The Sadducees belonged
to another political group of people in Judaism in Jesus’ day. These people did
not believe in the resurrection and would often tell stories that would make
the teaching of the resurrection look ridiculous. The resurrection is a ground
breaking doctrine and the Sadducees, as the people in power, sought to rubbish this
teaching. They knew they would encounter difficulties because most people
accepted the teaching of the Pharisees concerning the resurrection.
In these verses, we are
told that some Sadducees came to Jesus with a question concerning the
resurrection. They concocted a silly story about a woman who was eventually the
wife of seven brothers. She was first married to the eldest of the seven
brothers but he died without a child. In their story every of his brother took
turn to marry her, but died without leaving an heir. What they wanted to know
was whose wife would she be at the resurrection? This is an impossible presupposition
to debunk the teaching of the resurrection. We need to know that according to what’s
taught in Deuteronomy 25:5, a brother must take up the responsibility of
marrying his brother’s widow. And the children of this marriage will be the
heir of the dead brother. This law was a provision of God given to His people long
before Christ came. It was to ensure the continuity of the family line and
tribal identity among His people.
So Jesus’ answer to them
gave them several reasons to support the teaching of the resurrection. First, He
revealed that the law given by Moses to propagate tribal identity and family
name would no longer apply to the people of God at the coming of Christ. For He
has brought a renewal to His people, who would no longer be marked by family
line or tribal identity but by the order of the new creation. An order brought through
the Gospel. Hence the story had no merit.
Secondly, we also need
to know that at the resurrection, God’s people would be raised to a new order
of life where death would no longer be a part of living. Remember, this is
about the resurrection not reincarnation. If death would still be a part of the
new order, resurrection would simply degenerate into reincarnation. In the new
order there will be no necessity to multiply the species, hence there will be
no sexual activity. Much like the angels, God’s people will be living in a non-sexual
world.
Thirdly, Jesus implied
that the Sadducees did not fully engage with the teaching and meaning of the Bible.
It showed that they were not aware how great and powerful the Creator God is. Although
the Sadducees claimed to have the teaching of Moses (the first five books of
the Bible) as their foundation, they had missed the whole point. The God of
Israel was and still is the Creator of the world. In His magnanimity, He allows
Himself to be described as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, even though
these three had died long ago. And He is still holding them in life and one
day, together with all people past, present and future, they will be
resurrected to a new order to enjoy the new world God will make.
Jesus’ teaching brought
great astonishment to the people who were listening to Him. What about us? We
trust that the experience of the resurrection is God’s promise to us. Understanding
and anticipating it gives us the impetus and eagerness to serve and work for Him
today. Let’s allow the justice, peace and power of His new life in us to take
effect in today’s world.
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