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In Matthew 22, Jesus places Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the center of future resurrection, demonstrating continuity with Jewish traditions, such as in the Testament of Judah, that identified resurrection with the patriarchs.
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Testament of Judah 25:1
Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs
Pseudepigrapha
And after these things shall Abraham and Isaac and Jacob arise unto life, and I and my brethren shall be chiefs of the tribes of Israel: Levi first, I the second, Joseph third, Benjamin fourth, Simeon fifth; Issachar sixth, and so all in order. And the Lord blessed Levi, and the Angel of the Presence, me; the powers of glory, Simeon; the heaven, Reuben; the earth, Issachar; the sea, Zebulun; the mountains, Joseph; the tabernacle, Benjamin; the luminaries, Dan; Eden, Naphtali; the sun, Gad; the moon, Asher. And ye shall be the people of the Lord, and have one tongue; And there shall be there no spirit of deceit of Beliar, For he shall be cast into the fire for ever.
Date: 100 B.C.E. - 100 C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
Source
Matthew 22:32
New Testament
30 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 31 Now as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, 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!” 33 When the crowds heard this, they were amazed at his teaching. 34 Now when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they assembled together.
Date: 70-90 C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
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Notes and References
"... The eschatological nature of this banquet is apparent from the inclusion of Israel’s great patriarchs of old, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They symbolize all those who remained faithful to God and have consequently been resurrected to new life. (The implication is spelled out in passages like Testament of Judah 25:1) But, who are the “many” coming from east and west to partake in the banquet? ..."
Gregg, Brian Han
The Historical Jesus and the Final Judgment Sayings in Q
(p. 300) University of Notre Dame, 2005
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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