Mark 12:26

Translations

Modern

But concerning the dead rising, have you not read about the burning bush in the Book of Moses, how God told him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’?

Traditional

And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?

Literal

But concerning the dead, that they rise, did you not read in the book of Moses, at the bush, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob’?

Latin

De mortuis autem quod resurgant, non legistis in libro Moysi, super rubum, quomodo dixerit illi Deus, inquiens: Ego sum Deus Abraham, et Deus Isaac, et Deus Jacob?

Original

Greek

English

But concerning the dead rising, have you not read about the burning bush in the Book of Moses, how God told him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’?

Notes

Mark 12:24–27

Jesus gave two answers. First, he corrected the Sadducees because they did not understand the Scriptures (the Old Testament). The resurrection of the dead is shown most clearly in the Prophets (Isaiah 26:19; Ezekiel 37:1–14) and the Writings (Job 19:26; Psalms 16:9–11; 49:15; 73:23–26; Daniel 12:2). But the Sadducees accepted only the Torah (Genesis, Exodus, Numbers, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy). So Jesus answered them from the Torah.
God called himself “the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob” (Exodus 3:6, 15–16). This showed that God’s covenant (binding relationship) with the patriarchs could not be ended by death. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were still alive to God (Matthew 8:11–12; 13:17; Luke 16:19–31; John 8:56). God is the God of the living, not the dead. This means that God’s relationship with his people continues after physical death.
Second, Jesus corrected the Sadducees because they did not understand God’s power. They thought resurrection life would be the same as mortal life. But resurrection life is new and different. In that life, people will not need sexual reproduction because there will be no more death. Marriage will no longer have the same role. Believers will share full fellowship with God and with all God’s people (Mark 10:29–30; Matthew 19:28–29; Luke 18:29–30; Revelation 21:1–4). In this way, resurrected believers will be like the angels in heaven.
The answer Jesus gave shows his wisdom before his opponents. It also confirmed the hope of resurrection for his followers. Jesus is "the resurrection and the life" (John 11:25). He has defeated death. He promises that all who believe in him will "not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).

Mark 12:18–27

This is the third controversy story of the series begun in 11:27. As in most New Testament references to the Sadducees, the setting is the temple (Matthew 22:23–33; Luke 20:27–40; Acts 4:1–3; 5:12, 17; 22:30–23:10; the exceptions are Matthew 3:7; 16:1–12).
The Sadducees’ question (Mark 12:19–23) was carefully crafted and based on a commandment of Moses (Deuteronomy 25:5–6; see Genesis 38:6–11; Ruth 4:1–22). Since all seven men could not have the woman as wife in the resurrection, and since none of them had a special claim, the Sadducees thought that they had proven the absurdity of the doctrine of the resurrection and refuted the Pharisees and Jesus (compare Matthew 12:41–42; Luke 16:19–31; see also Mark 8:31; 9:31; 10:34).

Theme notes and profiles

The Sadducees Death The Resurrection of the Dead

Events

Related verses

Exodus 3:2–6
There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a blazing fire from within a bush. Moses saw the bush ablaze with fire, but it was not consumed.
Genesis 17:7–8
I will establish My covenant as an everlasting covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.
Luke 20:37
Even Moses demonstrates that the dead are raised, in the passage about the burning bush. For he calls the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’
Genesis 33:20
There he set up an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel.
Exodus 3:16
Go, assemble the elders of Israel and say to them, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—has appeared to me and said: I have surely attended to you and have seen what has been done to you in Egypt.
Genesis 31:42
If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been with me, surely by now you would have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my affliction and the toil of my hands, and last night He rendered judgment.”
Acts 7:30–32
After forty years had passed, an angel appeared to Moses in the flames of a burning bush in the desert near Mount Sinai.
Genesis 26:24
…and that night the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am the God of your father Abraham. Do not be afraid, for I am with you. I will bless you and multiply your descendants for the sake of My servant Abraham.”
Isaiah 41:8–10
“But you, O Israel, My servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, descendant of Abraham My friend—
Genesis 32:9
Then Jacob declared, “O God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac, the LORD who told me, ‘Go back to your country and to your kindred, and I will make you prosper,’
Mark 12:10
Have you never read this Scripture: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
Matthew 22:31–32
But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what God said to you:

Parallels

Matthew 22:23–33 Luke 20:27–40

People

Abraham: Patriarch, chosen by God to father His people Isaac: Son of Abraham; father of Jacob and Esau Israel: Patriarch, son of Isaac, father of twelve tribes Moses: Prophet who led Israel out of Egypt

Glossary

Bible, Manuscripts and Text of the (New Testament) Book Book of Exodus Burning Bush Genesis, Book of Inheritance Jesus Christ, Teachings of Mark, Gospel of Old Testament Canon Resurrection Sadducees

Topics

Immortality: General Scriptures Concerning Jesus, the Christ: Tested by the Sadducees Concerning the Resurrection of the Dead (In Jerusalem) Resurrection: General Scriptures Concerning Sadducees: Reject the Doctrine of the Resurrection Satire of Jesus Against Hypocrites The Sadducees: Christ: Vindicated the Resurrection Against

Mark 12:26

Translations?

Original?

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Events?

Related verses?

Parallels?