Mark

By Joyce Webb 2023

Chapter 12    Verse 13-27

Verse 13 The Jewish church leaders sent some men from the group called Pharisees. They also sent some men from a group called the Herodians.

These religious men were sent to Jesus to try to ask him questions. They were trying to get Jesus to say something that they could blame him.

They hoped he would say something that was against the religious Jewish laws or against the Roman laws.

Verse 14 When they came to Jesus they said, “Master, we know you are true. We know you do not have special respect for some men and not others. (You do not favor or like some people more than others.)

You teach the way of God in truth.

We ask you: Is it lawful to give tribute (pay tax) to Caesar, or not?

Caesar was the Roman governor over the Jews. The Jews had to paid a tax to the Roman government.

Verse 15 They said, Should we give this tax or not?

Jesus knew they were trying to trick him into saying something wrong so they could blame him and arrest him.

So Jesus said to them, “Why are you testing me? Bring me a penny.

Verse 16 They gave him a penny. Jesus asked them, Whose image do you see on this coin? They said, Caesar.

Verse 17 Jesus said to them: Give to Caesar the things that belong to Caesar and give to God the things that belong to God.

They were surprised at his answer. They could not blame him for saying something wrong.

(The Jews hated that the Romans ruled over them. They hated that they had to pay tax to the Roman government.

The Jews were living in their own land–Israel. The Romans were the ones who came into their land and took over the government.

The Jews felt they did not owe the Romans anything—they were the enemy that came in and took over.

Jesus’ answer to them —showed them that Jesus recognized that the Romans had the power to demand tax payment.

The Romans were in control. Because of that, they had the power to demand a tax or put people in jail for not paying it.

That was a fact—-whether they liked it or not.

They used Roman coins to buy things. That was the way of life now.

So give Rome their coins—- back to them —in tax payment.

Yet, as Jews—they were to give God honor and also money in tithes and offerings. So, give to God what things you should give to Him.)

Verse 18 Another time, a religious group called the Sadducees came to Jesus to ask questions.

The Sadducees did not believe in life after death. Death was the end of the body and soul.

Verse 19 They asked Jesus—”Master, Moses wrote in the law—that if a man died without having a child—-then his widow (wife) should marry his brother. When a child was born—it would “belong” and inherit the woman’s first husband’s name and land.

(That way the dead man’s line would continue—with family to hold his name and land.)

Verse 20 The Sadducees said (in this story question) that there were 7 brothers.

The first one married but died before he had children. So, the wife married the second brother. He died before they had children. This happen to all 7 brothers—the wife married all 7 —but they all died before having children.

So, the question the Sadducees had was—in the resurrection—-when they all came alive again in heaven—which man would be her husband?

(The Sadducees did not believe in life after death so they thought this was a hard question for Jesus.)

Verse 24 Jesus said, You made a big mistake.

You made this mistake because you do not know the scriptures—-and you do not know the power of God.

Verse 25 Jesus said, When the dead rise again, they will not be “married”. They will not be marrying. They will be as the angels in heaven are.

Verse 26 Did you not read where Moses wrote of the burning bush he saw?
God spoke to Moses out of the burning bush. God said, “I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.”

Verse 27 God is not the God of the dead—He is the God of the living.
(Abraham, Isaac, Jacob were living—with God—-even though their bodies had died.)

Jesus said you did greatly err —–or made a big mistake.

(Abraham, Isaac and Jacob —though they died—were now alive in heaven.

God did not say—he was their God—as though that was in the past—God said I am their God—now in the present time.)
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(In verse 25 Jesus said after the resurrection of our bodies—we will be as the angels in heaven are.

That does not mean we will become angels.

Angels are a separate kind of creation.

There are several kinds of angels. They each are a separate creation and each have a “job” that is different. Each kind look different. They have different things they are able to do.

When Jesus said —we will be like the angels in heaven—he meant that we will be like them —in that—we will not be married or be given in marriage.

Angels do not marry or have “relationships” such as we have on earth.

Jesus was talking about “husbands and wives” in the resurrection to these Sadducees.
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When people here on earth think about their loved ones in heaven—we think about going to heaven and seeing those people again—and seeing them as our mother, father, son, daughter, husband, wife—-etc.

That sounds lovely—if you had a good relationship with that person on earth.

If you did not have a good relationship with that person on earth—you may not want to see them in heaven.

What Jesus is saying here in this verse is—-”relationships” that we had on earth—will not continue on into heaven.

There will not be “husbands” and “wives” or other relationships.

Those relationships were part of our earthly life. Our heavenly life will be different.

We may see those persons and we may remember that they were a mother, father, husband or wife—-but that “relationship” bond will not be there any more.

We will not have the same “family” feelings that we had on earth.

The whole dynamics and atmosphere of heaven will be altogether different than the relationships that we had to people here on earth.

Those relationships were needed on earth for survival and living.
They helped us stay alive and brought comfort.

Heaven will be a very different kind of place.

I do not know what all — we will remember —or how –we will remember our earthly life.

The Bible says God will wipe away all tears. Perhaps God will wipe away painful memories.

Heaven will be a new day. Old things will have passed away.

We will be a new kind of person.

A new kind of life forever.)

We will be with Jesus forever—-that brings comfort.

As long as we are with Him—it will be good.