King Antiochus had stolen the gold and silver vessels from the Jerusalem Temple. The following year, he returned and viciously attacked Jerusalem. A while later, he heard that the Jews had routed other armies and had grown strong. The Jews had restored the altar in Jerusalem and had surrounded the sanctuary with high walls. These events shocked Antiochus, who became ill from disappointment and realised that he was being punished for the evil he had done in Jerusalem.

The Sadducees were Jews who rejected the resurrection of the dead. They were trying to trick Jesus with the question about the woman who married seven brothers in a row. However, Jesus was aware of their motivation and pointed out that they did not understand that there would be no marriage in the resurrection. Then Jesus quoted Moses as saying that the Lord is the God of the living and mentioned Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who had died a natural death many centuries before. Jesus said that although these Patriarchs are dead to this life, they live in the next life, so there is the resurrection of the dead.