'Til Death Us Do Part
Somethings are just too hard to understand, especially if the answer is simple.
Some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him and asked him a question, saying, 'Teacher, Moses wrote for us that "if a man's brother dies, leaving a wife but no child, the man shall marry the widow and raise up children for his brother." There were seven brothers; the first married and, when he died, left no children; and the second married her and died, leaving no children; and the third likewise; none of the seven left children. Last of all the woman herself died. In the resurrection whose wife will she be? For the seven had married her.' Jesus said to them, 'Is not this the reason you are wrong, that you know neither the scriptures nor the power of God? For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. And as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the story about the bush, how God said to him, "I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob"? He is God not of the dead, but of the living; you are quite wrong.' - Mark 12:18-27
From my childhood, I have believed I would see my loved ones again when I die. And yet, every time I heard this Gospel reading I wondered if I was correct.
When it comes to the afterlife, who can really know anything?
The Sadducees who didn't believe in the Resurrection, wanted to trap Jesus, so they came up with an example designed to trip him up, so Jesus gave them an answer that they didn't expect.
I get that when we are raised, we are no longer married, for marriage lasts until death, but that doesn't mean we stop loving, right? And if we do get to come together with everyone we loved in this life, how great would that be?
Jesus said we become like angels, so the real question is what are angels like?
We do know a few things about them, from the times they are mentioned in The Bible. They have a free will, as evidenced in Jude when he says they will be judged as well.
They are spiritual beings, so the body is not important. That makes me wonder what a risen body would be like.
They worship and obey God, and are too numerous to count, so we will be in good company.
And they have a role to play in watching over us humans, so perhaps we too will watch over one another.
So, if the marriage relationship ends at death, that doesn't mean we stop loving and caring for one another. We just become more loving and more caring.
That, I can deal with. Can you?
More to come...