ABSTRACT

The Sadducees' illustration refers to a woman who is married successively to seven brothers who all die leaving no children. Finally, the woman dies, and the Sadducees ask Jesus whose wife she will be in the resurrection. The setting of the debate between Jesus and the Sadducees illustrates the social differences associated with gender roles. No women are mentioned as being present, although some are likely to be among the crowd who gather in the Temple to listen to Jesus' teaching. The Sadducees assume that the after-life will be similar to the present creation. If the last husband had fathered a child, he would have the greatest claim to be the woman's husband. In contrast Jesus points out the radically different nature of the new creation. In the prologue, the nature of the angels' service is not defined. The verb however, has concrete meaning of 'to wait at table' which suggests that the angels serve Jesus by bringing him food.