The Savior Silences the Sadducees

They really know the Scriptures they would've known that God promises resurrection. Had they known the power of God, they would've understood that God can raise people in the state where all their supposed absurdities are absent spiritually blind solution of another to disagree with and more to do with not saying others are wrong. What should you think of this postmodern kind of tolerance as a Christian. How tolerant should you be of someone who says he worships Jesus Christ yet denies foundational gospel truth.

What can you learn from Jesus own interactions with false teachers find out today on grace to you as John MacArthur continues the series he began last week titled how to talk to a heretic. John's text for this series is Luke chapter 20 and if you have your Bible handy turn there as John begins the lesson Luke chapter 20 is our text Luke chapter 20 when look at this text and find fascinating.

Revelation of the majesty of the Lord Jesus Christ. Here in the setting, you wouldn't think would produce that result. Since it is an assault by enemies who want him dead.

But in the end, as always he comes out gloriously triumphant. As we come to the text, then let's begin with the approach of Sadducees. The approach of Sadducees in verse 27 now there came to him. Some of the Sadducees.

They approached Jesus the Pharisees have come after him. The Herodian's have come after him and now it is the Sadducees turn, they were furious at him for what he had just done a matter of hours before this event in cleansing the temple. Now I just give you little more background about them religiously. They interpreted Mosaic law more literally than any others and were fast, steady us beyond all others in the matters of Levitical purity, they denied any future life of blessing or reward at all. They apparently affirmed the absolute priority of Moses and they said all other books in the Old Testament are merely commentaries on those five books. And since nowhere in those five books is resurrection mentioned. Therefore, resurrection is not a part of the pure faith and any other attempt to talk of resurrection is an aberration, even by another Bible writer, they became mockers of the resurrection. They made a joke out of resurrection and one of the things that was bizarre and irrational about resurrection to them was what if somebody had married multiple times in this life. In the next life.

If you gonna come back in the same close in the same form with the same defects and in the same relationships. Who's going to be your husband and wife and apparently this question and never been sufficiently answered because when it comes their turn to throw a question at the master rabbi. This is their best shot. So we see the approach of the Sadducees. Secondly, they absurdity of resurrection. They make it look like an absurdity. They questioned him, saying, verse 28 teacher that was a very honorable thing to call him reserved for the most notable of rabbis, teacher, they are now raising the bar as it were, by acknowledging them in this honorable way they expect him to give a wise answer.

Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies having a wife and he is childless, his brother should take the wife and raise up offspring to his brother. They bring up Moses. Of course they bring up the tentative course they bring up Deuteronomy 25. This is what it says in verse five when brothers lived together. One of them dies and has no son.

The wife of the deceased shall not be married outside the family to estrangement is several brothers, one of them gets married he dies before he can raise up a child to propagate the family. She's not to marry a stranger. Her husband's brother shall go into her take her to himself as wife and marry her perform the duty of the husband's brother to her, and it shall be that the firstborn, whom she bears shall assume the name of his dead brother that his name may not be blotted out from Israel that was a way of protecting and preserving the nation and the identity of the peoples and the places that God had designed so the Sadducees know the Pentateuch and they know that law, as do all the Jews so they bring it up and then they come up with their absurdity. Here it is now verse 29 there were seven brothers in the first took a wife, and died childless, and the second and the third took her, and in the same way all seven died leaving no children. Wow, this is a dangerous lady. I think if I'm brother number four I'm getting out of town. Certainly if I'm brother five, six and seven. I'm nowhere to be found. This woman is fatal. Wow, seven brothers, marry this woman and they all die and then verse 32. Mercifully finally the woman died also. What a gift that is telling how many lives were saved by that and so they make this kind of bizarre situation and then they say in the resurrection. Therefore which ones wife will she be for all seven had her as wife we can see the smirk on their face. How many times had they pose that question before, how many jokes have they made out of the absurdity of resurrection. Using this kind of illustration or analogy. The Pharisees were the ones who said the next life will be just like this life same person same features same close same weaknesses strengths same relationships so they present the absurdity of resurrection.

It is a joke to them in the way that it was understood that that time. So from the approach to the absurdity to finally the answer of Scripture, the answer of Scripture. Matthew 22, which is the parallel passage giving the same account adds this. Matthew 2229 Jesus answered and said to them, listen to this, you are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures or the power of God, wow. If you think it was painful for him to go in with a weapon, clean out their business.

How painful was it for them to take that shot at their theology. They prided themselves that being interpreters of Scripture, you are mistaken from the verb plan now meaning to cause to wander to lead astray means you have caused yourselves to wander. You have led yourselves astray. You are cut loose from the truth and from reality. You don't get it.

Why, because you do not understand the Scriptures. What an indictment that is a tell you, folks, I could camp on that were not even in Matthew, so I can't do it, but I can camp on that. Not understanding the Scriptures and talk for a long time on the implications of not understanding the Scriptures with the bottom line is you don't get anything right. Interpreting the Scripture accurately is the source of all true understanding not understanding the Scripture, you could've said anything more painful for them to hear than that you are ignorant interpreters of Scripture. You've gotten it wrong you have missile led yourselves you have wandered from the truth. You do not understand the Scripture that could describe every false teacher ever prided themselves on the knowledge of the Scripture. They didn't have it and then you do not understand the Scriptures, he says, nor the power of God. Had they known the Scriptures that they really know the Scriptures they would've known that God promises resurrection.

Had they known the power of God, they would've understood that God can raise people in the state where all their supposed absurdities are absent. They were spiritually blind. So he's going to tell the truth. Verse 34 Jesus said to them, the sons of this age, marry, and are given in married sons of this age that the Hebrew he is and for people living in this world, us temporal humans. What is Jesus saying the matter of marriage, sex, reproduction, childbirth, and everything accompanying it is for this life, not the next.

It's for this life.

Not the next.

There is for this age, marrying and giving in marriage. That is a part of this age, verse 35, but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age.

Not this age that age that is eternal life in the presence of God and the resurrection from the dead. Neither marry nor are given in marriage. There's like a beanie marriage. There are many families there, why verse 36 to make it obvious for neither can they die anymore. Nobody's going to die.

Nobody has to be replaced.

You'll need to propagate because nobody's going to die rather there are like angels.

The Angels were all created at one time they don't procreate and they don't die their numbers fixed.

There's no need for marriage because there's no need for propagation.

There's no need for replacement.

There is no need for continuity in the race and so he says if you don't understand the Scripture your understand the power of God.

Marriage is for this age but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age, the resurrection from the dead.

Neither marry nor are given in marriage, most little phrase in verse 35 were considered worthy to attain to that age and the resurrection of the dead, that poses the question why does he say that I think it's a warning. I think it's a direct warning to the Sadducees and affected saying to them, implying to them. You obviously aren't worthy to attain to this since you don't even believe in this. It's a warning you're even believe in angels sons of God, sons of the resurrection that age to come, resurrection from the dead, you reject all of that. Obviously you're not worthy. On the other hand, how would one be considered worthy to enter heaven. How is one considered worthy to become a son of God as son of resurrection answer by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible is clear about that. We don't have any worthiness of ourselves. All our righteousness as filthy rags. The Old Testament was clear on that Isaiah said that worthiness is because we are granted the merit of Christ granted the righteousness of God through faith in Christ by sovereign grace. But I think Jesus is saying to them, those who are worthy to attain to that age, implying obviously you're not not at this point and the resurrection from the dead.

Neither marry nor are given in marriage, forget that idea. Your question is absurd because there's no marriage at all in heaven. Why verse 36 because people don't die anymore.

They are equal to angels, they are sons of God was Emmy. They take on God's life God's life, which is not sexual.

They take on God's life, which is an eternal life. They become sons of the resurrection.

It was whenever you see in the Bible, son of sons of this age sons of God, sons of the resurrection. You see that repeated throughout the Gospels. It simply a way to identify the essential nature or essential. Defining quality of something if you're a son of the Lyle the essential quality is satanic of your son of God. The essential essence of life is divine.

Your son of the resurrection you possess resurrection life.

That's the defining reality.

Your son of this age, humanity is your defining reality. If your son of the age to come, eat her analogy is the defining reality so he says those who come to the age of resurrection will take on the character of angels who do not procreate do not have those kinds of relationships take on the character of sons of God, that is, they will be the possessors of the pure fulfilling life of God, and they will take on the character of resurrection newness of life. Marriage is not necessary. Marriage does not define any aspect of life in the age to come. So Jesus straightens them out.

Marriage is not for resurrection. Let's get that right that eliminates the need for your question, but that's not the main answer the main answer comes in verse 37 and it is a powerful answer. Listen to this, but that the dead are raised, another was this get back to the point.

Forget the marriage thing. We settled that, but that the dead are raised, which is the big issue here. You say they're not even Moses showed while now he's coming Adam in their own zone right in their own zone because that's the issue is not in Moses to can't be so, so he says even Moses showed in literally in the bush in the text about the bush.

The passage about the bush the burning bush Exodus 3 what in Exodus 3 Moses showed the truth of resurrection. How did he do that because it was there where he calls the Lord, the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob will that mean while think the important thing for you know is that when in Exodus 36, God said, listen to this. There's a quote I am the God of Abraham, I am the God of Isaac, I am the God of Jacob. He did not say I was the God of Abraham, I was the God of Isaac. I was the God of Jacob. I am I am and therefore they are all that little bit of a careful exegesis of verb tenses. He doesn't say I was there God he says I am there God I am and they are not. I was and they were in Genesis 26, 24 in Genesis 2813 God calls himself, the God of Abraham and Abraham is dead.

In Exodus 3, six, 15, 16, again in chapter 4 God calls himself, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all three are dead so is God the God of dead people.

Verse 38. Now he is not the God of the dead, but of the living for all live to him. From our perspective there dead from his perspective there. What their lives. They all live to him. The God who says I am the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Is it establishing his glory on the basis that is worshiped by corpses. I wouldn't bring many on notice that each is singled out individually, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob empathizing the personal reality of each. Each is alive to God in God's presence in relationship to God, though dead from a worldly view.

No he is not the God of the dead, but of the living for all live to him to God all who are his, are alive and in union with him in his presence. Just as the Old Testament says death does not and one's existence. There is another life and afterlife resurrection life for those who belong to God in his presence. I am so Jesus in John 11, the resurrection and the life were believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live. We will live forever, and if we belong to Christ, we will live forever in the presence of Christ in the presence of God. This is devastating stuff there.

There just done in vanquished would be a good word crushed, they given their best argument there.

Most tried and tested absurdity and he dismantled them by telling them they didn't understand Scripture or the power of God. He dismantled false views of resurrection held by their opponents that you're going to be married in the resurrection life there's gonna be very much like life here and then he really struck the final blow when he proved to them that Moses affirmed in his writing, and not just Moses but God himself in the record which Moses wrote that he is the God of the living that leads us to the last point, the astonishment of the crowd, the astonishment of scribes and I guess you could say the astonishment of the Sadducees. Some of the scribes answered and said teacher you spoken well. Scribes are the legal experts there were the theologians.

They were the ones who thought most carefully and deeply about Scripture. They were wowed, they were floored.

This is an understatement you spoken well.

Matthew 2233 says the multitudes heard and were astonished the word astonished and could be a number of words in the Greek with the one that used in Matthew 2233 Is Eck Pl. so and one lexicon, I think, is that a good spin and this is what essentially means to strike out of one's wits come in old English approach we would say this to blow their minds, that's exactly what it means he blew their minds that they were just astonished at the teaching of Jesus, astonished and amazed, astounded, marveling at the Sadducees, they were done as far as Luke's gospel is concerned, that's the last question anybody asks.

That's the last bit of an encounter with the leaders he had been confronted by the hate filled religious leaders who want to discredit him. Each has his own style and approach. He is unaffected by their paltry assaults. He only manifests greater glory produces greater wonder greater astonishment and Luke says that was it didn't have courage to come and question them any longer about anything. When we draw this text, the wonder of Christ right staggering is what I see the majestic wisdom of Jesus is wisdom. Learn to control every conversation, every discussion, super natural wisdom evident. Second thing I see is devotion to Scripture rightly interpreted and third thing the affirmation of the promise of resurrection. So, the enemies of Jesus. The Sadducees give him an opportunity to demonstrate his supernatural wisdom. His relentless devotion to the Scripture and his affirmation of the promise of resurrection and so this passage, which is a defeat for his enemies is a triumph for his friends right.

While there stunned into cold stone hard silence we come away rejoicing because our Lord is infinitely wise. Our Lord is committed to a true and accurate interpretation of Scripture and its application in our Lord affirms with his own lips.

The promises of the Bible concerning resurrection. We live then in that hope affirmed the words of our Savior himself in this great this is grace to you with John MacArthur. Thanks for being with us today. John showed you how Jesus dealt with false teachers to model to keep in mind when you encounter someone who's deliberately teaching or simply caught up in doctrinal error. The title of John's current study how to talk to a heretic and along with teaching each day on this radio station. John also serves as Chancellor of the Masters University in seminary John at the beginning of your lesson, you looked at whether there are marriage relationships in heaven, we received a similar question on our Q&A line and I think it's one that a lot of people have so let me play it now and then you respond. My name is Anna Alcala from Washington DC and I would like to know whether or not we recognize husband in heaven about having a discussion with my husband and he feels that he will nickel me though. I told him that we recognize each other but maybe not as husband and wife with the feeling because our full attention will be on the on God. So I would like to have an aunt of the deputy deductible or anything close. Thank you God that will learn that you're exactly right. Do you know I remind my wife that she better be nice to me in this world because you won't have an opportunity to do it in the next we will have his relationship existence since the you'll know is your known so will all know each other but it what would it will not be in the context of marriage that that that doesn't exist in heaven. Jesus said that there is neither Mary marrying or giving in marriage, in heaven, but like the angels, the Angels don't marry. And so that's what the heavens gonna be I will will have relationships fulfilling relationships, relationships that are everything that all relationships should be at the highest level of divine perfection, but not marriage but will you know people. Of course, you will know people love. There's plenty of biblical evidence that people who are gone are recognizable thing about the transfiguration, Peter, James, John knew exactly who they were talking to on the Mount of Transfiguration, so you're going to know people, you're going to know your husband and you can love your husband more than you've ever loved him, but you can love everybody the same as well.

So the glory of heaven is different than this earth and not we grateful for that.

If you'd like some more information about heaven and you we ought to have all you can get because you're going to spend forever. There he might as well understand what's coming. We have a book called the glory of heaven and it asks questions and answers them.

What is heaven like what we gonna do in heaven. What is the role the Angels play in heaven and what about serving in heaven. What kind of service would we do there and also will we recognize people we knew in this life. In the next life and all of those questions and a lot more are answered in the book, the glory of heaven. We have them available if you'd like to order when you can let us know right and friend. There is no need to be confused about heaven. John's book the glory of heaven will give you a rich, detailed biblical picture of what the future holds. If you're a believer to pick up this book for yourself or for a loved one.

Contact us today to order by phone, dial toll-free 855 grace.

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I'm Phil Johnson with a question for you.

What do you say to someone who denies the deity of Christ. John tackles that vital issue tomorrow when he continues his look at how to talk to a heretic with another 30 minutes of unleashing God's truth one verse at a time on grace to you