Luke 20:37
Now that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.
Original Language Analysis
ὅτι
that
G3754
ὅτι
that
Strong's:
G3754
Word #:
1 of 25
demonstrative, that (sometimes redundant); causative, because
ἐγείρονται
are raised
G1453
ἐγείρονται
are raised
Strong's:
G1453
Word #:
3 of 25
to waken (transitively or intransitively), i.e., rouse (literally, from sleep, from sitting or lying, from disease, from death; or figuratively, from
οἱ
G3588
οἱ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
4 of 25
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
καὶ
and
G2532
καὶ
and
Strong's:
G2532
Word #:
6 of 25
and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
Μωσῆς
Moses
G3475
Μωσῆς
Moses
Strong's:
G3475
Word #:
7 of 25
moseus, moses, or mouses (i.e., mosheh), the hebrew lawgiver
ἐμήνυσεν
shewed
G3377
ἐμήνυσεν
shewed
Strong's:
G3377
Word #:
8 of 25
to disclose (through the idea of mental effort and thus calling to mind), i.e., report, declare, intimate
ἐπὶ
at
G1909
ἐπὶ
at
Strong's:
G1909
Word #:
9 of 25
properly, meaning superimposition (of time, place, order, etc.), as a relation of distribution (with the genitive case), i.e., over, upon, etc.; of re
τῆς
G3588
τῆς
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
10 of 25
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
ὡς
when
G5613
ὡς
when
Strong's:
G5613
Word #:
12 of 25
which how, i.e., in that manner (very variously used, as follows)
λέγει
he calleth
G3004
λέγει
he calleth
Strong's:
G3004
Word #:
13 of 25
properly, to "lay" forth, i.e., (figuratively) relate (in words (usually of systematic or set discourse; whereas g2036 and g5346 generally refer to an
κύριον
the Lord
G2962
κύριον
the Lord
Strong's:
G2962
Word #:
14 of 25
supreme in authority, i.e., (as noun) controller; by implication, master (as a respectful title)
τὸν
G3588
τὸν
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
15 of 25
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
θεὸν
the God
G2316
θεὸν
the God
Strong's:
G2316
Word #:
16 of 25
a deity, especially (with g3588) the supreme divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; exceedingly (by hebraism)
καὶ
and
G2532
καὶ
and
Strong's:
G2532
Word #:
18 of 25
and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
τὸν
G3588
τὸν
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
19 of 25
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
θεὸν
the God
G2316
θεὸν
the God
Strong's:
G2316
Word #:
20 of 25
a deity, especially (with g3588) the supreme divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; exceedingly (by hebraism)
καὶ
and
G2532
καὶ
and
Strong's:
G2532
Word #:
22 of 25
and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
τόν
G3588
τόν
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
23 of 25
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
Cross References
Exodus 3:15And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.Genesis 32:9And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the LORD which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee:Genesis 17:7And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.Genesis 28:21So that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God:Genesis 28:13And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed;Deuteronomy 33:16And for the precious things of the earth and fulness thereof, and for the good will of him that dwelt in the bush: let the blessing come upon the head of Joseph, and upon the top of the head of him that was separated from his brethren.
Historical Context
The burning bush episode (Exodus 3) was foundational to Jewish identity—God's self-revelation to Moses, commissioning him to deliver Israel. That God calls Himself 'the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob' (centuries after their deaths) became a classic proof-text for resurrection in later Jewish and Christian tradition. Jesus established this reading.
Questions for Reflection
- How does God's eternal presentness ('I AM') guarantee the resurrection of those who belong to Him?
- What does it mean that your identity is secure in being someone 'whose God is the LORD'?
- How does Jesus's exegetical method—drawing implications from God's nature—teach us to read Scripture?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
Now that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed at the bush (ὅτι δὲ ἐγείρονται οἱ νεκροί, καὶ Μωϋσῆς ἐμήνυσεν ἐπὶ τῆς βάτου, hoti de egeirontai hoi nekroi, kai Mōysēs emēnysen epi tēs batou)—Jesus proves resurrection from the Torah itself, the only Scripture Sadducees accepted. The verb μηνύω (mēnyō) means 'to disclose' or 'reveal.' At the burning bush (Exodus 3:6), Moses encountered God's self-revelation.
When he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—Present tense: 'I AM the God of Abraham,' not 'I WAS.' God identifies Himself by relationship to men long dead, implying those men still exist. God is the God of the living, not the dead—therefore Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob must be alive to God. Brilliant exegesis that defeats the Sadducees on their own textual ground.