LESSON II.—SABBATH, OCTOBER 13, 1894.
CHILDREN OF THE RESURRECTION.
27. AND there came to him certain of the Sadducees, they which say that there is no resurrection; and they asked him, saying, 28. Master, Moses wrote unto us, that if a man's brother die, having a wife, and he be childless, his brother should take the wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. 29. There were therefore seven brethren; and the first took a wife, and died childless; 31. And the third took her; and likewise the seven also left no children, and died. 32. Afterward the woman also died. 33. In the resurrection therefore whose wife of them shall she be? for the seven had her to wife. 34. And Jesus said unto them, The sons of this world marry, and are given in marriage; 35. But they that are accounted worthy to attain to that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage; 36. For neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. 37. But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the place concerning the Bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. 38. Now he is not the God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him. 39. And certain of the scribes answering said, Master, thou hast well said. 40. For they durst not any more ask him any question. 41. And he said unto them, How say they that Christ is David's son? 42. For David himself saith in the book of Psalms,
The Lord said unto my Lord,
Sit thou on my right hand, 43. Till I make thine enemies the footstool of thy feet. 44. David therefore calleth him Lord, and how is he his son? 45. And in the hearing of all the people he said unto his disciples, 46. Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love salutations in the market places, and chief seats in the synagogues, and chief places at feasts; 47. Which devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers; these shall receive greater condemnation. THERE are three distinct topics in this lesson. Read the verses carefully, note the topics and the verses occupied by each, and see in how few words you can name each topic. Review the entire chapter, and then see how many of the particulars of each topic you can recall in their order. - In what two ways, as already learned in this chapter, did the chief priests and the scribes seek to entrap Jesus?
- Who next sought to entangle him?
- What was one peculiarity of the Sadducees?
- What case did they lay before Jesus?
- What was the problem which they asked him to solve?
- Whose writings did the Sadducees profess to believe?
- What did Jesus say to them? Of what were they ignorant?
- What did he say about the marriage relation in the world to come?
- Unto whom are the children of the resurrection equal? In what respect?
- Whose writings did Jesus quote as teaching the resurrection of the dead?
- Quote the scripture and tell where it is found.
- Of whom does the Lord declare himself to be the God?
- What did the scribes say to this answer?
- What effect did these answers of Jesus have upon those who wished to entrap him?
- What question did Jesus then put to his adversaries?
- Were they able to answer it? See Matt. 22: 46.
- Against what did Jesus then warn his disciples?
- What was there about them that should be avoided?
1. THE Sadducees rejected all the Scriptures except the writings of Moses. Jesus showed that they did not know and accept even his writings. If they had, they would have believed the resurrection. At one time he said, "Had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me; for he wrote of me." John 5: 46. Moses wrote the gospel, just as surely as did Luke and John. 2. "Now that the dead are raised," or, as in Mark 12: 26, "As touching the dead, that they rise," "even Moses showed at the bush." The Lord is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He called himself their God, many years after they were dead. That cannot be taken to mean that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were not really dead, for then they would not need a resurrection, and there would be no point in Christ's reference to it as proof of the resurrection. But God "quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were." Rom. 4: 17. 3. "Beware of the scribes," etc. The reason why they were to be avoided was because of their pride and selfishness. Therefore it was their characteristics rather than their persons that Jesus warned his disciples against. Consequently, we shall receive the most benefit from the Lord's words if, instead of being on the watch against persons with the character that he describes, we keep on our guard against such traits in ourselves.