Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents

20:27 Sadducees. See notes on Matt. 3:7; 22:23. This is the only mention of this Jewish sect in Luke (cf., however, Acts 4:1; 5:17; 23:6-8). They were a priestly sect, and one view is that they claimed descent from Zadok, the high priest under David (1 Kings 1:26; see Jewish Groups at the Time of the New Testament). who deny . . . a resurrection. This is the main issue in the following discussion.

20:28-31 Moses wrote. The Sadducees' puzzle is based on the OT command that if a man dies leaving no children, his brother is to marry the widow and take care of her (see note on Matt. 22:24). all seven left no children and died. The example is carefully worked out so that no brother has a special claim to the woman.

20:33 In the resurrection . . . whose wife . . . ? . . . ? Since neither Jesus nor the Pharisees could reply that she would equally be the wife of all seven, the Sadducees believed this illustration refuted belief in the resurrection.

20:34-35 Jesus first demonstrates the flaw of equating the coming age with this age. Whereas the sons of this age (cf. "sons of this world," 16:8) marry, those considered worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead (cf. Acts 4:2 and 1 Pet. 1:3 for another description of "that age") neither marry nor are given in marriage. Marriage is not a permanent fixture in God's eternal purpose (see note on Matt. 22:29-30).

20:36 Equal to angels explains why resurrected believers cannot die (since angels are immortal). sons of God . . . sons of the resurrection. The believer's relationship as a child of God becomes fully realized at the resurrection after Christ's return (cf. Rom. 8:23; 1 Cor. 15:53-54).

20:37-38 in the passage about the bush. Since the OT at that time did not have verses or chapters, Jesus refers to the passage (Ex. 3:1-4:17) in this manner (cf. Rom. 11:2). When the Lord calls himself the God of Abraham and . . . of Jacob after their death, this indicates that he is still their God, and since only living people can have a God (he is not God of the dead, but of the living), then there must be a resurrection. Cf. notes on Matt. 22:31-32; Mark 12:26-27.

20:39-40 Jesus' argument is such that even some of the scribes remark, you have spoken well (cf. Acts 23:6-10); his opponents are silenced (cf. Luke 13:17; 19:48; 20:19, 26).