Ignorance Leads to False Doctrine

After the Greek Empire under Alexander the Great conquered so much of the region, the Greek language and customs became the standard of world culture,  a group of wealthy7 and influential Jews adopted Greek culture in order to be more acceptable outside Israel, enabling them to compete in business and sports events while retaining their Jewish citizenship.  While the Pharisees were fanatical about following the Jewish religion, this group, known as Sadducees, practiced the Jewish religion purely as a way of relating to the Jews.   Jesus’ teachings were as damaging to their position as it was to the Pharisees.  When the Pharisees were unable to discredit him, the Sadducees decided to try, in Matthew 22:23-28

 “The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him, Saying, Master, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.  Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first, when he had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife unto his brother: Likewise the second also, and the third, unto the seventh.  And last of all the woman died also.  Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her.”   

The Sadducees asked a hypothetical question in an attempt to make Jesus look stupid, because as Acts 23:8 tells us, “For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both.”  They had no interest in the answer, because they didn’t believe there would be a resurrection.  Like many in the news media today, their question was solely to get people’s attention so that they could launch an attack. 

Jesus destroyed their basis for an attack in Matthew 22:29-32.  “Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.  For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.  But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.”   

The question demonstrated their ignorance of what the Jewish religion taught.  There is no marriage in heaven.  The same ignorance of what the scriptures taught kept them from understanding that the scriptures taught God is simultaneously the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, even though Abram had died before Jacob was born.  If Abraham was dead, he could no longer have a God.  Thus the very basis of the Jewish religion indicates there is a resurrection, and the Sadducees were hypocritical in the practicing it if they did not believe in a resurrection. 

For almost three hundred years, the Pharisees had not dared openly confront the Sadducees about their beliefs, and as a result, they had become quite influential.  The Jews were amazed that Jesus was so clear about what they were doing, according to Matthew 22:33.  “And when the multitude heard this, they were astonished at his doctrine.  False doctrines to today are frequently overlooked an allowed to grow because no one takes the time to find out what the scriptures really say, or because those who know are afraid to say anything.   We can avoid such false doctrines by simply taking the time to study the scriptures.