In the resurrection therefore, when they shall rise, whose wife shall she be of them? for the seven had her to wife.
MARK 12:23KJVWhat does Mark 12:23 mean?
Mark 12:23 describes a question posed to Jesus about whose wife a woman will be in the resurrection, since seven brothers had all been married to her during their lifetimes. The question is meant to challenge the idea of resurrection by raising a complicated scenario about marriage after death.
In this scene, the Sadducees—who do not believe in resurrection—are speaking to Jesus in the temple. They present a hypothetical situation based on the law of levirate marriage, where a woman marries seven brothers in succession after each one dies. Their question is designed to test or trap Jesus, highlighting what they see as a logical problem with belief in resurrection.
The Greek behind Mark 12:23
- ἀνάστασις (anastasis) — "resurrection": This word refers to the rising of the dead, a key point of debate between the Sadducees and other Jewish groups. The Sadducees' use of this term shows they are questioning the very idea of life after death.
- γυνή (gynē) — "wife": The word for "wife" is repeated to emphasize the legal and relational issue at the heart of their question. It highlights the human concern about relationships continuing after resurrection.
- ἔσονται (esontai) — "shall be": This verb points to the future state after resurrection, focusing the question on what happens after people rise from the dead.
Why Mark 12:23 matters
- Mark 12:23 helps clarify the kind of questions and skepticism the Sadducees had about resurrection, showing how they tried to use the law to challenge Jesus.
- The verse sets up Jesus’ response, which addresses misunderstandings about both resurrection and the nature of relationships in the life to come.
- Understanding this verse in context helps readers see how debates about resurrection were central to Jewish thought at the time and how Jesus’ teaching differed from other groups.