This is the third controversy story of the series begun in 11:27. As in most New Testament references to the Sadducees, the setting is the temple (Matthew 22:23–33; Luke 20:27–40; Acts 4:1–3; 5:12, 17; 22:30–23:10; the exceptions are Matthew 3:7; 16:1–12).
The Sadducees’ question (Mark 12:19–23) was carefully crafted and based on a commandment of Moses (Deuteronomy 25:5–6; see Genesis 38:6–11; Ruth 4:1–22). Since all seven men could not have the woman as wife in the resurrection, and since none of them had a special claim, the Sadducees thought that they had proven the absurdity of the doctrine of the resurrection and refuted the Pharisees and Jesus (compare Matthew 12:41–42; Luke 16:19–31; see also Mark 8:31; 9:31; 10:34).