Luke 20:37

Now that the dead are raised, euen Moses shewed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isahac, and the God of Iacob. Luke 20:37 (KJV)

“The God of the fathers raised up the dead; and we are witnesses of these things; and the spirit is not bound in the hand of any that was dead. For He is not a God of the dead, but of the living: ye therefore do greatly err.”

This verse is a part of a larger passage where Jesus is having a conversation with some of the religious leaders in Jerusalem. They were questioning Jesus’ authority and trying to trap Him with their questions. In response, Jesus uses their own understanding of the Scriptures to teach them important truths about the resurrection and the nature of God.

To fully understand the significance of Luke 20:37‑38, it is helpful to consider the context. In the preceding verses, Jesus is addressing the Sadducees, a Jewish sect that denied the resurrection of the dead. They present Jesus with a hypothetical scenario involving a woman who had been married to seven brothers, one after the other, as commanded by the levirate law. The Sadducees ask Jesus whose wife the woman would be in the resurrection.

Jesus responds by affirming the reality of the resurrection and correcting their misunderstanding. He states that in the resurrection, people are neither married nor given in marriage. Then, in Luke 20:37‑38, Jesus refers to an event from the book of Exodus when God spoke to Moses from a burning bush. In Exodus 3:6, God reveals Himself to Moses as “the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Jesus highlights this statement to emphasize the present reality of God’s relationship with these patriarchs. He points out that God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.

Jesus’ argument is that if God identifies Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, it implies that these individuals are not eternally dead but are alive in God’s presence. This statement challenges the Sadducees’ belief that there is no resurrection or afterlife. Jesus is teaching that there is a future existence beyond this life, where the righteous will be raised to live with God.

This passage holds several key lessons for us as well. First, it affirms the reality of the resurrection and the existence of an afterlife. As believers, we have hope in the promise of eternal life with God. Second, it emphasizes the personal nature of God’s relationship with His people. Just as God referred to Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, He knows us individually and desires a personal relationship with each one of us.

Furthermore, this passage encourages us to examine our own beliefs about the resurrection and the afterlife. Jesus’ response challenges us to consider whether our faith is rooted in the truth of God’s Word or if we have adopted worldly views that deny the reality of life beyond death.

In summary, Luke 20:37‑38 reminds us of the truth of the resurrection and the personal nature of God’s relationship with His people. It teaches us to have faith in the promise of eternal life and to seek a deeper understanding of God’s Word.