Controversy
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that his destiny was in his own hands. They denied that the Spirit
of God works through human efforts or natural means. Yet they still
held that, through the proper employment of his natural powers, man
could become elevated and enlightened; that by rigorous and austere
exactions his life could be purified.
Their ideas of God molded their own character. As in their view
He had no interest in man, so they had little regard for one another;
there was little union among them. Refusing to acknowledge the
influence of the Holy Spirit upon human action, they lacked His power
in their lives. Like the rest of the Jews, they boasted much of their
birthright as children of Abraham, and of their strict adherence to
the requirements of the law; but of the true spirit of the law and the
faith and benevolence of Abraham, they were destitute. Their natural
sympathies were brought within a narrow compass. They believed it
possible for all men to secure the comforts and blessings of life; and
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their hearts were not touched by the wants and sufferings of others.
They lived for themselves.
By His words and His works, Christ testified to a divine power
that produces supernatural results, to a future life beyond the present,
to God as a Father of the children of men, ever watchful of their true
interests. He revealed the working of divine power in benevolence and
compassion that rebuked the selfish exclusiveness of the Sadducees.
He taught that both for man’s temporal and for his eternal good, God
moves upon the heart by the Holy Spirit. He showed the error of
trusting to human power for that transformation of character which
can be wrought only by the Spirit of God.
This teaching the Sadducees were determined to discredit. In
seeking a controversy with Jesus, they felt confident of bringing Him
into disrepute, even if they could not secure His condemnation. The
resurrection was the subject on which they chose to question Him.
Should He agree with them, He would give still further offense to
the Pharisees. Should He differ with them, they designed to hold His
teaching up to ridicule.
The Sadducees reasoned that if the body is to be composed of the
same particles of matter in its immortal as in its mortal state, then
when raised from the dead it must have flesh and blood, and must
resume in the eternal world the life interrupted on earth. In that case
they concluded that earthly relationships would be resumed, husband