Questions and Answers

Text: Luke 20: 27-40

Collaboration between enemies only goes so far. The Pharisees and Sadducees had not liked each other for generations. They were representative of two approaches to Jewish Law and contemporary life--the liberals and the conservatives of the day. They could make common cause in their mutual dislike of Jesus. But cracks in the mortar were beginning to appear. The questioning of Jesus continues form one side and then the other, each applauding when Jesus would silence the other party with his wisdom.

Now it is the Sadducees' turn. Not believing in the resurrection from the dead, they presented a hypothetical case to Jesus which they thought would show the difficulties in holding to hope of life after death. The story is familiar. Of course, Jesus points out the mistaken assumptions upon which the case was built, and turns instead to the clear implications of what they know to be contained in the Scriptures. This incident again closes with words of approval from the opposite camp from those posing the question--but with the added note that no one dared to question the Lord further.

But we do, don't we? God's ability to turn away questions in a way which shows human folly and disbelief for what it is continues through all ages. The specifics of the questions change, the shape does not. Why is there evil in the world, why do some people always seem to be treated unfairly, what happens when we die, why isn't prayer answered more directly, who can be saved . . .? All of these occur in one form or another in the gospel accounts. Jesus answers them, but in the process questions us. The redirected question often centers not on what God is doing, but on what we are doing. God can be trusted to be true to His nature and character; have we learned to act in the same way?

Perhaps there's even a tie-in to the question of the day, that of the resurrection. No less than the Sadducees, contemporary people, including believers, have difficulty with the concept because life--as far as we can see it--always ends. We want to believe the promise; but to truly do so, that is, to actually and meaningfully believe it, entails the entrusting of all of our best efforts and energies to it, without hedging just in case it isn't so after all. Can we so invest? Today? In sure and certain hope?