Luke 20:37-38
But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the passage about the bush, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for all live to him.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Jesus points out that God's declaration as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, spoken long after their deaths, implies their continued existence. This isn't just about proving the resurrection, but about God's relationship being fundamentally with the living.
The Sadducees, who deny any resurrection, have just challenged Jesus with a hypothetical scenario about a woman married to seven brothers. Jesus has just dismantled their argument by explaining that in the resurrection, people won't marry but will be like angels. Now, Jesus turns their own revered scripture, the writings of Moses, against them to prove that the resurrection is indeed taught there.
When Jesus faced down the Sadducees, he didn't just argue; he revealed a profound truth about God's nature that silenced them.
Jesus brilliantly turns the Sadducees' own reliance on Moses against them. They used the Law to try and trip him up, but he found the proof of resurrection right there.
A Living Relationship
The core of Jesus' argument hinges on God's identity. He declares, 'God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.' This isn't just a clever wordplay. It points to the very essence of God's relationship with His people.
Covenant and Continuity
When God identifies Himself as 'the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob,' He's not just referencing historical figures. He's speaking as the God of a continuing covenant. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were long dead by the time God spoke this to Moses. Yet, God calls Himself their God. This implies that their relationship with Him didn't end at death. If God is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and God is the God of the living, then Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob must still be alive in some way that allows this relationship to persist. Their existence with God transcends physical death.
The Sadducees, who rejected the resurrection, revered Moses. Jesus used this very reverence to reveal a truth they couldn't deny.
The Sadducees prided themselves on adhering strictly to the Law of Moses. They used parts of it to challenge Jesus, particularly the Law concerning marriage and inheritance (Deuteronomy 25:5). They thought they had him cornered: If there's a resurrection, whose wife would the woman in their hypothetical be?
Beyond the Letter
Jesus' response shows that Moses revealed more than just the Law for daily life. In Exodus 3:6, God speaks from the burning bush, calling Himself the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Jesus points out that this passage, which the Sadducees held as authoritative, contains the proof of the resurrection.
Understand the original words
nekros · Greek Adjective
The state of being no longer alive; biblically, it often refers to those separated from God's presence, yet Jesus clarifies that God’s covenantal relationship persists beyond physical death.
theos · Greek Noun
The Supreme Being, Creator, and Ruler of the universe. In biblical theology, He is the covenant-making God who revealed Himself to the patriarchs as the Living God.
c. 1446 BC
God Speaks to Moses at the Burning Bush
God appears to Moses at a burning bush and reveals His name and His intention to deliver the Israelites from slavery in Egypt.
c. 1400 BC
Exodus and the Law Given
Moses leads the Israelites out of Egypt. The Pentateuch, including the account of the burning bush and the laws, is written.
c. 625 BC
Deuteronomy Law Codified
King Josiah institutes religious reforms based on the Book of Deuteronomy, which includes laws such as the Levirate marriage law (Deuteronomy 25:5).
c. 50-40 BC
Rise of the Sadducees
The Sadducees emerge as a prominent Jewish sect, primarily among the aristocratic priestly class. They reject the oral traditions and the concept of the resurrection.
c. AD 28-30— this verse
Jesus' Ministry and Debates
Jesus engages in public ministry, teaching and performing miracles. He is repeatedly challenged by religious leaders, including the Sadducees who question his authority and teachings.
This is the foundational Old Testament passage Jesus quotes, where God identifies Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, directly linking this divine identity to the continuation of life beyond death.
Matthew 22:31-32This passage from Matthew's Gospel recounts the same encounter with the Sadducees, where Jesus uses the exact same argument from Moses at the burning bush to prove the resurrection.
Romans 4:17Paul echoes the idea of God as the 'God of Abraham' in the context of faith and resurrection, emphasizing that God gives life to the dead and calls into existence things that do not exist, connecting Abraham's faith to future resurrection.
Hebrews 11:13-16This chapter on faith highlights that the patriarchs looked forward to a heavenly country, indicating they understood their relationship with God extended beyond physical death, aligning with Jesus' argument that God is their God even after their passing.
vincentLuke 20:37: "Now that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob."
Shewed (ἐμήνυσεν)Originally to disclose something secret. Hence, generally, to make known.At the bush (ἐπὶ τῆς βάτου)Wrong. Render as Rev., in the place concerning the bush. See on Mark 12:26.
bengelLuke 20:37: "Now that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob."
Luke 20:37 . Καὶ Μωσῆς ) Not merely the rest of the prophets, but even Moses .— λέγει , calleth ) In writing out the words of God, speaking concerning Himself.
Jesus points out that God's declaration as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, spoken long after their deaths, implies their continued existence. This isn't just about proving the resurrection, but about God's relationship being fundamentally with the living.
The Sadducees, who deny any resurrection, have just challenged Jesus with a hypothetical scenario about a woman married to seven brothers. Jesus has just dismantled their argument by explaining that in the resurrection, people won't marry but will be like angels. Now, Jesus turns their own revered scripture, the writings of Moses, against them to prove that the resurrection is indeed taught there.
The Sadducees, who deny any resurrection, have just challenged Jesus with a hypothetical scenario about a woman married to seven brothers. Jesus has just dismantled their argument by explaining that in the resurrection, people won't marry but will be like angels. Now, Jesus turns their own revered scripture, the writings of Moses, against them to prove that the resurrection is indeed taught there.
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Unveiling the Hidden Truth
The Greek word used for 'showed' (ἐμήνυσεν) suggests revealing something hidden or secret. Jesus unveils the deeper meaning within Moses' words, demonstrating that the Law, when rightly understood through the lens of God’s nature and His covenant promises, points to life beyond death.
"But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the passage about the bush, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for all live to him.”" — Jesus points out that God's declaration as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, spoken long after their deaths, implies their continued existence. This isn't just about proving the resurrection, but…
