Section 134
Sadducees' puzzling question about the resurrection
Perhaps Jerusalem, in the temple
Matthew 22:23-33
Mark 12:18-27
Luke 20:27-40
23On that day some Sadducees (who say there is no resurrection) came to Jesus and asked him, 24“Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies without having children, his brother must marry the widow and raise up offspring for him.’ 25Now there were seven brothers among us. The first married and died, and having no offspring, he left his wife to his brother. 26The same thing happened to the second and to the third, down to the seventh. 27Last of all, the woman also died. 28In the resurrection, therefore, which of the seven will she be the wife of? For they all had her.”
18Then some Sadducees (who say there is no resurrection) came to Jesus and asked him, 19“Teacher, Moses wrote for us: ‘If a man's brother dies, leaving a wife but no children, that man must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother.’ 20Now there were seven brothers. The first married a woman and died, leaving no offspring. 21The second married her and died, and he also left no offspring; the third did likewise. 22In fact, the seven all married her and left no offspring. Last of all, the woman also died. 23In the resurrection, when they rise again, which of them will she be the wife of? For the seven all had her as a wife.”
27Now some of the Sadducees, who deny that there is a resurrection, came up and asked Jesus, 28“Teacher, Moses wrote for us: ‘If a man's brother dies, leaving a wife but no children, that man must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother.’ 29Now there were seven brothers. The first married a woman and died childless. 30The second married the widow, and he also died childless. 31Likewise, the third also married her. In the same way all seven died, leaving no children. 32Last of all, the woman also died. 33In the resurrection, therefore, which of them will she be the wife of? For the seven all had her as a wife.”
29Jesus answered them, “You are in error because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God.
24Jesus answered them, “Is this not why you are in error, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God?
30For in the resurrection people neither marry nor are they given in marriage. Instead, they are like angels of God in heaven.
25For when people rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are they given in marriage. Instead, they are like the angels in heaven.
34Jesus answered them, “The people of this age marry and are given in marriage, 35but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are they given in marriage. 36Indeed they can no longer die, for they are like angels. They are sons of God, since they are sons of the resurrection.
31But as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what God said to you: 32‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead, but of the living.” 33And when the crowds heard this, they were astonished at his teaching.
26But as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the Book of Moses, in the passage about the burning bush, how God said to him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? 27He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living. You have therefore made a serious error.”
37But even Moses indicated that the dead are raised, when he said in the passage about the burning bush, ‘The Lord, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ 38He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.” 39Then some of the scribes responded, “Teacher, you have spoken well.” 40And they no longer dared to ask him anything.
Notes
Temple Mount
For many people, their first view of the Temple Mount is from the Mount of Olives to the east. The most easily recognized area of Jerusalem; the Temple Mount is located within the walls on the eastern side of the Old City. The site of the Temple of Solomon, and of the later Temple built by Herod the Great (which is the temple Jesus visited), is now an enormous stone platform upon which stands the golden covered Dome of the Rock and the Al Aksa Mosque.
Here Jews come to pray at the Western Wall; here Muslims come to pray at the Dome of the Rock and the Al Aksa Mosque. Here Israeli soldiers and the Arab Temple Mount Police protect what may rightly be called the most revered spot on the face of the earth.
Solomon built the First Temple on the threshing floor that his father David had purchased from Arunah the Jebusite (2 Samuel 24:18 25). The site was hallowed as the place where God stayed the hand of Abraham as he was about to sacrifice his son Isaac on Mount Moriah (2 Chronicles 3:1), and where God stopped the plague against the Israelites (2 Samuel 24:15 18). In addition to the Temple and its associated buildings, Solomon built other magnificent structures between the City of David and the Temple Mount.
Southern Steps of the Temple
The main public access to the Temple was from the southern steps. People entered and exited through a double and triple gate, together called the Huldah Gate. These gates had to handle enormous crowds during feast days; estimates as high as 500,000 people at a time. The triple arched gate was the entrance and the double arched gate served as the exit. Although the double and triple gates have been filled in, you can still see their outlines in the walls near the well-preserved steps of the monumental staircase.
The triple gate to the east led to a tunnel that brought worshippers up to the Temple and the columned porches. To leave the Temple they would exit the double gate on the west and go down a staircase 4 times larger than the entry staircase, since everyone was leaving at the same time. The steps below the wider staircase are well preserved and are one of the few places you can walk where you are sure Jesus walked. An interesting exception to the rule about entry and exit gates regarded mourners. According to the Talmud, they were to go in and out against the traffic in order that people would know of their loss. People would then extend their condolences by saying, “May He who dwells in this House give you comfort.”
In this area we will also see ritual baths from the time of Christ, important inscriptions from the Temple, the street that runs inside the Western Wall tunnels, and the ruins from the Roman destruction of Jerusalem.
Photos
Videos
Jerusalem, in the temple & -
Footnotes
Matthew 22,24 | Mark 12,19 | Luke 20,28
Deuteronomy 25:5
Matthew 22,32 | Mark 12,26 | Luke 20,37
Exodus 3:6