Now there came to Him some of the Sadducee s (who say that there is no resurrection), and they questioned Him, saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies, having a wife, and he is childless, his brother should marry the wife and raise up children to his brother.  Now there were seven brothers; and the first took a wife and died childless;  and the second  and the third married her; and in the same way all seven died, leaving no children.  Finally the woman died also. In the resurrection therefore, which one’s wife will she be? For all seven had married her.” Jesus said to them, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage,  but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage;  for they cannot even die anymore, because they are like angels, and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.  But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the passage about the burning bush, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Now He is not the God of the dead but of the living; for all live to Him.”

In Luke’s gospel, we continue to see groups of people who seek Jesus to justify Himself to them instead of them receiving Him as the True Son of God and receiving Him as such.  Today it is the Sadducees who are a Jewish sect. that do not believe in the resurrection (the raising from the dead) as Jesus instructs.  The lesson Jesus is teaching them here is that salvation comes to individuals, not to groups of persons.  Each must be forgiven their sins and justified in Christ in order to be saved.  The salvation of a wife does not justify her husband and vice versa.  Finally we need to stop thinking as dead people, and recognize God is a God of life, and in Him lies eternal life.

Daily Prayer:  Lord God, I recognize that our “inner man” called our soul cannot perish as does flesh.  For this reason, I choose to build up my soul in order that my flesh can sustain life, the life that You give to all who believe.  In Jesus name I pray Amen.