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Resurrection

Faith Q&A › Metropolitan Youssef › Our Lord and the Faith › Resurrection

The question

"Jesus answered and said to them, 'The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage. But those who are counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection'" (Luke 20:34-36).

"For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven" (Matthew 22:30).

Is the likeness that our Lord is referring to here regarding immortality and celibacy or is it also regarding our bodies? e.g. will we be spirits like angels with no material body nor a gender?

The answer

Our Lord meant both the marriage and the immortality. He was answering the Sadducees who did not believe in the resurrection. His answer to them meant that in the resurrection the bodies of the saints shall be raised incorruptible and glorious like pure and holy spirits. St. Jerome says that we will be raised from the dead carrying our own gender but free from all fleshly desires. Marriage is an institution that God designed specifically for the procreation of the human race. When death is no longer a possibility, procreation will no longer be a necessity. Man would not be governed by physical laws but will be "like angels" instead. That is, he will share the spiritual immortal nature of angels.

Answered by His Eminence Metropolitan Youssef (opens in a new tab)

Related questions

Questions answered by His Eminence Metropolitan Youssef (opens in a new tab) of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. Question 932 on the Diocese’s Q&A site. Questions and answers © Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. All rights reserved.