Is this not the reason you are mistaken...?

Mark 12:18-37 from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

Some Sadducees (who say that there is no resurrection) came to Jesus, and began questioning Him, saying, ¹⁹ “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves behind a wife and leaves no child, his brother should marry the wife and raise up children to his brother. ²⁰ There were seven brothers; and the first took a wife, and died leaving no children. ²¹ The second one married her, and died leaving behind no children; and the third likewise; ²² and so all seven left no children. Last of all the woman died also. ²³ In the resurrection, when they rise again, which one’s wife will she be? For all seven had married her.” ²⁴ Jesus said to them, “Is this not the reason you are mistaken, that you do not understand the Scriptures or the power of God? ²⁵ For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.²⁶ But regarding the fact that the dead rise again, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the burning bush, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? ²⁷ He is not the God of the dead, but of the living; you are greatly mistaken.”

²⁸ One of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, “What commandment is the foremost of all?”²⁹ Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord;³⁰ and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ ³¹ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” ³² The scribe said to Him, “Right, Teacher; You have truly stated that He is One, and there is no one else besides Him; ³³ and to love Him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as himself, is much more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” ³⁴ When Jesus saw that he had answered intelligently, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”After that, no one would venture to ask Him any more questions.

³⁵ And Jesus began to say, as He taught in the temple, “How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David? ³⁶ David himself said in the Holy Spirit,

‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Until I put Your enemies beneath Your feet.”’

³⁷ David himself calls Him ‘Lord’; so in what sense is He his son?” And the large crowd enjoyed listening to Him.

Today’s text begins:  Some Sadducees (who say that there is no resurrection) came to Jesus, and began questioning Him, saying,  “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves behind a wife and leaves no child, his brother should marry the wife and raise up children to his brother. There were seven brothers; and the first took a wife, and died leaving no children.  The second one married her, and died leaving behind no children; and the third likewise;  and so all seven left no children. Last of all the woman died also. In the resurrection, when they rise again, which one’s wife will she be? For all seven had married her.”  Jesus said to them, “Is this not the reason you are mistaken, that you do not understand the Scriptures or the power of God?”   In truth, the reason many people are mistaken, is that they do not understand the Scriptures or the power of God. Like the Sadducees, they try to find ways to disprove God’s power and His word. They come up with improbable scenarios to question God’s truth and God’s power. In truth though, they will never out wit God. He is omniscient. What they really do when they question God, trying to out wit Him, is that they reveal their foolishness, because they are limited by their own knowledge and understanding, while God is without limits; omniscient, infinite and eternal.  

 1 Corinthians 2:10-16 says:  For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he will instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.    I would never debate a Phd in physics about the things he knows. It would be foolishness. It would be as the saying goes, he would be having a battle of wits with an unarmed man. In the same way though, it is foolishness, for we who are spiritual, to debate spiritual things with those who are of the world. We have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. We have the mind of Christ because we believe in Him by faith and so receive the Spirit of God. To debate the things of the infinite and eternal God with those who understand only the natural, is to debate with an unarmed person. It is foolishness.  

The text continues:  One of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, “What commandment is the foremost of all?”  Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord;  and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’  The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”  The scribe said to Him, “Right, Teacher; You have truly stated that He is One, and there is no one else besides Him;  and to love Him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as himself, is much more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”  When Jesus saw that he had answered intelligently, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”     The kingdom of God is spiritual, but it is very real. While we cannot debate anyone to faith in Christ, the scriptures will reveal God’s truth. Jesus revealed truth through the Word. 2 Timothy 3:16 says: All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness.   People may not receive our words, but God’s word is undeniable. In Isaiah 55:11 God says: So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.   Jesus is revealed not by our words but by the truth of God’s word. We need not justify God’s word; it is the Spirit who reveals Christ and convicts regarding sin and righteousness. For us, if we have the Spirit of God, Galatians 5:16-26 says:  Walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.   In Matthew 5:13-16, Jesus says it this way:  “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”   Our actions, the good that we do revealing light in the darkness of the world will do more than our words ever can. But God’s Word in conjunction with God’s way will glorify God.

Thank You Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ and precious Holy Spirit for the revelation of truth; for the ability You give us to discern the things of the Spirit. Thank You that by the Spirit and the Word, we too, armed with the mind of Christ, can be the revelation of Christ and light to the world.  Amen.