While in His earthly ministry Jesus was approached by a group called the Sadducees. This was a group who did not believe in the resurrection. In their attempt to trap Jesus in His words they came up with an argument about marriage after death (Matthew 22:23-28). Jesus responded to them in perfect fashion: Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God, Matthew 22:29. In His defense of an afterlife, the Lord made a very interesting argument. He used the grammar of the written text of the Old Testament to prove that there was life after death. But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living, Matthew 22:31-32 (Emphases MWS). God spoke those words (Exodus 3:6) using a present tense verb (Robinson’s Morphological Analysis Codes). Jesus used that present tense verb to decimate the doctrine of annihilation. God said, He is, not He was the Father of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This meant that these men did not cease to exist after death but were still living in a different form in the Hadean realm. This is a magnificent passage of scripture that proves the Plenary inspiration of Holy Writ. The word of God is ALL INSPIRED, right down to the grammar in which it was written. God, The Holy Spirit did not give the writers of the Bible thoughts or ideas, He gave them the exact words to write. Therefore, the Apostle Paul said the following: Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual, 1 Corinthians 2:13 (Emphases MWS). Peter also exclaimed: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost, 2 Peter 1:20-21 (Emphases MWS). When God said that all scripture is given by inspiration (2 Timothy 3:16-17) He was not using hyperbole. He meant the entire collection of sixty-six books are His words. Thus, it behooves us to respect His Word, obey His Word (2 Thessalonians 3:14) and earnestly contend with those who attempt to change His Word (Galatians 1:6-10).

Something to think about.

-Morné