GOD OF THE LIVING

Passage: Luke 20:27-44

Key verse: 38

NIV

The Resurrection and Marriage(A)

27 Some of the Sadducees,(B) who say there is no resurrection,(C) came to Jesus with a question. 28 “Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother.(D) 29 Now there were seven brothers. The first one married a woman and died childless. 30 The second 31 and then the third married her, and in the same way the seven died, leaving no children. 32 Finally, the woman died too. 33 Now then, at the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?”

34 Jesus replied, “The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. 35 But those who are considered worthy of taking part in the age to come(E) and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, 36 and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God’s children,(F) since they are children of the resurrection. 37 But in the account of the burning bush, even Moses showed that the dead rise, for he calls the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’[a](G) 38 He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.”

39 Some of the teachers of the law responded, “Well said, teacher!” 40 And no one dared to ask him any more questions.(H)

Whose Son Is the Messiah?(I)

41 Then Jesus said to them, “Why is it said that the Messiah is the son of David?(J) 42 David himself declares in the Book of Psalms:

“‘The Lord said to my Lord:
    “Sit at my right hand
43 until I make your enemies
    a footstool for your feet.”’[b](K)

44 David calls him ‘Lord.’ How then can he be his son?”

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Footnotes
  1. Luke 20:37 Exodus 3:6
  2. Luke 20:43 Psalm 110:1
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Sadducees Ask About the Resurrection

27 There came to him (A)some Sadducees, (B)those who deny that there is a resurrection, 28 and they asked him a question, saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us (C)that if a man's brother dies, having a wife but no children, the man[a] must take the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. 29 Now there were seven brothers. The first took a wife, and died without children. 30 And the second 31 and the third took her, and likewise all seven left no children and died. 32 Afterward the woman also died. 33 In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For the seven had her as wife.”

34 And Jesus said to them, (D)“The sons of this age (E)marry and (F)are given in marriage, 35 but those who are (G)considered worthy to attain to (H)that age and to the resurrection from the dead (I)neither marry (J)nor are given in marriage, 36 for (K)they cannot die anymore, because they are (L)equal to angels and (M)are (N)sons of God, being (O)sons[b] of the resurrection. 37 But that the dead are raised, (P)even Moses showed, in (Q)the passage about the bush, where he calls (R)the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. 38 Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for all (S)live to him.” 39 Then some of the scribes (T)answered, “Teacher, you have spoken well.” 40 For (U)they no longer dared to ask him any question.

Whose Son Is the Christ?

41 (V)But he said to them, “How can they say that (W)the Christ is (X)David's son? 42 For David himself says in the Book of Psalms,

(Y)“‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at my right hand,
43     until I make your enemies (Z)your footstool.”’

44 David thus calls him Lord, so (AA)how is he his son?”

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Footnotes
  1. Luke 20:28 Greek his brother
  2. Luke 20:36 Greek huioi; see Preface
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

The Sadducees did not believe in life after death; they were religious leaders, but practical atheists. They came to Jesus with a hypothetical, but unrealistic question (28-33). They intended to make Jesus’ teaching about the resurrection look absurd, but they only revealed their spiritual ignorance and godless way of thinking. They wanted to live forever on earth, enjoying their wealth and power. In reality, they lived in despair under the power of death, for they didn’t have faith in the resurrection. But there is resurrection from the dead and those who participate in the resurrection can no longer die for they will be clothed with a glorious resurrection body fit for heaven like that of the Risen Christ. The children of God will enjoy eternal life in heaven. Heaven is not an extension of life on earth.

God is the God of the living. Anyone who believes in God will not end in death, but they will be made alive in Christ. Those who are blinded from seeing God in Jesus may be alive physically, but spiritually are dead. Those who have faith and walk in the footsteps of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are the living. They will be victors over the power of sin and death in Jesus, David’s Lord, and will reign with Christ in the kingdom.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the glorious hope of resurrection in Christ. Open my spiritual eyes to see the God of the living and live with resurrection faith in my daily life.

One Word: Hope in the God of the living