Matthew 22:31Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

After clarifying the nature of the resurrection, the Savior affirms its certainty. This revelation naturally follows from the previous teachings, yet He chooses to provide an additional demonstration. His intent encompasses not just the inquiries presented, but also the underlying thoughts of those questioning Him. Thus, when they pose their questions out of ignorance rather than ill will, He offers a more comprehensive response than what was sought. Conversely, when the inquiries arise solely from malice, He refrains from addressing their specific queries. Consequently, He silences the Sadducees once more by invoking the words of Moses, as they themselves had alluded to him.

The Sadducees attempted to challenge the doctrine of resurrection by invoking Moses, but the Savior counters their claims using the very teachings of Moses.

To illustrate the reality of the resurrection, He could have presented more straightforward examples, such as this: Thy dead shall come to life, dead bodies shall rise (Isaiah 26:19). Additionally, it is stated that many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awaken, some to everlasting life, others to everlasting contempt and shame (Daniel 12:2). This raises the question of why the Lord would choose a testimony that appears uncertain or not directly relevant to the truth of the resurrection: I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob (Exodus 3:6). By expressing this, He seemed to affirm His intent and immediately added: He is not the God of the dead, but of the living.

Why would He, in discussing fasting, charitable giving, and other spiritual virtues, mention the resemblance to angels if His remarks were solely about the union of husband and wife? For in the resurrection, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like the angels of God in heaven. Just as all fleshly activities are akin to animal behavior, particularly sexual actions, so too are all spiritual virtues expressions of angelic conduct, with chastity standing out in particular. It is through this virtue that humanity comes to mirror the angels.

REGARDING THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD, HAVE YOU NOT READ THAT GOD SAID TO YOU, I AM THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, THE GOD OF ISAAC, AND THE GOD OF JACOB? GOD IS NOT THE GOD OF THE DEAD, BUT OF THE LIVING, for with Him all are alive. He is not the God of those who do not exist or are utterly lost, destined never to rise again, but the God of the living. The Lord referenced only Moses, despite the clear passages in the Old Testament regarding resurrection, because the Sadducees only acknowledged the books of Moses. The Sadducees did not respond. The evidence presented by Jesus Christ was remarkable not only for its surprising nature but also for its profound spiritual significance, which was beyond the understanding of the rabbis.

When the Pharisees were left speechless by this response, the Sadducees, members of the same Sanhedrin, delighted in their defeat and quickly presented a question regarding the doctrine of resurrection, a notion they had dismissed due to the absurd conclusions they believed it entailed. Just as the Lord had boldly denounced the Pharisees, He similarly addressed the Sadducees by uprooting the very foundation of their erroneous beliefs. They cited the case of a woman who, according to human law, had been married to seven brothers. The Lord demonstrated to the Sadducees that their misconception arose from two key misunderstandings: firstly, they lacked comprehension of the Scriptures, and secondly, they did not grasp the omnipotence of God.

The collaboration between the Sadducees and the Pharisees is not clearly demonstrated in the Gospel narratives. It is possible that the Sadducees, witnessing how Jesus had embarrassed the Pharisees and delighting in that, sought to have Him mock the Pharisees’ belief in the resurrection of the dead alongside them. This belief held that with the Messiah's arrival, all Israelites would be resurrected and would dwell in the Holy Land. Jesus' response was well-received by the scribes, as noted in Luke 39, and the Sadducees' defeat at His words bolstered the Pharisees, as indicated in Matthew 34.

Jesus responded to them, saying, ‘You express this because you lack understanding of the promise of Eternal Life. You misjudge it, believing that people will continue their earthly, carnal existence in the next life. This is not the case: those who are granted the honor of becoming children of God following their resurrection will be like angels, living a different existence—one that is spiritual and angelic. Just as the angels do not marry or are given in marriage, they will also not experience death. Regarding your assertion that the writings of Moses do not mention the resurrection of the dead, you are mistaken here as well. Have you not read about God’s revelation to Moses? Do you remember what He proclaimed?

Regarding the resurrection itself, the belief that Moses does not address it is fundamentally mistaken. He refers to God as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, implying that God cannot be the God of those who do not continue to exist. This indicates that the patriarchs, despite having departed from their physical bodies, are indeed alive in the afterlife and anticipating resurrection. For God, all who have died continue to live, making their resurrection a simple act for Him.

Regarding the resurrection of the dead, the Lord draws upon the writings of Moses to demonstrate its reality, a concept dismissed by the Sadducees, who themselves referenced Moses in their inquiries. This text is found in the book of Exodus, where God speaks directly to Moses. It states that God is not a God of the dead but of the living: “God is not the God of those who have perished and are completely annihilated, who will never rise again. For He did not declare Himself as ‘I was’; rather, He asserts, ‘I am’ the God of those who exist and live.

Have you not considered what God has declared to you about the resurrection of the dead?

After addressing the objections of the Sadducees in a manner they did not anticipate, the Savior elucidated the nature of the resurrection. He aimed to guide some of the Sadducees away from their misconceptions while simultaneously reinforcing this truth for His listeners. In doing so, He utilized the teachings of Moses to counter the Sadducees' stance, as they themselves looked to him for authority. He said, “But of the dead that rise up, was it not read in the books of Moses, at the Tabernacle, that God spoke to him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob” (Ex. 3:6). St. Basil the Great explains that God's designation of Himself as their God reflects the exemplary virtue of these patriarchs, which warrants such a divine honor.