I said a few weeks ago, Jesus was peripatetic – walking about the temple, teaching and fielding questions. Matthew tells us that this particular question was thrust upon the Saviour on the same day as the earlier ones in this chapter and chapter 21. Luke simply says, “then” certain Sadducees came up to Him. All three Synoptic Gospels remind us that the Sadducees did not believe in resurrection. But like most of the earlier attacks, these hypocritical heretics came to the Lord with an hypothetical, pretending to have some degree of agreement or concern about the situation. Earlier, they brought to Him the woman taken in adultery, pretending to be concerned about justice. Then they fawn up to Him saying, “Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men.” Later they will ask, “Master, which is the great commandment in the law?” Did they really care what His opinion was, or were they only looking for something to exploit? The Scriptures clearly answers that question for us.
This evening let’s consider the subject of resurrection.
But let’s begin with the source of the Sadducee’s denial.
Luke tells us, in Acts 28, that “the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit.” Where did that idea originate? In the Word of God? Of course not. We could ask the same question about a hundred heresies still extant today. Why do the Mormons believe that Joseph Smith used magic glasses to translate the Book of Mormon? Why do the children of Seventh Day Adventists believe Christian people should worship on Saturday? Why is Mary more venerated in some so-called Christian churches than Christ Jesus is? Do these things come from the Bible? Despite what those people might say, the answer is “no,” these things do not come from the Bible. Some of them were concocted by liars, some developed out of confusion or ignorance. Whatever their original source, they are transmitted from generation to generation through tradition.
This is a potential problem even among Baptists – even among ourselves. Why do you believe that evolution is a lie, and creation is the truth? I fear that a great many children say that creation is true, because their parents have told them that it is. While that is not a bad thing in itself, by the third generation that family may all be creationists, but perhaps no one will really understand why? Why do you believe that baptism should be by immersion? Is it because that is the way your church baptizes, and that is the way that you were baptized? That may be precisely the reason why so many think that sprinkling is baptism – tradition. It is important that we be able to say, I believe such and such – because the Bible teaches it, and here are a few scriptures upon which I build my faith…… The saints in Berea “were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” Paul exhorts us all to “sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.”
Where did these Sadducees get the idea that there was nothing beyond the grave? Here’s John Gill’s explanation – “They denied that there were angels and spirits, and the immortality of the soul; they affirmed, that the soul died with the body, and that there was no future state: The rise of this sect, and of these notions of their’s, was this, as the Jews (themselves) relate – “Antigonus …used to say, be not as servants, that serve their master on account of receiving a reward. But …let the fear of heaven be upon you, so that your reward may be double in the world to come. This man had two disciples, who altered his words, and taught their disciples, who then taught their disciples. Later generations asked, Is it possible, that a labourer should work all day, and not take his reward at evening? But if our fathers had known that there is another world, and that there is “a resurrection of the dead,” they would not have said thus. They stood and separated from the law, and of them there were two parties, the Sadducees and Baithusites; the Sadducees on account of Sadoc, and the Baithusites on account of Baithus.” In other words, a few generations earlier, Sadoc took a idea from his teacher, mixed in a little human logic and concluded that God would not save His finest blessings and rewards for after our earthly lives. Sadoc decided that God intends to reward His servants before the fall of night – ie. before death. Over time it was concluded that there is no life after death, because God’s rewards are meant to come during this life.
The first lesson this evening is this: take heed and beware of tradition, it is a downward spiral staircase. So these Sadducees came to Christ with what may have been an actual event. These men may have been from another community; they weren’t sent from the chief priests. Some commentaries suggest that this was entirely fictitious, while others disagree. Let’s assume that it was true, and the family was well known in Hebron or Bethlehem or somewhere else. Deuteronomy 25:5-6 says – “If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband’s brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of an husband’s brother unto her. and it shall be, that the firstborn which she beareth shall succeed in the name of his brother which is dead, that his name be not put out of Israel.” I don’t know how faithful Israel was to this law in Jesus’ day, but it was “on the books” so to speak and apparently some people did still try to apply it to their lives. However, this particular story is hard to believe – extended to the seventh degree. Between the death of the first husband and the marriage to the next, there was to pass at least three full months, to make sure that there was no heir. So all of this required well over two years. Then came the hypocritical question – “In the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven: for they all had her.”
In contrast to the heretical tradition of the Sadducees there is the truth of the Bible.
“Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven. But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.”
Where in the Bible do we hear Jehovah declare “I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?” Luke reminds us in his account of this event that these were the words of God when Moses stood before the burning bush. But the intent of the Lord on that occasion was different than the Lord Jesus’ on this occasion. Back in Exodus 3, the Lord was merely introducing Himself to Moses. But Christ makes an application of the statement. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob had been gone for many, many years – dead as far as earthly life is concerned. But those men were not actually dead. Christ teaches that Jehovah was still their God – they were still serving and worshiping the Lord. “God is not the God of the dead, but of the living,” and as Luke adds, “for all live unto him.” Obviously the Lord Jesus could have referred to many other scriptures, but since this was all futile anyway for these unbelievers, He limited His arguments and kept walking.
Isn’t it true that every honest heart pleads for some sort of life after this earthly life? It is inconceivable that if there is a righteous God, that life will completely end in our physical deaths. Should the terribly wicked die a peaceful death, or even a painless, swift death and then nothing? Not if there is a God in Heaven. What about the loving faithful servant of God, who is wracked with disease and pain, or abuse and ill treatment? Will there be no recompense and correction of earthly injustice? Paul put into words the thoughts of every honest heart and mind – “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.” There will be a resurrection from the dead – logic demands it. But logic is not always correct.
More important than logic is the fact that the Bible declares it. Obviously, there are a lot of books in the library which declare a lot of different things. But our Bible is no ordinary book, and it has been proven to be absolutely true and trustworthy. “Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.” The power of God refers to His ability to create and guarantee life after death. We are not following cunningly devised fables when we repeat Biblical statements. “For the prophecy (of our resurrection) came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” There has yet to be a single statement from the Word of God which has been proven false.
And the Bible teaches that there will be a resurrection of the dead – small and great; saint and sinner. Sometimes the Bible makes open declarations, and in other places there are only implications. Job 19 – “For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.” Psalm 16 – “I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.” Psalm 17:15 – “As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.” Psalm 49:15 – “God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah.” Isaiah 26:19 – “Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.” Hosea 13:14 – “I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.”
In the New Testament we find the same declarations. Acts 24:14-15 – “But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets: And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.” Romans 8 – “And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.” I Corinthians 16 – “And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power.” II Corinthians 4 – “We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak; Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.”
Besides scriptures like these we have the descriptions and accounts of people whom the Lord has already raised from the grave. And we have no doubt that he can raise us from our future graves, because He has already raised others. There are Jairus’ daughter, Lazarus, the son of the widow of Nain, and several in the Old Testament.
Then on top of these there are the words of the Lord Jesus Himself. John 5 – “For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.” John 6 – “For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.” Jesus said unto Martha “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.” Further proof of our resurrection is the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Himself. There is more reason to believe in a future resurrection than there is to believe the sun will rise tomorrow.
Furthermore, as some of the scriptures which we have just read indicate, there will be no one left behind. There is the Lamb’s Book of Life in which all of the Lord’s elect are named. And there will be other books opened before the Great White Throne where the deeds and names of the wicked will be revealed.
What does this resurrection mean to us?
As declared in the Book of Daniel – these resurrections will be to render justice – or grace. Some will arise to “shame and everlasting contempt.” So very, very often today, we see justice delayed and delayed. The Psalms, Job, Lamentations and other books cry out at the earthly prosperity of the wicked. If there is a God in heaven how can the wicked prosper and the relatively innocent suffer? A part of the answer is that things will be corrected after the resurrection. Some will rise to shame in that day. None of the things which mark differences between men today, will mean anything in the resurrection. The only distinction between us will be our relationship to sin and to the grace of the Lord. These Sadducees will find that resurrection a day shame – because their hypocrisy will be exposed. And the awfulness of their sin will finally strike them. Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the most wicked of us all?
These unredeemed, shameful Sadducees will be raised to everlasting contempt. They will reap what they have sown. They that have lived in contempt of Christ and of the things of God, will face the charge of contempt. God will say in effect, “I despise you and your sinful stench.” The Lord will not condemn the lost with tears in His holy eyes, and with an achy-breaking heart.
On the other hand, “many that sleep in the dust shall rise to everlasting life.” The resurrection will mean the reunion of the living soul and previously sleeping body. Why will some be raised to receive this eternal life? “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” John 5 – “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.” Eternal life is not a reward to be earned, but a gift to be given.
And, what is this life eternal? First, it is a continued existence but in a new sphere – a new place but with the same soul. “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” No, some things, like filial and spousal relationships will not be the same, as Jesus tells us. We may not be doing the exact same things that we are doing today, but we will be worshiping and serving our Saviour. We shall awake – we shall be awake unlike we’ve never been awake before.
Are YOU ready for the resurrection? You are not ready if you are living in rebellion, denial, pride and sin – like these Sadducees. Like people of our day, these people needed to repent before God and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.