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Explanation for:
Matthew
22
:
31
And concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read that which was spoken by God, saying to you:
12
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{"arr":[{"author-name":"John Chrysostom","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88ea76859f9f8e2ffd3ee_John%20Chrysostom.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"After clarifying the nature of the resurrection, the Savior affirms its certainty. This revelation naturally follows from the previous teachings, yet He chooses to provide an additional demonstration. His intent encompasses not just the inquiries presented, but also the underlying thoughts of those questioning Him. Thus, when they pose their questions out of ignorance rather than ill will, He offers a more comprehensive response than what was sought. Conversely, when the inquiries arise solely from malice, He refrains from addressing their specific queries. Consequently, He silences the Sadducees once more by invoking the words of Moses, as they themselves had alluded to him."},{"author-name":"Jerome of Stridon","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88dcd3432c6dd41375498_Jerome%20of%20Stridon.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"To illustrate the reality of the resurrection, He could have presented more straightforward examples, such as this: Thy dead shall come to life, dead bodies shall rise (Isaiah 26:19). Additionally, it is stated that many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awaken, some to everlasting life, others to everlasting contempt and shame (Daniel 12:2). This raises the question of why the Lord would choose a testimony that appears uncertain or not directly relevant to the truth of the resurrection: I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob (Exodus 3:6). By expressing this, He seemed to affirm His intent and immediately added: He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. The onlookers, recognizing the significance of this message, were astonished by His teachings and responses. As previously mentioned, the Sadducees, who did not accept the existence of angels, spirits, or resurrection, also believed in the annihilation of the soul. They adhered strictly to the five books of Moses, dismissing the prophetic writings. Thus, it was unwise to refer to those texts that held no authoritative value for them. To establish the immortality of souls, He quoted Moses: I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, and then appended: He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, thereby demonstrating that life persists for souls beyond death (for it is not possible that God should be the God of the nonexistent). He then logically directed this proof toward the resurrection of the bodies, which, along with the souls, have done good or evil. The apostle Paul elaborates on this subject in depth in the latter section of the first letter to the Corinthians (1 Cor. 15:12-56)."},{"author-name":"Anonymous Commentary (Opus Imperfectum)","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":4,"exegesis-text":"Why would He, in discussing fasting, charitable giving, and other spiritual virtues, mention the resemblance to angels if His remarks were solely about the union of husband and wife? For in the resurrection, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like the angels of God in heaven. Just as all fleshly activities are akin to animal behavior, particularly sexual actions, so too are all spiritual virtues expressions of angelic conduct, with chastity standing out in particular. It is through this virtue that humanity comes to mirror the angels."},{"author-name":"Theophylact of Bulgaria","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8989296bafed9104677d7_Theophylact%20of%20Bulgaria.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":11,"exegesis-text":"The Sadducees attempted to challenge the doctrine of resurrection by invoking Moses, but the Savior counters their claims using the very teachings of Moses."},{"author-name":"Abbot Panteleimon about the Trinity","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"REGARDING THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD, HAVE YOU NOT READ THAT GOD SAID TO YOU, I AM THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, THE GOD OF ISAAC, AND THE GOD OF JACOB? GOD IS NOT THE GOD OF THE DEAD, BUT OF THE LIVING, for with Him all are alive. He is not the God of those who do not exist or are utterly lost, destined never to rise again, but the God of the living. The Lord referenced only Moses, despite the clear passages in the Old Testament regarding resurrection, because the Sadducees only acknowledged the books of Moses. The Sadducees did not respond. The evidence presented by Jesus Christ was remarkable not only for its surprising nature but also for its profound spiritual significance, which was beyond the understanding of the rabbis. Prior to Christ's resurrection, there existed confusion and uncertainty among people regarding the immortality of the soul, and the understanding of God’s chosen people on this matter was dim. Consequently, when Christ the Savior, invoking the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, articulated the concept of the resurrection of the dead, it astounded not only the Sadducees but also the most insightful among the Jewish thinkers, who were taken aback by this revelation."},{"author-name":"Michail (Lusin)","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c89550c567e172d15b3055_Michail%20(Lusin).png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"Regarding the resurrection of the dead, the Lord draws upon the writings of Moses to demonstrate its reality, a concept dismissed by the Sadducees, who themselves referenced Moses in their inquiries. This text is found in the book of Exodus, where God speaks directly to Moses. It states that God is not a God of the dead but of the living: “God is not the God of those who have perished and are completely annihilated, who will never rise again. For He did not declare Himself as ‘I was’; rather, He asserts, ‘I am’ the God of those who exist and live. Just as Adam was alive on the day he partook of the tree but was subsequently condemned to death after the proclamation of God's judgment, the patriarchs, although they have passed away, continue to live in accordance with the promise of resurrection. There are other explicit references in the Old Testament that discuss the resurrection, such as Daniel 12:2 and Isaiah 26:19, but the Savior chooses to cite only one scripture from Moses, as the Sadducees limited their focus to him. This choice reinforces the truth of His assertion that they do not truly understand the Scriptures."},{"author-name":"Gladkow B.I.","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88bf0ceef8c96e09a6521_Gladkow%20B.I..png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"Jesus responded to them, saying, ‘You express this because you lack understanding of the promise of Eternal Life. You misjudge it, believing that people will continue their earthly, carnal existence in the next life. This is not the case: those who are granted the honor of becoming children of God following their resurrection will be like angels, living a different existence—one that is spiritual and angelic. Just as the angels do not marry or are given in marriage, they will also not experience death. Regarding your assertion that the writings of Moses do not mention the resurrection of the dead, you are mistaken here as well. Have you not read about God’s revelation to Moses? Do you remember what He proclaimed? He declared to Moses, ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’ (Mark 12:26). At the time He made this declaration, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had departed from earthly life; they were dead to this world. Therefore, if God identifies Himself as their God, it signifies that they are alive in His presence, as He cannot be the God of what does not exist. God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.’"},{"author-name":"Lopuchin A.P.","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c891400ee1341634d2276d_Lopuchin%20A.P..png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"Regarding the resurrection itself, the belief that Moses does not address it is fundamentally mistaken. He refers to God as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, implying that God cannot be the God of those who do not continue to exist. This indicates that the patriarchs, despite having departed from their physical bodies, are indeed alive in the afterlife and anticipating resurrection. For God, all who have died continue to live, making their resurrection a simple act for Him."},{"author-name":"Paul Matwejewski","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8969f5be0d592d5a10576_Paul%20Matwejewski.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"After addressing the objections of the Sadducees in a manner they did not anticipate, the Savior elucidated the nature of the resurrection. He aimed to guide some of the Sadducees away from their misconceptions while simultaneously reinforcing this truth for His listeners. In doing so, He utilized the teachings of Moses to counter the Sadducees' stance, as they themselves looked to him for authority. He said, “But of the dead that rise up, was it not read in the books of Moses, at the Tabernacle, that God spoke to him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob” (Ex. 3:6). St. Basil the Great explains that God's designation of Himself as their God reflects the exemplary virtue of these patriarchs, which warrants such a divine honor. Thus, there is no God for the dead, but rather the God of the living—all find their life in Him. How could the skeptics rebut such a straightforward and profound interpretation of God's declaration? It was evident to all present that God could not claim to be the God of “those who do not exist and are completely destroyed, who will never rise again” (St. John Chrysostom)."},{"author-name":"Bogolepow D.P.","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"The collaboration between the Sadducees and the Pharisees is not clearly demonstrated in the Gospel narratives. It is possible that the Sadducees, witnessing how Jesus had embarrassed the Pharisees and delighting in that, sought to have Him mock the Pharisees’ belief in the resurrection of the dead alongside them. This belief held that with the Messiah's arrival, all Israelites would be resurrected and would dwell in the Holy Land. Jesus' response was well-received by the scribes, as noted in Luke 39, and the Sadducees' defeat at His words bolstered the Pharisees, as indicated in Matthew 34. The Sadducees argued that the law regarding levirate marriage (Deuteronomy 25:5-6), which permits a woman to have multiple husbands during her lifetime, rendered the Pharisaic concept of life after resurrection implausible. Consequently, they deduced that one must either dismiss this law as unreasonable or reject the notion of resurrection altogether; since a divine law cannot be deemed unreasonable, it thus serves as evidence against the resurrection of the dead.\\n\\nTheir objection stemmed from a misconceived, overly materialistic understanding of life after resurrection, prompting Jesus to assert that the Sadducees, akin to the Pharisees, \\"do not know the Scriptures.\\" He clarified their misunderstanding by stating that after the resurrection, individuals will neither marry nor be given in marriage but will be like the angels of God in Heaven (Matthew 30). Given that their challenge was predicated on the belief that a decomposed human body cannot rise, the Lord remarked that the Sadducees were unaware of \\"the power of God.\\" He provided Scriptural proof (Exodus 3:6) to substantiate the existence of life after death and affirmed that a resurrection of the dead is indeed forthcoming."},{"author-name":"Alexander Gorsky","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8884037c1e1c51e1332e2_Alexander%20Gorsky.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"When the Pharisees were left speechless by this response, the Sadducees, members of the same Sanhedrin, delighted in their defeat and quickly presented a question regarding the doctrine of resurrection, a notion they had dismissed due to the absurd conclusions they believed it entailed. Just as the Lord had boldly denounced the Pharisees, He similarly addressed the Sadducees by uprooting the very foundation of their erroneous beliefs. They cited the case of a woman who, according to human law, had been married to seven brothers. The Lord demonstrated to the Sadducees that their misconception arose from two key misunderstandings: firstly, they lacked comprehension of the Scriptures, and secondly, they did not grasp the omnipotence of God. Had they truly understood at least those texts they acknowledged—both their literal meaning and their deeper significance—they would have recognized the inherent connection between the religious teachings within them and the belief in the everlasting existence of individuals. If they had a proper understanding of God's omnipotence, they would not equate man's future existence with the present forms and relationships but would accept that God is capable of granting a transformed, glorified existence to humanity. He then revealed that the life to come must align with that of the higher spiritual beings. To affirm this point, He referred to the frequent references in the writings of Moses regarding God as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. How could God establish such an intimate relationship with these patriarchs, conferring upon them such profound significance and honor as to be identified as their God, if these figures were merely fleeting occurrences and not eternal beings?"},{"author-name":"Nekrasow A.A. Prof.","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"Have you not considered what God has declared to you about the resurrection of the dead?"}]}
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