Luke 20:37 - Printer Friendly

ESV: 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.

NIV: But in the account of the burning bush, even Moses showed that the dead rise, for he calls the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’

NASB: But as for the fact that the dead are raised, even Moses revealed this in the passage about the burning bush, where he calls the Lord THE God OF ABRAHAM, THE God OF ISAAC, AND THE God OF JACOB.

CSB: Moses even indicated in the passage about the burning bush that the dead are raised, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.

NLT: But now, as to whether the dead will be raised — even Moses proved this when he wrote about the burning bush. Long after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died, he referred to the Lord as ‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’

KJV: 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.

NKJV: But even Moses showed in the burning bush passage that the dead are raised, when he called the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’

The Sadducees are trying to disprove Jesus' teaching about the resurrection of the dead. They use a law in the Torah—which they deeply value—to show the Mosaic law is incompatible with resurrection. The Sadducees did not believe in resurrection of the dead or any type of afterlife. If the resurrection is not true, then Jesus' ministry, which is largely based on the call to repent and avoid God's judgment, can be called into question. And the people who are crowding around Him on the Temple Mount, listening to His teaching, should go back to following the Sadducees, instead (Luke 20:27–33).

Jesus is referring to Exodus 3:6. Moses had been keeping the sheep of his father-in-law and saw a bush that was on fire but not consumed. The angel of the Lord inside the bush revealed Himself as "the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." This is not the clearest Old Testament text about the resurrection of the dead. That would be Daniel 12:2: "And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt." But the Sadducees are defined by their love of the Torah—the first five books of the Scriptures—which Moses wrote and which includes the book of Exodus. They dismiss the importance of texts such as those of Daniel. As with the chief priests, scribes, and elders (Luke 20:1–8), Jesus uses what these religious leaders claim to believe to uncover their own hypocrisy.

The inclusion of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob isn't meant to just list off the significant patriarchs. These are the men to whom God gave His covenant (Genesis 12:1–3; 15:1–21; 26:1–5; 28:13–15), but they did not see its fulfillment (Hebrews 11:13–21). If they have not experienced the fulfillment of God's promises, they cannot remain dead. "Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for all live to him" (Luke 20:38).

Luke 20:27–40 records the Sadducees trying to discredit Jesus' authority to teach. They plan to present a paradox about marriage and the resurrection of the dead. Leaders of other religious sects have already failed to embarrass Jesus regarding the law and civil responsibilities (Luke 20:19–26). Jesus easily explains away the Sadducees' argument using the very text which their sect reveres: the Torah. He continues with proof that the Christ has authority over David and warns the people to be wary of the scribes' hypocrisy (Luke 20:41–47). This debate is also recorded in Matthew 22:23–33 and Mark 12:18–27.

After His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, Jesus find Himself in conflict with the city's religious leaders. Elders, priests, scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees all attempt to discredit Him. This comes mostly in challenging Jesus with trick questions. Jesus deftly handles those challenges without falling into the trap. He provides several teachings about His role as the Son of God and directly warns the Jewish people against their generation of scribes, who are arrogant and pretentious.

Luke 20 is a chiasm about authority. Jesus has entered Jerusalem and cleansed the temple (Luke 19:28–46). Now, the priests and teachers attack Jesus' authority in religion, law, and doctrine; Jesus defends Himself and shows their sinful lifestyles disqualify them for authority. After holding up a widow as a better role model (Luke 21:1–4), Jesus warns His disciples about the challenges they will face in the coming years, including the destruction of Jerusalem (Luke 21:5–38). The events in Luke 20 are also discussed in Matthew 21—23 and Mark 11—12.

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.