“The same day came to Him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked Him, saying,
‘Master, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first, when he had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife unto his brother: likewise the second also, and the third, unto the seventh. And last of all the woman died also.
Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? For they all had her.’
Jesus answered and said unto them,
‘Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven. But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.’
And when the multitude heard this, they were astonished at His doctrine.” Matthew 22:23-33
Sadducees
Words Of Jesus; Son Of God, God The Son – 072620
“The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired Him that He would shew them a sign from heaven. He answered and said unto them,
‘When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?
A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas.’
And He left them, and departed.” Matthew 16:1-4
God of The Living
“Now that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. For He is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto Him.” Luke 20:37-38 (KJB)
When He was asked by the Sadducees about a spurious thought, that was only being used to try and trap Him, the Master of life and death gave them that answer.
The Sadducees were a group who did not believe in anything spiritual – no angels, no spirits, no resurrection of the dead. Someone said, “That is why they are sad you see”.
Jesus uses the quotation from Exodus 3:6…
” ‘…Moreover He said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.” Exodus 3:6
Jesus confirms that there is a resurrection; that when this body of flesh and blood dies and lies in the grave, returns to the dust from which it came, that there is life after death. He clearly states that “God is the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob”, and that would include all the other saints who are with Him.
There are many people who do not believe in the resurrection. They are part of the same group of Sadducees, and desperately in need of a change of heart and mind. Hear the voice of the Master today.
You can believe Him, and live forever. You can reject Him and die forever. Jesus died on the cross for our sins, He was buried, and He rose again. He is one day returning to separate the believing from the unbelieving. Where do you fit in?
God is the God of the living.
Leaven and Bread
“Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, neither had they in the ship with them more than one loaf. And He charged them, saying, ‘Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and the leaven of Herod.’ And they reasoned among themselves, saying, ‘It is because we have no bread.’ And when Jesus knew it, He saith unto them, ‘Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? Perceive ye not yet, neither understand? Have ye your heart yet hardened? Having eyes, see ye not?, and having ears, hear ye not?, and do ye not remember?
When I brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up?’ They say unto Him, ‘Twelve.’ ‘And when the seven among four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up?’ And they said, ‘Seven.’ And He said unto them, ‘How is it that ye do not understand?’” Mark 8:14-21 (KJB)
Leaven is an ingredient which causes bread to rise giving the appearance of being more than what it is. It is puffed up. It is often used in Scripture as representative of evil and its influence in people, and doctrines of religion and men.
The leaven of the Pharisees, Sadducees, the Herodians which the Sadducees were part of and was more political than religious. The Pharisees were always twisting Scripture to fit their own understanding to keep the people in bondage to them, and their understanding of Scripture. They put burdens on others that they would not do themselves.
I realize there is more to understand in the above verses than of leaven, but it was the words of Jesus ‘Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and the leaven of Herod.’ which aroused my attention this morning.
Using Scripture to control others as did the Pharisees, and they tried to control Jesus too but could not; is an evil beyond description. The preacher, the messenger of the word of God is to proclaim the truth of the word of God [Scripture] with clarity, understanding, and love letting the word and the Holy Spirit convict, comfort, encourage, and draw the lost, condemned soul to God.
Having a “Must do” list in order to be saved is leaven to the Scripture. Salvation, sanctification, and glorification is solely the work of God. Let us leave it there.
Missing The Sign
“The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired Him that He would shew them a sign from heaven. He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times? A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.” Matthew 16:1-4
The Sign of all signs was standing in front of them. The Sign was the One whom they was challenging, confronting; and so rudely. These were men who should have known – the Pharisees and Sadducees; men of the Bible, the Law and the Prophets, and they could quote it. That only proves that being able to quote the Bible does not guarantee you a spot in heaven.
These were men who had seen Jesus do many mighty things. He had made the lame to walk, opened the eyes of the blind, and raised a dead girl to life; just to name a few. Yet they wanted a sign from heaven.
Would they have believed if He had given them one? NO! Jesus knew that. They would not believe even though one would rise from the dead (Luke 16:31).
What about you? What will it take to convince you that Jesus Himself is the Sign sent from God; that He is the gift of God for eternal life? The sign is that He went to the cross to die for the sins of the world, made atonement for us; He was buried, and He arose from that grave, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father.
Do not Miss The Sign.
Scripture and Ever Present GOD
Some men have questioned Jesus on the teaching of the resurrection. These questions come from men who do not believe in the spiritual things. They do not believe in angels, or a resurrection; so Jesus knows that they are trying to deceive and trick Him into an answer that will trap Himself.
These were the Sadducees. A religious sect of the time which is believed to be made up of the Hebrew priesthood; and rejected many of the traditions of the elders, according to NELSON’S NEW ILLUSTRATED BIBLE DICTIONARY. They hated the Pharisees, and Jesus; yet both sects tried to trap Jesus, and eventually were together in His crucifixion.
Seven brothers for one bride (Matthew 22:23-28). A matter of Levirite marriage where if a man has a brother and he marrys a woman, and then he dies the next brother is to take his wife. The question is a ludicrous one; at least in my thinking. Hear the words of Jesus to them:
“Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven. But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. And when the multitude heard this, they were astonished at his doctrine.” Matthew 22:29-33 (KJV)
They were in error because they did not know the Scriptures; yet they prided themselves in knowing Scripture. The problem was – they did not believe it.
Jesus confronted them of their ignorance, and unbelief. Really it comes down to the point of questioning, if they even believed in God. Jesus put the men in their proper place.
In the resurrection things will be different from earth. Jesus says that there will not be any marriage in the resurrection, nor will any be given in marriage, but we will be as the angels. For Jesus to say that God is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; is to show that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are in fact still very much alive.
“I am the God of Abraham, … Isaac, … and Jacob” shows that God is a very present God. A “NOW” God. He did not say “I was…”. He did not say “I will be…” He said, “I am”.
Do you know Him through His Son Jesus Christ? Do you know Him NOW?
The Signs and Times
I read the Scriptures this morning, and the following verses were what have rested in my heart. So probably more for me; but I am pretty sure others will be able to hear God speak through them too.
“And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river. And, behold, there came up out of the river seven well favoured kine and fatfleshed; and they fed in a meadow. And, behold, seven other kine came up after them out of the river, ill favoured and leanfleshed; and stood by the other kine upon the brink of the river. And the ill favoured and leanfleshed kine did eat up the seven well favoured and fat kine. So Pharaoh awoke. And he slept and dreamed the second time: and, behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, rank and good. And, behold, seven thin ears and blasted with the east wind sprung up after them. And the seven thin ears devoured the seven rank and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and, behold, it was a dream. And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof: and Pharaoh told them his dream; but there was none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh.” Genesis 41:1-8 (KJV)
“The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired Him that He would shew them a sign from heaven. He answered and said unto them, ‘When it is evening, ye say, ‘It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. And in the morning, ‘It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring.’ O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times? A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas.’ And He left them, and departed.” Matthew 16:1-4 (KJV)
As you can see; one from the Old Testament book of Genesis, and the other from the Gospel of Matthew. Following Pharoah’s dream he could not find an interpreter of the dream until Joseph was revealed. In the Gospel of Matthew the Pharisees and Sadducees had the word of God, and had the Son of God standing in their presence; and they too were oblivious to the signs of the times they were in.
Pharoah received Joseph, and his interpretation, and Egypt was delivered from the famine that could have come on them all. Joseph is a shadow, type, or picture of Jesus Christ. Just as Pharoah received Joseph, though he had been rejected by his brothers; so to must the people of today receive the message of Jesus and Jesus Himself in order to be delivered from the slavery to sin.
One fear that I have is that many who profess Jesus as Saviour of their lives do not recognize the signs that tell us the time here is short. Let me give you a few; 1. Rampant sin and rebellion; 2. Universal approval of sinful behaviors; 3. Things which use to be wrong are now right, and things once right are now wrong. Is that enough? Lift up your heads your redemption draweth nigh. Put another way; Jesus is coming soon. No I am not talking about “The end of the world”. I am talking about a true change.
-Tim A. Blankenship
David’s Christ
“And Jesus answered and said, while he taught in the temple, How say the scribes that Christ is the Son of David? 36 For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, The LORD said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool. 37 David therefore himself calleth him Lord; and whence is he then his son? And the common people heard him gladly.” Mark 12:35-37
The scribes would profess and teach that the “Messiah” was the “Son of David”, but they were not acknowledging Jesus as the Messiah. What was their problem? In the Psalms David calls the Messiah, “Lord” (Ps. 110:1). The Pharisees, scribes, and Sadducees [religious leaders] were rejecting Jesus as the Christ [Messiah]. Therefore, Jesus is putting forth a lesson they must hear and learn. If the Messiah is the Son of David, and Jesus is the fulfillment of the coming of Messiah, then He must also be Lord and God in flesh.
Jesus is not disagreeing with the premise that the Messiah is the “Son of David”, but He is strengthening it. In Psalm 110 verse 1 David is acknowledging the Messiah as Lord. “The LORD [Father God] said unto my Lord [Messiah/Christ]…”. In this passage Jesus is declaring the Messiah’s deity, and thus, His own deity.
The religious leaders did not believe the Messiah would be anything more than just a man, and that was the reason for Jesus’ question. If David is recognizing the Messiah as Lord, then He is more than “just a man”; more than “just the son of David”; He is the incarnate [in the flesh] God.
-Tim A. Blankenship
Ignorance Of Scripture
“Then come unto him the Sadducees, which say there is no resurrection; and they asked him, saying, Master, Moses wrote unto us, If a man’s brother die, and leave his wife behind him, and leave no children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.’
‘Now there were seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and dying left no seed. And the second took her, and died, neither left he any seed: and the third likewise. And the seven had her, and left no seed: last of all the woman died also. In the resurrection therefore, when they shall rise, whose wife shall she be of them? for the seven had her to wife. And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the Scriptures, neither the power of God? For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven. And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err.” Mark 12:18-27 (KJV)
IGNORANCE OF SCRIPTURE.
Remember the Sadducee’s did not believe in the spiritual. They did not believe in angels, and I suppose even the devil himself, nor did they believe in a resurrection of the dead. Everything is material. If you look at it that way, they could not, really, even believe in God. He is Spirit. So, this question and story they tell is to try and get Jesus twisted up and “confused”. They are trying to show people that He is a fraud. With Jesus it does not work.
It is no wonder that they are ignorant of Scripture. Not believing in the spiritual world, and most likely in God, why would they want to know the Word of God. The Sadducees accepted only the writings of Moses. The “Prophets” meant nothing to them, and that is why they and the Pharisees did not get along, except at times in political matters. It makes me wonder how they viewed the “disappearance” of Enoch in the fifth chapter of Genesis; the plagues in Egypt; the crossing of the Red Sea; the provision of water from the Rock; the daily provision of “Manna” from heaven; the judgments of the family of Korah by the ground opening up and swallowing them and all who followed them, the serpents in the camp because of excessive complaining, and their deliverance by the lifting up of the bronze serpent on a pole. These are all in the books which Moses wrote, and they have to do with the spiritual power who made them come about.
The hypothetical question posed by the Sadducees was based on what is called Levirate marriage. In Deuteronomy 25:5-6 we see the law of Moses giving the levirate marriage law, and where the question of the Sadducees came from. According to their story a man married a wife, and died without having children, the second brother took her to wife, and so on until they all had her as wife with no child. Their question, “Whose wife will she be in the resurrection?” My question, Who said they would be in the resurrection? At least the first one.
Not knowing the Scripture is a sad state for these men of the Sadducees. They were supposedly knowledgeable of the first five books of Scripture, but they would not believe the spiritual, nor anything having to do with resurrection – living again. I suppose they must have thought that anything having to do with “Living forever” only meant in a continued family after one’s death, or something.
Anyway Jesus said, “God is the God of the living.”
There is a great tragedy in being ignorant of Scripture. One can miss out on eternity with Jesus Christ, and/or be the cause of others missing out.
-Tim A. Blankenship
Is It All About Bread???
The Pharisees and Sadducees were a constant heartache to our Lord. As they were supposed to be the religious leaders of Israel during this time they were filled with doubts, unbelief, jealousy, and condemnation of any and all; including our Lord; who were not “letter for letter” correct to their own understanding. Many of these men hated Jesus, very few loved Him.
After dealing with the Pharisees concerning signs (vv. 1-4) Jesus will deal with the disciples concerning their faith, give them warning concerning evil doctrine, and hypocrisy.
“And when his disciples were come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread. Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread. Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread? Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees? Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.” Matthew 16:5-12 (KJV)
The disciples must have had their attention diverted by physical need concerning Jesus’s caveat concerning the “leaven of the Pharisees”. It had not been so long ago that they had witnessed the power of the Lord when He took 5 loaves of bread and two small fish, and fed a multitude of 5000 men, plus women and children (14:13-21), then later fed 4000 men, plus women and children with seven loaves a “a few little fishes” (15:32-38). They had forgotten to bring food with them, except for one loaf (Mark 8:14), and they assume that Jesus is speaking of bread.
He speaks of “Leaven”. Of course, leaven is used in bread. It is, however, used to puff up, fluff up, and stuff up. It gives baked goods a fuller appearance than they would have without it. It is my belief that every time there is mention of “leaven” in Scripture, it is as a symbol of hindrance, sin, or evil. Hindrance because when the children of Israel were leaving Egypt they were commanded to prepare bread without leaven (Exodus 12:15-20). They were going to be leaving Egypt very quickly, therefore no time could be taken to allow bread to rise, thus they would have been in rebellion to even have it in their homes. Leaven also represents false doctrine, and hypocrisy (clouds without rain in a time of drought).
There are many professing Christians in our day who do not believe we need to be concerned about doctrine; whether it be right or wrong; just believe something. Anything is okay as long as you sincerely believe something; even if it is that your dog is the reincarnation of Geronimo. Jesus, however, gives an earnest warning to His disciples to “Take heed and beware of the leaven [doctrine] of the Pharisees. It is also a warning of hypocrisy. There is glaring hypocrisy in the Pharisees; requiring things of the people they lead, and give themselves loopholes around their own laws. False doctrine, and hypocrisy seem to go together.
Jesus’s warning is for all Christians of all ages, because we fall into a gross pit of oozing manure when we fall into false teaching and hypocrisy. Very often a pit that is very hard to get out of, or be rescued from.
It is not all about bread. It is not all about physical needs; Jesus meets those needs daily. It is a warning of being sure the doctrine is right and they life is right with God. This means much of the responsibility for remaining correct in what we believe and how we live lays on our own shoulders, and the Spirit of God within us. We can do this by staying true to the Lord in the reading, study, and meditation upon His Word; spending time with Him in prayer – walking with Him daily; faithful attendance to our local church as often as the door is open; and to faithfully serve the Lord by loving Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength; and loving our neighbor as we love ourselves by giving of ourselves in serving others when possible, and sometimes when it gets in our way.
-Tim A. Blankenship
A Sign From Heaven
There are signs which give direction as we drive our cars. There are signs which advertise a product, service, or a political candidate, etc. I know that is not the type sign the Scriptures speak of, or that Jesus, and/or the religious leaders of His day were speaking of.
The Pharisees and Sadducees were testing Jesus, and they were blind to who Jesus was. He whom the Scriptures spoke of was standing in their midst and they missed the greatest sign of all times. Why should, or why would another be given them?
In the account of Matthew we read,
“The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven. He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times? A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.” Matthew 16:1-4 (KJV)
It is so sad that the ones who were supposed to be guardians of the law of God, and were supposed be so familiar with it could have the Sign standing, ministering in their day, preaching the Word, healing the sick, making the lame to walk, casting out demons, raising the dead; and they missed it completely. The ones who could discern the weather patterns, couldn’t discern “the signs of the times”.
What benefit is there in knowing weather patterns, or the weather for the day? Does it serve any eternal purpose? I can understand needing to know for those who spend their time working in the outdoors, but does it really make a difference in the way we live life? Probably, but for these religious leaders, scholars, they had a responsibility to the people to discern the times, more than the weather.
No sign would be given them. One sign, which I don’t think they really understood, Jesus said they would receive. That sign would be the sign of the prophet Jonah.
The sign of the prophet Jonah was three days and nights in the belly of the whale (Matthew 12:39-41), and in Luke 11 Jesus said,
“This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet. For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation.” Luke 11:29-30 (KJV)
Thus, Jesus was a sign to His generation, but many rejected Him, even after He was raised to life from the grave.
We today have a risen Lord and Savior who ever lives and is our intercessor before our Father. We have the written, Holy Spirit inspired, God breathed Scriptures which confirm the truth and evidence of our God and Savior Jesus Christ, His power, wisdom, holiness, righteousness, glory, and worth. He is worthy of our worship, our praise, and devotion.
Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God was crucified, buried, and raised bodily from the grave that He might be our eternal God and Savior. That is all the sign I need. Thank you Jesus.
-Tim A. Blankenship
Broken Pieces 