Mark 12:26

And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?

Mark 12:26 (KJV)

Context

Jesus spoke these words to the Sadducees, a religious group among the Jews who denied the resurrection of the dead. They had tested Him with a story about a woman who married seven brothers in turn, asking whose wife she would be in the resurrection. Jesus answered that they erred because they did not know the Scriptures or the power of God, and He then pointed them to the book of Moses.

The phrase “book of Moses” refers to the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Old Testament, which the Sadducees accepted as authoritative. Jesus grounded His argument in the very law they claimed to uphold, showing that the doctrine of the resurrection is not a later invention but is rooted in God’s revelation to Israel.

Meaning

Jesus quoted Exodus 3:6, where God said to Moses from the burning bush, “I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” The present tense “I am” is significant. God did not say “I was” their God, but “I am.” Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died centuries before Moses stood at the bush, yet God still identified Himself as their God in the present tense. This implies that they continued to exist in His sight, and therefore they must be raised to life.

Jesus’ argument is not merely illustrative but foundational. God’s covenant relationship with the patriarchs was not broken by death. Because God is faithful to His promises, those who belong to Him remain alive to Him. The Sadducees’ error was not only about the resurrection but also about the power of God and the nature of Scripture. They failed to see that God’s word points beyond the grave.

Biblical connections

The burning bush was a theophany, a visible manifestation of God, where He revealed His name and His covenant faithfulness to Moses. By appealing to this event, Jesus showed that the resurrection is implied in God’s covenant promises. The God who called Moses from the bush is the same God who raises the dead.

Application

This verse reassures believers that physical death does not end their relationship with God. The same God who was faithful to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is faithful to every person who trusts in Christ. His power transcends mortality, and His covenant promises hold beyond the grave.

Reflection

Jesus’ answer calls readers to trust in the God of the living. When faced with doubts about life after death, this passage directs attention to the character of God, who is not the God of the dead but of the living. The resurrection is certain because God’s love and power are not limited by death.