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Luke 20:27-40
In this passage is a testing of the knowledge of Jesus by the Sadducees in an attempt to stump Jesus with a question in which He did not know the answer. The Sadducees do not believe in the resurrection, and in so they asked Jesus a question that they believed had no answer, or that in the answer Jesus would give, would in itself be contradicting and that would give them the grounds to discredit Jesus’ teaching as a whole.
The question asked of Jesus is that if a man, having been married, dies without producing any children, the custom for the Israelite people would be for the man’s brother to marry his widow and produce children for his brother. If there were seven brothers and the first dies without producing children, and the second marries the widow of the first and then he dies without producing children, and the third, fourth, and so on through the seventh brother, all without producing any children, and the woman dies also, then in the resurrection whose wife would she be having been married to all seven? The basis of this question is not to promote polygamy, but to prove that the idea of the resurrection is an absurd and ridiculous belief, thus forcing Jesus to concur with the Sadducees idea of no resurrection or indulge in a debate for the rights of the first husband to claim the woman, which would result in a never-ending circle of debate for each man’s rights to the woman and in so would prove the teaching of Jesus to have no solid ground to stand on.
The reply of Jesus does not give in to the earthen question of the ways of man but defines the difference between the ways of heaven and the ways of the earth. Jesus notes that the sons of this age (human beings living on earth) marry and are given in marriage, but those who are counted worthy (Colossians 1:3-6, 9-23) to attain that age and the resurrection from the dead (spiritual life in heaven), do not marry or be given in marriage, nor will they die anymore because they will be like the angels and are sons of God as they are sons of the resurrection (Luke 20:34-36). Jesus says that even Moses proclaimed the resurrection when he called the Lord the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to the Israelites (Exodus 3:6,15,16) as directed by God in the passage of the burning bush. Jesus proclaims that God is the God of the living for all live to Him (Luke 20:38).
At the conclusion, the scribes credit Jesus for speaking well on the subject. Note that the scribes gave Jesus credit, not the Sadducees, as the scribes were mostly considered to be of the Pharisees, not the Sadducees. This could have been a moment for the opposing party to “rub in” defeat of their political and religious opponent. However, all religious and political parties were silenced from asking Jesus any further questions after hearing Jesus’ reply to the Sadducees question.
This is an example of attempted trickery and wrongful intent directed from the sinful nature (Satan’s infiltration to keep man away from God) of man’s attempt to discredit Jesus.
This is an example that God is above the ways of man and will always be superior to man in all His ways.
This is a promise of the resurrection life to come for those who believe in Jesus and follow Him.
In heaven we will experience a different life than that of this world, because heaven is of a different world, a spiritual world that lives in God’s glory. For those who believe in Jesus and strive to follow what He teaches us in His Word; for those who are found worthy in Christ, will find life eternal in a new spiritual world that God has reserved for His children (John 1:12-13; 4:23-24; 14:6).
Dear Lord,
We recognize that marriage in this age (humans on earth) was given to us so that we could make a personal connection to the marriage of Jesus and the Church; that we would be reminded through the marriage commitment that we make to our earthly spouse of the marriage commitment that Jesus made to the Church; that we would realize the sacrifice and love that You have for us and that we would be drawn to You through it. Please help us to see that life eternal in the spiritual world of heaven is being accepted into Your glory, and that by accepting and following Jesus in this world, we are bringing glory to You through our earthly lives, which in turn will be our eternal reward of being accepted into Your glory; an awesome wonder beyond anything our earthly minds can grasp. We love You and thank You for this eternal gift for those who believe. In Jesus name I pray, amen.