Emphasis Preaching Journal

The Old Testament law of levirate marriage (see Deuteronomy 25:5-10) provided a kind of social security for widows, especially childless widows. In that patriarchal society women were dependent upon their husbands. In their old age there would be none to care for them except their children. So a childless widow was in a precarious position. Thus the law of levirate marriage was intended to be a blessing upon society.

In the New Testament, the Sadducees, who were hair-splitting legalists thought of the law of levirate marriage in terms of its letter rather than in terms of its spirit. With their question they tried to entrap Jesus. Jesus must have grown weary of trying to redirect them, to help them see life through the eyes of the gospel rather than the law.

I'm reminded of a parishioner, a stubborn old miser who has a very narrow view of the world. He's a millionaire several times over, and yet he is as stingy as they come. He's like Scrooge McDuck who will fight to keep every penny. Unfortunately, he's on our church's finance committee. Many of us have grown weary of trying to redirect his view of the world. Everything he thinks, says, and does is for the purpose of pinching pennies.

I feel sorry for him because there is no grace in his life. Everything is a matter of hair-splitting legalism. There will be Sadducees in every age.