“And Jesus said to them, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage, but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage, for they cannot die anymore, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.” Luke 20:34-36 ESV
Reflection: why does the Bible consider death an enemy?
It is amazing to read the creation story recorded in the beginning of Genesis, and to really think about how God created life out of nothing. All the beauty we can see and experience of nature all around us, all living things in the sea, on land and in the air. What an expression of harmony, beauty and love! An interesting dimension of creation to me is the continuous progression of how God created, one step at a time. Each step adds more meaning, more life, to the whole creation. The Bible states that God looked at each step of what He created and was very pleased. “And God saw that it was good.” Genesis 1:10b ESV. And we remember His final creation, mankind, made in His image and likeness, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”” Genesis 1:27-28 ESV. A God of life, giving life.
As Jesus was teaching in the temple, the religious group called the Sadducees approached Jesus with a challenge. This religious group was different. Among other things, they didn’t believe in spirits or angels, nor in life after death, and therefore no eternal consequence from this life. While not a lot is known about them, they seem to be focused in the physical world only, which makes one wonder how they could even believe in God which they claimed to do. It was this group who came to Jesus, asking a question they thought would be a very clever about marriage in the resurrection, which they didn’t believe in. And even if Jesus knows it is a ridiculous question trying to trap him, he still responded to them. saying “those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage, for they cannot die anymore, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.” Luke 20:35-36 ESV. Notice that he uses the term “sons of the resurrection”, which the Sadducees specifically said they didn’t believe in. And Jesus summaries his response to them by saying,
“Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for all live to him.”” Luke 20:38 ESV
It is so interesting that he is using the contrasting life and death here, to describe God. Because He never intended His sons and daughters to die; that was the work of the devil tempting Adam and Eve to sin against God. So God became our salvation, our Yeshua, that we can have life in Him. Paul writes, “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.
The last enemy to be destroyed is death.” 1 Corinthians 15:22-26 ESV.
Jesus Christ, “emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:7b-11 ESV. Jesus conquered death in His resurrection, in which He has also become our hope for life eternal with Him. He is our life, our Lord, the King of kings. “For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.” 1 Corinthians 15:22-28 ESV