I. The Sadducees tried to discredit Christ (v.23-28)

Tell the story of the seven brothers and one wife – whose wife will she be in heaven?

II. he resurrection was scoffed at and denied (v.23b-28)

A. The Mosaic law, also known as the levirate law or law of the brother-in-law (v.24) – The law of the brother-in-law specified that in order to carry on the family (v.24a), when a man dies, and has brothers, the oldest brother is to marry the wife in order to carry on the family line, and to protect the family property. These Sadducees attempted to use this law to trick Jesus, and to cause the people to disbelieve in the resurrection of the dead.

b. The logical situation: A childless widow marries seven brothers (v.25-26)

c. The logical question supposedly shows the absurdity of the resurrection: Whose wife is she in eternity? (v.27-28)

Those who are in denial of the resurrection of Christ are like the nomad in the desert, who awakened hungry in the middle of the night. He lit a candle and began eating dates from a bowl beside his bed. He took a bite from one end and saw a worm in it, so he threw it out of the tent. He bit into a second date, found another worm, and threw it away also. Reasoning that he woul not have any dates left to eat if this continued, he blew out the candle and quickly ate all the dates.

There are many who prefer darkness and denial to the light of reality.

III. The resurrection was denied for two reasons (v.29)

A. Did not know Scripture (v.29a) The danger of not knowing the scripture.

B. Did not know the power of God (v.29b) – The danger of not knowing the power of God.

The raising and transformation of a person who has died. Resuscitation means the bringing back of people to this life after they have left it, for example, the raising of the son of the widow of Nain (Luke 7:11–15) or of Lazarus (John 11). Resurrection is more than that. Jesus rose on the third day after he died, but his new body was transformed. It was not subject to the limitations of his former earthly life (Luke 24:16, 31; John 20:19). Jesus’ resurrection, following his atoning death, is central to the Christian faith (1 Cor. 15:14–19). Believers, too, will be resurrected (1 Thess. 4:16; 1 Cor. 15:42–57).

IV. The resurrection exceeds earthly relationships (v.30)

a. Exceeds marital relationship (v.30a)

b. Equal to angels and God (v.30b)

V. The resurrection has four basic proofs (v.31-32)

A. God has spoken and revealed the resurrection in His Word (v.31)

B. God is; God exists (v.32a)

D. God is the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob (v.32b)

E. God is not the God of the dead, but of the living (v.32c)

VI. The resurrection causes astonishment (v.33)

As a young man, D. L. Moody was called upon suddenly to preach a funeral sermon. He hunted all through the Four Gospels trying to find one of Christ’s funeral sermons, but searched in vain. He found that Christ broke up every funeral He ever attended. Death could not exist where He was. When the dead heard His voice they sprang to life. Jesus said, I am the resurrection, and the life (John 11:25).