"For this reason Christ died [apothnesko] and rose again from the dead [anistemi], and lived again [anazao: lived again in a body that is not dead], so that he may be the Lord of both the dead [nekros] and living [zao: those who are alive in a body that is not dead]." (Romans 14:9).
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The Sadducees were bringing arguments against the concept of the resurrection of the dead to Jesus, so as biblical proof of the coming resurrection, Jesus pointed out:
1. The fact that God is not the God of the dead, but of those who are alive [zao]; and
2. The fact that God is called "The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob", who were dead.
Jesus said:
"As touching the dead [nekros[, that they rise [egeiro]: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? He is not the God of the dead [nekros], but the God of the living [zao: of those who are alive in a body that is not dead]: ye therefore do greatly err." (Mark 12:26-27).
The Sadducees understood that they could bring no further argument against the resurrection (of the body) from the dead, because Jesus reminded them that God is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who were dead, and God is not the God of the dead, but of those who are alive in the body [zao].
AI - generated reply to "God of the living" (derived from main-stream Christian theology):
"In the Bible, God is referred to as the "God of the living," emphasizing His relationship with those who are spiritually alive.
(The Bible does not talk about created humans being "spiritually alive". To be "spiritually alive" is (biblically), to be given eternal life, which is in Christ. Eternal life is only in Christ, who alone has eternal life in Himself. There is no such thing as a "spiritual" resurrection or a "spiritual" quickening (a quickening of a "dead human spirit") in the New Testament.).
AI answer: "In the Bible, God is referred to as the "God of the living," emphasizing His relationship with those who are spiritually alive" (false).
True: In the Bible, the living [zao] God who alone is spiritually alive [zoe], having (eternal) life in Himself, is referred to as the "God of the living", emphasizing His relationship with created human beings who are alive in their created bodies [zao].
"Jesus used this phrase to argue against the Sadducees, who did not believe in the resurrection of the body from the dead, to indicate that these patriarchs were still alive in God's presence."
Jesus was referring to the fact that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were not bodily living [zao], yet God was nevertheless still their God, therefore Abraham, Isaac and Jacob - who were at the time dead and not zao (alive), would rise from the dead bodily, and hence will be zao - alive in their resurrected bodies following their resurrection from the dead.
Hence, Jesus proved to the Saduccees that their arguments against the resurrection of the body from the dead were all false. (Mark 12:26–27).
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