought up this silly scenario, they now ask the trick question.
“In the resurrection, when they rise again, whose wife will she be? For the seven had her as wife.”
Mark 12:23 (ESV)
It seems as though they believe that the denial of the resurrection was a logical entailment (unless you want to show yourself an idiot). However, in this we find some perplexity, for those who know the law, know that you cannot marry your brother’s wife!
“If a man takes his brother’s wife, it is impurity. He has uncovered his brother’s nakedness; they shall be childless.”
Leviticus 20:21 (ESV)
No where in Deuteronomy does it say that such a union would end with the woman becoming the brother’s wife. Instead, it is a temporary union which results in offspring for the dead brother and his widow. The implication of these two commands is that a woman ceases to be your wife once you have died, or else the levirate marriage law would have conflicted with the purity law in Leviticus! Their assumption though, is that she would have married each man (for some unknown reason). They further assume that after the resurrection a man would be reintegrated with his wife. This premise allowed them to ask such a question. Indeed, if all their assumptions are true then the question is difficult and impossible to answer. However, Jesus challenges their base assumptions and shows that they don’t even know the Scriptures!
“Jesus said to them, “Is this not the reason you are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God? For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.”
Mark 12:24–25 (ESV)
Jesus explains that the kingdom is not as they believe, but instead after the resurrection they will exist in a new state, one like the angels in heaven. By stating “angels in heaven” he is contrasting the angels, sons of God, that came down in Genesis 6:1-2 and took wives (against their natural state) (see also Jude 6 and 2 Peter 2:4). In ancient days the angels descended to earth to take wives, but the reverse is true in the resurrection, where people who have resurrected will not take a spouse at all (Edwards 2002, 367–368). Whereas in the first the heavenly partook of the natural and earthly elements, in the latter the earthly will become heavenly, and so will no longer participate in earthly institutions such as marriage.
Jesus then goes on to correct their most basic belief here, that the resurrection of the dead is fictitious, and he does so with the very thing they claim to believe, the Torah.
“And as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not God of the dead, but of the living. You are quite wrong.”
Mark 12:26–27 (ESV)
The destiny of humanity is not death, but life! God did not enter into covenantal relationship with the fathers just to leave them in decay and destruction (Lane 1974, 430)! He is the God of life, and thus, will raise them up at the last day. His very nature is life, and thus, those who enter into communion with him will find life. As Jesus has said, he is the resurrection and the life, and so those who are in relationship with him will find life, not death. Yes, we do die, but death is not the end. For us, our hope is in the resurrection of life.
Thus, those who reject the resurrection not only show a lack of understanding of Scripture but also live a state of hopelessness. Jesus, both corrects them and at the same time offers them hope. If they repent, they will find life and resurrection. However, to reject him is to find death. In the end they are left with a choice, give up their pride and status and choose Jesus to find life, or defend what they have and lose everything!
Life Application and Questions to Consider:
How can we apply this to our lives? The Sadducees were those who rejected the resurrection, and thus, rejected hope. In them we find a warning, do not reject the resurrection, do not reject this great hope.
“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
John 11:25–26 (ESV)
We are left with a question, do you believe this? If we do, we will find joy and peace in our life and eternal life when we are resurrected. Thus, let us walk with hope, knowing that no matter how bad this life, our life in the age to come will be one of love where we dwell with God! This is what we were created for, to love and know him, and this is our true and final hope.
Connections
Matthew 22:23–33
Luke 20:27–40
Outline
The Sadducees come to Jesus and challenge him with a trick question.
Jesus responds by explaining why they are wrong and don’t understand the Scriptures.
FAQ for the article
What is the main message of Mark 12:18–27?
The main message of Mark 12:18–27 is that the resurrection is real and that God is the God of the living, not the dead. Jesus corrects the Sadducees’ misunderstanding of Scripture and reveals that eternal life is found through relationship with God.
Who were the Sadducees in the time of Jesus?
The Sadducees were a wealthy priestly aristocracy associated with the temple leadership in Jerusalem. They accepted the Torah as authoritative but rejected beliefs such as the resurrection of the dead, which often put them at odds with Jesus and other Jewish groups.
Why did the Sadducees challenge Jesus about the resurrection?
The Sadducees attempted to trap Jesus with a hypothetical question designed to make belief in the resurrection appear absurd. Their goal was to embarrass Him publicly and diminish His honor before the crowds.
What is Levirate Marriage?
Levirate Marriage comes from Deuteronomy 25:5–10 and required a man to provide offspring for his deceased brother by fathering a child with the widow. This law protected family inheritance and ensured the widow would be cared for in society.
Why did the Sadducees use the story of seven brothers?
The Sadducees created an extreme hypothetical scenario involving seven brothers and one woman to argue that belief in the resurrection leads to impossible contradictions. Jesus exposes the flawed assumptions behind their argument.
How does Jesus answer the Sadducees’ question?
Jesus explains that resurrected people will not marry or be given in marriage. Instead, they will exist in a transformed state similar to the angels in heaven, making the Sadducees’ dilemma irrelevant.
What does Jesus mean when He says people will be “like angels in heaven”?
Jesus is not teaching that humans become angels. Rather, He teaches that resurrected believers will share certain characteristics with angels, including immortality and freedom from earthly institutions such as marriage.
Does marriage continue after the resurrection?
According to Jesus in Mark 12:25, marriage is an earthly institution that does not continue in the resurrection. The relationships of the age to come will be transformed as believers live fully in the presence of God.
How does Jesus prove the resurrection from the Torah?
Jesus cites Exodus 3:6, where God declares, “I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” Since God identifies Himself as their God long after their deaths, Jesus argues that they still live before Him and will be raised.
Why is Jesus’ argument significant?
Jesus uses a passage from the Torah, the very Scriptures the Sadducees accepted, to demonstrate that belief in the resurrection is rooted in God’s revelation. He defeats their argument using their own authority.
What does Mark 12 teach about eternal life?
Mark 12 teaches that death is not the final destiny of God’s people. Those who belong to God have the hope of resurrection and eternal life in His kingdom.
How does rejecting the resurrection affect faith?
Rejecting the resurrection removes the Christian hope of eternal life and restoration. Jesus presents the resurrection as central to understanding God’s promises and His plan for humanity.
What does Jesus reveal about the nature of God?
Jesus reveals that God is the source of life and remains faithful to His covenant promises. His relationship with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob demonstrates that His people are destined for life, not destruction.
How does this passage connect to John 11:25–26?
In John 11:25–26, Jesus declares, “I am the resurrection and the life.” Mark 12 provides a practical example of Jesus defending and teaching this truth, showing that resurrection hope is found in Him.
What application does Mark 12:18–27 have for Christians today?
This passage encourages believers to place their hope in the resurrection rather than in temporary earthly circumstances. It reminds Christians that eternal life through Christ is the foundation of enduring hope, joy, and peace.
References-
“The origin of the name is debated. Although some suggest that it was derived from “righteous” (צַדִּיק, ṣaddîq), most scholars believe that it comes from the name “Zadok,” who was high priest during the reigns of David (2 Sam. 8:17; 15:24; 1 Kings 1:8) and Solomon (1 Kings 1:34; 1 Chron. 12:28). The Sadducees were associated primarily with the priestly aristocracy (Acts 4:1–2; 5:17) and were not closely associated with the Jewish people (Josephus, Ant. 13.10.6 §§296–97; 18.1.4 §§16–17; J.W. 2.8.14 §166). This is why they appear surprisingly infrequently in the NT in comparison to the Pharisees. With the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple in AD 70, the Sadducees disappear from the scene.”
Robert H. Stein, Mark, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2008), 552.
Adela Yarbro Collins and Harold W. Attridge, Mark: A Commentary on the Gospel of Mark, Hermeneia—a Critical and Historical Commentary on the Bible (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2007), 560.
“The levirate law is based in the assumption that a man’s ‘survival’ is through the continuation of the family line, and for those who could see no other form of ‘resurrection’ this remained an important issue. The use of the verb ἐξαναστήσῃ in the echo of Gn. 38:8 (LXX ἀνάστησον), following so soon after the reminder that the Sadducees do not believe in ἀνάστασις, neatly emphasises that this is the only sort of ‘resurrection’ they can envisage.”
R. T. France, The Gospel of Mark: A Commentary on the Greek Text, New International Greek Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Carlisle: W.B. Eerdmans; Paternoster Press, 2002), 473.
James R. Edwards, The Gospel according to Mark, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: Eerdmans; Apollos, 2002), 367–368.
William L. Lane, The Gospel of Mark, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1974), 430.
