The Jews were so upset with the desecration of the Temple that they gained the strength to retake Jerusalem and to tear down what King Antiochus had erected on the altar. They then protected the sanctuary with high walls. They were highly motivated to right the wrong that had been done. The king was so distressed that he became ill and decided it was his evil deeds that were causing his illness. Did the king really feel remorse for his evil deeds or was he just disappointed that he had lost Jerusalem? Positive thoughts and emotions empower us to build up, while negative thoughts and emotions destroy.

The motivation behind the Sadducees' question about the widow was a desire to trick Jesus. The Sadducees, an elite and powerful group in the Temple, denied the resurrection. Jesus avoided their trickery by showing that they did not understand the resurrection. He stated that there would be no marriage in the resurrection. Marriage was reserved for the present life on earth. Jesus continued to refute their argument against resurrection by quoting Moses who spoke of God as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob whom he declared to be still alive. The Sadducees recognized the wisdom of Jesus' response. We need to expand our minds and hearts in order to understand God's ways.