What lessons can we learn about marriage from Luke 20:30's context? Setting the Scene around Luke 20:30 • Luke 20:27–33 introduces the Sadducees, who “say there is no resurrection,” presenting Jesus with a puzzle about a woman who outlives seven brothers and marries each in turn. • Luke 20:29–30: “Now there were seven brothers. The first one married a wife, but died childless. Then the second and the third married her, and in the same way all seven died, leaving no children.” • Their aim is to discredit belief in bodily resurrection, but Jesus uses the moment to clarify God’s design for marriage and eternity. Marriage in This Present Age Jesus answers, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage” (Luke 20:34). From that we see: • Marriage is an earthly institution created for the current age, not the next. • Genesis 2:24 sets its foundation: “A man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” • Marriage is meant to be lifelong, exclusive, and covenantal (Matthew 19:4-6). • Its purposes include companionship (Genesis 2:18), fruitfulness (Malachi 2:15), and a living picture of Christ and the church (Ephesians 5:31-32). Marriage Ends at Death • Romans 7:2 affirms, “A married woman is bound by law to her husband while he lives, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law of marriage.” • Luke 20:29-32 portrays seven successive marriages because death genuinely severs the marital bond; there is no polygamy here, only serial covenant and covenant-end. • The passage underscores that earthly marriage is not eternal; it is “until death do us part.” No Marriage in the Resurrection • Luke 20:35-36: “But those who are considered worthy to share in the age to come and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage. Indeed, they can no longer die, for they are like the angels, and they are sons of God.” • In the resurrection, believers’ deepest relational fulfillment will be in direct, unbroken fellowship with the Lord (Revelation 21:3). • Earthly symbols give way to heavenly reality; the marriage picture yields to the ultimate union of Christ and His bride (Revelation 19:7). Key Lessons for Husbands and Wives Today • Treat marriage as a sacred, temporary stewardship—a gift with eternal consequences even though it ends at death. • Invest in your spouse’s spiritual readiness for the next age; nothing matters more than being “considered worthy to share in the age to come.” • Face trials, even childlessness (Luke 20:29-32), with faithfulness; covenant love is not measured solely by earthly outcomes. • Remember God’s faithfulness transcends death: “He is not the God of the dead, but of the living” (Luke 20:38). A marriage anchored in Him rests secure, whatever temporal losses arise. Anticipating Eternity while Honoring Marriage Now • Let the temporary nature of marriage heighten, not lessen, its value—every day together is a God-given opportunity to display Christ’s love (Colossians 3:19). • Keep eternal priorities at the forefront; careers, finances, and even parenting are secondary to preparing one another for glory (2 Timothy 4:8). • Honor marital vows wholeheartedly, yet hold them with open hands, knowing a greater, everlasting union awaits all who trust in Christ. Final Takeaways • Marriage is a divinely ordained covenant for this life only. • Death releases the covenant; resurrection life centers on direct communion with God. • Knowing this, believers can love their spouses earnestly now, all the while longing for the ultimate fulfillment in the presence of the living God. |
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