Is There Marriage in Heaven?

Matthew 22:23–33
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Have you ever been trying to witness to someone and all at once they asked an unrelated question like, Where did Cain get his wife? It is obvious that they are asking it simply to get you sidetracked from the issue at hand. I can remember this happening to me once when I was very … More

Doctrinal Question

A little later the same day a group of Sadducees came to ask Jesus a doctrinal question about the resurrection (v. 23). These Sadducees were the “religious liberals” of that day. They said there is no resurrection or angels, but they were firm adherents to the law of Moses. They often challenged the Pharisees to prove the doctrine of the resurrection but the Pharisees were not too successful with their arguments.

These Sadducees brought up a hypothetical illustration based on the Jewish law concerning “leverite marriage” from Deuteronomy 25:5-10. (This dealt with the marrying of a dead brother’s wife in order to prevent his line from dying out) (vv. 24-28). They cited the story of a woman who married a man who later died. Her husband’s brother married her but he too died. This happened with seven brothers. These Sadducees now question Jesus as to whose wife, of these seven brothers, will she be at the resurrection? They were actually trying to make the resurrection look ridiculous.

Jesus said their problem was that they did not know the Scriptures or the power of God (vv. 29-32). Believers in their glorified bodies will be like the angels, (He did not say people will become angels) for angels do not reproduce themselves. There will be no need for marriage in the next life because there will be no death. Therefore it will not be necessary to bear children to replace those who die. When the crowds heard His teaching they were impressed (v. 33).

Application

Just the fact of the resurrection gives me great hope. I do not serve a dead but a living Saviour.

Matthew 22:23-33 (English Standard Version)

The same day Sadducees came to him, who say that there is no resurrection, and they asked him a question, saying, "Teacher, Moses said, 'If a man dies having no children, his brother must marry the widow and raise up children for his brother.' Now there were seven brothers among us. The first married and died, and having no children left his wife to his brother. So too the second and third, down to the seventh. After them all, the woman died. In the resurrection, therefore, of the seven, whose wife will she be? For they all had her." But Jesus answered them, "You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. And as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God: '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." And when the crowd heard it, they were astonished at his teaching.

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More Matthew commentaries

Is There Marriage in Heaven?

Matthew 22:23–33» View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway)

Application

Matthew 22:23-33 (English Standard Version)

Matthew 22:23–33
» View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway)