Explain Christ's comment that God is, "the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." Jesus stressed the present tense. He then continues that "God is a God of the living, not of the dead." So, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were still alive at the time of Christ, even though they had suffered a fleshly death.
Hi ThomistColin,
That is the typical understanding of the passage, however, upon closer look I think we can draw a different conclusion. The first thing to note is that Jesus applied this passage to the resurrection, not to the current state of those men.
29 Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.
30 For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.
31 But
as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying,
32 I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. (Mat 22:29-32 KJV)
25 For
when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven.
26 And
as touching the dead, that they rise: 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?
27 He is not the God of the dead, but
the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err.
(Mar 12:25-27 KJV)
In the very passage Jesus acknowledges that they are dead. Also notice that the living and the dead are each a class of people. God is the God of the believers, they will have eternal life (the living), He is not the God of those who reject Him who will be cast into the fire (the dead).
However, we have to keep in mind that his is all from God's perspective, not ours. Notice Jesus words,
36 Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.
37 Now that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.
38 For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living:
for all live unto him. (Luk 20:36-38 KJV)
Jesus tells us this is from God's perspective as Luke records, "for all life unto Him."
All of these passages apply the statement to the resurrection of the dead, not the current state of these men. They also acknowledge that they are dead now when they refer to the resurrection of the dead.