LUKE 20:27–40
THE QUESTION ABOUT THE RESURRECTION
Text – Luke 20:27–40
27 Some Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection, came forward and put this question to him,
28 saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us, ‘If someone’s brother dies leaving a wife but no child, his brother must take the wife and raise up descendants for his brother.’
29 Now there were seven brothers; the first married a woman but died childless.
30 Then the second
31 and the third married her, and likewise all the seven died childless.
32 Finally the woman also died.
33 Now at the resurrection whose wife will that woman be? For all seven had been married to her.”
34 Jesus said to them, “The children of this age marry and remarry;
35 but those who are deemed worthy to attain to the coming age and the resurrection of the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage.
36 They can no longer die, for they are like angels; and they are the children of God because they are the ones who will rise.”
37 That the dead will rise even Moses made known in the passage about the bush, when he called ‘Lord’ the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob;
38 and he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.”
39 Some scribes said in reply, “Teacher, you have spoken well.”
40 And they no longer dared to ask him anything.
Historical and Jewish Context
The Sadducees were a priestly group that accepted only the written Torah and rejected beliefs not explicitly stated there, including the resurrection of the dead. They present a hypothetical case based on the law of levirate marriage, intending to ridicule belief in resurrection by reducing it to an absurdity. Their question reflects a materialistic understanding of life after death, imagining it as a continuation of earthly arrangements. Jesus responds by correcting both their theology and their interpretation of Scripture, showing that resurrection life belongs to a different order altogether.
Catholic Theological Perspective
Jesus affirms the reality of the resurrection and reveals its transformed nature. Eternal life is not a mere extension of earthly existence but participation in divine life as children of God. Catholic theology teaches that the resurrected body will be glorified, no longer subject to death or earthly limitations. By appealing to Moses at the burning bush, Jesus demonstrates that belief in resurrection is rooted even in the Torah. God’s covenant is living and enduring; those united to Him are alive in His presence. Christ thus reveals God as the God of the living and confirms the hope at the heart of Christian faith.
Parallels in Scripture
Ex 3:6 – God reveals Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Dn 12:2 – Many who sleep in the dust shall awake.
Mt 22:23–33 – Parallel teaching on resurrection and divine power.
1 Cor 15:42–49 – The transformed, glorified body in the resurrection.
Jn 11:25 – Jesus declares Himself the resurrection and the life.
Key Terms
Resurrection – The raising of the dead to transformed, eternal life by God’s power.
Children of God – Those who share in God’s life through resurrection.
Like angels – Immortal and wholly alive to God, not earthly beings.
God of the living – Affirmation that covenant relationship transcends death.
Catholic Liturgical Significance
This passage is proclaimed in weekday liturgies and during seasons reflecting on eternal life and Christian hope. It strengthens belief in the resurrection of the body professed in the Creed and is frequently used in catechesis on death, judgment, and the life of the world to come. It offers consolation to the faithful and clarity about the nature of eternal life.
Conclusion
Jesus decisively affirms the resurrection and corrects misconceptions about life after death. Eternal life is a transformed existence rooted in communion with the living God. Those who belong to Him do not pass into nothingness but live forever in His presence.
Reflection
Do I believe in the resurrection not only as a doctrine but as a living hope?
Do I live today as a child of God destined for eternal life?
Christ invites me to trust in God’s promise and to live with hope beyond death.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, strengthen my faith in the resurrection and the life to come. Help me live as a child of the living God, guided by hope and fidelity. May the promise of eternal life shape my choices and deepen my trust in You. Amen.