“In the resurrection,
Therefore,
Whose wife
Will this woman be?
Seven brothers
Had married her.”
ἡ γυνὴ οὖν ἐν τῇ ἀναστάσει τίνος αὐτῶν γίνεται γυνή; οἱ γὰρ ἑπτὰ ἔσχον αὐτὴν γυναῖκα.
Luke indicated these Sadducees asked Jesus in the resurrection time (ἐν τῇ ἀναστάσει), whose wife would this woman be (ἡ γυνὴ οὖν…τίνος αὐτῶν γίνεται γυνή), since all 7 brothers had married her (οἱ γὰρ ἑπτὰ ἔσχον αὐτὴν γυναῖκα). This story with the 7 brothers married to one woman was the set up for this question about the afterlife. The Sadducees asked whose wife would she be among these 7 brothers in the resurrected life? They were testing Jesus and questioning the concept of the resurrection after death. This kicker question of the Sadducees can also be found in Matthew, chapter 22:28, and in Mark, chapter 12:23, almost word for word. Mark said that in the resurrection (ἐν τῇ ἀναστάσει), when they would rise up again (ὅταν ἀναστῶσιν), the Sadducees wanted to know whose wife would she be (τίνος αὐτῶν ἔσται γυνή)? All 7 of these brothers had married her (οἱ γὰρ ἑπτὰ ἔσχον αὐτὴν γυναῖκα). Matthew indicated that these Sadducees asked about the future resurrection (ἐν τῇ ἀναστάσει οὖν). Whose wife of the 7 brothers would she be (τίνος τῶν ἑπτὰ ἔσται γυνή)? All 7 brothers had married her (πάντες γὰρ ἔσχον αὐτήν). They assumed that the afterlife would be a continuation of this present earthly life. What would happen to people who had multiple husbands or wives? How was Jesus going to answer their tricky question? Would you be confused in the future eternal life?
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 