The scribes and the chief priests sought to lay hands on him at that very hour, for they perceived that he had told this parable against them, but they feared the people. So they watched him and sent spies, who pretended to be sincere, that they might catch him in something he said, so as to deliver him up to the authority and jurisdiction of the governor. So they asked him, “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach rightly, and show no partiality, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or not?” But he perceived their craftiness, and said to them, “Show me a denarius. Whose likeness and inscription does it have?” They said, “Caesar's.” He said to them, “Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” And they were not able in the presence of the people to catch him in what he said, but marveling at his answer they became silent.
There came to him some Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection, and they asked him a question, saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies, having a wife but no children, the man must take the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. Now there were seven brothers. The first took a wife, and died without children. And the second and the third took her, and likewise all seven left no children and died. Afterward the woman also died. In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For the seven had her as wife.”
And Jesus said to them, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage, but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage, for they cannot die anymore, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the passage about the bush, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for all live to him.” Then some of the scribes answered, “Teacher, you have spoken well.” For they no longer dared to ask him any question.
(Luke 20:19-40 ESV)
I remember as a young pastor going to a large gathering of church leaders and wanted to be involved in the discussion. I asked a really stupid question, of which I should have known the answer. The leader of the session did not scoff, but rather gave a clear, serious answer, as if it was a valid question. These two groups of Jewish leaders had ill motives in asking Jesus questions. Of course, you have to pay taxes in the land in which you live, and in the life to come, we won't have to worry about these dumb little details. But in both instances Jesus gives a thoughtful, serious answer, while at the same time answering the underlying question: "Will we really be held accountable some day to God?" His answer? "Yes, there is a resurrection; you will all answer to God, and I'm going to be there too." We need to stop making so many excuses and looking for loopholes, and listen, trust, and obey Him. There are no silly questions, as long as we listen to the answers and respond accordingly.
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