27 There came to him some Sadducees, those who say that there is no resurrection, 28 and they asked him a question, saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies, having a wife but no children, the man must take the wife and raise up children for his brother.
Hypothetical Example
29 Now there were seven brothers; the first took a wife, and died without children; 30 and the second 31 and the third took her, and likewise all seven left no children and died. 32 Afterward the woman also died. 33 In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For the seven had her as wife.”
Jesus’ reply
34 And Jesus said to them, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage; 35 but those who are accounted worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage, 36 for they cannot die any more, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.
God of the living
37 But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the passage about the bush, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. 38 Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living; for all live to him.”
EXPLANATION
Introduction
Jesus has now completed his journey and is in Jerusalem. The final chapters in Luke’s Gospel have commenced. This new section has Jesus teach on three most important points. First he speaks on the resurrection of the dead, this passage. Then he speaks on himself as Lord. Finally he tells of the importance of submitting to God’s will.
27 There came to him some Sadducees, those who say that there is no resurrection, 28 and they asked him a question, saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies, having a wife but no children, the man must take the wife and raise up children for his brother.
“There came to him some Sadducees, those who say that there is no resurrection” — The Sadducees, a Jewish sect from the wealthy priestly aristocracy, among whom was Caiaphas, did not believe in the resurrection of the dead, in reward and punishment after death, in angels and only in the Torah or Jewish Law comprised in the first five books of the Bible, called the Pentateuch. They regarded the life to come as a continuation of this life and, therefore, it needed marriage to continue. Such was the background to their question to Jesus. They were the group that was most responsible for the death of Jesus and the persecution of the early Church. After the destruction of the Temple in 70A.D. they disappeared. They left no known writings.
“and they asked him a question, saying, ‘Teacher’” — Teachers had the authority of knowledge for which they were respected and people brought them problems concerning the Law to be resolved. The Sadducees will now pose a query after some preliminary remarks.
“‘Moses wrote for us’” — Moses was regarded as the author of the Pentateuch. The reference is to Deuteronomy 25: 5, quoted with the next verse. Deuteronomy was one of the five books in the Bible that the Sadducees accepted.
“‘If a man’s brother dies, having a wife but no children, the man must take the wife and raise up children for his brother” — The purpose of this law was to continue the name of the family. This was known as the Levirate law, pertaining, that is, to the woman’s brother–in–law. It was based on the following: “When brothers reside together, and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the deceased shall not be married outside the family to a stranger. Her husband’s brother shall go in to her, taking her in marriage, and performing the duty of a husband’s brother to her, and the firstborn whom she bears shall succeed to the name of the deceased brother, so that his name may not be blotted out of Israel” (Dt. 25: 5–6). This law was no longer practised at the time of Jesus.
29 Now there were seven brothers; the first took a wife, and died without children; 30 and the second 31 and the third took her, and likewise all seven left no children and died. 32 Afterward the woman also died. 33 In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For the seven had her as wife.”
“‘Now there were seven brothers; the first took a wife, and died without children; and the second and the third took her, and likewise all seven left no children and died. Afterward the woman also died. In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For the seven had her as wife’” — This hypothetical example was meant to ridicule.
34 And Jesus said to them, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage; 35 but those who are accounted worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage, 36 for they cannot die any more, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.
“And Jesus said to them, ‘The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage” — There are two ages or modes of existence, this present world which people alive on earth enjoy and that age or mode which people who are now in heaven enjoy. “The sons of this age” refers to people in this world. They practise marriage.
“‘but those who are accounted worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead’” — The Greek syntax is such that “those who are accounted worthy” means those accounted worthy by God. Those who are worthy religiously in this earthly age attain to heaven and to the life of resurrection. The following verse will say that “they are sons of God being sons of the resurrection from the dead”.
“‘neither marry nor are given in marriage, for they cannot die any more, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection’” — Jesus says that life on earth and life in heaven are essentially different, which many of his contemporaries did not believe. They presumed that life in heaven continued as it had been lived on earth. Marriage, Jesus taught, is confined to earthly life. In the age to come in heaven there will not be marriage or giving in marriage. Those in heaven will be, as the angels, God’s children sharing the divine resurrected nature. They will be immortal and as marriage is designed to replenish the depleting human race, it will not be needed.
“they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection’” — These three terms means the same as just explained.
Those who have died and are with God do not desire anything other than God because they are the perpetual children of God.
37 But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the passage about the bush, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. 38 Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living; for all live to him.”
“‘But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the passage about the bush’” — The reference is to Ex. 3: 6, 15.
“‘where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob’” — “The Lord” is not a reference to Christ as so often in Luke. This is an Old Testament quotation and so refers to God.
Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living’” — Here follow two explanations of these words.
“Now” refers to present time and uses present tense. God, from the burning bush, said “I am the God of…” and mentioned the three Patriarchs. The three were alive when God spoke from the bush hundreds of years after their deaths on this earth. They must still be alive since God says that he is their God.
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were alive on earth and died. Now the scriptures, which cannot err, say that “God is the God of the living”. This means that these three Patriarchs must now be alive.
“‘for all live to him.’” — This is a second explanation. Jesus says that all are alive to God; none are dead to him. If they are alive to him they are truly alive.
Application
We have today and two other Sundays left to conclude Cycle C, Liturgical Year 3. It is appropriate that we reflect these days on ‘end times and Christ our King’. Jesus has completed his journey to Jerusalem (9: 51 to 19: 27) and is preaching in the Temple. Several religious groups approach him to find fault with his instructions. The Sadducees are the sect we encounter today as they put forward their main teaching. For them death is not only real but final and there is no resurrection of the body and no survival of the soul.
The Israelites did believe in Sheol, a shadowy underworld which was neither reward nor punishment for life lived in the world. They did not believe that the soul survived the body; nevertheless they did not think that death resulted in total annihilation. The notion of resurrection crept into their teaching only about two hundred years before Christ.
After the Sadducees presented their argument, Jesus replied. His firs point was that there are two ages. The first is that in which human beings live here on earth and which they would be happy if it continued even after death, with some improved standard of living and no suffering. While here on earth they must marry and procreate for life to continue replacing the people who die.
The second age comes after death. It is an age of “resurrection from the dead”. To attain it one must be “accounted worthy” by God. Unfortunately many will not be worthy. Those who are worthy (there is no mention of the unworthy) “cannot die any more”. Jesus gives three reasons for this: (i) they are “equal to the angels” which means that they are essentially spiritual creatures and so very different from the life they lived on earth; what is spiritual does not die. (ii) They are “the sons of God” and so immortal like God; because (iii) they are “sons of the resurrection”, that is, they were born into heaven by resurrection which is by the power of Christ’s Paschal Mystery (death and resurrection). Jesus claimed, “I am the resurrection and the life”. Because they cannot die the heavenly population will not decrease and so there is no need in heaven for marriage and the production of children.
The problem of the Sadducees was that they were convinced that there is no difference between this life, the first age, and heavenly life, the second age. That means that, for them, marriage between the same partners would continue as on earth. Jesus clarified this for them and told them that marriage does not continue in heaven because there is no need for it. Married life is special, particular (one man and one woman only at any time) and exclusive (not with several partners). Love in heaven is perfect, for God and for each another. It is in no way particular or exclusive. People will love one another with divine, universal love, the perfect love. While the love of husband and wife in heaven will be perfect it will not be exclusive or special to them. They will exclude no one from their love. Will they be disappointed that they have not that extra–special love for each other? That love is not replaced; love still exists in a better, more perfect way. It continues to be a personal love.
What makes this teaching difficult for many people is that they envision life after death as life before death but with everything improved to perfection. Like the Sadducees they consider how life is lived in the resurrection. Jesus did not speak of the how but of the why. The simple answer is that God is God of the living, for example, of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He created the Patriarchs and ourselves for life and not for annihilation in everlasting death. He revealed to us that he created us in his own image and that he is the resurrection and the life. It is his eternal life that we share.
This passage is a radical call to have faith in Jesus’ word and teaching. He told us as the fundamental basis for our relationship that he is our God and we are his people. That is what is called his covenant. He loves us as his very own; he made us for himself. He sent his Son in the flesh to redeem and save us after our rebellion. It is precisely by his death and resurrection that we have been saved. We should be nothing other than people of hope.
Commentary on 32nd Sunday of the year C 6.11.2022
TEXT: LUKE 20: 27–38
Question of the Sadducees
27 There came to him some Sadducees, those who say that there is no resurrection, 28 and they asked him a question, saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies, having a wife but no children, the man must take the wife and raise up children for his brother.
Hypothetical Example
29 Now there were seven brothers; the first took a wife, and died without children; 30 and the second 31 and the third took her, and likewise all seven left no children and died. 32 Afterward the woman also died. 33 In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For the seven had her as wife.”
Jesus’ reply
34 And Jesus said to them, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage; 35 but those who are accounted worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage, 36 for they cannot die any more, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.
God of the living
37 But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the passage about the bush, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. 38 Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living; for all live to him.”
EXPLANATION
Introduction
Jesus has now completed his journey and is in Jerusalem. The final chapters in Luke’s Gospel have commenced. This new section has Jesus teach on three most important points. First he speaks on the resurrection of the dead, this passage. Then he speaks on himself as Lord. Finally he tells of the importance of submitting to God’s will.
27 There came to him some Sadducees, those who say that there is no resurrection, 28 and they asked him a question, saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies, having a wife but no children, the man must take the wife and raise up children for his brother.
“There came to him some Sadducees, those who say that there is no resurrection” — The Sadducees, a Jewish sect from the wealthy priestly aristocracy, among whom was Caiaphas, did not believe in the resurrection of the dead, in reward and punishment after death, in angels and only in the Torah or Jewish Law comprised in the first five books of the Bible, called the Pentateuch. They regarded the life to come as a continuation of this life and, therefore, it needed marriage to continue. Such was the background to their question to Jesus. They were the group that was most responsible for the death of Jesus and the persecution of the early Church. After the destruction of the Temple in 70A.D. they disappeared. They left no known writings.
“and they asked him a question, saying, ‘Teacher’” — Teachers had the authority of knowledge for which they were respected and people brought them problems concerning the Law to be resolved. The Sadducees will now pose a query after some preliminary remarks.
“‘Moses wrote for us’” — Moses was regarded as the author of the Pentateuch. The reference is to Deuteronomy 25: 5, quoted with the next verse. Deuteronomy was one of the five books in the Bible that the Sadducees accepted.
“‘If a man’s brother dies, having a wife but no children, the man must take the wife and raise up children for his brother” — The purpose of this law was to continue the name of the family. This was known as the Levirate law, pertaining, that is, to the woman’s brother–in–law. It was based on the following: “When brothers reside together, and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the deceased shall not be married outside the family to a stranger. Her husband’s brother shall go in to her, taking her in marriage, and performing the duty of a husband’s brother to her, and the firstborn whom she bears shall succeed to the name of the deceased brother, so that his name may not be blotted out of Israel” (Dt. 25: 5–6). This law was no longer practised at the time of Jesus.
29 Now there were seven brothers; the first took a wife, and died without children; 30 and the second 31 and the third took her, and likewise all seven left no children and died. 32 Afterward the woman also died. 33 In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For the seven had her as wife.”
“‘Now there were seven brothers; the first took a wife, and died without children; and the second and the third took her, and likewise all seven left no children and died. Afterward the woman also died. In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For the seven had her as wife’” — This hypothetical example was meant to ridicule.
34 And Jesus said to them, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage; 35 but those who are accounted worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage, 36 for they cannot die any more, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.
“And Jesus said to them, ‘The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage” — There are two ages or modes of existence, this present world which people alive on earth enjoy and that age or mode which people who are now in heaven enjoy. “The sons of this age” refers to people in this world. They practise marriage.
“‘but those who are accounted worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead’” — The Greek syntax is such that “those who are accounted worthy” means those accounted worthy by God. Those who are worthy religiously in this earthly age attain to heaven and to the life of resurrection. The following verse will say that “they are sons of God being sons of the resurrection from the dead”.
“‘neither marry nor are given in marriage, for they cannot die any more, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection’” — Jesus says that life on earth and life in heaven are essentially different, which many of his contemporaries did not believe. They presumed that life in heaven continued as it had been lived on earth. Marriage, Jesus taught, is confined to earthly life. In the age to come in heaven there will not be marriage or giving in marriage. Those in heaven will be, as the angels, God’s children sharing the divine resurrected nature. They will be immortal and as marriage is designed to replenish the depleting human race, it will not be needed.
“they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection’” — These three terms means the same as just explained.
Those who have died and are with God do not desire anything other than God because they are the perpetual children of God.
37 But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the passage about the bush, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. 38 Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living; for all live to him.”
“‘But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the passage about the bush’” — The reference is to Ex. 3: 6, 15.
“‘where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob’” — “The Lord” is not a reference to Christ as so often in Luke. This is an Old Testament quotation and so refers to God.
Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living’” — Here follow two explanations of these words.
“Now” refers to present time and uses present tense. God, from the burning bush, said “I am the God of…” and mentioned the three Patriarchs. The three were alive when God spoke from the bush hundreds of years after their deaths on this earth. They must still be alive since God says that he is their God.
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were alive on earth and died. Now the scriptures, which cannot err, say that “God is the God of the living”. This means that these three Patriarchs must now be alive.
“‘for all live to him.’” — This is a second explanation. Jesus says that all are alive to God; none are dead to him. If they are alive to him they are truly alive.
Application
We have today and two other Sundays left to conclude Cycle C, Liturgical Year 3. It is appropriate that we reflect these days on ‘end times and Christ our King’. Jesus has completed his journey to Jerusalem (9: 51 to 19: 27) and is preaching in the Temple. Several religious groups approach him to find fault with his instructions. The Sadducees are the sect we encounter today as they put forward their main teaching. For them death is not only real but final and there is no resurrection of the body and no survival of the soul.
The Israelites did believe in Sheol, a shadowy underworld which was neither reward nor punishment for life lived in the world. They did not believe that the soul survived the body; nevertheless they did not think that death resulted in total annihilation. The notion of resurrection crept into their teaching only about two hundred years before Christ.
After the Sadducees presented their argument, Jesus replied. His firs point was that there are two ages. The first is that in which human beings live here on earth and which they would be happy if it continued even after death, with some improved standard of living and no suffering. While here on earth they must marry and procreate for life to continue replacing the people who die.
The second age comes after death. It is an age of “resurrection from the dead”. To attain it one must be “accounted worthy” by God. Unfortunately many will not be worthy. Those who are worthy (there is no mention of the unworthy) “cannot die any more”. Jesus gives three reasons for this: (i) they are “equal to the angels” which means that they are essentially spiritual creatures and so very different from the life they lived on earth; what is spiritual does not die. (ii) They are “the sons of God” and so immortal like God; because (iii) they are “sons of the resurrection”, that is, they were born into heaven by resurrection which is by the power of Christ’s Paschal Mystery (death and resurrection). Jesus claimed, “I am the resurrection and the life”. Because they cannot die the heavenly population will not decrease and so there is no need in heaven for marriage and the production of children.
The problem of the Sadducees was that they were convinced that there is no difference between this life, the first age, and heavenly life, the second age. That means that, for them, marriage between the same partners would continue as on earth. Jesus clarified this for them and told them that marriage does not continue in heaven because there is no need for it. Married life is special, particular (one man and one woman only at any time) and exclusive (not with several partners). Love in heaven is perfect, for God and for each another. It is in no way particular or exclusive. People will love one another with divine, universal love, the perfect love. While the love of husband and wife in heaven will be perfect it will not be exclusive or special to them. They will exclude no one from their love. Will they be disappointed that they have not that extra–special love for each other? That love is not replaced; love still exists in a better, more perfect way. It continues to be a personal love.
What makes this teaching difficult for many people is that they envision life after death as life before death but with everything improved to perfection. Like the Sadducees they consider how life is lived in the resurrection. Jesus did not speak of the how but of the why. The simple answer is that God is God of the living, for example, of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He created the Patriarchs and ourselves for life and not for annihilation in everlasting death. He revealed to us that he created us in his own image and that he is the resurrection and the life. It is his eternal life that we share.
This passage is a radical call to have faith in Jesus’ word and teaching. He told us as the fundamental basis for our relationship that he is our God and we are his people. That is what is called his covenant. He loves us as his very own; he made us for himself. He sent his Son in the flesh to redeem and save us after our rebellion. It is precisely by his death and resurrection that we have been saved. We should be nothing other than people of hope.