Beliefs about the Afterlife (xv)

Reconciling Mark 12: 27 & Romans 14: 9

18 Then some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him; and they asked Him, saying: 19 “Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man’s brother dies, and leaves his wife behind, and leaves no children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother. 20 Now there were seven brothers. The first took a wife; and dying, he left no offspring. 21 And the second took her, and he died; nor did he leave any offspring. And the third likewise. 22 So the seven had her and left no offspring. Last of all the woman died also. 23 Therefore, in the resurrection, when they rise, whose wife will she be? For all seven had her as wife.” 24 Jesus answered and said to them, “Are you not therefore mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God? 25 For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 26 But concerning the dead, that they rise, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the burning bush passage, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? 27 He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living. You are therefore greatly mistaken.” (Mark 12: 18-27 nkjv)

God is not "God of the dead"? How can we reconcile that statement with that of Paul in Romans 14:9 that says the risen Christ is "Lord of the dead"? I have found very few bible writers who have addressed this discrepancy or seeming contradiction. Many will simply affirm both as if there is no problem. Some see it but want to leave it alone, to avoid it. 

Christ is indeed Lord of both living and dead and yet God is not the God of the dead, but of the living only. Though those two propositions seem contradictory on the surface, they are not. 

One well known author has seen the discrepancy. Said Dr. John Piper (see here - emphasis mine):

"But now back to Jesus who is Lord of the dead. Isn’t it strange that Jesus should say, God is not the God of the dead, but Paul should say, Jesus is Lord of the dead? It’s not so strange if we let the word of Jesus help us interpret the word of Paul. If God cannot be God of the dead, then Jesus cannot be Lord of the dead. That is, he cannot rule over people who stay in the grave. Those whom he rules live! If Jesus is Lord of the dead, they are not dead! If God is the God of Abraham, Abraham is not dead!"

I think that is correct so far as it goes. However, his saying that "the dead" are really not dead at all is hard to swallow. To say that "the dead" are really "the living" however makes the words "the living and the dead" to be tautological, to mean "the living and the living" or "the living ones who were once dead." 

So, was Jesus denying that Abraham was dead? No, rather, as seems best to say, Jesus was affirming that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, were both dead and alive. They were dead physically, but not in spirit, but were alive in spirit in the Underworld. As we have seen, it is the teaching of the Lord and the new testament that "the body without the spirit is dead" (James 2: 26) and that they who kill the body do not kill the soul or spirit (Matt. 10: 28). We have also noted how the appearance of Moses, who had died, on the mount of transfiguration, along with Elijah the prophet, demonstrates that Moses was both dead and alive. His body was dead and buried and yet he was alive and conscious as a disembodied spirit in the afterlife. God was the God of Moses, but Moses body alone was dead, not his spirit or conscious mind. 

In this short talk of the Lord on the question of "the resurrection of the dead," Christ was affirming that not only were Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob alive in spirit, though dead in body, but that they will also be bodily resurrected in the future, at the time of the resurrection of the righteous dead. God is God and Lord of both the bodies and souls of all men, even the bodies and spirits of those who have died.

In "God of the dead and the living: understanding Romans 14:9 in terms of its intertextual relationships," professor Philip Du Toit (North-West University) said (See here - emphasis mine):

"The account of the Sadducees confronting Jesus about the resurrection occurs in all three of the Synoptic Gospels, Matthew 22:23-33; Mark 12:18-27 and Luke 20:27-50. According to all three accounts, after Jesus said that people will not be given in marriage but be like angels in heaven, he refers to Exodus 3:6, according to which God declares to Moses that he is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Jesus then declares that "he [God] is not the God of the dead, but of the living" (ούκ εστίν θεός νεκρών άλλα ζώντων, Mk 12:27; cf. Mt 22:32; Lk 20:38).1 In Luke 20:38, the words "for all live to him" (πάντες γαρ αύτω ζώσιν) are added. At first glance, it seems that this saying in the Synoptic Gospels stands in contrast with Romans 14:9 in that it does not portray God as the God of the dead. But on closer inspection, the saying in the Synoptic Gospels works in the same direction as that of Romans 14:9, albeit from a different angle."

On who is intended by the word "all" in "all live to him" we will have much to say. Professor Philip Du Toit writes further under "ABSTRACT": 

 

"In this article, Paul's reference to Christ being the Lord of both the dead and the living in Romans 14:9 is interpreted in terms of a well-established tradition in the early church that Christ descended into the realm of the dead to proclaim his victory and judgement over evil as well as to announce and accomplish the salvation of historical Israel. This tradition can be related to various NT texts, especially Jesus' reference to God being the God not of the dead but the living (Mt 22:23-33; Mk 12:18-27; Lk 20:27-50), the notion that God (1 Pt 4:3-6) or Jesus is the judge of the living and the dead (Ac 10:42; 2 Tm 4:1), texts alluding to the underworld (Lk 16:19-31) or Jesus ' descent to the realm of the dead (Rm 10:7; 1 Pt 3:18-20:4:6; Eph 4:9), texts that point to the patriarchs being alive (Heb 11:13-16) as well as texts that point to the resurrection of OT saints (Jn 5:25-29; Mt 27:51-53). The interpretative tradition of Christ's descent to the underworld and his salvation of historical Israel is also clearly identified in the writings of the early church. These intertextual relationships that Romans 14:9 shares with many other texts in the early church paint the broader picture of an early Christian tradition about Christ's reign over the dead against which this text is to be interpreted, which in turn has profound implications for the significance of Christ's death and resurrection in Paul's theology."  

The solution to the seeming contradiction lies in the context and on the meaning of the word "the dead" or "dead ones" (there being no definite article in the Greek text). In the Synoptic gospels where Christ says to the Sadducees that God is the God of the living and not of "the dead" he uses the word as it is defined by the Sadducees which meant non existence. Of course, the bible never defines the death as annihilation and "dead persons" as non entities, or non existent beings. Thus, God is not God of people who no longer exist. When, therefore, Paul says that Christ is "Lord of the dead" he does not mean Christ is Lord of imaginary people, of persons who no longer exist except in memory. Rather, Paul uses the term "the dead" in the sense of people who have died in body but not in spirit, people who have entered the afterlife. 

The commentators at Precept Austin say (See here - emphasis mine):

"Swete says: “In quoting that passage (Ex 3:6) the Lord argues thus; In this place, God reveals Himself as standing in a real relation to men who were long dead. But the living God cannot be in relation with any who have ceased to exist; therefore the patriarchs were still living in His sight at the time of the Exodus; dead to the visible world, they were alive unto God…This argument establishes the immortality of the soul, but not, at first sight or directly, the resurrection of the body. But the resurrection of the body follows, when it is understood that the body is a true part of human nature. God would not leave men with whom He maintained relations, in an imperfect condition; the living soul must in due time recover its partner; the death of the body could only be a suspension of vital activities which in some form would be resumed.” (From Kenneth Wuest Wuest Word Studies - Eerdman Publishing Company Volume 1, Volume 2, Volume 3 - used by permission -- or Borrow Mark in the Greek New Testament for the English reader)"

Actually, Jesus is showing that the idea of an afterlife of conscious spirit existence, or intermediate state, is a part of the branch of theology dealing with "resurrection." 

Said Spurgeon in a sermon on this text (Luke 20: 38) (See here):

"Yet further, to bring out the meaning here, God cannot be the God of the non-existent. The supposition is too absurd. Our Savior does not argue about it, but He says so most peremptorily! God is not the God of the dead—that cannot be! If Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob are reduced to a handful of ashes, God cannot be at this moment their God. We cannot take a dead object to be our God, neither can JEHOVAH be a God to lifeless clay. God is not the God of putrefaction and annihilation. God is not the God of that which has ceased to be. We have but to put the idea into words to make it dissolve before the glance of reason. A living God is the God of living men, and Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are still alive." 

Yes, but God was the God of Abraham even when his body was dead, and we may say, who was still God of Abraham's dead body. God's intention to raise his body to life again is also involved in God being the God of Abraham. In agreement with this Spurgeon said further:

"This even goes far to show that the bodies of these saints shall yet live. God reckons His covenanted ones to be alive. He says, “The dead are raised.” He reckons them to be raised, and as He reckons nothing falsely, it is said by way of anticipation. “Your dead men shall live.” Inasmuch as a portion of these chosen ones is still in the earth, God, who reckons things that are not as though they were, looks upon their bodies as possessing life, because they are to possess life so soon. God is not only the God of Abraham’s soul, but of Abraham as a whole, his body, soul, and spirit." 

I agree completely. He said further:

"God is the God of Abraham’s body, we are sure of that, because the covenant seal was set upon the flesh of Abraham. Where the doubt might be, there is the confirming seal, namely, in his mortal body. There was no seal set upon his soul, for the soul had life, and could not see death, but it was set upon his body, which would die, to make sure that even it would live."

Again, I agree. 

The answer (reconciliation) seems to me requires affirmation of these things: 

1) God (or the Deity) is God of the dead in the same sense that the man Christ Jesus is Lord of the dead, and 

2) what Christ meant by "God of the dead" is not what is meant by the words "Lord of the dead." 

There is obvious difference also on the meaning of the word "dead" in each context. 

How did the Sadducees define that word? What did they believe about the afterlife? Did they believe in the immortality of the soul? In a bodily resurrection? In a world of spirits? In angels? 

Do the texts in the three Synoptic gospels that report this conversation Christ had with the Sadducees deal with the intermediate state at all? Or, is it only talking about the resurrection? Or, does the biblical idea of resurrection include the living of the soul or spirit in the afterlife before the resurrection of the body?

Beliefs of the Sadducees

"For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both." (Acts 23: 8)

Wrote Dr. Albert Barnes in his commentary on this text:

No resurrection - Of the dead. By this doctrine they also understood that there was no future state, and that the soul did not exist after death. See the notes on Matthew 22:23. 

 

Neither angel - That there are no angels. They deny the existence of good or bad angels. See the notes on Matthew 3:7. 

 

Nor spirit - Nor soul. That there is nothing but matter. They were materialists, and supposed that all the operations which we ascribe to mind could be traced to some modification of matter. The Sadducees, says Josephus (Jewish Wars, book ii. chapter 8, section 14), "take away the belief of the immortal duration of the soul, and the punishments and rewards in Hades." "The doctrine of the Sadducees is this," says he (Antiq., book 18, chapter 1, section 4), "that souls die with the bodies." The opinion that the soul is material, and that there is nothing but matter in the universe, has been held by many philosophers, ancient and modern, as well as by the Sadducees." 

 

Christ in his message to the Sadducees taught that the soul or spirit of a man is immortal, that it does not die as the body, and he also testified to a spirit world and of the resurrection of the bodies that have died.

Barnes said:

"The two points in dispute were: 

 

(1) Whether the dead would be raised and exist in a future state; and, 

 

(2) Whether mind was distinct from matter. The Sadducees denied both, and the Pharisees believed both. Their belief of the Latter point was, that spirits existed in two forms - that of angels, and that of souls of people distinct from the body." 

Christ taught the real existence of spirit beings called "angels." He also taught that the disembodied state is an intermediate state for both righteous and unrighteous people, whether from the old or new testament. 

Christ is "Lord of All"

"Jesus Christ - He is Lord of all" (Acts 10: 36).

He is also called in several places "Lord of lords." (I Tim. 6: 15; Rev. 17:14) As the Son of God, as God in his divine nature or in the Godhead, Christ is both Lord and God of all creatures, in heaven, earth, and under the earth. As the incarnate Son of Man he has also become Lord over all, as the texts at the beginning of this chapter affirm.

The Lord Jesus said to the Sadducees (as explanation for his affirmations regarding the afterlife state of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob) "for all live to him" (Luke 20: 38) and this is the same thing Paul stated in Romans 14 when he says "none of us lives to himself." Recall that Paul said:

"For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s." (Rom. 14: 7-8)

One leading commentary on Luke 20: 38 asks - "Is “all” to be taken without qualification?" (Expositor's Greek Testament) But, the same question may be asked also of the passage in Romans. Both passages say that every living human being lives to the Lord, the Romans passage adding that everyone who dies likewise dies unto the Lord. I see no reason to limit "all" to only believers as many commentators do. 

The commentators at Precept Austin say (See here - emphasis mine):

"All live to Him (only found in Luke) - Note (1 What does Jesus mean with this phrase? John Calvin explains, “that believers, after…they have died in this world, lead a heavenly life with God." This deals with believers but does not really address the word "all" which would include unbelievers, therefore I believe MacArthur's comment is correct. MacArthur on all live to Him - All people—whether departed from their earthly bodies or not—are still living, and will live forever. No one is annihilated in death (cf. John 5:28–30). (Borrow The MacArthur study Bible)"

Again, why deny that all exist and continue because of God's will and work? MacArthur is correct. 

The same source also says:

"Bock on all live to Him - The additional explanation is that all live “to Him” or “before Him” (BDF §192). All life exists in relationship to the living God. The sovereign God is responsible for life (Acts 17:28; Ro 11:36; Col. 1:16; 3:3-4; 2 Cor. 5:1-10; 1 Pet. 3:18; 4:6). In fact, all life takes place in His power, whether current life or the life to come. In addition, once one knows God, one has everlasting life. Contextually, the reference is to the resurrection, not to the Pauline concept of life “in Christ” (against Ellis 1974: 237, with Marshall 1978: 743). (Luke : 2 Volumes (Baker Exegetical Commentary)"

I agree that this is what Christ meant by saying "all live to him." That simply means that you exist because God created you and that you exist, and continue to live, at his pleasure and by his providence. Though some exist whose destiny it will be to spend eternity in hell fire and torment, yet they nevertheless were created for God's purpose. Wrote Paul:

“But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.” (II Tim. 2: 20)

Those souls who die in their sins and spend eternity in hell's prison will forever be vessels to dishonor. They will still exist for God's purpose, but it will be an ignoble purpose. Even in hell the damned will "live to the Lord" (will exist for his purpose). Believers, on the other hand, will be forever vessels to honor, existing for and serving God's purpose in a nobler manner.

Wrote the apostle Paul:

"But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God." (I Cor. 11: 3)

The "headship" of which Paul speaks involves "lordship," or ruling authority.  "Head" may also denote being at the top, or being the superior. So, if "every man" means "every human being without exception," then this text settles all debate on whether Christ is Lord of all creatures, including Lord of the dead in the Underworld. Some commentators think that "every man" here denotes only believers and not every human being. Notice these examples:

"The allusion here is not to Christ as the Head of the whole human race and of all things (as in Ephesians 1:22; Colossians 1:16; Colossians 2:10), but as the Head of “the Body,” the Christian Church..." (Elliott)

"...what is meant, however, is every Christian man, is self-evident from this first clause; consequently, Paul is not thinking of the general order of creation (Hofmann), according to which Christ is the head of all things (Colossians 1:16 f., 1 Corinthians 2:10), but of the organization of Christian fellowship, as it is based upon the work of redemption." (Meyer)

But, this view is not correct, as we will see. First, however, let us note these comments from Albert Barnes' Commentary on what is entailed in being a "head" of something or some person or group.

"That the head ... - The word "head," in the Scriptures, is designed often to denote "master, ruler, chief." The word ראשׁ ro'sh is often thus used in the Old Testament; see Numbers 17:3; Numbers 25:15; Deuteronomy 28:13, Deuteronomy 28:44; Judges 10:18; Judges 11:8, Judges 11:11; 1 Samuel 15:17; 2 Samuel 22:44. In the New Testament the word is used in the sense of Lord, ruler, chief, in Ephesians 1:22; Ephesians 4:15; Ephesians 5:23; Colossians 2:10. Here it means that Christ is the ruler, director, or Lord of the Christian man. This truth was to be regarded in all their feelings and arrangements, and was never to be forgotten. Every Christian should recollect the relation in which he stands to him, as one that is suited to produce the strictest decorum, and a steady sense of subordination. Of every man - Every Christian. All acknowledge Christ as their Ruler and Master. They are subject to him; and in all proper ways recognize their subordination to him." (Barnes)

All this is good on the meaning of "head," but he is wrong to think that the headship of Christ over every man, in the text, is limited to believers, as did Elliott and Meyer. Wrote Dr. John Gill in his better commentary on the text:

"that the head of every man is Christ; Christ is the head of every individual human nature, as he is the Creator and Preserver of all men, and the donor of all the gifts of nature to them; of the light of nature, of reason, and of all the rational powers and faculties; he is the head of nature to all men, as he is of grace to his own people: and so he is as the Governor of all the nations of the earth, who whether they will or no are subject to him; and one day every knee shall bow to him, and every tongue confess that he is the Lord of all. Moreover, Christ is the head of every believing man; he is generally said to be the head of the church, and so of every man that is a member of it: he is a common public head, a representative one to all his elect..." 

It seems strange that anyone who believes in universal or general atonement on the basis of it being for "every man" (where 'every man' means 'every man without exception') and would here say "every man" denotes only believers (as do some Arminian commentators). However, Dr. Gill believes in a "limited atonement" and yet, ironically, allows that "every man" means every man without exception, as I also do. 

Christ is the head, the superior, the Lord, of every man, "man" being used for "human." Yes, he is "head" over other things and groups of creatures, such as "head of the body, the church" (Col. 1:18; Eph. 5: 23), but this does not exclude him being head and lord over all creatures, and all realms and dominions, and so Paul says "and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power." (Col. 2: 10) Sheol, Hades, or the Underworld is a power and dominion. Christ' being head over all, head over every man, and head of the body of the redeemed, is connected with his being head of all principality and power. 

There is simply no way that the Lordship of Christ, of the Messiah, of God incarnate, can be limited to believers only. He is either Lord of all or he is not Lord at all. This includes his being Lord of the living and the dead. He demonstrated that lordship over the dead in going to the Underworld and proclaiming his victory over sin and death, and by his "leading captivity captive."

Christ is received as Lord by believers, because they recognize, trust in, and adore (worship) his lordship and willfully subject themselves to his rule and government. But, he is Lord over all whether they believe it or not. 

My believing in the Lordship of Christ over me is not what makes him my Lord. He was my Lord even before I knew of him. My "making him Lord over my life" in the hour of repentance and faith, was my willing acceptance of his rule and authority, and when I became no longer a rebel to his rule. Prior to that time I was under the rule of Satan, and of the lusts of the flesh, and of a fallen nature, as all men. (See Acts 26: 18; Eph. 2: 1-3; II Tim. 2: 25-26; etc.) But, once I became a willing subject, servant, slave, citizen, of Christ the Lord and King I then began to obey him and his commands and to enjoy the rewards of such a state. Believers have a different attitude and belief towards God and Christ the Lord than do unbelievers. 

Nevertheless, Christ is the Lord even of those who deny him and he will be the one who judges them in the day of judgment. He will judge and condemn them for rejecting and rebelling against him as Lord (which he could not do if they were not already duty bound to acknowledge his lordship over them). He will force all to tell the truth, which will include acknowledging his lordship over them. This will include all the eternally damned humans and all the fallen angels and demons. The lordship of Christ over the wicked spirits in the Underworld may be logically inferred from his being "head" and "judge" and "king" of them. 

Notice these passages that also affirm that Christ is Lord of all, which includes the wicked spirits of the damned in the Underworld.

"But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him." (I Cor. 8: 6)

"He that glories, let him glory in the Lord." (II Cor. 10: 17)

These texts support the proposition that Christ is Lord even of those who reject him and of the wicked dead in the Underworld. 

Let us notice some more texts on how Christ is both Lord and Judge of the dead.

"And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead." (Acts 10: 42)

"I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom." (II Tim. 4: 1)

"Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead." (I Peter 4: 5)

Some will affirm that Christ is Judge of the dead but not Lord of the dead. But, lordship and rule are integral to being a judge. They will say "Lord of the dead" means "Lord of dead believers" but why does not "Judge of the dead" also mean "Judge of dead believers"? We certainly see the connection between Christ being Judge and Lord in these words of the Christ.

"And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment." (John. 5: 27-29)

"All who are in the tombs" or "graves" would include both saved and lost persons. He is the one who has the power and authority to summons the departed spirits in the Underworld to come forth and enter into their deceased bodies and stand before the judgment bar of heaven. His Lordship over both the living and the dead is evident in these words. 

All Creatures Belong To Christ by Right of Redemption

"For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s." (I Cor. 6: 20)

God owns, and Christ specially owns, the bodies and spirits of his people, as we have before stated. But, he also is Lord and owner of the bodies and spirits of all men, even of the damned in hell, as we have also stated. All men certainly have a duty to "glorify God" and Christ the Lord and to do so in their bodies and spirits. 

When the bible commands all men to acknowledge Christ as their Lord, were they not acknowledging his lordship over them? We have already seen where all creatures are commanded to, and actually will, publicly confess the lordship of Christ. (See Rom. 14: 11; Phil. 2: 10-11; Rev. 5: 13)