(Mark 12:18-44)
18 Some Sadducees (who say that there is no resurrection) came to Jesus, and began questioning Him, saying, 19 “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves behind a wife and does not leave a child, his brother is to marry the wife and raise up children for his brother. 20 There were seven brothers; and the first took a wife, and died leaving no children. 21 The second one married her, and died leaving behind no children; and the third likewise; 22 and so the seven together left no children. Last of all the woman also died. 23 In the resurrection, which one’s wife will she be? For each of the seven had her as his wife.” 24 Jesus said to them, “Is this not the reason you are mistaken, that you do not understand the Scriptures nor the power of God? 25 For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 26 But regarding the fact that the dead rise, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the burning bush, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? 27 He is not the God of the dead, but of the living; you are greatly mistaken.”TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:
We just saw the Pharisees and Herodians working together to bring forth a question that would stump Jesus. It was a practical question around taxes, since both groups depend on taxes for their livelihood. If the people were too burdened with Rome's Imperial taxes, that would cause them to struggle in paying the Herodians' local taxes, as well as paying the temple taxes, which supported the Pharisees. So, besides trying to trap Jesus, their question was out of greed for more money. And in yesterday's post, we saw Jesus' brilliant answer.
Next came this question from the Sadducees, which was more out of arrogance and pride. In all probability, years before this, there was at least one man who was studying God's laws (the levirate marriage, Deuteronomy 25:5-6) meant to protect widows economically, as well as protect birthrights for every family, of every tribe- and saw a legal problem in the afterlife. Ergo, using earthly knowledge and logic, they decided that there could not be an afterlife- ergo- there was no resurrection, ergo- God and His word is not infallible, ergo- one can be smarter than God or anyone who believes in God.
This kind of reasoning gave birth to the new school of thought, that being the Sadducees. Just like secular scientists have established evolution as a fact, in efforts to explain away God. All this does is try to reduce our entire purpose for being here on this earth- to be living by various do's and don'ts. Which would lead people to believe that we can just make it all up, and do whatever we want.
So here, these very-well-read and educated Sadducean lawyers, thought that they could outsmart Jesus by bringing forth a very complex case, which seemed to conflict with God's law. The case that they presented was actually based on a storyline taken from the Jewish book of Tobit. Except that, these Sadducees described the seven husbands as being all brothers, even though they were not.
Well, who knows God's laws better than the Lord God, Himself!? Not only is Jesus part of the Trinity, as God's Son, He was there at creation, speaking the universe into existence. And creating mankind out dust and breathing life into him, with the purpose of having an eternal relationship with us. Since mankind chose to sin, which introduced physical and spiritual death to the entire world, this brought a separation between us and God. So now, each person must choose to accept the Lord Jesus into our lives, in order to be reconciled to Him in a personal relationship, and enjoy eternal life in heaven with Him.
Therefore, to the Sadducees' question, Jesus began by pointing out their lack of understanding, of both God's words, as well as God's power. How often do we "limit" or "minimize" God's power according to what we can only understand or imagine? If we think that we can fully comprehend... think again! Yet, God gives us His word so that we can very clearly know and understand the things that we need to know and understand.
To the Sadducees, Jesus then imparts some information that only God could know- the fact that in heaven- after all believers are resurrected, we will receive glorified bodies, which will be "like" angels. (Note: Jesus doesn't say that we will "be" angels!) Therefore, in heaven, there will be no marriages. There will be no need! Believers will all be with the Lord- completely complete, and fully fulfilled!
To finish His response, Jesus actually used a standard method that the Pharisees liked to use when debating the Sadducees on this very topic... Jesus quoted a portion from the book of Exodus (3:6) which has God telling Moses that He is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob --- in the present tense --- to emphasis and back up Jesus' statement that God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.
This is the main takeaway: The Lord Jesus created us with the purpose of having an eternal love relationship with us. And the Lord Jesus came in flesh to pay for our sins on the cross, so that we can be reconciled to Him, so that we can have and enjoy that eternal love relationship with Him!
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation: 16 for by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or rulers, or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. 17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. 18 He is also the head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. 19 For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, 20 and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.
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