And Jesus said to them, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage, but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage, for they cannot die anymore, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.
Luke 20:34-36 (ESV)
The Sadducees sought to trap Jesus by asking him a question about marriage in the resurrection age. If a person is married to multiple people in this age, who will they be married to after the resurrection?
Their question was really about the reality of the resurrection, which they did not believe in. But, before Jesus answered their real question, he addressed this issue about marriage.
He started by addressing marriage in the present age. In this age, we marry and are given in marriage. Marriage serves two purposes. It provides for an intimate companionship, a joining together of two people into one. It also provides a stable environment for having and raising children for the next generation.
But in the age to come, neither of those is needed. Since we will not die, there is no need to produce children.
Jesus did not directly address the companionship part of marriage in this passage. But, as two become one in marriage in this age, so we who are many become one in Christ (Rom. 12:5). The intimacy we share in marriage now is one that we will share across the body of Christ and with God (John 17:20-23).
In the coming age, we will, in some way, be like the angels, living in the presence of God, sons of God. As Peter, John, and James recognized Moses and Elijah on the Mount of Transfiguration (Lk. 9:28-33), I suspect we will all recognize everyone else in the coming age. However, the relationships we have now will no longer be applicable. We will be fully united in heart and mind.
