Whose Wife Is She?

23. March 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello:

Our text for today is as follows. 

Matthew 22:23 That same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, 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 have children for him. 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 or the power of God. 30 At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; 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’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.” 33 When the crowds heard this, they were astonished at his teaching.

Okay, let’s reflect.  We’re still on the last week of Jesus’ life on earth.  He has recently told three parables to the religious leaders about how the kingdom was going to be taken from them and given to another and how for their unfruitfulness they will be sentenced to a place where there will be “weeping and gnashing” of teeth.  The religious leaders were very upset and though Jesus taught in parables, they knew he was speaking about them.   From this juncture they tried to trap him in his words concerning a series of issues.  The first one we studied last week was about the inscription on the coin. 

Today, they tried to trap him on a theological issue concerning the resurrection.   I simply love the way that Jesus handles them.   These were supposed to be teachers of the law and Jesus tells them that they do not know the scriptures or the power of God.  The issue was concerning the resurrection.   The Pharisees and Sadducees were divided in their views concerning the resurrection.   The Pharisees believed in the resurrection and the Sadducees did not. 

The issue was that since Moses commanded that if a man dies without children then the brother of that man is to marry the widow and raise up children for his brother and if that brother dies and another still lives then the tradition continues.  The particular situation that they present to Jesus has seven brothers dieing and all married the same woman so they want to know whose wife she will be in the resurrection. 

Remember, the Sadducees didn’t even believe in the resurrection.  The whole thing was a setup to expose his theological views.  Whoever he sided with would have stirred up confusion with the opposite party.   Jesus was brilliant in his answer.   He first told them that  there would not be marrying at the resurrection, we will be like the angels and then he said that have you not read or in other words, you should know this since you are the holders of the law.  The common people could not read the law.    They did not have bibles in the hands of the everyday people as we do today.  Did you not read in your studying that God said that “I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?  He is not the God of the dead but the living.  The crowds were astonished when they heard his teachings.  

Stay encouraged!!!!!!! 

Don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily. 

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