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Author: Stephen Weller
563 words, 3 minutes read time

There Is A Resurrection of the Dead

Scripture: Matthew 22:31, 33; Mark 12:26-27; Luke 20:37-40

In the previous lesson it was determined that marriage did not exist in heaven. In this lesson, Jesus will explain to the Sadducees that there is a resurrection of the dead.

^{Mt 22:31} And as for the resurrection of the dead, ^{Lk 20:37} the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the passage about the bush, ^{Mk 12:26} how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? ^{Lk 20:38} Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for all live to him. ^{Mk 12:27} You are quite wrong.”

At the time of Jesus, the Old Testament did not have chapter and verse numbers, so he had to use another method of referring to a passage. In this case he spoke of the passage about the burning bush, which we would say, Exodus 3:1 – 4:17. In Exodus 3:15 (ESV) we read: “God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people 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 thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations.”’ When God refers to himself as the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob after their death, he is indicating that he is still their God, and since only living people can have a God, then there must be a resurrection of the dead.

Since God is still in relationship with them, even though they have been dead for centuries, they must be alive and that there is a resurrection. God is not a God of the dead, but of the living, and those who are alive all live to him. Besides the passage of the bush, the rest of the Old Testament points to a resurrection, and as a result the Sadducees should recognize God’s power to raise the dead. Therefore, Jesus declares that they are quite wrong in their position that there is no resurrection.

^{Mt 22:33} And when the crowd heard it, they were astonished at his teaching. ^{Lk 20:39} Then some of the scribes answered, “Teacher, you have spoken well.” ⁴⁰ For they no longer dared to ask him any question.

As is so often the case, when Jesus speaks, what he says causes the crowds to be astonished, for he speaks in ways that they were not familiar with. Even some of the scribes who were among the people were impressed and said, “Teacher, you have spoken well.” Because of his answers, and the fact that they could not trap him and were exposed by his answers, they no longer dared or desired to ask him any more questions.

Conclusion

As we come to the end of another section, we learned that marriage does not continue on in heaven but ends at our physical death, and we learned that marriage does not occur in heaven as those who rise from the “dead neither marry nor are given in marriage.” We were also given evidence that there is a resurrection of the dead.