In Jesus’ debate with the Sadducees, He defended His position that there will be a resurrection of the dead by quoting Exodus 3:6. Luke records Jesus as saying, “But even Moses revealed that the dead are raised in the passage about the bush, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for all live before him.” (Luke 20:37-8, NET).
Jesus’ argument seems to be as follows:
(1) God can only be “the God of…X”, if X exists
(2) God identified Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob centuries after their death
(3) Therefore, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob still existed when God spoke to Moses
I find two problems with this line of reasoning.
First, there is no grammatical argument from Exodus 3:6 that demonstrates the continued existence of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in Moses’ day. Biblical Hebrew did not have tense, so it’s not as if one can argue that since the present tense was used in Exodus 3:6, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob must have still existed in some manner in Moses’ day. Even if Biblical Hebrew had tense, and the present tense had been used here, it still wouldn’t follow that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob still existed in Moses’ day. If I said “This is the land of Washington, Adams, and Lincoln,” I do not thereby commit myself to the notion that George Washington, John Adams, and Abraham Lincoln are still alive in some sense, and no one would understand me to be making such a claim. I am merely using their names as a descriptor. In the same way, one would naturally read God’s statement that He is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as a descriptor. It was a way for God to identify Himself – nothing more and nothing less.
Secondly, while Jesus’ argument may demonstrate that humans are immaterial souls who survive their death in a conscious state (something the Sadducees denied), I fail to see how it demonstrates a future resurrection of the dead. Some additional premise or Biblical citation would be needed to demonstrate that disembodied souls will return to bodily life. No such argument is given.
I confess some trepidation in saying this, but it seems like Jesus offered a poor Biblical proof-text for His position. And yet, when you read the text, Jesus’ opponents found it extremely persuasive. They were not able to offer any rebuttal. Am I missing something here? I do not want to say Jesus’ argument missed the point, but I cannot deny the fact that his argument appears to fall short of its intended goal.
My only suggestion for figuring out how this could have been persuasive to Jesus’ audience was if they presumed that if life continued beyond the grave, there would, of necessity be a resurrection from the dead. Perhaps they understood proof for one as proof of the other and Jesus was building on that assumption. Even if this is correct, it only resolves the second problem, not the first.
Does anyone have any insights on this passage they would like to offer?
Thinking to Believe 
December 5, 2022 at 7:18 pm
I have had some problems with this passage as well but here is some of what I think. I believe Jews saw death as an enemy even as sin or at least the result of sin. If death is sinful how could God have relationship with Abraham and Jacob. The sin/death in them can not be in the presence of God. Beyond that these men lived in a time before any sacrificial system. So if God could call himself the I Am of individuals racked with the disease of death, he must be looking at a time when they would not be in this state and thus it must be a future state.
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December 6, 2022 at 9:08 am
i might be missing something because Luke’s quote of Jesus doesnt make sense with Moses’ quote of the LORD/YHWH in Exodus ???
“Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.” here “he”=the LORD/YHWH.
“Now that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” here “he”=Moses.
but 3 quick points ……….. A. Jesus isnt really making an argument He is just stating His belief B. “Then certain of the scribes answering said, Master, thou hast well said.” not ALL of the scribes. but since what He said couldnt be refuted they stop asking Him questions because the context is to trick Him/catch Him saying something they can condemn Him with C. i understand there are NT verses people use to prove the dead are living spirits but when you look at the evidence it’s clear to me “the dead know not any thing.”
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December 9, 2022 at 12:04 am
Paul Vander Voort, I think it’s clear that Jesus used Exodus as a proof text against the theology of the Sadducees, and as such was making an argument for his view and against the Sadducees’ view. While it could possibly refute the Sadducees’ belief that life ends at the grave (and that’s a stretch for me), I don’t see how that passage would refute the Sadducees’ denial of a future resurrection of the body.
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December 11, 2022 at 6:51 pm
TR, not really my point but fair enough.
if it’s “once you’re gone
You can never come back” ……. that would mean YWHW’s above quote about Abraham, Isaac and Jacob makes no sense.
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December 11, 2022 at 6:54 pm
ooops YHWH
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December 12, 2022 at 6:23 pm
plus if they didnt have “tense.” YHWH could be saying they are dead now but will be raised from the dead in the future.
“Job 19:25–27 (NIV)
I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!”
“Daniel 12:2–3
And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.”
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December 13, 2022 at 12:59 pm
Or it could be read as “I was the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”
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December 21, 2022 at 4:33 pm
could be …….. but that makes no sense based on all of the other biblical evidence which says there will be a resurrection. plus you ignore — “For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.” that means to me He states facts not makes arguments. and if there is no resurrection of the dead the whole bible is nonsense — especially the NT.
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December 23, 2022 at 5:33 pm
“And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart,”
if YHWH can say “I will” He can say “I was.” and since He could but didnt that means He didnt mean —- “I was the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”
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January 29, 2023 at 5:54 pm
Considering the fact that the Sadducees did not believe in either angel or spirit (with God being the only exception) Jesus’ response can only be interpreted as a direct repudiation of that core belief. Couple that Job and and Corinthians 15 with his statement I am the resurrection and the life then on the principle of precept upon precept and line upon line it is clear he is espousing the facgt of a bodily resurection.
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March 4, 2023 at 7:40 pm
While I agree that scripture builds upon other scripture, I don’t necessarily see the precept upon precept/line upon line as the end-all support of that concept. Consider:
Isaiah 28:9-14
9 “Whom will he teach knowledge?
And whom will he make to understand the message?
Those just weaned from milk?
Those just drawn from the breasts?
10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept,
Line upon line, line upon line,
Here a little, there a little.”
11 For with stammering lips and another tongue
He will speak to this people,
12 To whom He said, “This is the rest with which
You may cause the weary to rest,”
And, “This is the refreshing”;
Yet they would not hear.
13 But the word of the Lord was to them,
“Precept upon precept, precept upon precept,
Line upon line, line upon line,
Here a little, there a little,”
That they might go and fall backward, and be broken
And snared and caught.
14 Therefore hear the word of the Lord, you scornful men,
Who rule this people who are in Jerusalem,
Seems to me that “line upon line” is associated with immaturity and even people who refuse to or are unable to hear. I admit that I may be off base here and I am willing to be corrected.
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