The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him,
The same day the Pharisees had been silenced the Sadducees came to Jesus to question Him about the resurrection, as one of the groups seeking to trap Him. Those who came denied that the dead would be raised and denied the future life. Their challenge grew out of their dispute with the Pharisees over that subject. Those disputes left the Pharisees confused about the future state of the dead, so that they regarded death as a dark mystery and a great calamity.
They meant their questions to discredit Him: agreeing with them would divide Him from the Pharisees, while disagreeing would let them make bodily resurrection seem absurd. Their argument rested on the false assumption that the resurrected would resume earthly marriage and the same relations and affairs of life. That assumption rested on the claim that the same matter and particles making up the mortal body with its propensities would have to make up the immortal body, so the resurrected would continue a flesh-and-blood, carnal life with earthly frailties and passions.
In reply He taught that the resurrected do not marry but are like angels, and that His questioners erred because they did not understand Scripture or God's power. His identification as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob shows He is God of the living, so the dead saints will hear the Son of God's voice, rise from their graves, and live again in close relationship with God. Like the other trapping questions, theirs received a clear and intelligent answer that brought precious truth to the listening crowd. The encounter belongs to His warnings about the consequences of rejecting the Son of God, which apply in every age to all who refuse to receive Him as Redeemer.
Teachings and theories associated with the Sadducees had left even the disciples with a vague understanding of the resurrection of the dead and difficulty grasping His own resurrection. Believers in the literal resurrection of the body that had decayed in the grave still face the arguments they used.
The same day the Pharisees had been silenced the Sadducees came to Jesus to question Him about the resurrection, as one of the groups seeking to trap Him.
Those who came denied that the dead would be raised and denied the future life.
Their challenge grew out of their dispute with the Pharisees over that subject.
Those disputes left the Pharisees confused about the future state of the dead, so that they regarded death as a dark mystery and a great calamity.
They meant their questions to discredit Him: agreeing with them would divide Him from the Pharisees, while disagreeing would let them make bodily resurrection seem absurd.
Their argument rested on the false assumption that the resurrected would resume earthly marriage and the same relations and affairs of life.
That assumption rested on the claim that the same matter and particles making up the mortal body with its propensities would have to make up the immortal body, so the resurrected would continue a flesh-and-blood, carnal life with earthly frailties and passions.
In reply He taught that the resurrected do not marry but are like angels, and that His questioners erred because they did not understand Scripture or God's power.
His identification as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob shows He is God of the living, so the dead saints will hear the Son of God's voice, rise from their graves, and live again in close relationship with God.
Like the other trapping questions, theirs received a clear and intelligent answer that brought precious truth to the listening crowd.
The encounter belongs to His warnings about the consequences of rejecting the Son of God, which apply in every age to all who refuse to receive Him as Redeemer.
Teachings and theories associated with the Sadducees had left even the disciples with a vague understanding of the resurrection of the dead and difficulty grasping His own resurrection.
Believers in the literal resurrection of the body that had decayed in the grave still face the arguments they used.