AT THE RESURRECTION WHOSE WIFE WILL THAT WOMAN BE?

Rev 11,4-12; Ps 143; Lk 20,27-40
24 NOVEMBER

In the people of God, the resurrection for life or for eternal condemnation was revealed faith, contained in the Prophetic Scriptures. Just as life and eternal death were most pure faith, having ended the time of man on earth. We can affirm that these truths were firm, supporting and well defined and delineated pillars of the Ancient Revelation.

After he had died, they tortured and maltreated the fourth brother in the same way. When he was near death, he said, “It is my choice to die at the hands of men with the God-given hope of being restored to life by him; but for you, there will be no resurrection to life.” Most admirable and worthy of everlasting remembrance was the mother, she exhorted each of them in these words: “I do not know how you came into existence in my womb; it was not I who gave you the breath of life, nor was it I who set in order the elements of which each of you is composed. Therefore, since it is the Creator of the universe who shapes each man’s beginning, as he brings about the origin of everything, he, in his mercy, will give you back both breath and life, because you now disregard yourselves for the sake of his law.” Martyrdom of Mother and Sons Antiochus, suspecting insult in her words, thought he was being ridiculed. As the youngest brother was still alive, the king appealed to him, not with mere words, but with promises on oath, to make him rich and happy if he would abandon his ancestral customs: he would make him his Friend and entrust him with high office. When the youth paid no attention to him at all, the king appealed to the mother, urging her to advise her boy to save his life. After he had urged her for a long time, she went through the motions of persuading her son. In derision of the cruel tyrant, she leaned over close to her son and said in their native language: “Son, have pity on me, who carried you in my womb for nine months, nursed you for three years, brought you up, educated and supported you to your present age. I beg you, child, to look at the heavens and the earth and see all that is in them; then you will know that God did not make them out of existing things; and in the same way the human race came into existence. Do not be afraid of this executioner, but be worthy of your brothers and accept death, so that in the time of mercy I may receive you again with them” (2Mac 7,13-29).

The Sadducees did not believe in many Books of Scripture, in particular they did not lend any faith to the so-called Deuterocanonic Books. Jesus can only appeal to the Book of Exodus. It was accepted by them as their Canon Book. In this Book God manifests himself as the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. Since God is not God of the dead, but of the living. The Patriarchs have not returned to nothingness, they are with God.

Some Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection, came forward and put this question to him, saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us, ‘If someone’s brother dies leaving a wife but no child, his brother must take the wife and raise up descendants for his brother.’ Now there were seven brothers; the first married a woman but died childless. Then the second and the third married her, and likewise all the seven died childless. Finally the woman also died. Now at the resurrection whose wife will that woman be? For all seven had been married to her.” Jesus said to them, “The children of this age marry and remarry; but those who are deemed worthy to attain to the coming age and to the resurrection of the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. They can no longer die, for they are like angels; and they are the children of God because they are the ones who will rise. That the dead will rise even Moses made known in the passage about the bush, when he called ‘Lord’ the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.” Some of the scribes said in reply, “Teacher, you have answered well.” And they no longer dared to ask him anything.

Jesus does not limit himself to reminding the ancient faith. He adds truth to truth. Resurrection is not a natural process. It is a true creative work of divine omnipotence. God will call our body from dust, that is, from ashes and dust and will give it life again. But not life of matter, but life of spirit and of light. The body will be transformed into spirit for everyone, it will reunite with the soul. The human person will be recomposed again. Those who have done good will be clothed with his very light. Instead, those who did evil will be covered with darkness and eternal infamy. Today it is this truth that is disappearing from our faith. The resurrection of condemnation is denied.

Mother of God, Angels and Saints, put the very pure truth of Jesus into the hearts of Christians.