The Sadducees and the Resurrection
The Sadducees, who deny resurrection, come to Jesus with a question.
T23hat same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus and questioned Him.
They cite Moses’ instruction about a brother raising offspring for his dead brother’s widow.
24“Teacher,” they said, “Moses declared that if a man dies without having children, his brother is to marry the widow and raise up offspring for him.
They describe seven brothers, the first of whom dies childless after marrying the woman.
25Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died without having children. So he left his wife to his brother.
The same thing happens to the second, third, and the rest of the brothers.
26The same thing happened to the second and third brothers, down to the seventh.
At last, the woman also dies.
27And last of all, the woman died.
They ask whose wife she will be in the resurrection after belonging to all seven brothers.
28In the resurrection, then, whose wife will she be of the seven? For all of them were married to her.”
Jesus says they are mistaken because they do not know the Scriptures or God’s power.
29Jesus answered, “You are mistaken because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God.
He says that in the resurrection people do not marry but are like the angels in heaven.
30In the resurrection, people will neither marry nor be given in marriage. Instead, they will be like the angels in heaven.
Jesus turns to what God has said about the resurrection of the dead.
31But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what God said to you:
God names himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of the living and not the dead.
32‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead, but of the living.”
The crowds are astonished at his teaching.
33When the crowds heard this, they were astonished at His teaching.