Thursday 4 September, 2014

23 That same day the Sadducees came to Jesus with a question. They do not believe that people rise from the dead. 24 “Teacher,” they said, “here is what Moses told us. If a man dies without having children, his brother must get married to the widow. He must have children to carry on his brother’s name. 25 There were seven brothers among us. The first one got married and died. Since he had no children, he left his wife to his brother. 26 The same thing happened to the second and third brothers. It happened right on down to the seventh brother. 27 Finally, the woman died. 28 Now then, when the dead rise, whose wife will she be? All seven of them were married to her.” 29 Jesus replied, “You are mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures. And you do not know the power of God. 30 When the dead rise, they won’t get married. And their parents won’t give them to be married. They will be like the angels in heaven. 31 “What about the dead rising? Haven’t you read what God said to you? 32 He said, ‘I am the God of Abraham. I am the God of Isaac. And I am the God of Jacob.’ (Exodus 3:6) He is not the God of the dead. He is the God of the living.” 33 When the crowds heard this, they were amazed by what he taught.

The Sadducees were religious leaders who did not believe in the resurrection of the dead. They asked Jesus a hypothetical question regarding the resurrection of the dead. Jesus did not hold back and gives real clarity regarding this important truth. He points the Sadducees to the Scriptures. Onlookers were astonished at Jesus teaching.

I think the Sadducees were trying to trick Jesus with their hypothetical question regarding seven brothers marrying one woman ie. whose wife would she be in the resurrection? They didn’t believe in the resurrection yet they asked this “smart” question. Jesus bluntly says, “Your mistake is that you don’t know the Scriptures, and you don’t know the power of God.” Ouch!   Major ouch! These guys were leaders so it’s quite a criticism. Jesus went onto explain that after the dead rise no one will be married.

This passage of Scripture encourages me to read and know my Bible so I don’t miss stuff crucial to understanding the Christian faith. Much the same way it gives me a hunger to know and experience the power of God. May I know God’s power in my day to day. I also love that our God is a God of the living and not the dead. A God of the here, now and the resurrection, not the hypothetical!

Dear Lord help me to read and know your word and also understand the way you work. Amen

Written by Ainslie Woods