In Luke 20, Luke describes how for the third time in this chapter, the Sadducees try to trap Jesus in
His words. Rejecting the doctrine of the resurrection, the Sadducees try to show that resurrection
would be foolish by presenting a ridiculous scenario. They present an example of a married man with
seven brothers who die. Each of the brothers perform the duty of a levirate marriage to the widow
and in succession, each die. Thinking they have cunningly trapped Jesus in admitting the foolishness
of a resurrection, they asked Jesus who will be the women’s husband in the resurrection. Jesus
responds by providing some insight into the lifestyle of our future home.
34 Jesus said to them, “The sons of this age marry and the women are given in marriage, 35 but
those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and the resurrection from the dead,
neither marry nor are given in marriage; 36 for they cannot even die anymore, for they are like
angels, and are sons of God, being [u] sons of the resurrection.
Jesus goes on to implicitly rebuke these so-called teachers for not knowing their own scripture.
37 But as for the fact that the dead are raised, even Moses revealed this in the passage about
the burning bush, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham, 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 to Him.”
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were long physically dead by this time, but Jesus claims they are indeed
alive using the present tense. Jesus doesn’t say he “was” the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, but
“is” the God of those men, who are alive. Jesus also declares that not all will participate in the
heavenly age to come—only those who are worthy. Our human reason dares not come between God
and His promises. Those of the elect, the true Church, have the promise of God, who cannot lie, that
their bodies will one day be resurrected, just like Jesus’ was, and be reunited with their spirits.
This promise of a resurrection is not just a New Testament revelation. In the 19 chapter of his writing,
Job wishes his life story could be inscribed in a book—and indeed it was.
23 “Oh that my words were written!
Oh that they were recorded in a book!
26 Even after my skin [b] is destroyed,
Yet from my flesh I will see God,
27 Whom I, on my part, shall behold for myself,
Even though Job was severely afflicted and from his point of view, abandoned by God, he still stood
on the promise of eternal life and a bodily resurrection. Not just his spirit, but his resurrected body will
behold the face of God, the beatific vision. Job bases his faith on the fact that his Redeemer lives.
The redeemer is the Lord Jesus Christ.
In 2 Thessalonians 2, Paul confronts a common problem that is still prevalent today—that of false
teachers. In correcting a false teaching on the timing of Christ’s return, Paul also validates the
promise of the elect’s resurrection to bodily meet the Lord. Per God’s Word and His Promises, we
are destined for glory, not for judgement–both our spirits and our bodies. We need to stand firm in
the truth. To do that, we must know the truth that only comes from scripture and the illumination of
the Holy Spirit. Be assured, we, as believers, are heading to our eternal home. God has promised
that we, spirit and body, will live eternally in the presence of our Creator. Now you know why they
were called Sadducees—they rejected the resurrection—that is why they were “sad, you see”!!!
Mark Packer, Church Elder