THE GOD OF THE LIVING

Passage: Matthew 22:23-33

Key verse: 32

NIV

Marriage at the Resurrection(A)

23 That same day the Sadducees,(B) who say there is no resurrection,(C) came to him with a question. 24 “Teacher,” they said, “Moses told us that if a man dies without having children, his brother must marry the widow and raise up offspring for him.(D) 25 Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died, and since he had no children, he left his wife to his brother. 26 The same thing happened to the second and third brother, right on down to the seventh. 27 Finally, the woman died. 28 Now then, at the resurrection, whose wife will she be of the seven, since all of them were married to her?”

29 Jesus replied, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures(E) or the power of God. 30 At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage;(F) they will be like the angels in heaven. 31 But about the resurrection of the dead—have you not read what God said to you, 32 ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’[a]?(G) He is not the God of the dead but of the living.”

33 When the crowds heard this, they were astonished at his teaching.(H)

Read full chapter
Footnotes
  1. Matthew 22:32 Exodus 3:6
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

23 The same day (A)Sadducees came to him, (B)who say that there is no resurrection, and they asked him a question, 24 saying, “Teacher, Moses said, (C)‘If a man dies having no children, his brother must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother.’ 25 Now there were seven brothers among us. The first married and died, and having no offspring left his wife to his brother. 26 So too the second and third, down to the seventh. 27 After them all, the woman died. 28 In the resurrection, therefore, of the seven, whose wife will she be? For they all had her.”

29 But Jesus answered them, “You are wrong, (D)because you know neither the Scriptures nor (E)the power of God. 30 For in the resurrection they neither (F)marry nor (G)are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 31 And as for the resurrection of the dead, (H)have you not read what was said to you by God: 32 (I)‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not God of the dead, but of the living.” 33 And when the crowd heard it, (J)they were astonished at his teaching.

Read full chapter
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 presented Jesus with a sad story, loosely based on Scripture (Dt 25:5), that consisted of seven weddings and eight funerals, with the goal of mocking the resurrection (23-29). Such proof-texting arguments and perceived contradictions didn’t end with the Sadducees. Jesus points out the

root problem is that they do not know the Scriptures or the power of God (29). Whenever we start with our own idea, or seek cultural accommodation, we end up in the same situation as them.

Instead of trying to prove our own idea, we need to listen to Jesus, who reveals truth only he knows, because he came from heaven and knows what relationships will be like there. At the resurrection there will be no marriage, as we will all dwell eternally in God’s presence like the angels (30).

As far as the resurrection revealed in scripture, God is the living God (32)! To him, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are just as alive as we are. Resurrection faith isn’t only for after we die, but lived out now to know God’s power and life (Php 3:10-11). Our God is the God of the living, and every day is an opportunity to experience resurrection power and faith.

Prayer: Father, thank you for eternal life we have through Jesus Christ. Help me live by resurrection faith and power each day, in fellowship with you, our Living God.

One Word: Living with God by faith