e-vo for week of November 6

Dearest e-votees-

Yet another reminder in this week's gospel text to not try to entrap Jesus.

We do better to let Jesus enfold us in his grace, mercy and saving work.

Peace,
Karl

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27 Some Sadducees, those who say there is no resurrection, came to [Jesus] 28 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. 29 Now there were seven brothers; the first married, and died childless; 30 then the second 31 and the third married her, and so in the same way all seven died childless. 32 Finally the woman also died. 33 In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For the seven had married her.” 34 Jesus said to them, “Those who belong to this age marry and are given in marriage; 35 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. 36 Indeed they cannot die anymore, because they are like angels and are children of God, being children of the resurrection. 37 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. 38 Now he is God not of the dead, but of the living; for to him all of them are alive.”

Luke 20:27-38, NRSV

Some observational bulletpoints:
1. Sadduccees don't not believe in the resurrection (which is why they are sad, you see?!?)
2. Mosaic expectation (see Deuteronomy 25:5-6) or not, I would think brothers 4-7 might have noticed a grim pattern and passed on marrying this woman
3. Eternal marriages are problematic given Jesus' response to this "story problem"
4. "Till death do us part" means just that
5. Trying to catch Jesus through conversational trickery never ends well

There is a promise made by Jesus that he is the Resurrection and the Life. He states this to Martha in John 11:25. As he approaches the corpse of Lazarus Jesus makes this bold statement. Death will not win the day. To God Abraham and Isaac and Jacob are alive. We, too, will be raised. The Sadducees are indeed sadly mistaken. We will be raised not like Lazarus was (which was really more of a resuscitation) only to die again. We, and Lazarus, will be raised when God brings God's promises to fruition. Jesus was the firstborn of the dead--not the lastborn.

Marriage will not persist into the resurrection. We really don't know exactly what we will be like or who we might recognize in the resurrection. Images of family reunions in heaven or fishing for walleye with Uncle Bob in the next life are more of our grieving imaginations at funerals than scripturally based realities. We will be raised with all of those God has called but how we will look, what we will know and who exactly will be recognized remains to be seen. What we do know is that God is good and God will make good on God's promises. That will have to suffice for now.

"Those who are considered worthy of a place in that age" has much more to do with a God who declares us worthy than it does with us living a worthy enough life. Jesus has done what is required to merit resurrection. Easter morning is God's explanation point on Jesus' bold promises. Jesus has laid claim to our lives. Jesus has called the church to be his bride. If any marriage persists into the resurrection it is precisely that one. We are invited to the wedding feast that has no end! Thanks be to God.


God, help us joyfully wait and expect your delivery upon promises beyond our wildest imaginations. Amen.