Mark 12:18-27 Like Angels in Heaven

Mark 12:18-27 Like Angels in Heaven

““For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.” (Mark 12:25 NAS95)

Some have suggested that the “new heavens and new earth” will re-instate many of the standards of the first creation before sin entered into the world. This may be true, in part. Creation was at peace with itself; Adam and Eve had personal, immediate fellowship with God in the garden. And, I suppose Adam and Eve got along well. The ideal husband-wife relationship.

But Jesus, in Mark 12:18-27, responding to the Sadducees and their test question, casts some serious doubt that the end-of-time order will be like the first. God instituted family in the garden, partly for fellowship (Gen. 2:18   “Then the LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.”;  and then in verse 20: “but for Adam there was not found a helper suitable for him.” God also instituted the family for procreation: Gen 1:28 “God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply.”

If we think about it (and now we are thinking, not reading Biblical text), there will be no shortage of fellowship in the resurrected world. Every person will have unfettered and pure relationship with others, - with all others. There won’t be categories of people who are “safe” or “unsafe.” There will be no need to keep secrets, as when a man or woman says to their spouse, “I’ll say this to you, but I wouldn’t say it to anyone else.” There will be no rivalries, and no need for a couple to take the common attitude, “we’re ok if we have each other,” or “it’s you and me, babe, against the world.” We can’t really imagine, can we? And maybe I’m reading this wrong, but if I’m right, the fellowship will be sweeter, and the leaving behind of marriage relationship will not be bitter.

Regarding procreation, it seems that all these relationships will be completely free from sexuality. That would certainly remove a whole dynamic, wouldn’t it? We base this on Jesus’ statement: Mark 12:25 “For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.” Angels do not procreate. To our knowledge, there are no boy angels and girls angels. They do not have gender. There are no baby angels. Nor are they old, but ageless. I do not believe that Jesus says we will be like angels in every respect, but he specifically mentions “marriage,” and I assume then, the sexual relationship.

God’s institution of family in this world is about as basic as it gets. It has been the source of blessings that are beyond counting. Family has been the scene of heart-wrenching heartbreak as well, over and over again throughout history. I am not suggesting (and I am sure that people can interpret this and other passages differently) that God is finished with family when it comes to the new heavens and new earth. I am suggesting that God will re-define family in such a way that there is only one family - one family that will dwell in perfect unity and love, and they will be united in worshipping their one Father, and His Son, our Savior, through the Spirit.