37 lines
1.8 KiB
Markdown
37 lines
1.8 KiB
Markdown
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title = "Luke 20:27–40"
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date = "2023-01-25"
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### [Read the passage.](https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Lk20.27-40)
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After handling the question of taxes, a new group gives Jesus a controversy to
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untangle. The Sadducees were a group that only considered the books written by
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Moses to be inspired Scripture (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and
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Deuteronomy). We don't know much else about them today because none of their
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own writings survive. They did not believe in a resurrection or afterlife
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(because Moses never mentioned it), so they pose a question to Jesus that they
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think makes the common idea of the next life absurd.
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The Law of Moses required that a childless widow should be married to her
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husband's brother so that his inheritance can be passed down through the family
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line. Remember that ancient Israel had tribe and clan allotments of land
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parceled out when they conquered Canaan, and God made several provisions in the
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Law to make sure these allotments stayed within the same families.
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The Sadducees told a hypothetical situation where a woman became widowed seven
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times through this law and finally died childless. In the next life, who then
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is she married to? Jesus tells them that the question doesn't make sense
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because those who live in the next life are not given in marriage because they
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cannot die, just like the angels.
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Furthermore, Jesus tells them, they are also wrong about there not being a
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resurrection in the Pentateuch. He reminds them that at the burning bush, the
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Lord tells Moses He is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who had died
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before Moses was born. But He said "is", not "was", implying that the
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patriarchs were able to have that relationship with Him still.
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* * *
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Help us discern Your ways and understand the future You have planned.
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