In Mark 12:25-27, Jesus refutes the Sadducees’ understanding of the resurrection and afterlife and asserts that in the resurrection, people will neither marry nor be given in marriage.
Jesus corrects the Sadducees’ understanding of the resurrection, stating that in the afterlife, people will not be engaged in earthly marital relationships. This contrasts with the Sadducees’ literal interpretation of marriage continuing in the resurrection, as they had presented it.
Jesus’ statement that there will not be marriage in the resurrection is one of those lines to which we need to pay attention because Jesus said it, but on which we dare not build much theological structure because it’s the only statement to this effect that we have in the Scriptures. We can guess what Jesus meant, but we can’t do much more than that so we shouldn’t base any doctrines on it
You are wired and designed to think about life after death. Humans from all generations have this built-in curiosity about the other side of life.
God created us to anticipate life after death.
God tells us what it will be like. We don’t need nor can we take anything with us.
What happens after we die?
What about our relationships with others?
Are couples still a couple in heaven?
Jesus is asked this question but in the context of husbands and wives.
Jesus starts by saying in verse 25, “ For when the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage. In this respect, they will be like the angels in heaven.”
Our present relationships will not be the same in heaven. On earth, human relationships are largely a matter of time and place – a man can be a son, then an adult, then a husband, then a father, and so on. In heaven, all that changes.
Marriage, the pairing of couples for life, will cease to exist in heaven.
Angels don’t have babies. Angels are made directly by God. And after our resurrection, we won’t have babies anymore. In that respect, we will be just like the angels. So, marriage ceases to have any sexual significance in heaven.
We know it won’t be the same as what we know on Earth, but we can know that we won’t be disappointed.
Knowing that the resurrection of the dead is true doesn’t answer all of our questions. Some mysteries remain, but they don’t take away from the basic truth of the resurrection
Marriage in Heaven The word “marry” (vs. 25) is from the Greek root word gameo and means to take a wife.To be “given in marriage” refers to the woman whose father approves of and allows the match.
God announced the need to create Eve because “It is not good that the man should be alone” (Genesis 2:18). On earth, individual men need the best companionship provided for in marriage.The other reason for marriage is to raise children (Genesis 1:28).
God created marriage as a metaphor for His relationship with us. In the Old Testament, He often compared the ideas of covenant, faithfulness, and adultery in marriage to His relationship with the Israelites, as in the book of Hosea. The New Testament speaks of the church as the bride of Christ (Revelation 19:7).
Marriage is God’s gift to us for companionship and partnership while raising families and working on the earth.
While the gift of sex and procreation is a very important part of this earthly life, Jesus taught that neither of these will play a role in the afterlife.
The future joy God has in store for the believer is incredibly more magnificent than the temporary pleasure of sexual fulfillment. In addition, there will be no need to procreate in heaven.
In an eternal and sinless heaven, metaphoric marriage is unneeded. Neither the angels nor people in heaven have these needs. We will be reconciled to God and each other, so we won’t need one specific companion. And God’s plan for the multiplication and reconciliation of people will be complete.
There are several ways in which humans on earth are different from angels, but few relate to marriage.
On Being Eternally Paired UpGiven God’s intent for marriage — one man, one woman, both of their lives—it’s not ridiculous to assume there could be marriage in heaven. However, remarrying after the death or divorce of a spouse makes the idea problematic. Even if we had multiple marriages that were perfectly biblical, which marriage would be honored in heaven?
Rather than supporting the view of eternal marriage, then, Jesus explained that the institution of marriage was for this life only and not the life to come. To assume anything more is biblically and exegetically unsound.
Historically, Christians view all believers as part of God’s great family rather than millions of smaller groups.
The thought of an eternity without being married to one’s earthly spouse is a scary proposition for many.
The thought of an eternity without sex and reproduction is contrary to what the Mormons think, as they claim men will populate planets with spirit babies from multiple wives. Islam teaches that men can end up with 72 virgins in eternity to satisfy their desires. But Jesus said sex, reproduction, and birth are limited to this life. It is not for the resurrection of life.
A Mormon rationalized that “this was not the Lord’s final word on the subject … The Lord did not say there would be no people in the married state in the resurrection but that there would be no marriages made in the resurrection.” 1
Some Mormon leaders teach that this wife had been eternally sealed to the first husband. For instance, “The Lord’s meaning was clear, that in the resurrected state there can be no question among the seven brothers as to whose wife for eternity the woman shall be since all except the first had married her for the duration of mortal life only, and primarily to perpetuate in mortality the name and family of the brother who first died.” 2
Therefore, it appears that the above Mormon authorities such as McConkie and Talmage have to make their conclusions based on mere presuppositions.
And while it appears we will be able to recognize fellow believers and family members who are Christian in heaven, there is no indication from the Bible that we will be eternally paired up with a particular mate.
Jesus Gives Insight to Being Like the Angles in HeavenJesus Gave some insight into what you will be like when you are resurrected. Jesus adds that you will be like the angels in heaven.
First, Jesus acknowledges the existence of angels. Remember, the Sadducees did not believe in angels, but here Jesus throws this statement in to challenge their belief about the spiritual world and angels. He reminds them and us that He is a firm believer in angels and that angels exist
Second, Jesus did not say we would be angels. He said we would be “like angels in heaven.” When people die who we care a lot about they don’t become angels who look over us. The baby that dies, the loving grandparent that dies, the spouse, the brother, sister, or incredible friend that dies do not become angels. As much as we would like to believe that, the Bible does not teach it.
What Jesus said was that when we die, we will be like angels in heaven. That refers to being a spiritual being, an eternal being, and one who does not reproduce. You will not be an angel, but you will be like angels.
This is Jesus’ way of saying to the Sadducees that there is a resurrection, life continues after death, but that life is not like the life you experience here on Earth.
Then Paul goes into an example of planting a seed into the ground and when the seed grows it is completely different than what went into the ground. You may take a seed and plant it and get an oak tree. You may take another seed and plant it and get an apple tree.
Then beginning in verse 42 Paul says,
We may not be able to imagine how amazing our resurrection lives will be and how powerful our resurrection body will be. Trying to imagine how great and wonderful the resurrection life and body will be is like a baby in the womb trying to imagine how wonderful the universe is. The beauty, majesty, glory, and power of our resurrection life is beyond our ability to comprehend.
Some are or were married to the most wonderful person on the planet. They completed us. We love them and feel loved by them so much! We wish we could live with them forever and want to live with our spouse in heaven. We want to continue the joy we had here on earth in heaven. To hear Jesus say there is no marriage in heaven may be discouraging to us.
However, some of us married people we regret. They were horrible, mean, selfish, and rude, and they caused more pain and hurt than joy, intimacy, and closeness. The day they died or left was a great day of celebration. That relationship was horrible. For us to hear Jesus say there will be no marriage in heaven is the sound of the sweet nectar of heaven. We thank God we don’t have to be married to that man or woman in heaven forever.
Ultimately, it doesn’t matter how great your marriage is here. Even though marriage does not exist in heaven, all of our relationships in the resurrected life will be much closer, deeper, richer, and more satisfying than the greatest marriage or relationship on earth.
We must remember the infinitely creative God who created everything in this world with all the fish, birds, sunsets, plants, animals, colors, and designs in only six days will vastly outdo Himself in the new creation, making it far better than this creation.
In heaven, with our resurrected life and resurrected body, our life will be 1000 times better. Every relationship will be 1000 times richer and meaningful. Everything will be beyond our wildest imaginations.
Marriage won’t be around anymore in the kingdom of God. We won’t need it. There won’t be any more need for procreation as God’s creation project will be finally and fully completed.
We won’t need the special intimacy because we will have perfect intimacy with God as well as our brothers and sisters and mothers and children in Christ.
We won’t need the special intimacy because we will have perfect intimacy with God as well as our brothers and sisters and mothers and children in Christ.
All of the needs marriage now fulfills will be met entirely and so it won’t be necessary any longer.
The idea of not being married at any point in the future might not sit very well with some. But those who trust that Jesus knows what He’s talking about will go with Him and enjoy what they have to the fullest while they have it, trusting that in the kingdom their relationship with their beautiful brides will be perfected and even better than now.
What that will look like, we do not know, but God is good and so will it be.
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In conclusion, consider the Daily Bread email message sent on 6/02/2025 which says
<!—Quote paragraph indent, but right align instead of centered –><div style=”margin: 36px;”> Mark 12:25 – “<b style=’color:red;’>For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.</b>.(NASB)</div>
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Cited References:
- David H. Yarn, Jr, A Sure Foundation, Mormonism Research Ministry, https://mrm.org/mark-12-25, pg. 115
2. LDS Apostle James E. Talmage, Jesus the Christ, Mormonism Research Ministry, https://mrm.org/mark-12-25, pg. 548