There is a resurrection of the dead: Jesus' proof by contradiction

[TonyChanYT]

Matthew 22:

23The same day Sadducees came to him, who say that there is no resurrection, and they asked him a question,

Let proposition R1 = there is resurrection.

The Sadducees do not believe in the resurrection. They believe ¬R1.

24b “Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies having no children, his brother must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother.’ 25 Now, there were seven brothers among us. The first married and died, and having no offspring left his wife to his brother. 26 So too the second and third, down to the seventh. 27 After them all, the woman died. 28 In the resurrection, therefore, of the seven, whose wife will she be? For they all had her.”

Yet, their question assumed the resurrection.

Were the Sadducees being sarcastic?

No. In modern logic terminology, they attempted a proof by contradiction by assuming the negation or opposite of what they were trying to prove.

Assume R1.

Whose wife will she be, for they all had her?

According to their logic, there was no answer to this question. Therefore, the assumption R1 is false.

They thought that was the end of Proof. However, technically speaking, their proof did not supply a formal contradiction. They only supplied a question that they could not answer.

Now, it is Jesus' turn. Jesus also uses proof by contradiction (aka indirect proof):

31 as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God: 32‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not God of the dead, but of the living.”

Jesus believes R1.

Using proof by contradiction. Jesus assumed ¬R1.

But then, in Exodus 3:

6 And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.”

The LORD is the God of Abraham.

Abraham is dead.

The LORD is the God of the dead = D1.

But in reality, Matthew 22:

32 I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.”

Let proposition L1 = The LORD is the God of the living.

D1 = ¬L1.

Jesus has found a formal contradiction!

Therefore, the opposite of the assumption is true: There is a resurrection of the dead.

End of Proof.

Both the Sadducees and Jesus used the method of proof by contradiction. Because of their differences in beliefs, their initial assumptions were opposite. The Sadducees should have supplied a formal contradiction to complete their proof. Jesus, on the other hand, did.

See also Paul's proof.

 

[Keiw1]

Matthew 22:


Let proposition R1 = there is resurrection.

The Sadducees do not believe in the resurrection. They believe ¬R1.


Yet, their question assumed the resurrection.

Were the Sadducees being sarcastic?

No. In modern logic terminology, they attempted a proof by contradiction by assuming the negation or opposite of what they were trying to prove.

Assume R1.

Whose wife will she be, for they all had her?

According to their logic, there was no answer to this question. Therefore, the assumption R1 is false.

They thought that was the end of Proof. However, technically speaking, their proof did not supply a formal contradiction. They only supplied a question that they could not answer.

Now, it is Jesus' turn. Jesus also uses proof by contradiction (aka indirect proof):


Jesus believes R1.

Using proof by contradiction. Jesus assumed ¬R1.

But then, in Exodus 3:


The LORD is the God of Abraham.

Abraham is dead.

The LORD is the God of the dead = D1.

But in reality, Matthew 22:


Let proposition L1 = The LORD is the God of the living.

D1 = ¬L1.

Jesus has found a formal contradiction!

Therefore, the opposite of the assumption is true: There is a resurrection of the dead.

End of Proof.

Both the Sadducees and Jesus used the method of proof by contradiction. Because of their differences in beliefs, their initial assumptions were opposite. The Sadducees should have supplied a formal contradiction to complete their proof. Jesus, on the other hand, did.

See also Paul's proof.

Yes there will be on the last day= after Gods day of anger during the 1000 year reign of Christ. Yet 99% of the religions have it twisted and think one will be rejudged on past sins at that point. They are wrong.