The Sadducees Come to Jesus - Mark 12:18

Mark wrote how, “they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to catch him in his words. And when they were come, they say unto him, Master, we know that you are true, and care for no man: for you regard not the person of men, but teach the way of God in truth: Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not? Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why tempt you me? bring me a penny, that I may see it. And they brought it. And he said unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? And they said unto him, Caesar's. And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. And they marveled at him”, and in chapter twelve and verse eighteen of his book, Mark shared “then come unto him the Sadducees” where we read:

Then come unto him the Sadducees, which say there is no resurrection; and they asked him, saying,

The verse reads, “Then come unto him the Sadducees, which say there is no resurrection;” Mark began with the words, “then come unto him” which means “afterward arose and appeared to Jesus” “the Sadducees” or “a religious party at the time of Christ among the Jews, who denied that the oral law was a revelation of God to the Israelites, and who deemed the written law alone to be obligatory on the nation, as the divine authority whose name means the righteous”, “which say there is no resurrection” which means “who utter, declare and proclaim that there exists no rising from the dead”. Mark shared how another “religious group” known as the “Sadducees” who did not believe in the “raising of the dead” came to Jesus.

The verse continues, “and they asked him, saying,” Mark added the words, “and they asked him” which means “and the Sadducees questioned and inquired of Jesus”, “saying” or “uttering, declaring and proclaiming”. Mark shared how the “Sadducees” were the next group of “religious leaders” who appeared to question Jesus.

When we think through Mark's words in this verse, we see how Jesus was not to be left alone by the “religious leaders” who were in charge of spiritual things. Jesus was a threat to their positions, and their intent was to discredit Him before the people. God sent His Son Jesus to the earth to die for the sins of mankind so they might live eternally with Him. They have a choice. Either they come to Jesus with a yielded heart in belief and trust in Him, or they challenge Jesus like these “Sadducees”. Their “eternal life” depends upon the choice they make.

Next time Mark shares how the Sadducees presented Jesus with, “if a man's brother die, and leave his wife behind him” so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".