When men of Jerusalem asked questions of Jesus, it was not because they wanted to learn, but to try to puzzle Him and show Him to be wrong. But, instead, they were proven wrong. His answers were so plain that we may now learn from them about the most important things we could wish to know.
One question the men asked was, If a woman’s husband died and she married again, whose wife would she be when the dead rise?
Those men did not believe that the dead ever rose, or that people had a life that did not end. They spoke in ridicule of such a hope, although they quoted from a law given by God (Deut. 25:5). They should have known the law was for life on earth, not for heaven.
Jesus answered that they were wrong, because they knew “not the scriptures, neither the power of God.” He said that the dead shall rise, but that there will not be family relationships as on earth. He said, “They neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven.” (See also Luke 20:34-36).
God has given us those we now love so much, and we can be sure it will be far more wonderful as His family in heaven — all dear to all.
Proof From Scripture
To prove to the men that those who believe God would rise, Jesus repeated words God said to Moses, “I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob” (Ex. 3:16).
Those men were dead when God said the words, and Jesus said that God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. Therefore, those men were living, although not in bodies on earth, but with God (Eccl. 12:7).
The “everlasting” promises were not yet fulfilled, but must be, so their bodies must be raised (Gen. 17:7-8).
The men who asked the question had the writings by Daniel and others about resurrection: “Them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and contempt” (Dan. 12:2; see also Job 19:25-27; Psa. 17:15; Isa. 26:19).
Resurrection
At another time Jesus told them much the same words as Daniel used. He said, “Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of [judgment]” (John 5:28-29).
It will be the voice of the Lord Jesus, the Son of Man, that they shall hear, but the last book of the Bible tells of time between the resurrection of those who believe God and those who do not (Rev. 20:5-6, 12-14).
The Lord Jesus also said He was the resurrection and the life. Therefore it is by Him that those who believe God have life with Him. Also because of Him, their bodies will be raised (1 Cor. 15).
“God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son” (1 John 5:11).
Further Meditation
1. What other Bible characters asked insincere questions?
2. On what occasion did Jesus say, “I am the resurrection and the life”?
3. Some helpful comments on resurrection can be found in The First Epistle to the Corinthians by H. Smith.