Matthew 22:31 - But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have you not read that which was spoken to you by God, saying,
Matthew 22:32 - "I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob"? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. -- Restoration Light Improved Version.
Luke 20:37 - But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the place concerning the Bush, when he called Jehovah the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.
Luke 20:38 - Now he is not the God of the dead, but of the living: for all are alive to him. -- Restoration Light Improved Version.
Matthew 22:32 is frequently quoted as proof that the dead are not really dead, that is, that only the body dies, but that a person's soul or spirit is immortal, and cannot die. Thus it is claimed that one's immortal soul or spirit continues to live on consciously after the death of the body.
A study of the context will show that Christ was speaking here of the resurrection and that the passage teaches exactly the opposite of the commonly perceived meaning. His words in the preceding verse are: “As touching the resurrection of the dead.” Barnes correctly notes that "as touching" means proof "that the dead are raised," but then goes on to, in effect, say that Jesus was claiming the dead are not dead, which would mean that what he said is not about the resurrection of the dead at all. In effect, the popular claim would have Jesus speaking of the resurrection of the dead bodies of the living. However, if their souls were alive somewhere then there would be no need for their souls to be raised from the living.
The assumption appears to be that in order for the dead to be raised from the dead that Jesus was saying that the dead are not dead, but they are alive. Of course, God has the ability to raise up dead souls and make them alive again and give them a body in the resurrection, without any need for the dead to be consciously alive somewhere. A person does not need to be conscious somewhere while dead in order for God to raise up that person from the dead. The Bible directly states that the dead do not know anything. (Psalm 6:7;146:4; Ecclesiastes 9:5,10; Isaiah 38:18) The spirit that God gives to us that makes us a living soul is returned to God (through Jesus) when we die. (Genesis 2:7; Ecclesiastes 12:7) In being raised from the dead, that spirit is given a body and the person is again a living soul, not a dead soul. Thus, in the resurrection, it is not a replica of the person who died; it is the same person who died.
Jesus, however, did not say: “the resurrection of the living,” for that would have been nonsense. It is the dead -- not the living -- that will need to be raised back to life again. Jesus' point was that because of the coming resurrection, the dead are NOT forever blotted out of existence. Through Christ, all the dead now condemned in Adam will be made alive. (Romans 5:12-19; 1 Corinthians 15:21,22; 1 Timothy 2:5,6; 1 John 2:2) In view of the resurrection, Jesus could say that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is not the God of the dead but of the living, since God reckons things that are not as though they were. Thus, to God, all who have died in Adam are reckoned as alive. This agrees with what the apostle says in Romans 4:17: “God quickeneth [makes alive] the dead and calleth [appoints] those things which be not as though they were.” Surely, Jesus was not saying that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were consciously living in heaven with God as many like to imagine and assume, but regarding the resurrection, God calls or counts them as though they were alive. Because of the resurrection in the last day, all the dead in Adam are reckoned as alive to God, as Luke 20:37,38 tells us. -- John 5:28,29; 6:39,40,44,54; 11:24; 12:47,48; Romans 5:12-19; 1 Corinthians 15:21,22.
The assumption appears to be that in order for the dead to be raised from the dead that Jesus was saying that the dead are not dead, but they are alive. Of course, God has the ability to raise up dead souls and make them alive again and give them a body in the resurrection, without any need for the dead to be consciously alive somewhere. A person does not need to be conscious somewhere while dead in order for God to raise up that person from the dead. The Bible directly states that the dead do not know anything. (Psalm 6:7;146:4; Ecclesiastes 9:5,10; Isaiah 38:18) The spirit that God gives to us that makes us a living soul is returned to God (through Jesus) when we die. (Genesis 2:7; Ecclesiastes 12:7) In being raised from the dead, that spirit is given a body and the person is again a living soul, not a dead soul. Thus, in the resurrection, it is not a replica of the person who died; it is the same person who died.
Jesus, however, did not say: “the resurrection of the living,” for that would have been nonsense. It is the dead -- not the living -- that will need to be raised back to life again. Jesus' point was that because of the coming resurrection, the dead are NOT forever blotted out of existence. Through Christ, all the dead now condemned in Adam will be made alive. (Romans 5:12-19; 1 Corinthians 15:21,22; 1 Timothy 2:5,6; 1 John 2:2) In view of the resurrection, Jesus could say that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is not the God of the dead but of the living, since God reckons things that are not as though they were. Thus, to God, all who have died in Adam are reckoned as alive. This agrees with what the apostle says in Romans 4:17: “God quickeneth [makes alive] the dead and calleth [appoints] those things which be not as though they were.” Surely, Jesus was not saying that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were consciously living in heaven with God as many like to imagine and assume, but regarding the resurrection, God calls or counts them as though they were alive. Because of the resurrection in the last day, all the dead in Adam are reckoned as alive to God, as Luke 20:37,38 tells us. -- John 5:28,29; 6:39,40,44,54; 11:24; 12:47,48; Romans 5:12-19; 1 Corinthians 15:21,22.
Jesus is speaking of the resurrection, not of anyone being conscious while dead. In Matthew 22:32, Jesus is speaking from God's standpoint, for, as Paul later wrote:
As it is written, "I have made you a father of many nations." This is before him whom he believed, God, who gives life to the dead, and calls the things that are not, as though they were. - (Romans 4:17, World English.
Here, Paul is indirectly quoting Genesis 17:5. When God said His words to Abraham as recorded in Genesis 17:5, was Abraham actually -- at the time the words were spoken -- a father of many nations? NO! Paul goes on to show, however, that God "calls things that are not, as though they were." Thus, in the context Paul speaks of being "reckoned/counted/imputed" (Strong's #3049*) as being justified. (Romans 4:3-11,22-24) Similarly, it is only from God's reckoned standpoint that Abraham could have been "the father of a multitude of nations" at the time of His words spoken to Abraham as recorded in Genesis 17:5. Likewise, Luke 20:38 adds Jesus' statement, "for all are alive to him," (Luke 20:38), that is, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are all counted or reckoned as being alive to God, for God "calls things that are not, as though they were." Jesus' words are not out of harmony with the testimony of other scriptures that the dead know nothing, that those in sheol cannot give thanks, etc. -- Ecclesiastes 9:10; Psalm 6:5; Isaiah 38:18.
There is nothing in Matthew 22:31,32 or Luke 20:37,38 that says that there is a part of man that continues to be alive while the body is dead. The idea that man has an immortal soul or spirit that continues to be conscious after the death of the body is not found anywhere in the Bible. The dualistic idea of man comes, not from the Bible, but from heathen religions and philosophies.
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