Luke 20:30

KJV

And the second took her to wife, and he died childless.

KJV (with Strong's)

And {G2532} the second {G1208} took {G2983} her to wife {G1135}, and {G2532} he {G3778} died {G599} childless {G815}.

Complete Jewish Bible

then the second

Berean Standard Bible

Then the second

American Standard Version

and the second:

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Luke 20:30 is a pivotal detail within the Sadducees' elaborate hypothetical scenario presented to Jesus, designed to challenge the concept of resurrection. This verse describes the second brother in a sequence who marries the same woman after his brother's death, only to also die without producing any offspring. This repeated instance of childlessness sets the stage for the Sadducees' intended logical dilemma regarding the nature of marriage and identity in the afterlife, highlighting their limited understanding of God's power and the transformed reality of the resurrection.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Luke 20:30 is embedded within the broader narrative of [Jesus's final week in Jerusalem](/luke/19-28 "Luke 19-28 - Jesus's Final Week in Jerusalem"), specifically within a series of confrontations with religious authorities in [Luke 20](/luke/20 "Luke 20 - Jesus Confronts Religious Leaders"). Following challenges from the chief priests and scribes regarding His authority ([Luke 20:1-8](/luke/20-1-8 "Luke 20:1-8 - Jesus's Authority Questioned")) and a parable exposing their rejection of God's Son ([Luke 20:9-19](/luke/20-9-19 "Luke 20:9-19 - Parable of the Wicked Tenants")), Jesus is then confronted by the Sadducees. Their question, found in [Luke 20:27-40](/luke/20-27-40 "Luke 20:27-40 - The Sadducees' Question About the Resurrection"), is a carefully constructed rabbinic puzzle, using the Levirate marriage law as its foundation to discredit the doctrine of resurrection. Verse 30 specifically advances the Sadducees' hypothetical, demonstrating a pattern of brothers dying childless, which is crucial to their ultimate "gotcha" question.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The Sadducees were a prominent Jewish sect during Jesus's time, primarily composed of aristocratic priests and wealthy landowners. Unlike the Pharisees, they rejected the oral law and only accepted the Torah (the first five books of Moses) as authoritative. Crucially, they did not believe in the resurrection of the dead, angels, or spirits, as explicitly noted in [Acts 23:8](/acts/23-8 "Acts 23:8 - Sadducees' Beliefs"). Their question to Jesus was rooted in the Mosaic Law of Levirate marriage, detailed in [Deuteronomy 25:5-6](/deuteronomy/25-5-6 "Deuteronomy 25:5-6 - Levirate Marriage Law"). This law mandated that if a man died childless, his brother was obligated to marry the widow to "raise up offspring for his brother," ensuring the deceased's name and inheritance continued. Dying "childless" (Greek: _ateknos_) was considered a significant misfortune in ancient Israel, as it threatened the family's legacy, land inheritance, and continuity. The Sadducees' scenario, involving seven brothers, was an exaggerated but common type of rabbinic debate designed to push the limits of a law to expose what they perceived as its absurd implications, particularly when applied to a resurrection they denied.
* **Key Themes:** This verse, as part of the Sadducees' challenge, contributes to several significant themes. Firstly, it highlights the **Sadducees' profound misunderstanding of resurrection**, as they attempt to impose earthly, physical realities onto a transformed, spiritual existence. Their inability to conceive of a life beyond mortal constraints reveals a fundamental theological error. Secondly, the repeated emphasis on **childlessness** underscores the cultural significance of lineage and inheritance in ancient Israel, which the Levirate law sought to preserve. This cultural value is then contrasted with the eternal reality Jesus reveals. Thirdly, the entire exchange demonstrates the **limitations of human logic when confronted with divine mysteries**. The Sadducees' elaborate human construct, intended to trap Jesus, ultimately serves to expose their own spiritual blindness and the inadequacy of human reason to grasp God's infinite wisdom and power, particularly concerning the nature of the resurrected state as described by Jesus in [Luke 20:34-36](/luke/20-34-36 "Luke 20:34-36 - Jesus's Answer on Resurrection").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **second (Greek, _deúteros_):** From the comparative of _dúo_ (two), meaning "second" in time, place, or rank. In this context, it precisely identifies the next brother in the sequential marriage, emphasizing the continuation of the Sadducees' hypothetical scenario. It underscores the pattern of successive deaths and childlessness that forms the basis of their argument.
* **took (Greek, _lambánō_):** A primary verb meaning "to take," "to get hold of," or "to receive." Here, it specifically denotes the act of taking the woman "to wife," indicating the formal act of marriage according to the Levirate law. This verb highlights the deliberate action of the brother fulfilling the legal obligation, even as the outcome (childlessness) repeats.
* **died (Greek, _apothnḗskō_):** From _apó_ (from) and _thnḗskō_ (to die), meaning "to die off" or "to be dead." This term is central to the Sadducees' argument, as it is the repeated death of each brother that necessitates the application of the Levirate law and ultimately leads to their "resurrection" dilemma. Its repetition emphasizes the mortality that grounds their earthly-bound understanding.
* **childless (Greek, _áteknos_):** From _A_ (as a negative particle) and _téknon_ (child), meaning "without children" or "childless." This word is critically important as it defines the precise condition that triggered the Levirate marriage law in [Deuteronomy 25:5](/deuteronomy/25-5 "Deuteronomy 25:5 - Levirate Marriage"). The Sadducees' repeated use of this condition for each brother underscores their strict adherence to the letter of the law while missing its spirit and the broader theological implications of resurrection.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And the second took her to wife":** This clause continues the Sadducees' hypothetical narrative, following the death of the first brother. It describes the second brother's action in accordance with the Levirate marriage law, where he marries his deceased brother's widow. This action is not a matter of personal choice but a legal and social obligation intended to preserve the family line and the deceased brother's name.
* **"and he died childless":** This concluding phrase is crucial, as it replicates the condition of the first brother. The repetition of "childless" (Greek: _áteknos_) for the second brother (and implicitly for the subsequent brothers in the Sadducees' full account) is the linchpin of their argument. It establishes a pattern of deaths without offspring, which, under the Levirate law, would require yet another brother to marry the widow, leading to their perceived absurdity regarding the woman's marital status in the resurrection.

#### Literary Devices
The Sadducees' presentation of their case, including [Luke 20:30](/luke/20-30 "Luke 20:30 - The Second Brother Dies Childless"), employs several literary devices. The primary device is a **Hypothetical Scenario**, a common rabbinic method of argumentation where an extreme or complex case is constructed to test the limits of a law or doctrine. Here, the scenario of seven brothers successively marrying the same woman and dying childless is designed to expose what the Sadducees believe to be the logical absurdity of resurrection. **Repetition** is also key, specifically the repeated phrase "died childless," which underscores the precise legal condition that triggers the Levirate marriage and builds the foundation of their "problem." This repetition emphasizes the relentless progression of the scenario towards its intended "unresolvable" conclusion. Finally, there is a subtle **Irony** at play: while the Sadducees intend to trap Jesus with their clever human logic, their elaborate setup ultimately serves to highlight their own spiritual blindness and provides Jesus with the perfect opportunity to reveal profound truths about the nature of the resurrection and God's power, truths they entirely missed.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Luke 20:30, as part of the Sadducees' challenge, serves as a theological springboard for Jesus to correct fundamental misconceptions about the afterlife and God's power. The Sadducees' error lies in projecting earthly, temporal realities—such as marriage and procreation, which are tied to the continuation of human lineage in a fallen world—onto the eternal, transformed reality of the resurrection. Jesus's subsequent teaching (Luke 20:34-36) clarifies that the resurrected state transcends these earthly relationships, as believers will be "like angels" and "children of God, being children of the resurrection." This passage thus underscores the radical difference between our current existence and the future state, emphasizing that God's plan for eternity is not merely an extension of earthly life but a glorious transformation. It challenges us to elevate our understanding of God's power beyond human limitations and to trust in His wisdom regarding the mysteries of the age to come.

* [Luke 20:34-36](/luke/20-34-36 "Luke 20:34-36 - Jesus's Answer on Resurrection")
* [Matthew 22:29-30](/matthew/22-29-30 "Matthew 22:29-30 - Jesus on Resurrection and Marriage")
* [Mark 12:24-25](/mark/12-24-25 "Mark 12:24-25 - Jesus's Response to the Sadducees")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Luke 20:30, within the context of the Sadducees' question, invites us to reflect on the limitations of our own human understanding when attempting to grasp divine realities. Just as the Sadducees were constrained by their earthly perspectives and legalistic interpretations, we too can fall into the trap of trying to fit God's infinite power and eternal purposes into our finite boxes. This passage encourages us to cultivate a posture of humility and wonder before the mysteries of God, particularly concerning the resurrection and the nature of the age to come. It reminds us that God's wisdom far surpasses our own, and the resurrected life will be radically different and more glorious than anything we can fully comprehend in our present state. We are called to trust in God's transformative power, knowing that the future He has prepared for those who love Him is beyond our wildest imaginations, free from the constraints and sorrows of this fallen world, including the need for earthly procreation or the fear of childlessness.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what ways do I sometimes limit God's power or the nature of eternity by my own earthly experiences or logic?**
* **How does Jesus's response to the Sadducees challenge my assumptions about relationships and identity in the resurrected life?**
* **What does this passage teach me about the importance of trusting in God's revealed truth, even when it transcends my full comprehension?**
* **How can understanding the transformed reality of the resurrection impact my priorities and perspective on life today?**

### FAQ

**What was the purpose of the Sadducees' question about the woman and seven brothers?**

Answer: The Sadducees' question, which includes the detail in [Luke 20:30](/luke/20-30 "Luke 20:30 - The Second Brother Dies Childless"), was a carefully constructed hypothetical scenario designed to expose what they considered to be the logical absurdity of the resurrection. Since they did not believe in the resurrection, they used the Mosaic Law of Levirate marriage ([Deuteronomy 25:5-6](/deuteronomy/25-5-6 "Deuteronomy 25:5-6 - Levirate Marriage Law")) to create a situation that, in their view, would lead to an impossible dilemma in the afterlife (i.e., who would be the woman's husband if she was married to seven brothers on earth?). Their aim was to discredit Jesus and the doctrine of resurrection.

**Why was dying "childless" so significant in ancient Israel?**

Answer: In ancient Israel, dying "childless" (as stated in [Luke 20:30](/luke/20-30 "Luke 20:30 - The Second Brother Dies Childless")) carried significant social, economic, and spiritual implications. A man's legacy, name, and inheritance were tied to his descendants. To die without children meant the family line could be extinguished, the family name forgotten, and ancestral land lost. The Levirate marriage law ([Deuteronomy 25:5-6](/deuteronomy/25-5-6 "Deuteronomy 25:5-6 - Levirate Marriage Law")) was a divinely ordained provision to address this very issue, ensuring the continuation of the deceased brother's lineage and preserving his inheritance within the family.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Luke 20:30, though seemingly a minor detail in a legalistic debate, points profoundly to Christ by setting the stage for His transformative teaching on the resurrection. The Sadducees' question, rooted in an earthly understanding of marriage and lineage, reveals their blindness to the new reality inaugurated by Christ. Jesus's subsequent answer in [Luke 20:34-38](/luke/20-34-38 "Luke 20:34-38 - Jesus's Full Answer on Resurrection") reveals that in the resurrection, believers "neither marry nor are given in marriage" but are "like angels" and "children of God, being children of the resurrection." This profound truth is fulfilled in Christ, who, through His own resurrection, conquered death and inaugurated a new creation where the old order, with its limitations and laws like Levirate marriage, gives way to an eternal reality. He is the "firstfruits" of this resurrection ([1 Corinthians 15:20](/1_corinthians/15-20 "1 Corinthians 15:20 - Christ, the Firstfruits")), and through Him, believers are promised a transformed body and a life that transcends earthly concerns. The Sadducees' focus on the continuation of a physical lineage is superseded by Christ's promise of eternal life and spiritual adoption into God's family, where our ultimate identity is found not in earthly ties but in being "children of God" through faith in Him ([John 1:12](/john/1-12 "John 1:12 - Children of God")). He is the one who brings us into this new, eternal, and glorious existence, making the earthly concerns of childlessness and lineage pale in comparison to the everlasting life found 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.