Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-15

OF seven men married in succession to one
woman, they inquire: Whose wife shall
she be in the resurrection" They had all
been lawfully married, each, in turn, had
been a true husband. II they live after deaf tn
how will their relations be adjusted7 It is
probable that they who asked this question
considered that dilemma was presented
out OF which Jesus would be unable to ex-
cover the utter folly Of belief in the fu-
ture life. The Pharisees, IL any were near
while they could not answer the question,
would greatly rejoice to see our Lord en-.
be said by Him that would lead to his
overthrow. What they could not do they
were willing the 6adducees should do.
REMARKABLE IGN ORANC e.
ers with utmost frankness. He told them
plainly that they were strangely ignorant
Of the Scriptures. They had done what
was very common at that time, and what
stituted human opinion for inspired truth.
(Matt.xv.0: The views Of the Sadducees
were all philosophical speculations, an at
tempt to construct theological sys-
notions Of what must be. what
the power of God. Their capital mis-
take was in supposing that in the next
will be reproduced that husbands and
wives will renew the relations sustained
on the earth. Whereas, men enter into a
spiritual world where marriage Is unknown.
The distinction of sex Is blotted out. Men
are like angels. without bodies q Cor. Nv,
~ and therefore. without bodily appetites
and passions. Material bodies give place
to spiritual bodies q Cor. xv,4D.
SCRIPTURE PROOF Oversees 20 and
T)-Jesus had broken the point Of the
question put to him, and had exhibited the
ignorance OF the men who sought to en-
snare him. There he might have paused;
But opportunity was offered to go beyond
which the question was intended to bring
into contempt. His argument was con-
elusive. He appealed to the writings OF
Moses, to which the Sadducees had re-
ferred, proposing to retain their attention
documents. When God spoke In the bush.
lex. iii.G He said, Il am the God of Abra-
ham, the God OF Isaac and the GOO or
Jacob" These patriarchs died several GEN.
ent tense. as If at that time they were
living. He did not say I was the God, but
I am the God. Therefore Abraham, Isaac
and Jacob had not persisted Or ceased to
be when they died-they had continued
their existence. Hence. the sadduoees
were wrong in supposing that death ends
all:
CLOSING THOUGHTs.-1. Jesus was
the first to distinguish between the civil
and the spiritual. All teachers prior to Him
had united church and state. endeavoring to
make each conform to the other. never rec
ognizing that the allegiance Of a man should
be to an earthly sovereign in earthly things
and to God in religious things. 2. Jesus was
the first to emphasize the importance as
well as the nature Of the civil and the
spiritual. Men are not at liberty to attend
to one and neglect the other. Both must be
regarded, only they must be kept distinct
as covering two classes of duties. 8. Many
Of the difficulties into which people come on
religious subjects are due to their ignorance
Of Scripture. We must return to a definite
statement Of Gods word for our faith and
hold that as final. f. Let there be no longer
any doubt of a future existence in the mind
Of any who believe in Christ. He has given
an authoritative utterance. and that Is in
such form as to show that under the old
dispensation men believed in another life.