seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Luke 20:20 Keeping a close watch on him, they sent spies, who pretended to be sincere. They hoped to catch Jesus in something he said, so that they might hand him over to the power and authority of the governor. 21 So the spies questioned him: “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach what is right, and that you do not show partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. 22 Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”
23 He saw through their duplicity and said to them, 24 “Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription are on it?”
“Caesar’s,” they replied.
25 He said to them, “Then give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”
26 They were unable to trap him in what he had said there in public. And astonished by his answer, they became silent.
27 Some of the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus with a question. 28 “Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. 29 Now there were seven brothers. The first one married a woman and died childless. 30 The second 31 and then the third married her, and in the same way the seven died, leaving no children. 32 Finally, the woman died too. 33 Now then, at the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?”
34 Jesus replied, “The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. 35 But those who are considered worthy of taking part in the age to come and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, 36 and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God’s children, since they are children of the resurrection. 37 But in the account of the burning bush, even Moses showed that the dead rise, for he calls the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ 38 He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.”
39 Some of the teachers of the law responded, “Well said, teacher!” 40 And no one dared to ask him any more questions.
Yesterday I was reminded that this is a synoptic Gospel. Dr. Luke, the author of this Gospel was giving us a "report" of what the people who were there heard and saw. He wasn't there. He's a reporter. With that said, let's see about spies.Jesus was so popular with the people, the Pharisees, Sadducees, Teachers of the Law, and the elders too, were trying to catch Jesus in some scandal. They seem to have given up on catching Jesus alone. It's hard to send thousands of people home for the night. They followed Him from towns that were way too far away for them just to go home. I mean we're talking thousands of people when the population of the earth in the days of Jesus was about 300 million. Today the population of the world is about 8 billion. I just binged it. The population of the United States today is estimated at about 330 million! So, it's easy to say, based on the numbers, it would have been a horrible deal. Making thousands of people angry was not a good idea.
So they were trying to snag Jesus and they decided to use two hot topics: taxes and marriage.
They wanted Jesus to say, "paying taxes is for morons". But He didn't. Jesus wasn't interested in capitalism. He still isn't. All the money in the world wouldn't interest Jesus. Jesus doesn't have to buy anything. Jesus knew what they were doing. So, He told them "money belongs to the government, so give it back to them."
So, it's Christian to pay taxes.
Now on to Marriage. First of all, the Sadducees do not believe in Heaven. They are the ones who say you should be good in this life, cause "that's all there is". But back in the day, there was a law that must have upset a lot of people. Women were betrothed back then. Women were a cash commodity. Once a woman was raised to preteen or early teens, she was "sold" for the amount of her dowry. Once a woman was married into the family, she could never leave. If her husband died, she better like his brother, because when her hubby died, she was then considered "married" to the brother.
This to me would be an extremely cruel life. Remember girls, women were property. Women had no say. If the brother was cruel... "oh well". There was not "just say no". They could beat their wife the same way they could beat their oxen. I'm pretty sure, the "ownership" of women was as hot a topic back then as abortion is now.
So, the Sadducees who did not believe in Heaven, brought up the hottest topic of the day.... whose property would the women be, when they reach the other side. Jesus told them there is no need for marriage in Heaven. Check it out, being single is Heavenly?!? No... there's no procreation required in Heaven. That's the difference.
So, why don't they clear this up from the pulpit? Because, marriage is supposed to be "forever". Because God created marriage. God also created procreation... get it? Like the pinquins, some marry for "forever". But in Heaven, there is no procreation so mating is not required. Your husband's brother is no longer your owner. You are part of the "family of God".
I wonder, will women be "equal" with men in Heaven? Will it matter?
So, today's topic was the Sadducees, blatantly trying to catch Jesus on some social issues of the day. Taxes and marriage were the hot topics.
Jesus might as well have said, "Silly Sadducees, taxes and marriage are for the earthbound, like you."
Taxes and Marriage... hot topics!!
