From time immemorial, the reproduction of likes is the ordered nature of beings as God created them, male and female. He made them, and they come together to produce their offspring according to their distinct species. Man and woman, being rational beings unlike others, do this in a very respectable, equal, covenantal and committed way in marriage, for the wellbeing of both the couple and secondarily of their children.
Though every marriage properly contracted is to be open to fecundity according to the teaching of the Church, the issue of having children is secondary to marriage. It should not be a thing of great worry where the possibility naturally does not give way to it but where it does, the child (children) need to be properly cared for. Marriage is a natural way of reproduction as ordered by God but not in the world to come. That is to say that if the Sadducees had the proper understanding of marriage, they would not have exposed their ignorance in questioning Jesus over marriage at the resurrection.
The Sadducees and Marriage
The Sadducees were a religious group of people that did not believe in the resurrection. As such, they were trying to discredit the teaching of Christ over resurrection. They looked up to their custom and tradition where a man can marry, and the woman can be remarried to his brother’s husband if he dies and fails to beget children for him as a way to contradict the issue of the resurrection. So, they meant to cajole Jesus over his teaching on resurrection and decided to question him over that with the story of the seven brothers marrying the same woman and all died childless. They wanted to know whose wife the woman would be at the resurrection.
Jesus’ Answer
The response of Jesus to the question is very interesting. He must have smiled within himself when they put the question to him. Then, he gave them a hard teaching they never had thought of. Jesus started gradually by exposing their ignorance regarding marriage and resurrection. He said to them: ‘the children of this world take wives and husbands, but those who are judged worthy of a place in the other world and in the resurrection from the dead do not marry because they can no longer die, for they are the same as the angels, and being children of the resurrection they are sons of God’ (Lk 20:25).
The answer of Jesus destabilized them, and they were ashamed of themselves and the little they knew about the topic. As such no one dared ask him any further questions. They were ashamed because they were calculating marriage and resurrection using their culture, customs, and human point of view. They never knew that those who die would be like angels and that ‘God is not of the dead’ but of the living, ‘for to him all men are in fact alive’ (Lk 20:40).
Conclusion
The resurrection is one of the central teachings of the Christian faith which we believe and hope to attend its fulfilment. Christ did it and has shown us an example when on the third day of the week of the resurrection, he broke the chains and bonds of death and walked unharmed out of the tomb, breaking every barrier of the grave. That is the truth that distinguishes Christianity from all others. And as followers and disciples of Christ, there is no doubt that we are the resurrection people. At the resurrection, we shall all be changed and be like angels, seeing God as he really is. And worshiping Him with the host of saints. There will be no wedding or marriage ceremonies. No trooping of color and flowers. No champagne, and wines, etc. as in the way of the world. The resurrection is the way of Heaven and that is the lovely desire of every Christian.
Peace be with you!
