For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both.
The verse sets two rival parties against each other, with the Sadducees denying any resurrection and denying the existence of angels and spirits, while the Pharisees affirm both. The Sadducees rejected the traditions of the Pharisees and denied a bodily resurrection and a future life of rewards and punishments, while the Pharisees firmly held to a bodily resurrection and to angels, and the two were united only by common opposition to Christ and desire for His death. Paul appealed to the resurrection because it was a hope he shared with the Pharisees and the very ground of the charge against him, and by doing so he divided the council and broke its united stand against him. The apostles' witness that Jesus had risen and ascended and would at last raise all the dead, confirmed by miracles in His name, exposed and discredited the Sadducean denial that there would be no resurrection. That denial rested on a false picture of the life to come as mere continuance of mortal flesh and blood with its frailties and earthly ties, whereas the resurrection is literal yet the immortal body need not be formed of the same particles, since identity lies in organization rather than in identical matter.
Rival Beliefs Defined
The verse sets out a sharp division of belief, with the Sadducees denying resurrection and the existence of angels and spirits while the Pharisees affirm both. The Sadducees professedly took the greater portion of the Scriptures as their rule of action yet had no respect for the traditions of the Pharisees. They denied the bodily resurrection and rejected a future life with its rewards and punishments, while the Pharisees firmly believed in the resurrection of the body and in angels. The only bond of union between the two parties was mutual opposition to the Saviour and desire to put Him to death.
Their denial rested on a mistaken picture of the life to come, supposing that if the future immortal being were made of the same matter as the mortal body it would retain flesh and blood and continue earthly carnal life with its frailties and passions. From that supposition they argued that the risen dead would carry over the same desires, so that earthly relationships and affairs would resume. Their difficulty is the question of how the dead are raised and with what body they come. The resurrection is literal, but the immortal body need not be made from the same particles of matter as the mortal body, since identity between the mortal and immortal person lies in organization, not in identical matter.
Their arguments confused the Pharisees about the future state of the dead, making death seem an unexplained mystery and a dreadful calamity. The resurrection was a central point of controversy between them. Their disputes over it often left the parties more divided and angry.
Preaching Meets Opposition
Paul appealed to the resurrection because it was a hope he held in common with the Pharisees and because it was the very ground of the accusation brought against him, and by doing so he turned the council's own division back upon itself. That division broke the united front against him and weakened the force of their opposition. Once divided, some of the Pharisaic scribes took his side so far as to contend that a spirit or an angel might have spoken to him, and that if so he ought not to be opposed.
The apostles bore witness that Jesus had risen and ascended to heaven and would at last raise all the dead, and the miracles wrought in His name confirmed that witness and directly confronted the Sadducean denial that there would be no resurrection. Sadducees among the priests and rulers were perplexed and angered by preaching of a resurrected Saviour attended by miracles, for if such preaching continued their doctrine would be rejected by all. They saw continued proclamation of a risen Saviour as threatening to discredit their teaching, to bring their sect to extinction, and to overthrow their influence and standing, so they were determined to stop the excitement and the testimony and joined in arresting the apostles. The Pharisees opposed the same preaching from a different motive, fearing it would undermine the Jewish ceremonies and render the sacrificial offerings of no effect.
Sadducean teaching had left even the disciples with only a vague understanding of resurrection from the dead, and having absorbed those doctrines and so-called scientific theories they found it hard to believe the report that Christ had risen. When Paul's truth threatened to influence the people, the Jewish leaders sought by subtle means to silence him rather than to answer his words. That course revealed the same spirit as the attempt to silence Luther.
The verse sets two rival parties against each other, with the Sadducees denying any resurrection and denying the existence of angels and spirits, while the Pharisees affirm both. The Sadducees rejected the traditions of the Pharisees and denied a bodily resurrection and a future life of rewards and punishments, while the Pharisees firmly held to a bodily resurrection and to angels, and the two were united only by common opposition to Christ and desire for His death. Paul appealed to the resurrection because it was a hope he shared with the Pharisees and the very ground of the charge against him, and by doing so he divided the council and broke its united stand against him. The apostles' witness that Jesus had risen and ascended and would at last raise all the dead, confirmed by miracles in His name, exposed and discredited the Sadducean denial that there would be no resurrection. That denial rested on a false picture of the life to come as mere continuance of mortal flesh and blood with its frailties and earthly ties, whereas the resurrection is literal yet the immortal body need not be formed of the same particles, since identity lies in organization rather than in identical matter.
Rival Beliefs Defined
The verse sets out a sharp division of belief, with the Sadducees denying resurrection and the existence of angels and spirits while the Pharisees affirm both. The Sadducees professedly took the greater portion of the Scriptures as their rule of action yet had no respect for the traditions of the Pharisees. They denied the bodily resurrection and rejected a future life with its rewards and punishments, while the Pharisees firmly believed in the resurrection of the body and in angels. The only bond of union between the two parties was mutual opposition to the Saviour and desire to put Him to death.
Their denial rested on a mistaken picture of the life to come, supposing that if the future immortal being were made of the same matter as the mortal body it would retain flesh and blood and continue earthly carnal life with its frailties and passions. From that supposition they argued that the risen dead would carry over the same desires, so that earthly relationships and affairs would resume. Their difficulty is the question of how the dead are raised and with what body they come. The resurrection is literal, but the immortal body need not be made from the same particles of matter as the mortal body, since identity between the mortal and immortal person lies in organization, not in identical matter.
Their arguments confused the Pharisees about the future state of the dead, making death seem an unexplained mystery and a dreadful calamity. The resurrection was a central point of controversy between them. Their disputes over it often left the parties more divided and angry.
Preaching Meets Opposition
Paul appealed to the resurrection because it was a hope he held in common with the Pharisees and because it was the very ground of the accusation brought against him, and by doing so he turned the council's own division back upon itself. That division broke the united front against him and weakened the force of their opposition. Once divided, some of the Pharisaic scribes took his side so far as to contend that a spirit or an angel might have spoken to him, and that if so he ought not to be opposed.
The apostles bore witness that Jesus had risen and ascended to heaven and would at last raise all the dead, and the miracles wrought in His name confirmed that witness and directly confronted the Sadducean denial that there would be no resurrection. Sadducees among the priests and rulers were perplexed and angered by preaching of a resurrected Saviour attended by miracles, for if such preaching continued their doctrine would be rejected by all. They saw continued proclamation of a risen Saviour as threatening to discredit their teaching, to bring their sect to extinction, and to overthrow their influence and standing, so they were determined to stop the excitement and the testimony and joined in arresting the apostles. The Pharisees opposed the same preaching from a different motive, fearing it would undermine the Jewish ceremonies and render the sacrificial offerings of no effect.
Sadducean teaching had left even the disciples with only a vague understanding of resurrection from the dead, and having absorbed those doctrines and so-called scientific theories they found it hard to believe the report that Christ had risen. When Paul's truth threatened to influence the people, the Jewish leaders sought by subtle means to silence him rather than to answer his words. That course revealed the same spirit as the attempt to silence Luther.