Seven Brothers without Children - Mark 12:20

Mark wrote how, “Then come unto him the Sadducees, which say there is no resurrection; and they asked him, saying, Master, Moses wrote unto us, If a man's brother die, and leave his wife behind him, and leave no children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother”, and in chapter twelve and verse twenty of his book, Mark shared how the Sadducees told Jesus, “there were seven brethren … and dying left no seed” where we read:

Now there were seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and dying left no seed.

The verse reads, “Now there were seven brethren:” Mark began with the words, “Now there were seven brethren” which means “At that time there existed seven brothers”. Mark shared how the “Sadducees” presented Jesus with the idea that “seven brothers” existed at one time.

The verse continues, “and the first took a wife, and dying left no seed.” Mark added the words, “and the first” which refers to “and the first of the seven brothers” “took a wife” or “married a woman”, “and dying” which means “and expiring, taking his last breath and perishing” “left no seed” or “yielded no offspring or prodigy”. Mark shared how the “Sadducees” said the first of seven brothers “married” a woman and died without having child.

When we consider Mark's words in this verse, we see more of the story presented by the “Sadducees”. They did not believe in the “resurrection”, and were setting up a story where a man married a woman, died, and left no child behind. This would demand obedience to the law of Moses which said his brother should marry his wife and raise up a child in his name. Jesus knew the law, and although these “Sadducees” were exploiting the law to attempt to catch Jesus in His “words”, Jesus knew their intent with the story. God loves everybody, and He wants to have a “truthful” loving relationship with them through His Son Jesus. Those who challenge Jesus demonstrate their unwillingness to yield to Him as “Savior and Lord”, and when they oppose Him, they damage their own “everlasting and eternal life” with God.

Next time Mark shares how the Sadducees told Jesus, “there were seven brethren … dying left no seed” so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".