The first reading is a narrative about seven brothers and their subsequent martyrdom due to their refusal to obey the king and eat pig's flesh. The brothers present several reasons why facing death is better than transgressing God's law. The king may take their lives, but God will raise them up; the king may dismember them, but God will restore their limbs.

The Sadducees, who did not believe in the bodily resurrection, hoped Jesus would take their side in their argument against the Pharisees. So, the Sadducees posed their case in a way that would force Jesus either to renounce the resurrection or allow polyandry – a form of polygamy where a woman has more than one husband, which is immoral.

Jesus replied that the life of resurrection and the current life are two different ways of existence. "In the resurrection from the dead, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage, for they no longer die; they are like the angels" (Lk. 20:35-36),

Even today, there will be people who may influence or force God's people to disobey or disregard the law of God. However, Saint Paul reminds us in the reading that "bigoted and evil people" will try to influence us with wrong teachings, but we are to remain firm and hold fast to the traditions we were taught by word of mouth or by letter.