1. Discussion about the Resurrection

Today we read Matthew 22:23-33, the passage which concerns the resurrection. The contents lead us to reflect on weather we could expect a new life after death on the earth. “Life after death” is one of eternal questions throughout the human history. And, so far, nobody could give any convincing answer. Death remains still completely mysterious. We will see today what and how the Bible tells us about it.

In the era of Jesus, the issue was also very important for Jewish people. They discussed it frequently and seriously. Though Jewish way of thinking was commonly based on the Bible writings, points of view varied from religious group to group. Pharisees, members of one of influential branches of Judaism of the time, believed that eternal soul existed. They represented the middle class of the society. According to them, human soul remains after death and revives on the last day of the world in a new body. In contrast, Sadducees who consisted the religious noble and the rich rejected the notion of resurrection.

In general, socially privileged persons were happy under present conditions of life. Therefore they are conservative and focused on earthy matters.

Today’s lecturing portion describes the scene of the discussion between Jesus and Sadducees about the resurrection. Matthew started the passage ; - That same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him with a question. “Teacher,” they said, “Moses told us that if a man dies without having children, his brother must marry the widow and have children for him. Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died, and since he had no children, he left his wife to his brother. The same thing happened to the second and third brother, right on down to the seventh. Finally, the woman died. Now then, at the resurrection, whose wife will she be of the seven, since all of them were married to her?"(Matthew22:24-28)

Sadducees were referring to Deuteronomy 25:5-10, which taught how to do if a Jewish married man died without child. According to it, one of brothers of the man must marry with his widow. And the first son she bears shall carry on the name of the dead so that his name will not be forgotten in Israel.

The custom was called “the levirate marriage.” However Sadducees exaggerated the case. It does not seem probable in reality that 7 brothers marry one after another with the same woman and die without child. They formed a question on a ridiculous situation to embarrass Jesus. They also intended to ridicule the notion of afterlife before the crowd.

The argument should lead on to the question, “Is there a world for the dead?” Sadducees thought that nothing existed after death. And Jesus’ reply was opposite to their understanding ; - “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. (Matthew 22:29)

To begin with, Jesus confirmed the resurrection indirectly. Then he continued ; - At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. (Matthew 22:30)

Jesus meant that the resurrection was true and our life won’t be put to end by death. However he explained that the afterlife is not the same as the present life. All human relations would vanish. In other words, the life would be disconnected before and after death.

Naturally, we reflect on the afterlife in the same frame of the daily life we live now. But it is an error. We won’t see again the deceased in the world of the dead in the same way we had seen them before. Jesus taught that such an error was caused by ignorance of God’s power revealed in the Bible.

Then how does the Bible tell us about the power of God? Jesus gave the answer ; - But about the resurrection of the dead—have you not read what God said to you, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living."(Matthew 22:31-32)

The verses above recapitulate Exodus 3:6-10, in which God showed himself to Moises. God said to him, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” Thus God promised the Jewish people guide and protection throughout the journey from Egypt to Canaan. God chose Moises as the leader of departure from the country of harsh slavery.

God in the Bible is God of the living, not of the death. Jesus’ message is, “The promise given by God to Abraham has come true through Moises. God, who loved Abraham and led Moises, loves you and makes you alive. Therefore it is worthless to discuss life after death. The matter surpasses human understanding. It is better for you to live now by trusting entirely in God.”

2. Life beyond death

God works for the living, not for the dead. For that reason, the Bible excluded clear explanation of life after death. Instead, it teaches us to focus on the present life and trust all the rest to God. The only exception is the Resurrection of Jesus. As a matter of fact, all of four Gospels are reporting on the issue.

Though their scriptures vary in details they have a common point: “The Resurrection was very difficult for people of the time to admit as a true event.” For example, Mark wrote in 16:8 ; - Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.

According to Luke, ; - they(the apostles) did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense.(Luke 24:21) when Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others told what happened.

And Matthew didn’t conceal the skepticism of certain apostles ; - When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.(Matthew28:17)

John also reported ; - They (Jesus’ disciples) still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead even though Simon Peter saw in the tomb the strips of linen lying and the burial cloth that had been around Jesus’ head. (see John 20:9)

The Resurrection was so mysterious that the Apostles, who witnessed the fact, could not recognize soon. It was and is a phenomena which goes beyond human comprehension. Nonetheless the very event altered the course of human history.

After the Cross of Jesus, his disciples were hiding. ; - On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, “(John 20:19)

They were afraid that the Jewish authority would also arrest them following the execution of Jesus. Those fearful disciples altered attitude few weeks later. They started testifying to the divinity of Jesus openly . They dared to declare in public places that Jesus was resurrected after the death on the Cross. The furious authority arrested and tortures them but nothing could curb their willingness.

At least, it is true that something powerful happened and it changed nature of the disciples. Paul said that it was the encounter with resurrected Jesus. Besides, Paul too confessed the belief in the Resurrection; - For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.( Romans 14:9)

Only by acknowledging the Resurrection of Jesus, we arrive to trust our entity to God. Blaise Pascal* wrote, “God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob, not of philosophers and scholars. Certitude, heartfelt joy, peace, God of Jesus Christ.” Pascal was a well-known French mathematician, physicist, inventor, writer and Catholic philosopher. He converted to the christianity at the age of 31 and wrote about that experience.

As a scientist, his way of thinking is very logical. And, all things considered, he concluded that God was beyond human understanding. Therefore “God must not be of philosophers and scholars.” He thought that humans could accept merely what they experienced, without comprehending the whole universe. Thus, Pascal reached at the confession of faith: “God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob,"and “God of Jesus Christ.” He admitted that God, who had revived Jesus from death, was God of the living. And he recognized that God also made Pascal himself alive.

* Blaise Pascal http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blaise_Pascal
- conversion http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blaise_Pascal#Religious_conversion
http://catholiceducation.org/articles/catholic_stories/cs0011.html

3. Resurrection for us

Today’s invocation verse is Romans 10:9 ; - That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

It is impossible to prove the Resurrection in scientific way. It is the matter of faith. It depends on our belief. And that belief determines our way of living. Sadducees denied existence of life after death and soul. Consequently, all of their concerns were earthy matters, likewise today’s Japanese people. They look for the secular happiness alone. Their focus on how to earn more money or how to climb up the social ladder. Meanwhile they avoid to reflect on the death.

Nonetheless nobody cannot avoid death. And, facing imminent death, they upset and lose all hope, like a man in one of Jesus’ parables, “The Parable of the Rich Fool” :
The ground of the man produced a good crop. So he decided to tear down his barns and build bigger ones. He stored all his grain and his goods in the new barns. And he said to himself, “Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ ( see Luke 12:16-20)

At the very moment of death, he must give up whatever he possessed on the earth, barns crops and goods. The rich man thought that his life was in his hand. But he made a big mistake. Life is out of humans’ control. Furthermore his wealth was powerless to redeem his life. Therefore Jesus said that he was fool. The man ignored the really precious thing.

As long as we deny the Resurrection, we live as if we are death row prisoners. Because the death put our future literally at the dead end. It destroys all hope.

However it is really difficult, even for christians, to admit and recognize the Resurrection faithfully. Mr. Masahisa Suzuki, a Japanese pastor died of kidney cancer in 1969 at the age of 56. He recorded 3 cassettes during his last days in bed for his congregation. The contexts had been written down and published as one volume of the collection of his works. I present an extract from it:
– When I hospitalized here I was foreseeing recovery to continue my service in the church. I was awaiting hopefully days in health. But, one day, one of my daughters told me the truth. The cancer was in a desperate phase. Doctor could do nothing to cure me. I lost all of my future then. Without tomorrow was without today. The present life became meaningless. I was completely distressed and felt as if a black heavy hand was on my chest. I prayed. I called for God, ” Father in heaven!” I repeated as if I were a little child. I prayed also, “Oh Jesus Christ, please empower me and calm my soul.” Then I fell asleep because of fatigue. I slept till dawn. When I was awake I find myself filled with mysterious power. I was not fearful anymore –

We live by believing in future. But, someday, no “tomorrow” will be left before us. On that very day, those who can trust totally in God are blessed. They are happier than persons who are given a longevity of 100, or even happier than an extremely talented one, the prime minister of a nation, for instance. Any virtue or wealth in the earthy world must passe away. But, if we arrive to believe in the Resurrection of Christ and trust our entity to God, we can be accorded eternal life. Isn’t such a life perfectly perfect ?