The Gospel of Luke 20:27-38
Some Sadducees, those who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus and asked him a question, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies, leaving a wife but no children, the man shall marry the widow and raise up children for his brother. Now there were seven brothers; the first married, and died childless; then the second and the third married her, and so in the same way all seven died childless. Finally the woman also died. In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For the seven had married her.” Jesus said to them, “Those who belong to this age marry and are given in marriage; but those who are considered worthy of a place in that age and in the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. Indeed they cannot die anymore, because they are like angels and are children of God, being children of the resurrection. And the fact that the dead are raised Moses himself showed, in the story about the bush, where he speaks of the Lord as the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Now he is God not of the dead, but of the living; for to him all of them are alive.”
Let us Pray: We praise You for the mystery of resurrection, For the promise that death does not have the final word. Teach us to live with hope that reaches beyond the grave, To love with hearts unbound by fear, And to trust that in Your presence, all are alive. Amen.
This week’s Gospel presents a profound encounter between Jesus and the Sadducees, who deny the resurrection. Their question about a woman who marries seven brothers in succession aims to ridicule the idea of life after death. But Jesus’ response transcends their trap and reveals a deeper truth about the nature of resurrection and the God who gives life. The Sadducees were a priestly, aristocratic group who accepted only the Torah (first five books of Moses) and rejected beliefs not explicitly found there like resurrection. Among those present are the Sadducees, known for their disbelief in the resurrection. They pose a hypothetical scenario to Jesus about a woman who marries seven brothers in succession, each one dying childless. They ask Jesus whose wife she will be in the resurrection, trying to stump him with their question. Jesus, in his wisdom, responds by explaining that in the resurrection, people will be like angels and will not marry. Heaven is not a replica of earth. Our lives and things like marriage are transformed in the resurrection. This invites us to imagine eternal life not as an extension of the familiar, but as a gloriously new reality. The scene is charged with intellectual debate and spiritual significance, as Jesus uses this opportunity to teach about the resurrection and challenge the beliefs of the religious leaders. The onlookers are captivated by Jesus’ words, and the religious leaders are left speechless by his profound wisdom and insight. Jesus, in his ingenious way, uses a story familiar to the Sadducees, Moses’ encounter with God at the burning bush, to teach them about the resurrection. Jesus implies that if God can bring the dead to life by referencing this sacred event, then there is surely a resurrection after death. This connection between Moses’ experience and the concept of resurrection challenges the Sadducees’ disbelief in life after death, encouraging them to reconsider their beliefs. Through this comparison, Jesus emphasizes the power and authority of God over life and death. Jesus is not only teaching the Sadducees about the afterlife but also affirming the continuity of God’s plan throughout the ages by linking the resurrection to a significant moment in their religious history. This powerful analogy serves as a reminder to all believers of the eternal nature of God’s love and the promise of life beyond this earthly existence. Jesus used Scripture to convey profound truths in intricate ways that remind us as we reflect on this verse. Jesus challenges our beliefs and deepens our understanding of God’s eternal plan for us, just as he spoke to the Sadducees. May we, like the Sadducees, open our hearts and minds to the transformative power of Jesus’ teachings, trusting in the promise of resurrection and the eternal life that awaits us. We must all aspire for this resurrected life that Jesus mentions to us in the gospel. We start by living a life founded in our close relationship with Jesus. A life that is clean and righteous before the eyes of God and men.
Let us Pray: Lord of infinite wisdom, You are Truth Itself, and You continually reveal Yourself to us. Give me the humility I need to always be open to all divine Truth in my life so that I will come to know You and Your holy will as You desire. Help me to trust what I do know and have faith about what I don’t. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Reflections by Bob 