Observation: Several groups of Jews have (it seems) prepared their best trick question for Jesus, and the Sadducees use a question about resurrection and marriage. There will not be a 'trick answer' from Jesus ... he gives them an answer, explains it, then even corrects their (flawed) underlying assumption. However, he begins all of that with a very clear insult, that the reason their question even exists is because they don't know the word or the power of the Lord.
The fact they openly question the resurrection (the idea of eternal life) is proof they don't understand the power of God, and doubt his authority over creation. The fact they use marriage in heaven as the context for their question demonstrates ignorance in scripture, for while Jesus isn't apparently referring to a specific passage, he is discussing a well-understood concept about the nature of people in heaven, and that we are more like angels and thus without marriage.
Application: I watched a show last night, and part of it involved a man who says he "has faith" dating a Mormon. Both he and the woman's family said several times they were glad the other believed the same basic things about God, and I thought over and over that somehow both sides clearly had no idea what each other believed. Then I realized ... it's pretty clear both sides don't even know what they themselves believe.
This is at the core of so many Christian debates, and probably one of the reasons Christianity isn't appealing to many non-believers. Many of us don't know the scriptures and thus don't know what we believe. I see this while teaching at my own church, where people in conversation will make statements that are somewhere on the continuum of "strange and not based on anything in the bible" to "provably completely wrong", but they'll make such statements with confidence and conviction, as if they are factual common knowledge.
I am NOT saying I know the truth flawlessly, nor am I saying I judge others for their understandings. I am just saying that we - believers in Jesus - end up with so many debates about the truth, often because the Lord has told us the truth and we don't know how to understand it. We cherry-pick certain verses in the bible, and don't place them in context to understand their true meaning. We are all mistaken in some of our firm beliefs about Jesus and about God, myself included.
Prayer: Lord, I desire to know and understand you better. May that start with my relationship with you, for it is by the revelation of the Holy Spirit I can have the best understanding of you, of your word, of your power, and of your love. I know little, and I understand less. Please fill me with your spirit today. Amen.
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