The God of the Living
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Scripture Reading
Scripture Reading
27 Some of the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus with a question. 28 “Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and have children for his brother. 29 Now there were seven brothers. The first one married a woman and died childless. 30 The second 31 and then the third married her, and in the same way the seven died, leaving no children. 32 Finally, the woman died too. 33 Now then, at the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?”
34 Jesus replied, “The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. 35 But those who are considered worthy of taking part in that age and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, 36 and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God’s children, since they are children of the resurrection. 37 But in the account of the bush, even Moses showed that the dead rise, for he calls the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ 38 He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.”
39 Some of the teachers of the law responded, “Well said, teacher!” 40 And no one dared to ask him any more questions.
Introduction
Introduction
1. A Question to Deny the Resurrection (vv.27-33)
1. A Question to Deny the Resurrection (vv.27-33)
1.1. The Context
1.1. The Context
27 Some of the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus with a question.
The sadducees were a reasonably powerful sect within the Jewish people. They were associated with the priests of the Jews, and were typically known to be very wealthy.
In terms of their beliefs, there were some significant differences when compared with the beliefs of the Pharisees.
One example of this was that the Sadducees accepted only the written word, and rejected the oral tradition that the Pharisees held to.
They also rejected what’s referred to as the “Eternal divine decree” - relating to God’s providential working. They called it “fate,” and didn’t agree with it, but rather held to the freedom of the will.
The reason I bring some of these other differences up is that they give us some idea of the tensions and conflicts that would probably have been part of the interactions of the various groups.
Of significance in this scenario, however, is the fact that the Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection from the dead. They believed that you lived this life, and then when your body died, that was the end of you. They believed that the soul perished along with the body. They also didn’t believe in spiritual beings such as angels.
Luke Luke 20:27–40
we often think that ancient people were unsophisticated, gullible, and nonempirical, believing in gods and spirits at every turn. But some in the ancient world were skeptical of spiritual teaching, just as moderns are. The Sadducees were “modern” people in an ancient time, questioning both the existence of angels and the resurrection. They were committed materialists, dedicated to pursuing life on this earth. In a sense, they speak for a common attitude today.
So, there were these strong beliefs, very different indeed from the Pharisees, but they were together part of the ruling council of Jews (Sanhedrin).
The extent of these differences was so significant, that Paul used these differences to create some chaos when he was on trial before them.
6 Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, “My brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee. I stand on trial because of my hope in the resurrection of the dead.” 7 When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. 8 (The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, and that there are neither angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.)
9 There was a great uproar, and some of the teachers of the law who were Pharisees stood up and argued vigorously. “We find nothing wrong with this man,” they said. “What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” 10 The dispute became so violent that the commander was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by them. He ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force and bring him into the barracks.
That gives us a sense of how tense things could get between these groups.
Now, we saw previously that the Pharisees (along with the Herodians) had come with a question with the view of catching Jesus out. They had wanted to have him arrested. In all likelihood, the Sadducees were quite thrilled at the failure of the Pharisees, simply because they were opponents.
But it’s the Sadducees that now approach Jesus with a question. What was the intent of the Sadducees? Probably shaming Jesus, and one-upping the Pharisees at the same time, to whom they were opposed.
Notice the question they then ask.
28 “Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and have children for his brother.
Before we go on, let us pause and consider their words here. Firstly, we see that Jesus is once again referred to as “Teacher.” They were respectful of Jesus, although not supportive of Him.
The question that they pose to Jesus goes back to something that was written by Moses in the Book of the Law. In fact, it was a law that was given through Moses in order to continue the name of a man who had died without children.
You will sometimes hear this referred to as the “Levirate marriage”. The word levirate has nothing to do with the tribe of Levi, but rather comes from the Latin word levir, “a husband’s brother.”
Before we get to the actual law, we should recognise that the Sadducees regarding the Pentateuch (first five books of the Old Testament) as supreme, as higher in value than the other books of the Old Testament.
They were now going to the Law, a section that they held in high regard, in order to establish / argue for the correctness of their own opinion.
The law upon which their question will be based is outlined in...
5 If brothers are living together and one of them dies without a son, his widow must not marry outside the family. Her husband’s brother shall take her and marry her and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to her. 6 The first son she bears shall carry on the name of the dead brother so that his name will not be blotted out from Israel.
The important thing to see from this is that the law was given in order to continue the name of the original husband. We don’t see this in our own day, and we struggle to comprehend how important this is. But in the early days of Israel, continuing the family line, and thus the line through which the inheritance would be passed down, was extremely important to them.
In fact, a person who would not continue the family line by following this vow was really frowned upon. It was actually a shameful thing to neglect your responsibility in this regard.
7 However, if a man does not want to marry his brother’s wife, she shall go to the elders at the town gate and say, “My husband’s brother refuses to carry on his brother’s name in Israel. He will not fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to me.” 8 Then the elders of his town shall summon him and talk to him. If he persists in saying, “I do not want to marry her,” 9 his brother’s widow shall go up to him in the presence of the elders, take off one of his sandals, spit in his face and say, “This is what is done to the man who will not build up his brother’s family line.” 10 That man’s line shall be known in Israel as The Family of the Unsandaled.
We see from this the weightiness of the belief that was held to in that day. It’s quite important for us to see this. This wasn’t an insignificant matter culturally for them. It was really important in their minds.
This sets the context of the question itself.
1.2. The Question
1.2. The Question
29 Now there were seven brothers. The first one married a woman and died childless. 30 The second 31 and then the third married her, and in the same way the seven died, leaving no children.
The Sadducees have brought before Jesus a scenario that truly sounds absurd. While it starts off reasonable, they really are bringing a far-fetched situation that borders on absurdity! And this is obviously in order to create a conundrum situation that would be difficult, if not impossible for Jesus to answer!
It seems like the odds were stacked up against these brothers. You would think that by the time the third and fourth brothers had died, the rest would want nothing to do with this lady!! She was dangerous!!! Let’s rather take the shame of not marrying her!!
We need to realise that the Sadducees were truly out to make anyone who believed in the resurrection look ridiculous, based on this scenario. They could simply have used two brothers. The first died; the second died; there were no children… whose wife would she be, the first or the second.
They drew the picture to the level of absurdity in order to drive home what they believed was the absurdity of the resurrection.
Keep in mind that the law allowed a woman to only have one husband.
As the fictitious scenario continues to unfold, the Sadducees conclude the story with verse 32...
32 Finally, the woman died too.
A woman without any children, despite having gone through seven husbands.
Now the question itself…
33 Now then, at the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?”
All of that was conveyed to Jesus in order to set up the big question now set forth in this verse. Whose wife will she be at the resurrection.
The thinking in their minds is that, if there truly is a resurrection, there is going to be war in heaven over this one woman, as the seven brothers fight over her for marriage.
Therefore, based on the Law of Moses, there cannot be a resurrection.
Obviously, their goal is to discredit the resurrection of anyone. They are attempting to use the law in order to prove a point, even though the law that they use doesn’t speak specifically about the subject matter at hand.
Implications
Implications
There are some things that we must consider from this. While the question itself may be humorous, it really is a crucial question.
The first reason that it was important, contextually, is because many Jews did believe in a resurrection. From their own Scriptures, they would have argued for the resurrection. An example of this could be found in Psalm 73. As the Psalmist considers the prosperity of the wicked in life, and how they seem to live trouble-free lives, while the righteous struggle, he says that he had almost fallen, his foot had almost slipped.
But what changed his perspective....
16 When I pondered to understand this,
It was troublesome in my sight
17 Until I came into the sanctuary of God;
Then I perceived their end.
Certainly implied in this recognition was a difference between the end of the righteous, and the end of the wicked. Many other examples could be brought in this regard.
But beyond this, and very importantly, Jesus himself had been teaching his disciples about his own resurrection.
22 And he said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.”
If these Sadducees were going to undermine and cause doubt in the resurrection, then the very words of Jesus would be undermined.
But even beyond this, the Christian hope is that of a resurrection. This is central and critical to what we believe.
In fact, Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:17
17 and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.
This is a fundamental belief in the Christian faith. Flowing out of this belief are three critical issues:
Accountability before God
Judgment
Eternal Life
If there is no resurrection of the dead, then we can eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die, and there is no consequence for the life lived here, because our souls perish with our bodies.
Do you see how important this truth is for your own life right now?
With that considered, let us see the answer that Jesus gives…
2. An Answer that Confirms the Resurrection (vv.34-40)
2. An Answer that Confirms the Resurrection (vv.34-40)
Jesus now gives his reply to the Sadducees. As the Pharisees had thought they had trapped JEsus by their question, so too the Sadducees probably thought they had trapped Jesus.
But He wisely answers them! What we will see from Jesus is His wisdom beyond our comprehension, in terms of the Law of God, in terms of life in this world, but also in terms of life in the world to come.
2.1. The Present Age
2.1. The Present Age
34 Jesus replied, “The people of this age marry and are given in marriage.
Jesus begins by affirming the fact that the “people of this age marry and are given in marriage.”
When Jesus speaks here of “This age,” he is speaking of the time during which His kingdom rule would slowly be established in this world, until His return for the final judgment.
He’s speaking about the days in which we now live.
But notice how he emphasizes marriage as being part of this age. It really is a fundamental reality of life in this world. In fact, this is one of the primary building blocks of soceity!
Marriage is a divine institution, that established by God Himself, for the purpose of both companionship and procreation.
24 For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.
This simple truth as found in Genesis 2:24 has continued to play out in the world through all the course of history. The purpose, or course, was that man may multiply through the earth. This is known as the creation mandate.
28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”
We would not make sense of the world and life without these critical elements of society… Worldwide we see this played out, even though society is seeking to undermine and destroy them.
But Christ goes on to speak about the age that is to come…
2.2. The Age to Come
2.2. The Age to Come
35 But those who are considered worthy of taking part in that age and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, 36 and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God’s children, since they are children of the resurrection.
In these two verses, Christ simply lays out the truths and realities of the age that is to come. He doesn’t provide any proof, but simply tells them what it’s going to be like, and something of how life will be lived in this age to come.
We must take note of the important things that he mentions.
Jesus speaks here about “those considered worthy.” He focuses on a particular group of people.
We need to see that this is a “Divine Imperative.” In other words, it is speaking about those who are considered worthy by God, through His own initiative and action. Those who are “considered worthy” are those who will have been redeemed by the grace of God. Furthermore, they are those who would have endured the hostilities of this world as those who profess faith in Christ, and through such patient endurance, would have proven their faith to be true.
3 We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing. 4 Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring.
5 All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering.
Again, this “worthiness” is only by God’s grace and divine working.
I do want us to note however that Christ then adds that they are considered worthy of taking part...in the resurrection from the dead..”
Now, when Jesus says this He is not teaching that some are resurrected and that others are destroyed. He is not saying that those who are worthy are raised up to new life, but that those who are not worthy are simply left in the grave.
That is a false doctrine referred to as “Annihilationism.” And we already know that Jesus doesn’t hold to this position, because he’s told the story of the rich man and Lazarus, in which He made it very clear that there are different destinies for people after their death in this life. Some go to eternal bliss and joy, and others to eternal pain and suffering.
Thus Jesus’ words here simply refer to those who, by God’s grace, are worthy of eternal life and joy following their death in this world. Further on, in verse 36, Jesus says that they are God’s children, since they are children of the resurrection.
What, then, does Jesus say about these children of the resurrection?
Firstly, that they neither marry nor are they given in marriage. Most commentators would argue that the reason that there is no longer a need for marriage is that the need to continue to carry out the creation mandate (particularly filling the earth) is no longer there.
Luke Luke 20:35
The need of marriage to fill the earth (Gen 1:28) will be past and the need for procreation ended. The need for companionship, which marriage was meant to fill (Gen 2:18–25), will no longer be needed, for that need will be met by God himself and the family of believers.
Whether this is precisely the reasoning behind the change in the life to come or not cannot be said with certainty, but this is at least one plausible suggestion.
The point is, that according to Jesus, there is not need for marriage in heaven, and in fact, it will not happen.
Further to this, there will be no more death. In the life to come, death would have been done away with for the children of God, those redeemed by His grace.
Jesus adds the comment, “for they are like the angels.” Keep in mind that the Sadducees did not believe in angels, and He was thus pointing out their incorrect belief along this line as well. They hadn’t asked him about angels, but knowing that they had a faulty view on this subject, He brings in this teaching point as a bonus.
Up until this point, however, Jesus has not provided grounds for His assertion. It may be fine and well that He believes this to be the case, but what grounds are there?
This is what Jesus proceeds to outline in verse 37-38.
2.3. The Scriptural Basis
2.3. The Scriptural Basis
37 But in the account of the bush, even Moses showed that the dead rise, for he calls the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ 38 He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.”
Jesus begins his Scriptural basis for his argument by referring to “the account of the bush.” This was a well-known event from Jewish history. They would have been well familliar with the incident, and all of the Sadducees would have believed that this was an accurate record of what transpired.
Keep in mind the fact that the Sadducees held to the Pentateuch as the ultimate of their writings - the highest regard was for these books. And the account of the burning bush with Moses is found in the book of Exodus.
Jesus is thus referring to a portion of Scripture that they themselves held in very high regard.
This is actually quite interesting, because Jesus could have gone to a number of Scriptures to support His position on the resurrection from the dead. I’ve already mentioned Psalm 73, but consider a couple of others…
26 And after my skin has been destroyed,
yet in my flesh I will see God;
There is also Psalm 16:9-11
9 Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices;
My flesh also will dwell securely.
10 For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol;
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.
11 You will make known to me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.
Or, the prophet Isaiah 26:19
19 Your dead will live;
Their corpses will rise.
You who lie in the dust, awake and shout for joy,
For your dew is as the dew of the dawn,
And the earth will give birth to the departed spirits.
These are all some examples of OT Scriptures that would support the resurrection of the dead, and the fact that a person’s soul is not destroyed at their death.
But Jesus goes to the portion of Scripture that they would have seen as most weighty, and will show them even from there that the resurrection will indeed take place.
Notice how Jesus phrases this as well. He says that “Moses calls God...” The tense that he uses is the present tense, and He is saying that as Scripture, what Moses said then is continued to be said today.
Jesus says that even “Moses showed” that the dead rise… In other words, Jesus is telling them that Moses made the argument. Jesus says that Moses called the Lord, The God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.
When Moses said this, he didn’t merely say that God used to be God of Abraham, and used to be God of Isaac, and used to be God of Jacob. Rather it was phrased as a present reality in the day of Moses. And given that Moses is still speaking today (as we just considered a moment ago) He is still the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.
Jesus then logically draws the conclusion in Luke 20:38
38 He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.”
Jesus now drives the point home by stating that God is not the God of the dead… those who have died in former years gone by… but those who are living… in other words those who are alive even today.
While the Patriarchs were not physically alive, they were spiritually alive and well, and thus God was God of these living patriarchs when Moses said the words.
On commentator notes here:
Luke Luke 20:37–38
a study of the context in which Exod. 3:6 and all similar passages occur quickly proves that the One who reveals himself as “the God of Abraham …” is the unchangeable, eternal covenant God who blesses, loves, encourages, protects, etc., his people, and whose favors do not suddenly stop when a person dies but go with that person beyond death (Ps. 16:10, 11; 17:15; 73:23–26).
For us, practically speaking, this is a great encouragement.
There are also some practical implications… but I’ll come to those in a moment.
Notice the response in verse 39-40
39 Some of the teachers of the law responded, “Well said, teacher!” 40 And no one dared to ask him any more questions.
Those who were responding to Jesus with the words, “well said,” were certainly not from the group of the Sadducees.
It would have been the Pharisees, and the others who held to the belief in the resurrection, that would have been voicing these words.
You see, Jesus had supported their view, and they liked the idea that they had backing for their own position, which gave them a position of “superiority” (at least in this instance) over the Sadducees.
But this just shows us the fickle nature of people!!
One minute they’re opposed to Jesus, trying to catch him out in his words and find a way to get rid of him, the next minute they’re telling him that he’s spoken well.
It just shows the sinful heart of man. Whatever is beneficial or profitable to me, that’s what I’ll support!!
The final response, according to Luke, is that they asked no more questions.
All of the different groups were shown to be lacking when compared to the great teacher, the very Son of God! These men that had spent their lives learning and training to take these positions of power in the religious leadership, were shown to be incapable of arguing with this man who was not trained at all! At least not through their systems…
Application / Conclusion
Application / Conclusion
A.1. Religious Differences
A.1. Religious Differences
There are differences of view, and we need to recognise that sometimes, we will not agree on everything.
Some matters are more weighty than others.
The point should not be so much to win the argument, but rather to bring honour and glory to God.
One of the great problems between these groups is that they were attempting to show one another up… trying to be better.
The real question is, are we humbly accepting the Word of God, knowing that we won’t always get it right?
A.2. The Resurrection is a Reality
A.2. The Resurrection is a Reality
Jesus Christ clearly taught the truth in this passage.
The truth is clearly taught in many different passages through Scripture, both Old Testament and New Testament.
A.3. The Resurrection Requires a Response
A.3. The Resurrection Requires a Response
In light of this, we must respond in an appropriate manner.
28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
We need to respond to the Gospel message. God has created us for his glory, and He calls us to submit ourselves to Him.
Beyond that, we need to think about how we live our lives now.
11 Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,
How are you responding to God?