89. Sadducees

[Pastor Ralph]

Please share your thoughts on one or more of the questions in this lesson. 

[hanks]

1.What did the Sadducees believe about the resurrection? What did Jesus believe? What did the Pharisees believe? 
The Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection from the dead because according to them it was not taught in the Pentateuch. Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Himself was raised from the dead, and this is the central point of Christianity. This opened the door for God's grace and kindness to be poured out on us (Rom 1:4). Paul considered that a Christianity without the resurrection would be empty and meaningless (1 Cor 15:12–19). The Pharisees did believe in resurrection, but I believe it was more of a resurrectional stance (whatever that means). 
 

[hanks]

2.What can be the result in a person's heart if he feels there will be no reckoning in the life to come for the things he or she has done during this life? 
Having faith in the resurrection and a better life to come can serve as a motivation in times of hardships. We know that this is not all, having put our trust in Jesus, we know there is more to come. Our God is not the God of the dead, but of the living, and there is a glorious life to come. Without Jesus Christ having victory over death, there is no future, no resurrection, and our Christianity has no meaning and is worthless. If there is no reckoning or accountability in the life to come, and this life is all there is, then there is nothing stopping us from maximising our pleasures here on earth. Living a sinful life with no concern for others, a dog eats dog situation. All will be forced to do everything to survive, and the result will be total anarchy. However, from Acts 24:15 we learn that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. And we will face judgment for what we have done during this life. After our departure from this life, our body will be raised from the dead, we will face judgment, and we will be with Christ eternally. 
 

[hanks]

3.What was "levirate marriage" and what was its purpose in Israelite society? 
It was designed to protect women who were widowed and had no other family member to provide for them, and to carry on the family name and preserve the family property (Deu 25:5). The purpose in the Israelite society was to provide an heir for the dead man. Suppose a man died without a child, then the man’s unmarried brother could marry the widow in order to provide an heir for the deceased. A widow would marry a brother-in law, and the first son born was considered the legal descendant of her dead husband. An example of this occurred in the Book of Ruth. Ruth was married to Naomi’s son Mahlon, and he died before there was an heir. Boaz, being a relative of Naomi’s deceased husband, Elimelech, qualified to marry Ruth. Born out of this marriage was Obed, the grandfather of King David, and their offspring continued the family line through which the Messiah came into our world. 
 

[hanks]

4.In what way does Jesus' reply destroy the Sadducees' carefully constructed objection? 
First of all, Jesus tells them we will be immortal and there will be no marriage in heaven. Since marriage was given for populating the earth, be fruitful and multiply, as well as the relationship between man and woman, and in the next world, heaven, no one dies, there is no need to have children. Now, Jesus gives actual scriptural proof for the resurrection, by referring only to the Pentateuch. Jesus refers to the story of Moses and the burning bush which is found in Exodus (Exodus 3:6), which is a portion of Scripture accepted by the Sadducees. Hence, they cannot argue the source. This event in the life of Moses occurred about 1440 BC. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob lived from 2000 BC to 1870 BC. They were a long time dead (by at least 500 years) even when God said this to Moses. The Sadducees would have believed them to be extinct, no longer existing. But God did not say “I was the God of Abraham …,” instead He said “I am …,” right now, still, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The character of God, as God of the living, demands the resurrection. Furthermore, by citing Exodus 3:6 He also reminded the Sadducees of something very current. The official Jewish prayers of this time include seventeen benedictions. These prayers ask for blessing, protection, love and mercy on the one praying, but also upon Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Now how could God bless, protect, love, and favour someone who no longer exists? He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. 
 

[hanks]

5.What effect does Jesus' question about the son of David being David's Lord have? Of whom did He ask the question? Why? 
They did not have the courage to question Him any longer (20:40). So, Jesus takes this opportunity to question them, specifically the Scribes and Pharisees who were the ones who really studied the Scriptures and who professed that the Messiah would be the Son of David. Being students, teachers, and interpreters of the Law, they knew the covenants and they knew the scriptures, the promise to David that his descendant, his Son, would sit forever on Israel’s throne as King. That the Messiah would be from David’s line is seen in such places as 2 Samuel chapter 7; Psalm 89:20; Isaiah 9:2, 11:1; Jeremiah 23:5, 33:14; Ezekiel 34:23, 37:24; and many more. So, Jesus asks them, "How is it that they say the Christ is the Son of David?” (20:41). This is an attempt to get these religious leaders to recognize who He is; to think about His true identity. What do they believe concerning the identity of the Messiah, and from whom would He be descended? They answered correctly that He would be the Son of David. Now Jesus shows them that according to Psalm 110 (which they acknowledged to be messianic) the Messiah would also be David's Lord. “The LORD says to my lord"(Psa 110:1a). How could He be David's Son and David's Lord at the same time? And how could David, the king, have someone who was his Lord on earth? The answer of course was that the Messiah would be both God and Man. As God, He would be David's Lord. As Man, He would be David's Son. 
And Jesus Himself, combining in His Person both deity and humanity, was David's Master and David's Son. He was descended from David as Son of Man; yet He was David's Creator. 
 

[hanks]

6.What things should we be doing to be able to live both in the present age and be ready for the age to come? What should we cease doing? 
There must be a completely new mindset about our priorities. The things that take up most of our energy and the ones that are most important to us here on earth will soon be of no concern in heaven. Things like wealth, money, power, sex, and honour and status will all fall away. So, when we come to think of it, investing all our time energy in these earthly things is actually a bad investment, having no future value. Also, there will be no time, sin, or death. Which brings a whole new dimension of its own. As true believers we feel the pull of heaven and yearn to spend eternity with Christ. Heaven will be far better than our earthly life, for we will be present with our Saviour in a place devoid of sin, sickness, and death (2 Cor 5:8). What we lose in life we will gain in heaven. Before that time comes, our purpose on Earth is to live as a light of hope in the darkness of sin and death (Matthew 5:16). The things we should be focusing on, are the things of Christ. Christ should be the centre point of our mind, heart, body and soul. Everything that we do, we do for Christ’s glory. As we run the “race marked out for us,” we lay aside the entangling sin and worldly distractions, “fixing our eyes on Jesus” (Hebrews 12:1-2). 
 

[Irmela]

1.  What did the Sadducees believe about the resurrection? What did Jesus believe? What did the Pharisees believe?

They Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection.

Jesus was resurrected from the dead. (The body is then incorruptible.) He then went to be at the right hand of the Father. Jesus also said there is no marriage in the after life. Marriage is temporal not eternal. Those who experience the resurrection to life must be considered worthy. 

The Pharisees do believe that the souls of the good people will enter into other bodies but those of the bad will be subject to eternal punishment. 

[Irmela]

 

2.  What can be the result in a person's heart if he feels there will be no reckoning in the life to come for the things he or she has done during this life?

A person has no need to worry about consequences for his deeds. He can live a life without reckoning. It is rather a selfish kind of existance then. Totally the opposite to what our Lord ascribed us to lead. The heart would then be callous. 

3.  What was "levirate marriage" and what was its purpose in Israelite society?

The purpose of the leverite marriage was to leave children to continue the "name" of the deceased if he had died childless. The oldest child in the new marriage would then by law be taken to be the deceased persons child and heir. 

An example of this is Obed the offspring of Ruth and Boaz. Naomi is taken to be the real grandmother. 

4. In what way does Jesus' reply destroy the Sadducees' carefully constructed objection?

The Sadducees had hoped their question would pose a dilemma as to who would then have the woman as wife in the after-life, seeing all had had her as their wife. There was no need for this to pose a problem as there was no marriage nor anyone being given in marriage, in the after-life. 

In this way there was no argument they could pose further. 

In the life we live now there is need for reproduction because of death, whereas in the life to come there will be no death. So there is no need to reproduce. 

Jesus also mentions a happening we read about. Moses and the burning bush. Moses calls the Lord "The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob." God is the God of the LIVING. not the dead. So that means Abraham, Isaac ans Jacob are Living not dead. So there was proved there was life after death, just not as we know it now. 

5. What effect does Jesus' question about the son of David being David's Lord have? Of whom did he ask the question? Why?

The people that were surrounding Him. The scribes and the Pharisees. The son of David as spoken about in the Scriptures was taken to be the Messiah. It was understood that the Messiah would be greater than David. David acknowledges Him as greater than Himself.

The people are shown by this question, that they need not look down on the Saducees as they themselves did not know or understand much more than the Saducees did. 

6. What things should we be doing to be able to live both in the present age and be ready for the age to come? What should we cease doing?

Things that are important in this day and age are not important in the age to come. We ought now already to totally live for God. In this way we are storing up treasure in heaven. 

Selfish living is actually a no-no. 

We ought to stop living as though life as we know it continues forever. Money, sex, fame and power will be obsolete in the life to come. 

[Old Jerry]

What did the Sadducees believe about the resurrection? What did Jesus believe? What did the Pharisees believe?

 

A. the Sadducees didn’t believe in the resurrection. Jesus knew that there is a resurrection. The Pharisees believed in the resurrection.

 

What can be the result in a person's heart if he feels there will be no reckoning in the life to come for the things he or she has done during this life?

 

A. The person could run amuck because there is no justice and doesn’t care what happens when he dies.

 

What was "levirate marriage" and what was its purpose in Israelite society?

 

A. the “levirate marriage” is when a husband dies, the brother is to marry his wife and have children with her. That is the way that the widow would have someone look after here when she gets old and her husband’s name would not be forgotten.

 

In what way does Jesus' reply destroy the Sadducees' carefully constructed objection?

 

A. Jesus answered the Sadducees’ by informing them that there is no marriage in the resurrection.

 

What effect does Jesus' question about the son of David being David's Lord have? Of whom did he ask the question? Why?

 

A. Jesus was trying to show that there is a resurrection. He is informing them that He is the Lord and that the Lord is not Lord of the dead.

 

What things should we be doing to be able to live both in the present age and be ready for the age to come? What should we cease doing?

 

A. We should be living knowing that there are consequences for what we do in this life. That the resurrection is real and we should be following Jesus.

[Katy]

Q1. The Sadducee’s did not believe in the Resurrection, nor did they believe in the existence of angels or that our souls are immortal. The Pharisees did believe in Resurrection. Jesus gave up the splendour of heaven to come to earth to die on the cross and on the third day to be resurrected , so Jesus definitely did believe in the Resurrection. 
Q2.Because of our sinful nature we would take advantage if we thought we would not be held accountable.  The world is in chaos but it would be even worse if all of us were living without any expectation of having to give an account of our thoughts words and deeds.

Q3. When a man died it was the duty of his brother to marry the widow so that the dead husband name had a chance of continuing on through their offspring. It was also to provide for the widow and her children because there was no other way for her to be able to feed her children or keep a roof over their heads.

Q4.Once again the efforts of the leaders to discredit Jesus failed miserably! In answer Jesus tell them that everything is going to be different in the next life there will be no more marriage as we know it because there will be no death so no need for anymore procreation. We will no longer be United to one person all will be different. Jesus also told them about Moses and the burning bush where He spoke about being God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the present not that He was in the past. These men are alive. He is God of the living. 

[Katy]

Q5. Jesus asked the question of the Pharisees as they were feeling smug that Jesus had answered the question put to Him about marriage which the Saducees’s had put to Jesus to try and catch Him out. Jesus was going to show them that their understanding of Scripture was as poor as the Saducee’s understanding. Jesus used Psalm110 to explain to them that The Messiah was David’s Lord. Not his Son as they understood son. Really what Jesus was doing was trying to get them to see that He was the Messiah. 
Q6. Every day of our lives should be a day of preparation for eternity. When we have our eyes fixed on Jesus the things of the world grow strangely dim. The things of the world grow more and more uninteresting and the work of the Lord becomes more and more important. Our time on earth is limited so we need to use it thoughtfully, and prayerfully. We do have to attend to our earthly duties but the Lord is our priority. 

[haar]

1.    What did the Sadducees believe about the resurrection? What did Jesus believe? What did the Pharisees believe?

The Sadducees do not believe that the dead will rise. Jesus and the Pharisees both agree in resurrection after death

2.    What can be the result in a person's heart if he feels there will be no reckoning in the life to come for the things he or she has done during this life?

If a person believes that there is no reckoning in the life to come for the things he or she has done during this life, he or she may set his or her heart to reckless and careless life style while alive.

3.    What was "levirate marriage" and what was its purpose in Israelite society?

Levirate marriage refers to the practice in Israel where a brother marries his brother’s widow. The purpose was for the brother to bear children for his late brother.

4.    In what way does Jesus' reply destroy the Sadducees' carefully constructed objection?

The Lord shut the Sadducees up by telling them that the laws or customs and all those things they bothered about would not be relevant after death. He explained that the dead will surely rise but will not die again and there won’t be marrying and family making again. This did not go well with them since they did not believe in resurrection.

5.    What effect does Jesus' question about the son of David being David's Lord have? Of whom did he ask the question? Why?

Jesus' question about son of David being David’s Lord pointed to the fact that son is actually the Messiah Who was actually talking to them!.

6.    What things should we be doing to be able to live both in the present age and be ready for the age to come? What should we cease doing?

What we should be doing now is to be ever prepared for the soon coming Lord as he is coming minute. We should be doing good works and bringing souls to salvation. We should stop every act that will lead to sin, This is easier said than done except by prayers for the grace and power of God.

[kreilly]

 

What can be the result in a person's heart if he feels there will be no reckoning in the life to come for the things he or she has done during this life?

A person will live a sinful, selfish life-living to fulfill his/her own desire's, not caring who they hurt, thinking their will be no consequences to their actions beyond the here and now.

In what way does Jesus' reply destroy the Sadducees' carefully constructed objection? He stated that their will be no need for marriage in heaven.  Jesus is our bridegroom.  He will be the primary object of our affection.  

What effect does Jesus' question about the son of David being David's Lord have? Of whom did he ask the question? Why?

I loved reading everyone's answers to this and thought all of the answers were so insightful.  They were things I never thought about.  I agree with all the different perspectives.  I think Hanks made a great point that Jesus being David's son and also being David's Lord is a beautiful illustration of His humanity and deity.  I also never thought about how He may be pointing out to the Pharisee's that their knowledge is just as incomplete as the Sadducees.  Additionally, He is pointing out that He is Lord, the Messiah.  

What things should we be doing to be able to live both in the present age and be ready for the age to come? What should we cease doing?

We should be living for Jesus and sharing the gospel as though every day is our last.  We should cease sinning and bringing embarrassment to our Lord or wasting our time distracting ourselves with unimportant things.