Mark 12:22 — Community Reflections

MARK 12:22 — KING JAMES VERSION 0

“And the seven had her, and left no seed: last of all the woman died also.”

In fact, none of the seven left any children. Last of all, the woman died too — the woman outlives all seven husbands and then dies herself, maximizing the complexity of the question. In the resurrection, which of the seven husbands is she married to? The scenario assumes that resurrection must reproduce the current order of marriage relationships — an assumption Jesus will immediately challenge.

Church Fathers on Mark 12:22

A certain heretical sect of the Jews called Sadducees denied the resurrection, and said that there was neither angel nor spirit. These then coming to Jesus, craftily proposed to Him a certain tale, in order to shew that no resurrection should take place, or had taken place; and therefore there is added, 'And they asked Him, saying, Master.' And in this tale they lay down that seven men had married one woman, in order to make men draw back from belief in the resurrection.
Theophylact · 11th century

And fitly do they frame such a fable in order to prove the madness of those who assert the resurrection of the body. Such a thing however might really have happened at some time or other among them.
Bede · 8th century

But in a mystical sense: what can this woman, leaving no seed to seven brothers, and last of all dying, mean except the Jewish synagogue, deserted by the seven-fold Spirit, which filled those seven patriarchs, who did not leave to her the seed of Abraham, that is, Jesus Christ?
Pseudo-Jerome · 5th century

Read all 11 entries in the readerCatena Aurea · St. Thomas Aquinas, tr. J. H. Newman · public domain

COMMUNITY REFLECTIONS

Publish a reflection on this verse

No reflections on this verse yet. Be the first to write one!