Luke 20:34

And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage:

And {G2532} Jesus {G2424} answering {G611} said {G2036} unto them {G846}, The children {G5207} of this {G5127} world {G165} marry {G1060}, and {G2532} are given in marriage {G1548}:

Yeshua said to them, “In this age, men and women marry;

Jesus answered, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage.

And Jesus said unto them, The sons of this world marry, and are given in marriage:

In Luke 20:34, Jesus addresses a challenging question from the Sadducees, a prominent Jewish sect that famously denied the resurrection of the dead. This verse initiates His profound teaching on the nature of life in the age to come, distinguishing it from the present earthly existence and its customs.

Context

This verse is part of Jesus' direct response to the Sadducees' challenge regarding the resurrection. They presented a hypothetical scenario based on the levirate marriage law (Deuteronomy 25:5-10), where a woman successively married seven brothers who all died without issue. Their question was, "Therefore in the resurrection, whose wife of them is she?" Their intent was to ridicule and discredit the concept of resurrection by exposing what they perceived as an absurdity if earthly marital customs were to continue in the afterlife. The Sadducees, unlike the Pharisees, accepted only the Pentateuch as authoritative scripture and rejected doctrines such as the resurrection, angels, and spirits, making this a direct theological confrontation.

Key Themes

  • The Nature of Earthly Life: Jesus states that "the children of this world" (referring to people living in the present age) engage in marriage and are given in marriage. This highlights that marriage is an institution designed for the current, mortal existence, fulfilling purposes such as procreation, companionship, and the ordering of society. It is a fundamental aspect of human life in the temporal realm.
  • Distinction Between Ages: This verse serves as a stark contrast to the life in the resurrection, which Jesus elaborates on in the subsequent verses (Luke 20:35-36). It underscores that the rules, customs, and biological necessities of this world do not necessarily apply to the eternal, spiritual realm.
  • Sadducees' Misconception: Jesus implicitly points out the Sadducees' fundamental error in trying to apply earthly logic and limitations to divine realities. Their misunderstanding stemmed from not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God, as noted in the parallel account in Matthew 22:29. They failed to grasp the transformative nature of the resurrection.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "the children of this world" translates the Greek hoi huioi tou aiōnos toutou (οἱ υἱοὶ τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου), literally meaning "the sons of this age." This idiom refers to those who are characterized by or belong to the present temporal world system, living according to its norms and limitations. It sets up a clear distinction with those who are "counted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead" (Luke 20:35), implying a completely different mode of existence for the redeemed in the eternal state, where earthly institutions like marriage are no longer necessary or applicable.

Practical Application

This verse provides profound insight into the temporary nature of many earthly institutions and relationships, including marriage, when viewed from an eternal perspective. While marriage is a sacred and divinely ordained covenant for this life, Jesus teaches that it does not extend into the resurrection. This encourages believers to hold lightly to the things of this world and to fix their hope on the eternal realities of God's kingdom. It also serves as a crucial reminder not to limit God's power and wisdom based on our human understanding or earthly experiences, but to trust in His revealed truth about the future and the transformative power of the resurrection.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Luke 16:8

    And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.

  • Luke 17:27

    They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.

  • Hebrews 13:4

    Marriage [is] honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.

  • Ephesians 5:31

    For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.

  • 1 Corinthians 7:2

    Nevertheless, [to avoid] fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.

  • 1 Corinthians 7:16

    For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save [thy] husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save [thy] wife?

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