In Luke 20:28, the Sadducees approach Jesus by quoting the Law of Moses, specifically the instruction found in Deuteronomy 25:5–6 regarding a brother raising up offspring for a deceased sibling. They deliberately appeal to Moses, believing this law supports their denial of the resurrection. What appears to be a faithful citation of Scripture is, in reality, a calculated effort to use the law in service of their own conclusions.
This moment exposes a critical distinction—one between the purpose of God’s law and the way it can be used to support human agendas. That distinction provides a necessary foundation for understanding legacy stewardship planning.
God’s stated purpose for this law was clear: “that his name may not be blotted out of Israel.” The command was never intended to fuel theoretical debates or validate disbelief. It was given as a provision—one that ensured continuity beyond death and preserved the identity and inheritance of a man who died without children.
The Sadducees overlook this purpose entirely. By removing the law from its context, they transform a gracious provision into a tool for argument. In doing so, they miss what the law reveals about God Himself: a God who is attentive to what remains after death and intentional about preservation.
Deuteronomy 25 shows that God made deliberate provision so that a man’s line would continue even when death interrupted it. The closest brother was called to step in, fulfilling his brother’s responsibilities and relinquishing his own claim so that the deceased brother’s name and lineage would endure.
This reveals that God cares deeply about continuity. He makes space for life, inheritance, and identity to persist beyond an individual’s lifetime. This is not accidental; it is intentional and purposeful.
The provision described in Deuteronomy 25 is striking in its detail. God ensures that even a man who dies childless is not forgotten. He accounts for circumstances that might appear unlikely or obscure and provides a means for preservation nonetheless.
The Sadducees’ failure was not a lack of knowledge, but a lack of wonder. They were so focused on constructing an argument that they missed the glory of the God who authored the law they quoted.
Legacy stewardship planning, when rightly understood, aligns what we leave behind with the purpose for which God gave it. It is the faithful handling of what has been entrusted to us, with an awareness that God’s concern extends beyond our lifetime and beyond our personal agendas.
Jesus, in every moment of His earthly ministry, brings glory to the Father. Scripture does the same. When legacy stewardship planning is shaped by these truths, it becomes an act of obedience and worship—one that reflects not our desire to be remembered, but God’s desire to be glorified. Amen.
By Christopher L. Walker at myfathersestate.com
