Questions From Readers - Continue with Jesus told the Sadducees that resurrected ones "neither marry nor be given in marriage." (Luke 20:34-046) Was he talking about the resurrection on earth?

Those who have been counted worthy of gaining . . . the resurrection from the dead." Faithful anointed ones are "counted worthy of the Kingdom of God." (2 Thessalonians 1:5, 11) Because of Christ's ransom sacrifice, God views the anointed as righteous.  When they die, God views them as being free from sin.  (Romans 5:1, 18; 8:1)  Anointed ones are called "happy and holy: and are viewed as worthy  if a resurrection to heaven.  (Revelation 20:5, 6)  This cannot be said about those who are resurrected to life on earth, because they will include "the unrighteous." (Acts 24:15)  Can such "unrighteous " ones be counted worthy" of a resurrection?

"Neither can they die anymore."  Jesus did not say: "They will not die anymore." Rather, he said: "Neither can they die anymore." Other translations render that phrase "they are not subject to death any longer" and death has no more power over them." Anointed ones who remain faithful are resurrected to heaven.  There they will be immortal.  This means they cannot die and that their life cannot be destroyed.  (1 Corinthians 15:53, 54)  Death has no power over those resurrected to heaven.

Based on the information we have discussed so far, what can we conclude?  We learn that Jesus may have been referring to a resurrection in heaven. If so, then we understand three things about those resurrected  to heaven: (1) They do not marry, (2) They cannot die, and (3) in some ways they are similar to angels in heaven. But if Jesus was referring to a resurrection to heaven the following questions need to be answered.

First, the Sadducees were probably thing about a resurrection on earth, so why would Jesus refer to a resurrection to heaven? Jesus did not always answer his enemies according to their way of thinking. For example, when some Jews asked Jesus to perform a miracle, he said: "Tear down this temple, and in three days, I will raise it up."  Jesus likely knew they were thinking about the temple building, "but he was talking about the temple of his body." (John 2:18-21)  Maybe Jesus did not feel that he had to answer  the Sadducees, who were hipocrites. After all, they did not believe in the resurrection or in the existence of angels.  (Proverbs 23:9; Matthew 7:6; Acts 23:8) Instead, Jesus many have wanted to provide his disciples with details about the resurrection to heaven. They were sincere ones who would have the hope of going to heaven. 

Next time: Questions From Readers - Conclusion of Jesus told the Sadducees that resurrection ones "neither marry or are given in marriage ." (Like 20:34-46) Was he talking about the resurrection on earth? 

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