Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Matthew 22:29

"But Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God." — Matthew 22:29 (ASV)

In Jesus’ mind the Sadducees were denying the clear teaching of Scripture on the subject (Isaiah 26:19; Daniel 12:2; cf. Job 19:25–27), assuming that if God raises the dead he must bring them back to an existence just like this one. In his response, Jesus insists that the Sadducees betrayed their ignorance of Scripture and of the power of God, who is capable of raising the dead to an existence quite unlike this present one. By God’s power, the resurrection will bring about a change in sexual relationship; in this way we will be “like the angels in heaven.” Jesus’ use of angels contains a double thrust, since the Sadducees also denied their existence (cf. Acts 23:8).