Luke 20:28

KJV

Saying, Master, Moses wrote unto us, If any man's brother die, having a wife, and he die without children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.

KJV (with Strong's)

Saying {G3004}, Master {G1320}, Moses {G3475} wrote {G1125} unto us {G2254}, If {G1437} any man's {G5100} brother {G80} die {G599}, having {G2192} a wife {G1135}, and {G2532} he {G3778} die {G599} without children {G815}, that {G2443} his {G846} brother {G80} should take {G2983} his wife {G1135}, and {G2532} raise up {G1817} seed {G4690} unto his {G846} brother {G80}.

Complete Jewish Bible

and put to him a sh’eilah: “Rabbi, Moshe wrote for us that if a man dies leaving a wife but no children, his brother must take the wife and have children to preserve the man’s family line.

Berean Standard Bible

“Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man is to marry his brother’s widow and raise up offspring for him.

American Standard Version

and they asked him, saying, Teacher, Moses wrote unto us, that if a man’s brother die, having a wife, and he be childless, his brother should take the wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Luke 20:28 records the Sadducees' strategic question to Jesus, designed to challenge His teaching on the resurrection by presenting a hypothetical scenario rooted in the Mosaic Law of Levirate marriage. This verse introduces a pivotal theological debate concerning the nature of life after death, the continuity of earthly relationships in the resurrected state, and the authority of Scripture, setting the stage for Jesus' profound response that transcends their limited understanding.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is situated within a series of confrontations between Jesus and various Jewish religious leaders in the Temple courts, immediately following a parable (the Parable of the Wicked Tenants in [Luke 20:9-19](/luke/20-9-19 "Parable of the Wicked Tenants")) that exposed their rejection of God's Son. The Sadducees' question is not a genuine inquiry but a calculated attempt to discredit Jesus publicly by presenting a seemingly absurd consequence of resurrection, specifically targeting a doctrine they vehemently denied. This encounter is paralleled in [Matthew 22:23-33](/matthew/22-23-33 "Matthew's Account of the Sadducees' Question") and [Mark 12:18-27](/mark/12-18-27 "Mark's Account of the Sadducees' Question"), highlighting its significance in the Synoptic tradition.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The Sadducees were a prominent Jewish sect during the Second Temple period, primarily composed of aristocratic priests and wealthy landowners. Unlike the Pharisees, they accepted only the written Torah (the first five books of Moses) as authoritative Scripture and rejected oral tradition. Crucially, they denied the resurrection of the dead, the existence of angels, and the immortality of the soul, believing that life ended at death. Their question in Luke 20:28 directly references the ancient Israelite practice of Levirate marriage (Hebrew: *yibbum*), codified in [Deuteronomy 25:5-10](/deuteronomy/25-5-10 "The Law of Levirate Marriage"). This law mandated that if a man died childless, his brother was obligated to marry the widow to "raise up seed" (i.e., produce an heir) for the deceased brother, thereby preserving his name, lineage, and inheritance within Israel. The Sadducees' elaborate hypothetical involving seven brothers was intended to push this law to its logical extreme, exposing what they perceived as the absurdity of resurrection if earthly marital bonds persisted.
* **Key Themes:** The passage immediately introduces several critical themes. First, it highlights **The Sadducees' Rejection of the Resurrection**, demonstrating their theological opposition to a core tenet of future hope for many Jews. Their question is a direct challenge to the very concept of an afterlife where individuals retain personal identity. Second, the verse explicitly references the **Law of Levirate Marriage**, drawing on [Deuteronomy 25:5](/deuteronomy/25-5 "Deuteronomy 25:5 - Levirate Marriage") to frame their argument. This law, intended to preserve family lines and inheritance in this life, becomes the basis for their attempt to undermine the idea of a future life. Third, and most profoundly, the Sadducees' question reveals a **Misunderstanding of Divine Power and the Nature of the Resurrected Life**. As Jesus later explains in [Luke 20:34-38](/luke/20-34-38 "Jesus' Teaching on Resurrection and Marriage"), their error stems from projecting earthly limitations and social structures onto a spiritual reality, failing to comprehend the transformative power of God in the resurrection.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **wrote (Greek, _gráphō'_):** This primary verb means "to grave," especially to write or describe. Here, it refers to Moses' act of inscribing or recording the law concerning Levirate marriage. The Sadducees appeal to the written Torah, the only part of Scripture they accepted as authoritative, underscoring their legalistic approach and their belief that Moses' law was the ultimate arbiter of truth, even in hypothetical scenarios about the afterlife.
* **wife (Greek, _gynḗ'_):** This term refers to a woman, specifically a wife. In the context of Levirate marriage, the "wife" is the childless widow of the deceased brother. The Sadducees' scenario hinges on this woman being married sequentially to seven brothers, pushing the boundaries of earthly marital relationships to challenge the concept of resurrection, implying a chaotic or absurd situation in the afterlife if such relationships persisted.
* **raise up (Greek, _exanístēmi'_):** This verb, formed from "out" (ek) and "to stand up" (anístēmi), can mean to cause to rise, to produce, or to beget. In this context, "raise up seed" (exanístēmi spérma) means to produce offspring or descendants for the deceased brother. It highlights the primary purpose of Levirate marriage: to ensure the continuation of the deceased's name and lineage, a concern deeply rooted in Israelite culture and inheritance laws.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Saying, Master, Moses wrote unto us,"**: The Sadducees initiate their challenge by addressing Jesus as "Master" (didáskalos), a term of respect, while immediately appealing to the undisputed authority of Moses and the written Torah. This sets the stage for their argument, grounding it in a revered legal tradition.
* **"If any man's brother die, having a wife, and he die without children,"**: This clause establishes the specific conditions for the application of the Levirate law. The critical elements are the death of a brother, the existence of his wife, and the absence of children (specifically male heirs) from that union. This scenario triggers the brother's obligation.
* **"that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother."**: This final clause states the prescribed action and its purpose. The surviving brother is commanded to marry the widow ("take his wife") not for his own sake, but specifically "to raise up seed" – to produce an heir – for his deceased brother, ensuring the continuation of the family name and inheritance.

#### Literary Devices
The Sadducees' question employs **Hypothetical Scenario** and **Reductio ad Absurdum**. They construct an extreme, multi-layered "what if" situation involving seven brothers and one woman to demonstrate what they believe to be the inherent illogicality of resurrection if earthly marriage persists. This serves as a **Straw Man Argument**, creating a distorted version of the resurrection (one where earthly marital bonds continue unchanged) to easily refute it. There is also an element of **Irony** in their appeal to Moses' law, as Jesus will later demonstrate that their error lies not in Moses' writing, but in their failure to understand the power of God and the true nature of the Scriptures they claim to uphold.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
The Sadducees' question in Luke 20:28, while seemingly a legalistic challenge, probes deeply into the nature of human relationships, divine law, and the eschatological hope of resurrection. Their limited understanding of God's power and the transformed reality of the resurrection highlights a common human tendency to project present limitations onto future divine realities. Jesus' subsequent answer clarifies that the resurrected life transcends earthly institutions like marriage, not diminishing their value in this life, but revealing a higher, eternal order where believers are "like angels" and "sons of God." This passage underscores the importance of a holistic biblical theology that integrates both present realities and future hopes, grounded in God's omnipotence and His redemptive plan.

* [Deuteronomy 25:5-6](/deuteronomy/25-5-6 "The Law of Levirate Marriage")
* [Matthew 22:29](/matthew/22-29 "Jesus' Rebuke: You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures nor the power of God.")
* [Luke 20:34-36](/luke/20-34-36 "Jesus' Teaching on Marriage in the Resurrection")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The Sadducees' flawed premise in Luke 20:28 offers a powerful lesson on the dangers of approaching spiritual truths with a purely human, materialistic, or overly literalistic mindset. Their inability to conceive of a reality beyond their present experience led them to reject a fundamental truth about God's power and future plans. For us, this passage is a call to humility and openness in our theological understanding. It reminds us that God's ways and the realities of His kingdom often transcend our current comprehension and earthly logic. We are challenged to trust in His infinite power and wisdom, even when the full scope of His future plans remains beyond our grasp. It also encourages us to consider how our own preconceived notions or limited experiences might hinder our reception of deeper spiritual truths, prompting us to continually seek God's revelation through His Word and Spirit.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How might my own preconceived notions or earthly experiences limit my understanding of God's power and future realities?**
* **In what areas of my faith might I be projecting present limitations onto God's infinite capabilities?**
* **How does Jesus' response to the Sadducees encourage me to seek a deeper, more spiritual understanding of Scripture, rather than a purely literal or legalistic one?**

### FAQ
**What was the Sadducees' main purpose in asking this question?**

Answer: The Sadducees' primary purpose was not to seek genuine understanding but to discredit Jesus and the doctrine of the resurrection, which they rejected. By presenting a complex, seemingly absurd scenario based on the Law of Levirate marriage, they aimed to expose what they perceived as the logical inconsistencies and impracticalities of believing in an afterlife where people would be resurrected. They hoped to trap Jesus in a theological dilemma that would undermine His authority and teachings in the eyes of the people.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Luke 20:28 details a question rooted in the Old Covenant's social laws, Jesus' subsequent answer profoundly reorients our understanding towards the New Covenant reality in Christ. The Sadducees' question about earthly marriage in the resurrection reveals their failure to grasp the transformative nature of God's redemptive work, which culminates in Christ. Jesus' response, though not fully detailed in this verse, points to a resurrected life where believers are "like angels" and "sons of God," no longer bound by the temporary institutions of this age, including marriage ([Luke 20:34-36](/luke/20-34-36 "Luke 20:34-36 - Marriage in the Resurrection")). This foreshadows the ultimate fulfillment found in Christ, where believers are united not in earthly, procreative unions, but in an eternal, spiritual relationship with God as His children, adopted through the sacrifice of Jesus ([Galatians 3:26-28](/galatians/3-26-28 "Galatians 3:26-28 - All One in Christ Jesus")). In Christ, the need to "raise up seed" to preserve a family name is superseded by the eternal lineage of God's family, established through faith in the resurrected Lord. Our identity and inheritance are secured not through earthly descendants, but through our union with Christ, who is the "firstfruits" of the resurrection ([1 Corinthians 15:20-23](/1_corinthians/15-20-23 "1 Corinthians 15:20-23 - Christ the Firstfruits")). The temporary provisions of the Mosaic Law, like Levirate marriage, find their ultimate purpose and cessation in the new creation inaugurated by Jesus, where the focus shifts from earthly lineage to eternal life in Him.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Deuteronomy 25:5

¶ If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband's brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of an husband's brother unto her.

Deuteronomy 25:10

And his name shall be called in Israel, The house of him that hath his shoe loosed.

Genesis 38:8

And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother's wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother.

Genesis 38:26

And Judah acknowledged [them], and said, She hath been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son. And he knew her again no more.

Genesis 38:11

Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter in law, Remain a widow at thy father's house, till Shelah my son be grown: for he said, Lest peradventure he die also, as his brethren [did]. And Tamar went and dwelt in her father's house.

Ruth 1:11

And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? [are] there yet [any more] sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?

Ruth 1:12

Turn again, my daughters, go [your way]; for I am too old to have an husband. If I should say, I have hope, [if] I should have an husband also to night, and should also bear sons;