Mark 12:18-27 (NIV)
Have you ever thought about what life will be like… after death? We all have, of course. And every religion and culture has a story of what it will be like. The Jewish people believed in a bodily, physical, eternal life of resurrected and restored bodies in a New Heavens and New Earth. But even amongst themselves there was disagreement about this. There was a group called the Sadducees, who apparently thought the idea of bodily resurrection too radical to believe, and in today’s passage we meet them. They have joined in the effort to try to trap Jesus into saying something that would justify his arrest, even in spite of their philosophical differences with the Pharisees and other Jewish leaders.
As you listen to the passage read aloud, again step into the scene. It’s tense. You can imagine the look on the faces of those trying to trip Jesus up. Try to picture the look on his face as he responds. What do you see?
----------REFLECT----------
1. Did you find anything in the passage interesting, odd or surprising?
2. Jesus’ response to the Sadducees calls out both their lack of Scriptural study and their lack of experiencing God, affirming the resurrection by quoting directly from Moses’ writings—the only ones they held as authoritative. In what ways can you see a lack of Biblical knowledge and/or the power of God in your family, church or community?
3. As you consider your thoughts and feelings about “the afterlife,” what questions do you want answered? Are you willing to trust Jesus to answer those questions?
----------GO DEEPER----------
Bible Project: Mark Overview >>
Bible Project: The Gospel >>
Bible Project: Gospel of the Kingdom >>
Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church by N.T. Wright >>
True Story by James Choung >>
----------CONNECT----------
Find an InterVarsity Chapter >>
Start an InterVarsity Chapter >>
Learn More >>
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free