God of the living
by Reid Matthias
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Jesus replied, ‘You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God. At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like angels in heaven’ (Matthew 22:29,30).
Read Matthew 22:23–40
That poor woman.
I know, it’s a Sadducaical parable. (Say that fast 10 times …) But it feels as though they’re asking the wrong question. The Sadducees really shouldn’t be wondering who the woman is married to, but how she will survive the grief of being a childless widow seven times over.
You see, the Sadducees weren’t really concerned with something they didn’t believe in, only making Jesus stumble. And Jesus, for his part, was able to correct them in their defiance of resurrection with a message of good news.
I hope you read this carefully …
The good news of everlasting life, what happens at the resurrection, is that God is unconcerned about who is married to whom, who carries on what lineage, or who gets the house and car keys. No, our Heavenly Father is God of the living, not the dead, and when you have been resurrected, there is no need for these other things. There is only everlasting, joyful life in his presence.
When Jesus says you will be like the angels, that doesn’t mean you’ll get wings and hover about checking on people. What it means is that, like the angels, you will live forever and will no longer need to think about procreation (especially if there have been seven spouses during this lifetime).
For me, Jesus turns the parable on its head on the Sadducees, gives them the good news of the resurrection, and silences their need to distract their followers from God’s love in Jesus.
For me, Jesus might even turn the parable to give hope to men and women, both in marriages and outside of them, that God is the God of the living in their lives, too.
Question: What do you think happens after you die?
Jesus, thank you for your wisdom and uncanny way of sharing great news with all people. Bless me in all my relationships, and remind me you are the God of the living. Amen.
Reid Matthias is the school pastor at St Andrews Lutheran College in Tallebudgera, Queensland. Reid is married to Christine, who, together with their three incredible daughters, Elsa, Josephine and Greta, have created a Spotify channel (A 13) where they have recorded music. Reid has recently published his seventh novel, A Miserable Antagonist, and maintains the blog ireid.blogspot.com
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