The Question About the Resurrection (Luke 20:27-40)
Introduction
Jesus is still in the temple, and his opponents are taking turns trying to discredit him. First, the Pharisees and Herodians tried to trap him with a political question about taxes. Now, it’s the Sadducees’ turn. Unlike the Pharisees, the Sadducees didn’t believe in the resurrection, and they thought they could expose the idea as absurd.
Their strategy? A far-fetched hypothetical situation meant to make resurrection seem ridiculous. But, as always, Jesus isn’t fazed. He answers with authority, correcting their misunderstanding and pointing them—and us—to a greater reality. This passage isn’t just about life after death; it’s about the power of God and the nature of his kingdom.
Who Were the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Herodians in the Bible?
The Pharisees, Sadducees, and Herodians were three influential groups in first-century Judaism, each with distinct beliefs and agendas. The Pharisees were a religious sect devoted to strict observance of the Law of Moses and the oral traditions that had developed over centuries. They believed in the resurrection of the dead, angels, and the authority of the entire Hebrew Bible, including the Torah, the Prophets, and the Writings. The Pharisees were widely respected among the common people for their religious knowledge and discipline, but they often clashed with Jesus because of their legalism and hypocrisy. They were especially concerned with purity laws and saw Jesus’ willingness to associate with sinners and tax collectors as a threat to their authority.
The Sadducees were another powerful religious group but held very different theological views. They were primarily composed of priests and aristocrats who controlled the Temple in Jerusalem and cooperated with the Roman authorities to maintain their position. The Sadducees rejected the oral traditions of the Pharisees and accepted only the Torah (the first five books of Moses) as authoritative scripture. They also denied the resurrection of the dead, the existence of angels, and the afterlife, which put them in sharp theological opposition to the Pharisees (Acts 23:8). Because of their collaboration with Rome and their focus on Temple worship, they were generally wealthier and more politically powerful than the Pharisees. However, their influence declined rapidly after the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD, as their authority was closely tied to it.
The Herodians, unlike the Pharisees and Sadducees, were not a religious sect but a political group that supported the rule of Herod Antipas, the Roman-appointed ruler of Galilee and Perea. They were loyalists to the Herodian dynasty, which had been installed by Rome, and they prioritized political stability over religious concerns. Unlike the Pharisees, who resented Roman rule, the Herodians benefited from their close ties to Herod and his administration. Though they had little in common with the Pharisees theologically, they sometimes found common cause against Jesus because He posed a threat to both their power structures—He challenged the Pharisees’ religious authority and the Herodians’ political stability.
In Luke 20, the Pharisees and Herodians team up to try to trap Jesus with a question about paying taxes to Caesar (Luke 20:20–26). This was an unusual alliance because the two groups normally opposed each other. The Pharisees resented Roman rule and would have preferred Jewish independence, while the Herodians were deeply invested in Roman governance. Meanwhile, the Sadducees also engaged Jesus in debate, as seen in Luke 20:27–40, where they attempt to trap him with a question about marriage and the resurrection. Jesus’ responses to all three groups demonstrated his wisdom and authority, exposing their flawed reasoning and revealing the true nature of God’s kingdom. These encounters show how Jesus’ teachings disrupted both religious and political power structures, drawing opposition from multiple sides. Verse by Verse Breakdown of The Question About the Resurrection and Commentary
Luke 20:27–28 — The Sadducees Take Their Turn
“Some Sadducees, those who say there is no resurrection, came to him and asked him a question, ’Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies, leaving a wife but no children, the man shall marry the widow and raise up children for his brother.’” (Luke 20:27–28, NRSV)
The Sadducees were a powerful, aristocratic group within Judaism. They controlled the temple and were closely aligned with Rome, but they rejected many beliefs that were central to other Jewish groups, including the Pharisees. Most notably, they denied the resurrection of the dead because they only accepted the Torah—the first five books of the Bible—as authoritative, and they didn’t see the resurrection explicitly taught there.
So they come to Jesus with a question designed to mock the idea of life after death. They reference levirate marriage, a law from Deuteronomy 25:5–6, where a man was required to marry his deceased brother’s widow if she had no children. This law ensured the family line and inheritance continued, but the Sadducees are using it as a setup.
Luke 20:29–33 — A Hypothetical Meant to Humiliate
“Now there were seven brothers; the first married and died childless; then the second and the third married her, and so in the same way all seven died childless. Finally, the woman also died. In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For the seven had married her.” (Luke 20:29–33, NRSV)
This is where they think they’ve got Jesus trapped. They paint an exaggerated picture—one woman married to seven brothers, all of whom die without children. Their punchline? If the resurrection is real, how would this woman’s marriage work in the afterlife? Would she be married to all seven men?
The Sadducees assume that resurrection means a continuation of earthly life just as it is now, complete with marriage and family structures. Their goal isn’t an honest question about theology; they think they’ve made the idea of resurrection look ridiculous.
But Jesus is about to expose their flawed assumptions.
Luke 20:34–36 — The Resurrection is Not Just a Continuation
“Jesus said to them, ’Those who belong to this age marry and are given in marriage, but those who are considered worthy of a place in that age and in the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. Indeed, they cannot die anymore, because they are like angels and are children of God, being children of the resurrection.’” (Luke 20:34–36, NRSV)
Jesus doesn’t argue on their terms. Instead, He corrects their entire framework. The resurrection isn’t about resuming earthly life as we know it—it’s about entering into a completely new reality.
Marriage is a part of “this age”, the world we currently live in. It serves an important purpose here, but in “that age”—the resurrection life—it won’t be needed. Why? Because resurrected people will not die anymore. Marriage, in part, exists to create families and continue the human race. But in the resurrection, death is no longer a factor. In levirate marriage, someone will not die and leave a widow and therefore need to be given in marriage again. Death is done.
Jesus also makes a bold statement: “They are like angels.” This isn’t saying that resurrected people will become angels, but that they will share something in common—immortality. Angels don’t marry or reproduce, and those who are raised to eternal life won’t either. Instead, they will be children of God, fully experiencing the reality of his kingdom.
Luke 20:37–38 — Proof from the Torah
“And the fact that the dead are raised Moses himself showed, in the story about the bush, where he speaks of the Lord as the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Now He is God not of the dead but of the living, for to him all of them are alive.” (Luke 20:37–38, NRSV)
Now Jesus really turns the tables. The Sadducees only accepted the Torah, so Jesus proves the resurrection from the very scriptures they claim to follow.
He takes them to Exodus 3:6, where God speaks to Moses from the burning bush and declares, “I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” Notice the present tense—not “I was their God,” but “I am.” If Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were gone forever, God wouldn’t say it like that. But God does because they are alive to God.
Jesus’ point? If God is the God of the living, then the resurrection is real. Death isn’t the final word. The covenant promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are still in effect, and they will experience the fullness of God’s kingdom.
Luke 20:39–40 — No More Questions
“Then some of the scribes answered, ‘Teacher, you have spoken well.’ For they no longer dared to ask him another question.” (Luke 20:39–40, NRSV)
Some of the scribes—who were more aligned with the Pharisees—are impressed. They believed in the resurrection, and Jesus just dismantled the Sadducees’ argument in front of everyone.
From this point on, Jesus’ opponents stop trying to trap him with questions. Every time they challenge him, he turns it into a teaching moment that only strengthens his authority.
Sadly, what this means is that theological traps are thrown in the rubbish bin. Now they will have to try to ruin him through the weaponization of Rome’s anti-insurrectionist aggressiveness. They will use the state to kill him.
Luke 20:27–40 Meaning for Today
This passage reminds us that the resurrection isn’t just a continuation of earthly life—it’s something far greater. The Sadducees couldn’t grasp that God’s power goes beyond their limited understanding.
It’s easy to do the same today. We tend to project our earthly experiences onto eternity, but Jesus tells us that resurrection life will be entirely different—free from sin, suffering, and death. Instead of worrying about the logistics, we should trust in God’s power and promises.
Jesus also affirms that God is the God of the living. Death is not the end. Those who trust in him will live forever in his presence. That’s not just wishful thinking—it’s the hope of the gospel.
FAQ on The Question About the Resurrection (Luke 20:27–40)
1. Who were the Sadducees, and why didn’t they believe in the resurrection?
The Sadducees were a wealthy, priestly group who only accepted the Torah as scripture. Since the Torah doesn’t explicitly mention resurrection, they rejected it.
2. What did Jesus mean when He said people would be ‘like angels’?
He meant that resurrected people will be immortal like angels, not that they will become angels. They will no longer marry because marriage won’t be necessary in the new creation.
3. How does Exodus 3:6 prove the resurrection?
God calls himself the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the present tense, even though they had died long before. That means they are still alive to God and awaiting the resurrection.
Conclusion
The Sadducees came with a trap, but Jesus revealed the power of God and the truth of the resurrection. This life is not the end. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is our God too, and He is the God of the living.
