This verse is part of a larger discussion Jesus has with the Sadducees, a Jewish sect that did not believe in the resurrection. The Sadducees are trying to trap Jesus with a hypothetical scenario designed to show how absurd they believe the idea of resurrection to be.
Here's a breakdown of Luke 20:33 and the surrounding context:
The Context (Luke 20:27-32): The Sadducees present Jesus with a question based on the Mosaic law regarding levirate marriage (Deuteronomy 25:5-10). This law stipulated that if a man died without having children, his brother was obligated to marry the widow to continue the deceased brother's lineage. The Sadducees describe a scenario where a woman marries seven brothers in succession because each one dies without offspring.
Luke 20:33 - The Question: "Therefore in the resurrection whose wife of them will she be? For the seven had her as a wife." This is the core of the Sadducees' argument. They're asking, "If there is a resurrection, who will be the woman's husband? Wouldn't it create a complex and potentially ridiculous situation?" They are trying to imply that the very idea of resurrection is absurd and logically impossible.
Jesus' Response (Luke 20:34-36): Jesus refutes their understanding of the resurrection. He states that life in the age to come (after the resurrection) is different from earthly life:
People neither marry nor are given in marriage. This implies that the social structures and earthly relationships, including marriage, will not exist in the same way in the resurrected life.
Resurrected people are like angels and are children of God, being children of the resurrection. This suggests a different kind of existence, beyond the limitations and needs of earthly life.
Therefore, the meaning of Luke 20:33 can be understood as follows:
It's a question designed to expose what the Sadducees believe is a logical absurdity in the concept of resurrection.
It highlights the earthly and physical understanding of marriage held by the Sadducees. They assume that life after resurrection would be a continuation of earthly relationships.
It sets up Jesus' response, where he explains that the resurrected life is fundamentally different from earthly life, and therefore earthly customs like marriage are irrelevant.
In essence, the Sadducees' question is a flawed premise because it assumes that the resurrected life is a simple continuation of earthly life. Jesus corrects this misconception by explaining the transformed nature of existence in the resurrection.
This verse is part of a larger discussion Jesus has with the Sadducees, a Jewish sect that did not believe in the resurrection. The Sadducees are trying to trap Jesus with a hypothetical scenario designed to show how absurd they believe the idea of resurrection to be.
Here's a breakdown of Luke 20:33 and the surrounding context:
The Context (Luke 20:27-32): The Sadducees present Jesus with a question based on the Mosaic law regarding levirate marriage (Deuteronomy 25:5-10). This law stipulated that if a man died without having children, his brother was obligated to marry the widow to continue the deceased brother's lineage. The Sadducees describe a scenario where a woman marries seven brothers in succession because each one dies without offspring.
Luke 20:33 - The Question: "Therefore in the resurrection whose wife of them will she be? For the seven had her as a wife." This is the core of the Sadducees' argument. They're asking, "If there is a resurrection, who will be the woman's husband? Wouldn't it create a complex and potentially ridiculous situation?" They are trying to imply that the very idea of resurrection is absurd and logically impossible.
Jesus' Response (Luke 20:34-36): Jesus refutes their understanding of the resurrection. He states that life in the age to come (after the resurrection) is different from earthly life:
People neither marry nor are given in marriage. This implies that the social structures and earthly relationships, including marriage, will not exist in the same way in the resurrected life.
Resurrected people are like angels and are children of God, being children of the resurrection. This suggests a different kind of existence, beyond the limitations and needs of earthly life.
Therefore, the meaning of Luke 20:33 can be understood as follows:
It's a question designed to expose what the Sadducees believe is a logical absurdity in the concept of resurrection.
It highlights the earthly and physical understanding of marriage held by the Sadducees. They assume that life after resurrection would be a continuation of earthly relationships.
It sets up Jesus' response, where he explains that the resurrected life is fundamentally different from earthly life, and therefore earthly customs like marriage are irrelevant.
In essence, the Sadducees' question is a flawed premise because it assumes that the resurrected life is a simple continuation of earthly life. Jesus corrects this misconception by explaining the transformed nature of existence in the resurrection.