The Wise Teacher

Scripture/Bible:  And Sad'ducees came to him, who say that there is no resurrection; and they asked him a question, saying, 19 "Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies and leaves a wife, but leaves no child, the man must take the wife, and raise up children for his brother. 20 There were seven brothers; the first took a wife, and when he died left no children; 21 and the second took her, and died, leaving no children; and the third likewise; 22 and the seven left no children. Last of all the woman also died. 23 In the resurrection whose wife will she be? For the seven had her as wife." 24 Jesus said to them, "Is not this why you are wrong, that you know neither the scriptures nor the power of God? 25 For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 26 And as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God said to him, 'I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? 27 He is not God of the dead, but of the living; you are quite wrong." Mark 12:18-27

Reflection: You say, you believe and you are convinced and yet you ask a question. This doesn’t seem fare!

But all is fare if the intention of the question is to teach the other about your conviction with a sound question and if done within certain ethics, respect and openness to learn from the other then it opens a new window of thought.

It seems that the Sadducees were approaching Jesus with one motive; to teach Jesus. May be, for them, this will make Jesus see some sense and the foolishness of believing in the resurrection.    

It was a well thought of argument in order to prove a point. There was a hidden meaning to that question: Moses in the Law encouraged marriage to carry on the line (tribal thinking) precisely because there is no resurrection of the dead or else why will he encourage the family of brothers to carry forward the house name through marriage to a widowed sister-in-law?

Therefore whatever has to be eternal, it has to be in this life, carried forward from one generation to another. Like a baton in a relay, so was the thinking of the Sadducees concerning the resurrection.

But thanks to their question the Lord proved to them the greatness of him being a teacher par excellence, not just in wisdom but in humility, to answer them, so that at least some among them may receive the light of God.

Was he successful? The Lord manages to communicate to them that they were wrong in their thinking and that the resurrection is a reality. Later we learn that some among them may have been convinced by the Lord’s rebuke; the fact that they were found disputing among themselves by the Scribes is an indication towards the same. (vs. 28)

Prayer:  "Behold, in this you are not right. I will answer you. God is greater than man. Why do you contend against him….For God speaks in one way, and in two, though man does not perceive it.” Job 33:12-14 May I perceive what you have to give me Lord.

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