Praying to the Saints
"‘And as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God said to him, "I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob"? He is not God of the dead, but of the living . . .’" (Mark 12:26-27)
"Pray at all times in the Spirit with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me . . ." (Eph. 6:18).
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely . . ." (Heb. 12:1).
"And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and with golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints . . ." (Rev. 5:8).
The topic at hand deals with the Sadducees denial of a resurrection (the power of God to raise the dead) and their lack of knowledge of scripture on the matter.
In each of the passages, to prove the resurrection, God is quoted when he spoke to Moses (Exodus 3:6) and said "I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob" and then the comment is made that "God is not the God of the dead, but of the living."
It is clear from the above passages that the issue in question is God's power to raise the dead from the grave in a resurrection, something the Sadducees clearly rejected. The question posed does not address who's wife the woman would be after she is dead, while still in the grave, but rather after her resurrection, because the Sadducees assumed death to be final and irreversible.
To use these as proof texts (purgatory etc.) is doing so out of context, and this is apparent to most any reader who will merely take the time to study the matter.
Read it salvation it is a request for prayers for the "saint" not TO the saints (the word used by the early church for believers)
Saints a word used for LIVING believers in scripture.Rome has preverted the usage. You can not ascribe your churches meaning to the clear biblical meaning
Indeed they are a great cloud of witnesses..TESTIFIED TO in the word of God...irrevelant to this discussion
Please note the word for, not to. Makes a difference.