What does Mark 12:20 mean?

Explanation

The verse Mark 12:20 is a part of a larger narrative where Jesus is being questioned by the Sadducees, a Jewish sect that did not believe in the resurrection.

They present Jesus with a hypothetical situation of a woman who marries seven brothers consecutively, each brother dying without leaving a child (seed) behind, in an effort to challenge the concept of resurrection and the afterlife.

The first brother marries and dies without offspring, which in Jewish law (specifically, the law of levirate marriage found in Deuteronomy 25:5-6), obligates the next brother to marry the widow to produce offspring that could carry on the dead brother's name.

The verse is meant to tell that part of the scenario, setting up for the Sadducees' question about whose wife she will be in the resurrection since all seven had her as a wife.

Historical Context

During the time of Jesus, Jewish society was structured around a set of laws and customs that included the practice of levirate marriage.

This verse reflects that custom, which was designed to preserve the lineage of a man who died without children.

The Sadducees, who posed the hypothetical question to Jesus that included this verse, were a Jewish sect that held a number of beliefs that were different from the Pharisees, most notably the denial of bodily resurrection, the existence of angels and spirits, and the adherence to the written Law (Torah) without the oral laws.

Theological Insights

The Sadducees' challenge sought to demonstrate the absurdity of resurrection using the leverite marriage law.

However, Jesus' response later in Mark 12:24-27 defies their expectations by explaining that the nature of life after resurrection is different from earthly life, people will not marry or be given in marriage.

From a Christian theological perspective, this verse illustrates the difference between earthly concerns and the complexities of the law, versus the divine and eternal reality that Jesus preached.

Practical Applications

The verse can be interpreted as a lesson in not becoming too concerned with the legalistic aspects of religious law that one misses the broader spiritual truths.

It serves as a reminder that earthly customs and laws will not necessarily apply in the afterlife and that one should hold a spiritual perspective when considering eternal matters.

It also might suggest that one shouldn’t get entangled in logic that undermines faith in areas beyond human understanding.

Cross-References

• Deuteronomy 25:5-6: "If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband's brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of an husband's brother unto her."
• Matthew 22:25-28: "Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first, when he had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife unto his brother."
• Luke 20:28-33: "Saying, Master, Moses wrote unto us, If any man's brother die, having a wife, and he die without children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother."

Language Study

The key terms in the original Greek text of Mark 12:20 that are pivotal for understanding the verse are:

• "brethren" (ἀδελφοί): This refers to male siblings and by extension, members of a male religious group or community.
• "took a wife" (ἔλαβεν γυναῖκα): A common expression for marrying a woman.
• "dying" (ἀπέθανεν): The use of the verb here indicates the death of the husband.
• "left no seed" (οὐ κατέλιπεν σπέρμα): Literally, he left no offspring or children.

The term "seed" (σπέρμα) is often used in Jewish literature to refer to descendants.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Levirate marriage, though peculiar from a modern standpoint, was not unique to ancient Israel. Similar customs existed in other ancient Near Eastern cultures and are found in various forms across the world.

The concept's aim was to provide social security and stability, ensuring the continuation of the family line and the inheritance structure within a tribal society.

Scientific Perspectives

The verse itself does not directly intersect with scientific concerns as it deals with social customs and theological questions about the afterlife. Levirate marriage from a social science perspective could be analyzed in terms of kinship and social systems of ancient societies.

However, the Sadducees' question which includes this verse does touch on biological concerns regarding reproduction, inheritance, and familial lineage.

Commentaries

Biblical scholars and theologians offer different interpretations of this verse in the context of the Sadducees' questioning.

Commentators often focus on the intention behind the Sadducees' question as an attempt to entrap Jesus, noting his skillful deflection and teaching on the resurrection.

The nature of the Sadducees’ disbelief in the resurrection is also a focal point, and how Jesus uses their own scriptural understanding to make a counterpoint about God being a God of the living.

The commentary may also explain the leverite marriage practice without necessarily endorsing it for contemporary application.