I sometimes marvel at Jesus’ patience with the dogmatism and intolerance of the religious leaders. They argued about inconsequential matters and made people follow laws that they themselves could not keep. Here in Luke 20 they are arguing with Jesus, asking him about marriage in heaven. What is so obvious in this scene is that it’s a set up. They don’t even believe in heaven, the afterlife and resurrection. They’re just asking these question to trip Jesus up and Jesus sees their trivial behavior so plainly. Let me give you a little illustration from the realm of cooking. This story comes from a Houston Chronicle Editorial column:
Ask any great cook about aluminum foil and you’re bound to get an opinion on which side is “best.” Some swear the shiny side must always be on the outside of a baked potato, while others condemn such nonsense and emphatically claim exactly the opposite. Meanwhile, the manufacturer stays amused and gives a good lesson in dogmatism and tolerance. When foil is made, it is rolled. One side of the foil gets shiny because it comes in contact with the heavy roller. The other side stays dull because it never makes contact with the roller. Both sides produce the same results! Surely you don’t have any church members who could benefit from this little lesson on tolerance. (Hints From Heloise, The Houston Chronicle, August 1989)
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Brett Blair, Sermon Illustrations, 1998