Wednesday 16 March 2016
- Bible Book:
- Mark
“He is God not of the dead, but of the living.” (v. 27)
Psalm: Psalm 61
Background
In much of the Old Testament, there is only the vaguest beliefin life after death. By the time of Jesus' conversation with theSadducees, belief in life after death had become much more popularbut without a clear picture of what the resurrection life wouldlook like. The Sadducees resisted belief in bodily resurrection -their question is based around a law given in
Some people have found Jesus' response to be cold comfort,painting as it does a picture of the resurrection life in which noone is married. Some people, especially those in contentedlong-term relationships, find this to be a rather bleak idea. C SLewis, in his book 'Miracles', compares these worries to "a smallboy who, on being told that the sexual act was the highest bodilypleasure, should immediately ask whether you ate chocolates at thesame time. On receiving the answer 'No,' he might regard absence ofchocolates as the chief characteristic of sexuality… The boy knowschocolate: he does not know the positive thing that excludesit."
Like the small boy (and perhaps the Sadducees), many people findit difficult to imagine - let alone look forward to - theresurrection life, because our idea of what makes 'a good life' isso firmly rooted in our current context. In the discussion thatfollows of the greatest commandment, one of the religious leadersadmits that loving God and our neighbour is, in fact, "moreimportant than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices" (v. 33).The covenant made in the Old Testament and the laws laid down inbooks like Deuteronomy (including those around burnt offerings andsacrifices) are fulfilled in Jesus. Just as those living under theold covenant would find it difficult to picture life under the newcovenant, so we struggle to picture the resurrection life - but weare reassured that when we love God, our neighbour and ourselves,we are "not far from the kingdom of God" (v. 34).
To Ponder
- What do you find exciting about the ideas of resurrection andlife in the age to come? And what makes you anxious?
- How do you respond to the laws given in the Old Testament? Whatdo they tell you today about the nature of God?