Seven Husbands In Heaven? Series

Background to passage: Jesus has been attacked about the basis of his authority, about his position on paying taxes to Caesar, and now a theological question about life after death. These questions and accusations have been launched from the elders and chief priests, disciples of the Pharisees and Herodians, and the Sadducees, respectively.

The Sadducees were more or less a political party with Jewish roots that had exchanged any vestige of religious commitment for the promise of political power. The were advocates for assimilation of Jewish society into the modern Greek culture. They made up most of the Sanhedrin Court that tried Jesus. Officially they held that only the Torah was authoritative. They did not believe in a resurrection, life after death, angels, or God’s active involvement in life. They were functional deists, although they claimed a Jewish heritage.

They come at Jesus with a theological question involving the Jewish teaching of Levirate marriage and the resurrection to everlasting life. Interesting that they pose a question assuming a truth that they don’t believe in. It’s just another trap that Jesus amazes everyone with this teaching.

Opening illustration: When we think of polygamy in the US, we typically think of the Mormons. Utah recently reduced the penalties for voluntary polygamy, no jail time. Pew Research says that in a recent survey, 7% of Americans think that it is morally acceptable. Two percent of the global population lives in polygamous households. There are dozens of countries that allow for more than one wife. There are only a handful that allow for multiple husbands and one wife.

Main thought: Ignorance is not bliss, today we see two core truths that bring great tragedy and culpability, not just a lack of information. We are going to deal with them the way that Jesus mentioned them first.

1) The Scriptures (v. 31-32)

Matthew 22:31–32 ESV

31 And as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God:

32 ‘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.”

1) The Scriptures (v. 31-32)

Explanation: In this particular scenario, just is dealing with the fact that they do not believe in life after death. It’s a simple logic: God was speaking to Moses in Ex 3:6, and called himself (present-tense) “I am the God of Abraham...Isaac, Jacob” - conclusion, God was not currently the God of Abraham if Abraham no longer existed. Jesus was telling them to think simple thoughts. He was telling them that even the tense and timing of recorded scripture are inspired and true.

Matthew 5:18 ESV

18 For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.

2 Peter 1:16–21 ESV

16 For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

17 For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,”

18 we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain.

19 And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts,

20 knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation.

21 For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

Illustration: Andy Stanley’s sermon about “Unhitched from the OT” and the unnecessary truthfulness of the OT. The gospel writers alone quote the OT directly at least 180 times. Everything began to unravel when Satan asked Eve if God “really”

Application: 1) The scriptures are our absolute authority for belief, doctrine, and practice. It does matter that we believe about the scriptures. The veracity of scripture is challenged over and over in our society. Academia, morality, pop culture, archeology,

2) Knowledge is power in our context, because by the scriptures comes faith and the gospel is power to all those that believe, also from the scriptures. If you do not know the scripture, read it, study it, meditate upon it, memorize it, bathe in it, you will not experience the fullness of the power of God, which has implications in just a second. Life is crushing under the weight of suffering and hardship without the trustworthiness of scripture, because they reveal God to us.