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LUKE - Christ, the Savior of the World
A Bible Study Course on the Gospel of Christ according to Luke

PART 5 - CHRIST'S TRIUMPHAL ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM (Luke 19:28 - 21:38)

6. Questions About the Resurrection of the Dead (Luke 20:27-40)


LUKE 20:27-40
27 Then some of the Sadducees, who deny that there is a resurrection, came to Him and asked Him, 28 saying: “Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man’s brother dies, having a wife, and he dies without children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother. 29 Now there were seven brothers. And the first took a wife, and died without children. 30 And the second took her as wife, and he died childless. 31 Then the third took her, and in like manner the seven also; and they left no children, and died. 32 Last of all the woman died also. 33 Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife does she become? For all seven had her as wife.” 34 And Jesus answered and said to them, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage. 
35 But those who are counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; 36 nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. 37 Now even Moses showed in the burning bush that the dead are raised, when he called the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ 38 For He is not the God of the dead but of the living, for all live to Him.” 39 Then some of the scribes answered and said, “Teacher, You have spoken well.” 40 But after that they dared not question Him anymore.

All men will certainly die, and every religion, or philosophy, which does not make a frank answer to the existence of man after death, is deceiving and superficial. The Sadducees at Jesus’ time were truth seekers in a philosophical way. They did not believe in anything which their critical minds could not explain. Therefore they mocked the hypocritical Pharisees, and ridiculed the professing scribes, for they relied literally on the Torah with respect to angels, the resurrection, and the life after death. However this mockery was a covering for their doubts and unbelief, since no human mind is able to explore the truth of the other world unaided, but on the basis of revelation and faith.

Representatives of these logical skeptics came to Jesus, and presented an incident based on a marriage-law of the Old Testament to prove that Moses knew in his law that there is no life after death. They asked Jesus this question about raising up offspring through one of the brothers of a dead man marrying his widow, and accordingly they deemed it impossible to have marital life after death with polyandry.

In answer to those blind logical people Jesus gave a full description of life after death, and showed them first that it is not possible to make a comparison between the conditions of this life and those of the future life where there are no shady trees, running rivers, delicious foods, femininity, or masculinity.

Death puts an end to sex, the symbol of this age, which is necessary for all creatures to avoid extinction; for after death, the body does not remain any longer, nor is it created again with flesh and blood.

Observe also that Christ did not say that all men would rise in the first resurrection, but indicated the mystery that only the elect should go from death to life, for Christ’s atonement purified them, and the power of God qualified them to bear divine life in themselves. The New Testament teaches you the resurrection from the dead (Philippians 3:11; Revelation 20:4-6 and 12-15), and speaks about the resurrection of the just (Luke 14:14). In contrast with that all the dead will rise at the Last Judgment. This rising does not fully mean resurrection, but coming to the Court of God, and being cast into destruction. Then it becomes clear Christ’s followers, working in divine love, will enter into eternal life, for they received the Holy Spirit in this world, who is the guarantee of the glory of God. Those who are dead in their sins and offenses will remain dead forever, and their souls given by God cannot die finally, or live truly. This is the second death, tormenting hell and endless regret.

Yet all those who come to Christ, the Life giver, will receive his life and mighty power. They cannot die after that, for death will not have power over them, since their sins are forgiven, and the blood of Christ sanctifies them completely. We worship Christ for he drew us with his love up to his level. His death on the cross is the reason for our life, and his resurrection shows us the nature of existence in the other world. We shall be spiritual with a touchable body, as Christ passed through walls and had a true body at the same time. Then we shall be like the glorious bright angels, sexless, incorruptible, and not subject to death. We shall be called the children of God, for the Eternal One put his Spirit in us. We are not created as the angels are, but are born again as children of God. Are you aware of your privilege gifted to you by faith in Christ? Do you worship the unity of the Holy Trinity who opened to you such a glorious hope? Are you living or dead? Are you born again of the Holy Spirit, or are you lost in sins and faults?

Jesus, in his compassion, proved to the rational Sadducees who accepted only the written law of the first five books of Moses, the document to which they adhered strictly, that they did not know God, who called himself “the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” The faith of those fathers made them join themselves to God until he gave them the fullness of his life, and his strength was made perfect in their weakness. Now Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob live in fact with God, and belong to him, as he had a covenant with them. Eternal life means love, commitment, and establishment in God who is the fountain of life. His exceeding power is a hundred million times stronger than the sun from whose rays the creatures of our world live. As such all faithful saints live from the rays of the love of our heavenly Father, and are filled with his attributes. They see with their own eyes God’s heaven filled with his endless pleasure.

PRAYER: Our Father, and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whose death on the cross you also became our Father, we worship you, the fountain of life. You gave us birth again by your Holy Spirit, and fill us with your power, love and joy. Call many of those who are dead in sins and offenses to your eternal life, that they may become sanctified, and enjoy your fullness with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. We worship you, and thank you for your life given to us as a living hope.

QUESTION 122: How did Jesus describe the resurrection?

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