Luke 20:34 - Jesus said to them, “The children of this age marry, and are given in marriage.

Generated Verse: Luke 20:34

What does "Luke 20:34" mean?


In Luke 20:34, Jesus is contrasting the earthly life with the life in the age to come (the resurrection). Here's a breakdown:

"The children of this age": This refers to people who are currently living in this world, bound by earthly concerns and the natural order of things.
"Marry, and are given in marriage": This describes the natural and essential practice of marriage in this current earthly existence. Marriage is fundamental for procreation, family structure, and societal continuity.

Meaning in Context:

Jesus says this verse in response to a question posed by the Sadducees. They were trying to trap him with a hypothetical scenario about a woman who married seven brothers, one after the other (as required by Jewish law under certain circumstances). They wanted to know whose wife she would be in the resurrection.

Jesus's answer is that in the resurrection, things will be different. The passage continues to describe the differences between the earthly life of this present age and the life in the resurrection:

The resurrection changes things:
There is no marriage
People won't die
They are like angels and are children of God

In essence, Jesus is saying:

Marriage is necessary and characteristic of earthly life.
However, the resurrection brings a new reality where the needs and purposes fulfilled by marriage in this life (procreation, companionship, etc.) will no longer exist.
Therefore, marriage, as we understand it, will not be a part of the resurrected life.

Therefore, the verse is not a statement about the value or importance of marriage in this life, but a comparative point to illustrate the transformed nature of existence in the resurrection.

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