Gospel Parallels: A Question About Resurrection and Marriage

Mark 12.18–27, 34 || Matt 22.23–33, 46 || Luke 20.27–40

Parallel is from Aland’s Synopsis of the Four Gospels, parallel #281

Mark

[12.18] Sadducees (who say there is no resurrection) also came to him and asked him, [12.19] “Teacher, Moses wrote for us: ‘If a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, that man must marry the widow and father children for his brother.’ [12.20] There were seven brothers. The first one married, and when he died he had no children. [12.21] The second married her and died without any children, and likewise the third. [12.22] None of the seven had children. Finally, the woman died too. [12.23] In the resurrection, when they rise again, whose wife will she be? For all seven had married her.” [12.24] Jesus said to them, “Aren’t you deceived for this reason, because you don’t know the scriptures or the power of God? [12.25] For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. [12.26] Now as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God said to him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? [12.27] He is not the God of the dead but of the living. You are badly mistaken!” (Mark 12.18–27 NET)

When Jesus saw that he had answered thoughtfully, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” Then no one dared any longer to question him. (Mark 12.34 NET)

Matthew

[22.23] The same day Sadducees (who say there is no resurrection) came to him and asked him, [22.24] “Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies without having children, his brother must marry the widow and father children for his brother.’ [22.25] Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died, and since he had no children he left his wife to his brother. [22.26] The second did the same, and the third, down to the seventh. [22.27] Last of all, the woman died. [22.28] In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had married her.” [22.29] Jesus answered them, “You are deceived, because you don’t know the scriptures or the power of God. [22.30] For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. [22.31] Now as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, [22.32] ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living!” [22.33] When the crowds heard this, they were amazed at his teaching. (Matthew 22.23–33 NET)

No one was able to answer him a word, and from that day on no one dared to question him any longer. (Matthew 22.46 NET)

Luke

[20.27] Now some Sadducees (who contend that there is no resurrection) came to him. [20.28] They asked him, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies leaving a wife but no children, that man must marry the widow and father children for his brother. [20.29] Now there were seven brothers. The first one married a woman and died without children. [20.30] The second [20.31] and then the third married her, and in this same way all seven died, leaving no children. [20.32] Finally the woman died too. [20.33] In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For all seven had married her.”

[20.34] So Jesus said to them, “The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. [20.35] But those who are regarded as worthy to share in that age and in the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. [20.36] In fact, they can no longer die, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, since they are sons of the resurrection. [20.37] But even Moses revealed that the dead are raised in the passage about the bush, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. [20.38] Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for all live before him.” [20.39] Then some of the experts in the law answered, “Teacher, you have spoken well!” [20.40] For they did not dare any longer to ask him anything. (Luke 20.27–40 NET)

John

No Parallel

The previous translation is from the NET Bible translation. Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NET) are from the NET Bible® copyright ©1996, 2019 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.