The Sadducees’ Question Matthew 22:23-33

Introduction

• Jesus was teaching in the temple during the last week of His earthly ministry• Different groups of Jews came to Him with questions• After Jesus had answered the Pharisees question about paying

tribute to Caesar, the Sadducees came to Him• Their question shows that their motive was not to learn the

truth but to promote their own belief and teaching • I want to study their question and Jesus’ answer in the lesson

this morning

The Sadducees

• One of the two major sects or religious parties of the Jews• Though they were fewer in number than the Pharisees, they

held positions of power and influence among the Jews• They denied the resurrection of the dead- v. 23• They also denied the existence of angels and spirits- Acts 23:8• They were just as corrupt as the Pharisees- Mt. 3:7 • These are the Jews that came to Jesus with a question about

the resurrection of the dead

Their Question-1

• It dealt with a teaching in the Law of Moses that has been called the Levirate law • It said that when a man who had no son died, his brother was

to marry his widow and their firstborn son would carry on the name of the man’s dead brother- Deut. 25:5-6• If the brother refused he was to be publicly dishonored-vv. 7-

10• The marriage of Boaz and Ruth is similar to a levirate marriage,

though Boaz was not her brother-in-law- Ruth 3:13

Their Question-2• In their question a woman had married seven brothers who all

died without having a son, and finally she died• They asked, “Therefore, in the resurrection whose wife of the

seven she be? For they all had her.”- v. 28 • No doubt, they thought that the situation in their question

proved that there could not be a resurrection of the dead• For there would be strife rather than peace among those who

are raised

Jesus’ Answer-1

• He did not hesitate nor study to come up with an answer• He first said, You are mistaken;- v. 29• Jesus gave two reasons for their error and a third is implied1. They were ignorant of the scriptures• They could have and should have known what the

scriptures taught about life beyond the grave• Daniel prophesied about it- Dan. 12:2• Other scriptures also suggested that truth- II Sam. 12:23

Jesus’ Answer-2

• People today should know what God’s word teaches on many subjects, but they behave as if they do not• Some are ignorant because the scriptures do not agree with

what they want to believe or do• The Sadducees had ruled out the resurrection by their own

reasoning and theories•Many people today are rejecting the plain teachings of

God’s word for their own reasoning and preferences

Jesus’ Answer-3

• Those who do so will walk in an error that leads to destruction- Prov. 14:12

2. Jesus said they did not know the power of God• The scriptures reveal the power of God• By the power of His word, He created the worlds- Heb. 11:3• And by His power God created man out of the dust of the

ground- Gen. 2:7

Jesus’ Answer-4• It is not incredible that One who has the power to create

man also has the power to impart an eternal spirit and give him a new body- Eccl. 12:7• By denying the resurrection, the Sadducees denied God’s

power• Skeptics today deny all the miracles recorded in the

scriptures and so deny God’s power also• God can and will do all that He has said He would do and all

that He has promised to do

Jesus’ Answer-5

3. Jesus said that things are going to be different in the resurrection- v. 30

• A truth that many are willingly ignorant of today• He said that there will be no marriage then•Marriage is for life in a physical body • In the resurrection the saved will have an eternal spiritual body

like the angels, and marriage will not be needed- I Cor. 15:44

Jesus’ Answer-6• Jesus used a necessary inference in answering the Sadducees• In doing so, He showed that this is an appropriate way of

understanding the meaning of the scriptures• God said to Moses, “I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac

and the God of Jacob?”- Ex. 3:6• Since God is the God of the living, they must have been alive

when God spoke to Moses• All the faithful dead are in the Lord’s care and will live with Him

forever after the resurrection

In Conclusion

• The people were astonished by Jesus’ teaching- v. 33• His word contains the answer to all the questions that we face• Human reasoning is just as fallible and dangerous today as that

of the Sadducees in the first century•We must study the Bible to know and to understand God’s

word and His will for us• And be sure that we are relying on the answers it provides• Have you submitted your life to Christ?