In The Footsteps Of The Master: The Life and Times of Jesus Christ Marriage in the Resurrection March 25,

Review It is still Tuesday of Passion Week Jesus is in a running battle of words with the Jewish leaders –He’s winning, by the way Were located in the Temple Court 2

Matthew’s Account Matthew 22:23-28 – 23 On that day some Sadducees (who say there is no resurrection) came to Jesus and questioned Him, 24 asking, “Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies having no children, his brother as next of kin shall marry his wife, and raise up children for his brother.’ 25 Now there were seven brothers with us; and the first married and died, and having no children left his wife to his brother; 26 so also the second, and the third, down to the seventh. 27 Last of all, the woman died. 28 In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had married her.” 3

For Discussion First off, the question is absurd The Sadducees do not believe in resurrection They have concocted a story in yet another attempt to discredit Him in the eyes of the people –May be a reference to a story in Tobit, one of the books of the Apocrypha 4

For Discussion Their trap is this: –If Jesus says it doesn’t matter because there is no resurrection, then He sides with them and alienates the people –If he says that all of the men are her husband, then he’s endorsing polyandry, a practice not accepted in Jewish culture –If he says that none of them are, then He is dismissing the requirements of Levirate marriage 5

Levirate Marriage Deuteronomy 25:5-6 – 5 “When brothers live together and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the deceased shall not be married outside the family to a strange man. Her husband’s brother shall go in to her and take her to himself as wife and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her. 6 It shall be that the firstborn whom she bears shall assume the name of his dead brother, so that his name will not be blotted out from Israel.” 6

For Discussion The purpose of Levirate marriage was to maintain the family lineage of the deceased This allowed the family name to continue and the deceased to live forever in posterity 7

Pharisees & Sadducees Sadducees –Law of Moses (Pentateuch) only –No resurrection, angels or spirits –Good standing politically –Very “boorish” and rough Pharisees –Believe in a resurrection –Include oral tradition as binding –Reverenced learning over civil rank –Socially progressive 8

Sadducees The Sadducees held the positions of greatest power in the Jewish system, given their close political associations Their influence was greatest in matters associated with the Temple There are few surviving documents that describe the Sadducees –Most were probably destroyed along with the Temple in 70 AD 9

Matthew’s Account Matthew 22:29-33 – 29 But Jesus answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures nor the power of God. 30 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 31 But regarding the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God: 32 ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.” 33 When the crowds heard this, they were astonished at His teaching. 10

Mark’s Account Mark 12:24-27 – 24 Jesus said to them, “Is this not the reason you are mistaken, that you do not understand the Scriptures or 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 again, 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, and 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.” 11

Luke’s Account Luke 20:34-40 – 34 And Jesus said to them, “The sons of this age marry and 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, because they are like angels, and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. 37 But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the passage about the burning bush, where he calls 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 to Him.” 39 Some of the scribes answered and said, “Teacher, You have spoken well.” 40 For they did not have courage to question Him any longer about anything. 12

For Discussion Resurrection from the dead was a late development in Jewish thought Many of the Psalms can be read in the light of resurrection, though they may not have been written with that context in mind The concept becomes clear in Daniel

Resurrection Daniel 12:1-3 – 1 “Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued. 2 Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt. 3 Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.” 14

For Discussion The problem is that the Sadducees did not accept any writing beyond the Pentateuch as valid Arguing with them from writings outside of the Torah would have been pointless The beauty here is that Jesus bases His response in the very Scriptures that the Sadducees revere 15

God’s Calling of Moses Exodus 3:1-3 – 1 Now Moses was pasturing the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian; and he led the flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 The angel of the LORD appeared to him in a blazing fire from the midst of a bush; and he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, yet the bush was not consumed. 3 So Moses said, “I must turn aside now and see this marvelous sight, why the bush is not burned up.” 16

God’s Calling of Moses Exodus 3:4-7 – 4 When the LORD saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” 5 Then He said, “Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” 6 He said also, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Then Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. 17

For Discussion What was God trying to communicate to Moses when He called Himself the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob? –He lives! What does Jesus infer by quoting this passage? –So do Abraham, Isaac and Jacob If God’s provision and protection for Abraham, Isaac and Jacob ended with them decaying in the grave, He would not be much of a protector 18

I Am Exodus 3:13-15 – 13 Then Moses said to God, “Behold, I am going to the sons of Israel, and I will say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you.’ Now they may say to me, ‘What is His name?’ What shall I say to them?” 14 God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM”; and He said, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” 15 God, furthermore, said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is My name forever, and this is My memorial-name to all generations. 19

The Power of God It is a mistake to picture life in heaven as simply an extrapolation of life on earth What we see on earth (marriage, family, relationships, physical bodies, etc.) pales on comparison to what exists Jesus argues that the Sadducees do not understand the power of God The whole of existence will be changed by His power The concepts that exist here won’t be applicable there 20

We See but Dimly 1 Corinthians 13:8-12 – 8 Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part; 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. 11 When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. 21

Reality in Christ Colossians 2:16-17 – 16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. 17 These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. 22

In Closing Jesus not only refutes their argument, He provides us with a glimpse of what is beyond this life We will be like the angels –Neither married nor given in marriage –Not bound by the limitations of this life –No illness, no infirmity, no death –No sin or guilt to drag us down –Sons of God We will be where we were made to be in the first place 23

24 Next Week I Have No Idea