Kip

What does Jesus mean by saying this?

A. People who go to Heaven cannot be married

B. People in Heaven, whether or not they were married, no longer have any marital status.

Can someone please tell me which is correct and explain why?

Amos

Heaven is a place on earth and will end at the second death.

The death of the ego is the first death. After this our identity moves to our eternal mind and when we physically die eternal life ends.

Kip

You are not helpful.

Amos

I don't see why not?

Very simple, when the ego dies we must vacate it because it is gone. We take up residence in the true self and when it dies eternal life ends.

We can be married or single and just because the example was given that the widow ends up with seven husbands is not important at all if heaven ends when we die. In other words, when we physically die its over and nobody will claim us as husband after we die.

Bobzammel

I think it means that in the ressurection, since the bodies and social structure will somehow be different, that there would be no need for marriage. Marriage in biblical times after all was more about supporting other people supply-wise and sexually ("The helper fit for them"), rather than the more romantic way we view it today. Also in the NT it's also said to be an earthly metaphor for the relationship between the Church and Christ. The passage cannot possibly implied that married people are barrred from Heaven-if they were, Jesus would be contradicting his own rules, as would be Paul.
That is not to say that spouses would not be recognized, or there will be a cessation of love. I think it simply means that the social and physical needs for marriage won't apply somehow. There's a passage in Isiah that suggests procreation in heaven, and so on.
It's also possible that the passage means people can be married, just not marry or be given in marriage.
However this kind of conflicts with the OT. If God is going to return the world to an Eden state, wouldn't that *also* still include marriage, since marriage happened *before* the fall?
It seems that while family and marriage are considered a blessing in the OT, the NT is rather contradictory on it. Some passages state that a Christian has a duty to his family, while others state that the family is perhaps the greatest hindrance to Christians, and one must put God first. (Although Jesus criticizes the pharisees for creating a rule about giving money to God that could be used to support one's parents!)

I think it's possible that these passages come from two sources, one being the Rabbi(Historical) Jesus, while another from the more apocalyptic Jim Jonesesque cult leader Jesus perhaps fashioned by zealous apostles.

Kip

You are not helpful because what you said seems to be your own particular perspective and now what the author intended. Am I correct?

Bobzammel

Me or Amos? Anyway, no one can really know what the original author intended either way(That's why there are so many conflicting opinions in Christendom). My opinion is based mainly on the mainstream Christian view, as well as how the passage works in context.
An added note: The passage seems to reflect a passage in the apocrpyha, Tobit, as well as the Mosaic Law; I think there's something in that book regarding a woman with seven husbands.

Also Kip, I should tell you that the New Living Translation is not a literal translation of the ancient Greek; mainly an attempt to convey the original meaning. The NIV is in fact demonized by many of the hardcore, KJV-worshipping Fundamentalists....

Kip

Amos.

Your reply was as helpful as you could be but I am still hoping for a more conclusive answer.

Bobzammel

Well, as I said, it's hard to reach a concrete conclusion. But most of the passages seem to state that marriage is allowed for Christians; just that some will choose to remain single so they can "focus" more on God. I think that's part of the reasoning of Catholics(Although their reason is actually modeled more on some middle ages problem involving inheritance). So basically the Christian view of marriage is "It's okay, just not for everyone".

There is another passage in which Jesus states those before the flood and the S & G destruction were "marrying", but this also states they were "eating and drinking". This passage mainly states that people were going about their business when they got drowned and blown up.

Amos

What I write is fom the bible and the truth is what counts here.

Sorry Kip, yes I can elaborate but that would all be based on my idea that the fulness of salvation is heaven on earth.