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Sadducees Question Resurrection
Luke 20:27 Then some of the Sadducees, who deny that there is a resurrecon, came to Him and asked Him,
Since the attempt to trap Jesus in a political question failed, some of the Sadducees next came to Him with a theological quibble. They denied the possibility of the bodies of the dead ever being raised again, so they sought by an extreme illustration to make the doctrine of resurrection appear ridiculous.
Luke 20:28 saying: “Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man’s brother dies, having a wife, and he dies without children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother.
His brother should marry the wife. According to the law of levirate marriage outlined in Dt 25:5.
Luke 20:29 Now there were seven brothers. And the first took a wife, and died without children.
Luke 20:30 And the second took her as wife, and he died childless.
Luke 20:31 Then the third took her, and in like manner the seven also; and they le no children, and died. :32 Last of all the woman died also.
Luke 20:33 Therefore, in the resurrecon, whose wife does she become? For all seven had her as wife.”
This was the third in a series of questions designed to entrap Jesus. This question was raised by the Sadducees (v. 27). Mark 12:28–34 recorded one last question raised by a scribe. Luke omitted it from his record.
Luke 20:34 Jesus answered and said to them, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage.
Jesus answered that the marriage relationship was for this life only; it would not be continued in heaven.
He did not say that husbands and wives would not recognize each other in heaven, but their relationship there would be on a completely different basis.
Luke 20:35 But those who are counted worthy to aain that age, and the resurrecon from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage;
The expression “those who are counted worthy to attain that age” does not suggest that any people are personally worthy of heaven: the only worthiness sinners can have is the worthiness of the Lord Jesus Christ.
“Those are counted worthy who judge themselves, who vindicate Christ, and who own that all worthiness belongs to Him.”
The phrase resurrection from the dead refers to a resurrection of believers only. It literally means resurrection out from (Greek ek) the dead ones.
The idea of a general resurrection in which all the dead, both saved and unsaved, are raised at one time is not found in the Bible.
Luke 20:36 nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.
The superiority of the celestial state is further indicated in verse 36. There is no more death; in that respect, men will be equal to the angels.
Also they will be manifested as sons of God. Believers are sons of God already, but not to outward observance. In heaven, they will be visibly manifested as sons of God.
The fact that they participated in the First Resurrection insures this. “We know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” (1 Jn. 3:2). “When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory” (Col. 3:4).
Luke 20:37 But even Moses showed in the burning bush passage that the dead are raised, when he called the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’
Ex 3:1–4:17. In that passage God identified Himself to Moses as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—using the present tense. He didn’t say He was their God, but “I AM” their God, indicating that their existence had not ended with their deaths.
Luke 20:38 For He is not the God of the dead but of the living, for all live to Him.”
Only Luke records this phrase. All people—whether departed from their earthly bodies or not—are still living, and will live forever. No one is annihilated in death (cf. Jn 5:28–30).
Christ Questions the Scribes
Luke 20:39 Then some of the scribes answered and said, “Teacher, You have spoken well.”
Christ had given a powerful argument for the resurrection of the dead, and on that subject, the Pharisees agreed with Him against the Sadducees.
This scribe, in spite of his hatred for Christ, was pleased with the answer He had given.
Luke 20:40 But aer that they dared not queson Him anymore.
The more questions Jesus answered the clearer it became that His understanding and authority were vastly superior to that of the scribes and Pharisees.
Luke 20:41 And He said to them, “How can they say that the Christ is the Son of David?
Luke 20:42 Now David himself said in the Book of Psalms: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, :43 Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” ’ (quoted from Psalm 110:1)
Luke 20:44 Therefore David calls Him ‘Lord’; how is He then his Son?”
Luke 20:45 Then, in the hearing of all the people, He said to His disciples, :46 “Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greengs in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, :47 who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnaon.”
Then Jesus publicly warned the crowd against the scribes. They wore long robes, affecting piety. They loved to be called by distinguished titles as they walked through the marketplaces. They maneuvered to get places of prominence in the synagogues and at banquets. But they robbed defenseless widows of their life savings, covering up their wickedness by long prayers. Such hypocrisy would be punished all the more severely.
Christ Teaches on the Widow’s Mites
Luke 21:1 And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury,
Thirteen chests with funnel-shaped openings stood in the court of the women. Each was labeled for a specific use, and donations were given accordingly.
Luke 21:2 and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites.
The Gr. expression signifies extreme poverty. This woman was desperately poor, and more fit to be a recipient of charity than a donor.
Copper coins. The smallest copper coins in use in Palestine were worth about one-eighth of a cent, but they were all this woman had to live on (v. 4).
Luke 21:3 So He said, “Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all;
I.e., more in proportion to her means, and therefore more in the sight of God.
Luke 21:4 for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had.”
There was nothing sacrificial about their giving.
The Disciples’ Two Questions
Hindson, E. E., & Kroll, W. M. (Eds.). (1994). KJV Bible Commentary (p. 121). Nashville: Thomas Nelson. MacArthur, J. F., Jr., MacDonald, Farstad, Believers Bible; Hindson, E. E., & Kroll, W. M. (Eds.). (1994). KJV Bible Commentary (p. 2195). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
