In 20:27-38 the Man-Savior was examined by the Sadducees. Verse 27 says, “And some of the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him and questioned Him.” They went on to present to the Lord a case of a man who died leaving his wife childless: “Teacher, Moses wrote to us, If anyone’s brother dies having a wife, and this one is childless, that his brother should take the wife and raise up seed to his brother. There were then seven brothers; and the first took a wife and died childless; and the second; and the third took her; and similarly the seven also did not leave children and died. Afterward the woman also died. In the resurrection therefore which one’s wife shall the woman become, for the seven had her as wife?” (vv. 28-33). The Sadducees thought that they were wise in presenting this matter to the Lord. To be sure, they were very subtle.
In verses 34 through 36 the Lord replied, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage, but those who are counted worthy to obtain that age and the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage; for neither can they die anymore, for they are equal to angels, and they are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.” Here the Lord indicates that marriage is something of this age. But those who are worthy of the coming age and of the resurrection of the dead will be equal to angels, and there will be no marriage among them. No doubt, the Sadducees never imagined that there would be such an age, an age of resurrection.
In 20:35 the Lord speaks of those who are counted worthy to obtain the coming age and the resurrection from the dead. The coming age of the kingdom (13:28-29; 22:18) and the resurrection of life (John 5:29; Luke 14:14; Rev. 20:4, 6) are both eternal blessings and enjoyments in the eternal life for the believers who are counted worthy (Luke 18:29-30; Matt. 19:28-29).
In 20:37 and 38 the Lord went on to say, “But that the dead are raised, even Moses disclosed at the bush, when he calls the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Now He is not a God of the dead, but of the living; for to Him all are living.” Since God is the God of the living and is called the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, this indicates that the dead Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will be resurrected. Otherwise, God would be the God of the dead. But the fact that He is the God of the living implies that one day Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will be resurrected. From this we see that the divine title—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—implies the truth of resurrection.
In the Lord’s answer to the Sadducees we see His wisdom not only in answering their subtle question but also in understanding the depths of God’s Word. It takes wisdom to understand the depths of the divine title. The Man-Savior certainly knew the Word of God. Unlike the Sadducees, who were very superficial, the Lord had the wisdom to penetrate into the depths of the holy Word.
According to the record in Matthew and Mark, the question asked by the Sadducees is followed by a fourth question, the question raised by a lawyer concerning the great commandment in the law. The fact that Luke does not record this fourth question is further evidence that his concern is with the Man-Savior’s highest standard of morality. The question about which commandment is the greatest does not involve morality. This, I believe, is the reason Luke does not include this question.
Luke 20:39 and 40 simply say, “And some of the scribes answered and said, Teacher, you have spoken well. For they no longer dared to question Him about anything.” The fault-finding opposers’ insidious questions exposed their evil, subtlety, and meanness, which were countered by the Man-Savior’s perfection, wisdom, and dignity. This vindicated Him in His human perfection with His divine splendor and muzzled them in their hateful plot and the Satan-instigated conspiracy.