Matthew 22:23-33
Mat 22:23-33 The King and the Sadducees 23. The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him, The same day: there was no rest for Jesus; as soon as one set of enemies was driven away, another company inarched up to attack him. He had silenced the Pharisees and the Herodians; now there came to him the Sadducees, the broad churchmen, the rationalists of our Saviour's day: which say that there is no resurrection. They rejected a great deal more of the teaching of the Scriptures than this one point of the resurrection; but this is specially mentioned here as it was the subject on which they hoped to entrap or confuse the Saviour. The Sadducees "say that there is no resurrection"; yet they came to Christ to ask what would happen, in a certain contingency, "in the resurrection." They evidently thought that they could state a case which would bring into contempt the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead. They might have taken warning from the experience of the Pharisees and the Herodians; but doubtless they felt so sure of their own position that they expected to succeed though the others had so conspicuously failed.
24. Saying, Master, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother
"Master": they came with affected respect for the great "Teacher." They were as polite as the previous company of assailants; but, like them, though the words of their mouth were smoother than butter, war was in their heart: though their words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords (Psa 55:21).
"Moses said1': they gave the substance, though not the exact words recorded in Deu 25:5. The law of Moses, in this as in many other matters, recognized existing customs, and imposed certain regulations upon them. For a man to die without leaving a child to bear his name, and enter upon his inheritance, was regarded as so great a calamity that the Jews judged that every possible means must bo taken to prevent it. The practice here described prevails among various Oriental nations even to this day.
25-28. Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first, when he had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife unto his brother: likewise the second also, and the third, unto the seventh. And last of all the woman died also. Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her.
These Sadducees may have known such a case as they stated, though it is extremely unlikely; more probably, this was one of the stock stories they were in the habit of telling in order to cast ridicule upon the resurrection. They had no belief in spiritual beings; therefore, they supposed that, if there were a future state, it would be similar to the present. Having stated their case, they put to the Saviour this perplexing question: "In the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her." They doubtless thought that this question, would puzzle Christ, as it had puzzled others to whom it had been put; but he had no more difficulty in answering this than he had with the previous enquiries.
29. Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.
Jesus answered and said unto them, "Ye do err: " the error was not with him, but with them. Their supposed argument was based on their own erroneous notions about the unseen world; and when the light of God's "Word was poured upon their seven men of straw, they vanished into thin air. The answer to objectors, sceptics, infidels today, may bo given in our Lord's words: "Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God." These Sadducees thought that they had found a difficulty in the Scriptures; but their error arose from their ''not knowing the Scriptures." This is the root of almost all error, ignorance of the Inspired Word of God. These men were acquainted with the letter, but they did not really know the Scriptures, or they would have found there abundant revelations concerning the resurrection. Their error arose, also, from ignorance of "the power of God." The resurrection of the dead is one of the greatest proofs of the power of God, with whom all things are possible. These Sadducees limited the Holy One of Israel in their ignorance or denial of his power. What is there about the resurrection that is incredible to the man who knows "the power of God"? Surely, he, who created all things by the word of his power, can, by that same power, raise the dead in his own appointed time.
30. For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.
"In the resurrection": our Lord implied that there is a resurrection; he did not even stay to prove that truth, but went on to speak of the resurrection life as being of a higher order than our present natural life: "they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven." Our Saviour's answer struck at another Sadducean error; his questioners did not believe in angels. Jesus did not attempt to prove the existence of angels; but took that fact also for granted, by saying that, "in the resurrection "men "are as the angels of God in heaven." He did not say that they are changed into angels; but, as Luke records his words, "they are equal unto the angels." They are spiritual beings, as Paul explains in 1 Cor. xv.
31, 32. But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. Our Saviour now gives these Sadducees further instruction "as touching the resurrection of the dead." He used the formula he so often employed in speaking to those who professed to road the Scriptures: "Have ye not read?" "You reject the oral traditions which the Pharisees accept and teach in place of the commandments of God, have you not read that which was spoken unto you by God?" Jesus always manifested the utmost reverence for the revealed "Word of God. He here showed that the truth made known in the Scriptures is a very personal matter. This message was spoken unto these Sadducees, although they knew it not; it was spoken by God, yet they received it not.
How necessary it is that we should search the Scriptures, lest there should be divinely-revealed truths that wo have not even read! How needful, also, is the teaching of the Holy Spirit, lest we should read, as these Sadducees did, and yet not know the Scriptures!
Jesus might have referred to many passages in the Old Testament about the resurrection; but as the Sadducees regarded the Pentateuch with special honour, he quoted what Moses had recorded in Exo 3:6 : "I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob;" and then added his own comment and exposition: "God is not the God of the dead, but of the living." Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had long been dead when the Lord spoke to Moses out of the burning bush. His words implied that the patriarchs were still living. His covenant was made with those who still existed.
There is much teaching in this truth, that "God is not the God of the dead, but of the living." Some suppose that, until the resurrection, the saints are virtually non-existent; but this cannot be. Though disembodied, they still live; Jesus does not argue about it, but he states the fact as beyond all question. The living God is the God of living men; and Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are still alive, and identified as the same persons who lived on the earth. God is the God of Abraham's body as well as of his soul, for the covenant seal was set upon his flesh. The grave cannot hold any portion of the covenanted ones; God is the God of our entire being, spirit;, soul, and body.
33. And when the multitude heard this, they lucre astonished at his doctrine. Our Lord's reply to the Sadducees was so complete that they were "put to silence" (v. 34). They did not attempt any further assault upon him, for they must have been convinced of their own impotence. Those who had stood by as listeners, the multitude, that had gathered as crowds delight to do when there is a public discussion, were astonished at his doctrine. They were "astonished "both at the matter and the manner of Christ's teaching. This is an expression that we often find in the life of our Lord; but apparently those who were "astonished" did not accept his teaching. They talked to one another about the marvellous way in which he answered all questions; but they did not admit that such a Teacher could be none other than the long looked-for Messiah. Even the scribes, who complimented Christ upon his answer (Luk 20:39), saying, "Master, thou hast well said," did not follow up that confession by becoming his disciples.