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Tuesday 31 January 2012

Matthew 22:23-33 - Marriage

There were various religious and power groups in Israel. The Pharisees were very nationalistic, whereas the Herodians supported Roman rule. The Pharisees believed in miracles and the resurrection. Conversely, the Saducees did not believe in miracles or the resurrection. All these groups were united in opposition to Jesus.

The Saducees sought to expose, as they saw it, the ridiculousness of the resurrection with a question about marriage. Under the Law a if a woman's husband died without children, then his brother had to marry the woman. In their question this occurred seven times. So they asked, who would be the husband of the woman at the resurrection? 

Atheists sometimes come up with supposedly clever questions. Jesus reply is that they do not know the scriptures nor the power of God. The Saducees had a paucity of thinking, just as atheists do. 

There would be no marriage at the resurrection, for things would be so much greater than they are now. Jesus quoted from the Law to prove that God is the God of the living, for the first five books were the only ones the Saducees said had special authority.

When a loved one dies people often talk about seeing them again in heaven. Now, if they believe, this is true enough, but we need to be aware that there will not be a simple restoration of relationships. Things will be infinitely greater than they are now, relationships will be infinitely greater. 

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