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“Jesus Debates the Sadducees on the Resurrection”· Matthew 22:23–33
Translation
King James Version
Saying, Master, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.
Complete Jewish Bible
"Rabbi, Moshe said, `If a man dies childless, his brother must marry his widow and have children to preserve the man's family line.'
Berean Standard Bible
“Teacher,” they said, “Moses declared that if a man dies without having children, his brother is to marry the widow and raise up offspring for him.
American Standard Version
saying, Teacher, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.
World English Bible Messianic
saying, “Rabbi, Moses said, ‘If a man dies, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed for his brother.’
Geneva Bible (1599)
Saying, Master, Moses sayd, If a man die, hauing no children, his brother shall marie his wife by the right of alliance, and raise vp seede vnto his brother.
Young's Literal Translation
`Teacher, Moses said, If any one may die not having children, his brother shall marry his wife, and shall raise up seed to his brother.
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Historical interpretation
Five Centuries of Reception
13 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
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For of Judaism’s heretics I am silent - Dositheus the Samaritan, I mean, who was the first who had the hardihood to repudiate the prophets, on the ground that they had not spoken under inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Of the Sadducees I am silent, who, springing from the root of this error, had the hardihood to adjoin to this heresy the denial likewise of the resurrection of the flesh.
It had been enough to have cut off this opinion of the Sadducees of sensual enjoyment, that where the function ceased, the empty pleasure of the body accompanying it ceased also; but He adds, But are as the Angels of God in heaven.
The same cavil that the Sadducees here offer respecting marriage is renewed by many who ask in what form the female sex shall rise again. But what the authority of Scripture leads us to think concerning the Angels, so must we suppose that it will be with women in the resurrection of our species.
It should be further considered, that this was said to Moses at a time when those holy Patriarchs had gone to their rest. They therefore of whom He was the God were in being; for they could have had nothing, if they had not been in being; for in the nature of things that, of which somewhat else is, must have itself a being; so they who have a God must themselves be alive, since God is eternal, and it is not possible that that which is dead should have that which is eternal. How then shall it be affirmed that those do not, and shall not hereafter, exist, of whom Eternity itself has said that He is?
The disciples of the Pharisees with the Herodians being thus confuted, the Sadducees next offer themselves, whereas the overthrow of those before them ought to have kept them back. But presumption is shameless, stubborn, and ready to attempt things impossible. So the Evangelist, wondering at their folly, expresses this, saying, The same day came to him the Sadducees.
(non occ.) For because death to the Jews, who did all things for the present life, seemed an unmixed evil, Moses ordered that the wife of one who died without sons should be given to his brother, that a son might be born to the dead man by his brother, and his name should not perish, which was some alleviation of death. And none other but a brother or relation was commanded to take the wife of the dead; otherwise the child born would not have been considered the son of the dead; and also because a stranger could have no concern in establishing the house of him that was dead, as a brother whose kindred obliged him thereto.
Which is an apt reply to their question. For their reason for judging that there would be no resurrection, was that they supposed that their condition when risen would be the same; this reason then He removes by showing that their condition would be altered.
And because they had put forward Moses in their question, He confutes them by Moses, adding, But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read.
How then is it said in another place, Whether we live or die, we are the Lord's. (Rom. 14:8.) This which is said here differs from that. The dead are the Lord's, those, that is, who are to live again, not those who have disappeared for ever, and shall not rise again.
And again, these too attack Him with a show of moderation, saying, "Master, Moses said, If a man die, not having children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first, when he had married a wife, deceased; and, having no issue, left his wife unto his brother. Likewise the second also, and the third, unto the seventh. And last of all the woman died also. Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife shall she be of the seven?"
See Him answering these like a teacher. For though out of craft they came unto Him, yet was their question rather one of ignorance. Therefore neither doth He say unto them, "Ye hypocrites."
Moreover, in order that He might not blame, saying, "Wherefore had seven one wife?" they add the authority of Moses; although, as I have said before, it was a fiction, in my judgment at least. For the third would not have taken her, when he saw the two bridegrooms dead; or if the third, yet not the fourth or the fifth; and if even these, much more the sixth or the seventh would not have come unto the woman, but have shrunk from her. For such is the nature of the Jews. For if now many have this feeling, much more then had they; when at least, even without this, they often avoided marrying in this way, and that when the law was constraining them. Thus, at any rate, Ruth, that Moabitish woman, was thrust off to him that was further off from her kindred; and Tamar too was thus compelled to obtain, by stealth, seed from her husband's kinsman.
And wherefore did they not feign two or three, but seven? In order the more abundantly to bring derision, as they thought, upon the resurrection. Wherefore they further say, "they all had her," as driving Him into some difficulty.
What then saith Christ? He replies unto both, as taking His stand not against the words, but the purpose, and on every occasion revealing the secrets of their hearts; and at one time exposing them, at another time leaving the refutation of them that question Him to their conscience. See, at any rate here, how He proves both points, as well that there will be a resurrection, as that it will not be such a resurrection as they suspect.
They who ought to have believed did but wonder at His great wisdom, that their craft had found no means for ensnaring Him: whence it follows, When they had heard these words, they marvelled, and left Him, and went their way, carrying away their unbelief and wonder together.
There were two sects among the Jews, the Pharisees and the Sadducees; the Pharisees pretended to the righteousness of traditions and observances, whence they were called by the people 'separate.' The Sadducees (the word is interpreted 'righteous') also passed themselves for what they were not; and whereas the first believed the resurrection of body and soul, and confessed both Angel and spirit, these, according to the Acts of the Apostles, denied them all, as it is here also said, Who say that there is no resurrection. (Acts 23:8.)
As they disbelieved the resurrection of the body, and supposed that the soul perished with the body, they accordingly invent a fable to display the fondness of the belief of a resurrection. Thus they put forward a base fiction to overthrow the verity of the resurrection, and conclude with asking, in the resurrection whose shall she be? Though it might be that such an instance might really occur in their nation.
They therefore err because they know not the Scriptures; and because they know not the power of God.
In these words the Latin language cannot follow the Greek idiom. For the Latin word 'nubere' is correctly said only of the woman. But we must take it so as to understand marry of men, to be given in marriage of women.
This that is added, But areas the Angels of God in heaven, is an assurance that our conversation in heaven shall be spiritual.
For none could say of a stone and a tree or inanimate things, that they shall not marry nor be given in marriage, but of such things only as having capacity for marriage, shall yet in a sort not marry.
In proof of the resurrection there were many plainer passages which He might have cited; among others that of Isaiah, The dead shall be raised; they that are in the tombs shall rise again: (Is. 26:19. juxta LXX.) and in another place, Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake. (Dan. 12:2.) It is enquired therefore why the Lord should have chosen this testimony which seems ambiguous, and not sufficiently belonging to the truth of the resurrection; and as if by this He had proved the point adds, He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. We have said above that the Sadducees confessed neither Angel, nor spirit, nor resurrection of the body, and taught also the death of the soul. But they also received only the five books of Moses, rejecting the Prophets. It would have been foolish therefore to have brought forward testimonies whose authority they did not admit. To prove the immortality of souls therefore, He brings forward an instance out of Moses, I am the God of Abraham, &c. and then straight subjoins, He is not the God of the dead, but of the living; so that having established that souls abide after death, (forasmuch as God could not be the God of those who had no existence any where,) there might fitly come in the resurrection of bodies which had together with their souls done good or evil.
I say nothing of the Jewish heretics who before the coming of Christ destroyed the law delivered to them: of Dositheus, the leader of the Samaritans who rejected the prophets: of the Sadducees who sprang from his root and denied even the resurrection of the flesh: of the Pharisees who separated themselves from the Jews on account of certain superfluous observances, and took their name from the fact of their dissent: of the Herodians who accepted Herod as the Christ.
(Vers. 24 seqq.) And they asked him, saying: Master, Moses said: If any man die, having a wife, and he have no children, that his brother should take her to wife, and raise up seed to his brother. Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first, having taken a wife, died; and, not having issue, left his wife to his brother. In like manner the second and the third, unto the seventh. And last of all the woman died also. Those who did not believe in the resurrection of the body and thought that the soul perished with the body rightly invent such a fable, which demonstrates their madness in asserting the resurrection of the dead. However, it is possible that this might actually happen in their nation at some point.
He could have used other far clearer examples to prove the truth of the resurrection. For example...[Isaiah 26:19, Daniel 12:2]...people ask why the Lord wanted to bring forth this testimony for himself: "I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob." This passage seems ambiguous and not sufficiently to the point about the truth of the resurrection…Above we said that the Sadducees, who confessed neither angel nor spirit nor the resurrection of bodies, also preached the destruction of souls. They received only the five books of Moses and rejected the predictions of the prophets. It would have been foolish, then, to bring forth testimonies [from the prophets], whose authority the Sadducees did not follow. Further, in order to prove the eternity of souls from the writings of Moses, he offers the citation: "I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob." [Exodus 3:6] Then he immediately adds: "He is the God not of the dead but of the living." Thus, when he proved that souls continue after death—for were they not subsisting at all, it could not be the case that God would be their God—the resurrection of bodies was introduced by way of logical inference...
As soon as the Pharisees were gone, came the Sadducees; perhaps with like intent, for there was a strife among them who should be the first to seize Him. Or if by argument they should not be able to overcome Him, they might at least by perseverance wear out His understanding.
For the Devil finding himself unable to crush utterly the religion of God, brought in the sect of the Sadducees denying the resurrection of the dead, thus breaking down all purpose of a righteous life, for who is there would endure a daily struggle against himself, unless he looked to the hope of the resurrection?
But the Sadducees thought they had now discovered a most convincing argument in favour of their error.
Wisely does He first convict them of folly, in that they did not read; and afterwards of ignorance, in that they did not know God. For of diligence in reading springs knowledge of God, but ignorance is the offspring of neglect.
Or, when He says, In the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, He referred to what He had said, Ye know not the power of God; but when the proceeded, I am the God of Abraham, &c. to that Ye know not the Scriptures. And thus ought we to do; to cavillers first to set forth Scripture authority on any question, and then to show the grounds of reason; but to those who ask out of ignorance to show first the reason, and then the authority. For cavillers ought to be refuted, enquirers taught. To these then who put their question in ignorance, the first shows the reason, saying, In the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage.
In this life that we may die, therefore are we born; and we marry to the end that that which death consumes, birth may replenish; therefore where the law of death is taken away, the cause of birth is taken away likewise.
It should be noted, that when He spoke of fasting, alms, and other spiritual virtues, He did not bring in the comparison of Angels, but only here where He speaks of the ceasing of marriage. For as all acts of the flesh are animal acts, but this of lust especially so; so all the virtues are angelic acts, but especially chastity, by which our nature is bound to the other virtues.
And see how the assault of the Jews against Christ becomes more faint. Their first challenge was in a threatening tone, By what authority doest thou these things, to oppose which firmness of spirit was needed. Their second was with guile, to meet which was needed wisdom. This last was with ignorant presumption which is easier to cope with than the others. For he that thinks he knows somewhat, when he knows nothing, is an easy conquest for one who has understanding. Thus the attacks of an enemy are vehement at first, but if one endure them with a courageous spirit, he will find them more feeble. And when the multitudes heard this, they were astonished at his doctrine.
AD 532Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagiteas quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274Post-NiceneSourceCatena Aurea by Aquinas
(de Divin. Nom. i.) For then when we shall be incorruptible and immortal, by the visible presence of God Himself we shall be filled with most chaste contemplations, and shall share the gift of light to the understanding in our impassible and immaterial soul after the fashion of the exalted souls in heaven; on which account it is said that we shall be equal to the Angels.
Not the Sadducees but the multitudes were astonished. This is daily done in the Church; when by Divine inspiration the adversaries of the Church are overcome, the multitude of the faithful rejoice.
(Mor. xiv. 55.) But there are who observing that the spirit is loosed from the body, that the flesh is turned to corruption, that the corruption is reduced to dust, and that the dust again is resolved into the elements, so as to be unseen by human eyes, despair of the possibility of a resurrection, and while they look upon the dry bones, doubt that they can be clothed with flesh, and be quickened anew to life.
These things which are spoken concerning the conditions of the resurrection He spoke in answer to their enquiry, but of the resurrection itself He replies aptly against their unbelief.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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Summary
Matthew 22:24 records the Sadducees' calculated attempt to entrap Jesus by presenting a theological conundrum rooted in the Old Testament law of levirate marriage. Their question, posed as a challenge to the concept of resurrection, describes a hypothetical scenario involving a woman married successively to seven brothers, all of whom die childless. Through this intricate setup, the Sadducees sought to expose what they perceived as the logical absurdity of an afterlife that included earthly institutions like marriage, thereby undermining belief in the resurrection itself.
Context
Literary Context
This verse is situated within a series of intense confrontations between Jesus and various Jewish religious factions in Jerusalem during the final days before His crucifixion. Following His triumphal entry and the cleansing of the temple, Jesus is repeatedly challenged on His authority and teachings. Prior to this encounter with the Sadducees, Jesus has already parried questions from the chief priests and elders regarding His authority (Matthew 21:23-27), and delivered parables that condemn the religious leaders' rejection of God's Son, such as the Parable of the Two Sons (Matthew 21:28-32) and the Parable of the Wedding Feast (Matthew 22:1-14). Immediately before the Sadducees' challenge, the Pharisees and Herodians attempted to trap Jesus with a question about paying taxes to Caesar (Matthew 22:15-22). The Sadducees' question is thus another strategic maneuver in a broader campaign to discredit Jesus publicly and undermine His influence among the people.
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 Pentateuch) as authoritative Scripture and rejected many oral traditions. Crucially, they denied the resurrection of the dead, the existence of angels, and the concept of a future life or judgment, as recorded in Acts 23:8. Their worldview was largely materialistic and focused on the present life. The law they cite in Matthew 22:24 is the practice of levirate marriage, derived from Deuteronomy 25:5-6. This ancient Israelite custom mandated that if a married man died childless, his brother was obligated to marry the widow and produce an heir who would be legally considered the son of the deceased. This practice served vital social and economic functions: it preserved the deceased man's name and lineage, ensured the continuation of his inheritance, and provided for the widow, who would otherwise be vulnerable in a patriarchal society. The Sadducees' elaborate hypothetical scenario of seven brothers marrying the same woman was designed to push this law to its logical extreme, thereby highlighting what they believed was an insurmountable problem for the doctrine of resurrection.
Key Themes
This passage contributes to several key themes within the Gospel of Matthew and broader biblical theology. Firstly, it underscores the conflict between Jesus and the religious establishment, highlighting their theological disagreements and their persistent attempts to undermine His authority. Secondly, it brings to the forefront the critical doctrine of the resurrection of the dead, a central tenet of Christian faith that the Sadducees vehemently denied. Their question reveals a fundamental misunderstanding of the nature of the resurrected life, projecting earthly realities onto heavenly ones. Thirdly, the passage implicitly touches upon the theme of Scriptural interpretation; the Sadducees, despite being experts in the Law, misinterpret its spirit and purpose, failing to grasp the deeper truths about God's power and the eternal realm. Jesus' subsequent response in Matthew 22:29 directly addresses their error, stating, "You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God." This highlights the importance of understanding both the written word and the divine power that transcends human limitations.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This term, meaning "an instructor" or "teacher," is used by the Sadducees to address Jesus. While seemingly respectful, their use of "Master" here is ironic, as their intent is not to learn but to trap and expose what they believe to be Jesus' ignorance or error concerning the Law and the afterlife. It acknowledges His public reputation as a teacher, even as they seek to diminish it.
This specific verb, derived from "upon" and "marriage," denotes the act of forming affinity with, specifically in a levirate way. It precisely captures the unique legal and social obligation of the brother-in-law to take his deceased brother's widow as his wife, as prescribed by the Mosaic Law. The Sadducees use this term to accurately frame their hypothetical scenario within the bounds of the Old Testament custom.
Literally meaning "something sown," "seed" in this context refers to offspring or descendants. Its inclusion highlights the primary purpose of levirate marriage: to "raise up seed" for the deceased brother, ensuring the continuation of his lineage and inheritance. This term underscores the earthly, genealogical focus of the Sadducees' argument, which Jesus will later contrast with the non-procreative nature of resurrected life.
Verse Breakdown
"Saying, Master, Moses said,"
The Sadducees initiate their challenge by formally addressing Jesus as "Master" (didáskalos), a common title for a respected teacher. They immediately invoke the authority of Moses, the revered lawgiver, to lend weight to their argument and frame it within the undisputed bounds of the Torah. This sets the stage for their question as a matter of Mosaic Law.
"If a man die, having no children,"
This clause establishes the specific condition under which the levirate marriage law applies. The critical point is the absence of children, particularly male heirs, which would leave the deceased's name and inheritance vulnerable to extinction within the Israelite patrilineal system. This scenario is the trigger for the subsequent obligation.
"his brother shall marry his wife,"
This is the core command of the levirate law. If the deceased man left no children, his surviving brother was legally and morally obligated to take the widow as his wife. This was not a matter of personal choice but a duty rooted in the preservation of the family line and the welfare of the widow.
"and raise up seed unto his brother."
This final clause articulates the explicit purpose of the levirate marriage: to produce an heir (seed) who would be legally considered the child of the deceased brother, thereby perpetuating his name and ensuring his inheritance within the community. This highlights the earthly, genealogical, and property-focused nature of the law, which the Sadducees then project onto the afterlife.
Literary Devices
The Sadducees' presentation in Matthew 22:24 employs several literary devices. Primarily, there is Intertextuality, as they directly quote and refer to the Mosaic Law concerning levirate marriage found in Deuteronomy 25:5-6. This demonstrates their reliance on the authoritative texts they accept, but also sets up their misinterpretation of those texts. There is also a strong element of Rhetoric, as their question is not a genuine inquiry but a carefully constructed Trap or Dilemma. They present a hypothetical scenario designed to force Jesus into a corner, believing that any answer He gives will either contradict the Law or expose the supposed absurdity of the resurrection. Finally, there is Irony in their address of Jesus as "Master." While seemingly respectful, their true intention is to discredit Him, revealing their own spiritual blindness even as they claim to uphold the Law.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Matthew 22:24 serves as a pivotal moment in Jesus' teaching on the resurrection, exposing the Sadducees' profound theological error which stemmed from a literalistic and limited understanding of God's power and the nature of the afterlife. Their inability to conceive of a resurrected existence beyond earthly societal structures, particularly marriage, reveals a fundamental misunderstanding of the spiritual realities that transcend the physical. This passage underscores the truth that God's plan for eternity is not merely an extension of earthly life but a transformed existence, where human relationships and institutions are reordered in light of divine glory. The Sadducees' focus on the "seed" for the deceased brother, while valid for earthly lineage, misses the greater spiritual "seed" of Abraham, which culminates in Christ and His eternal kingdom.
Reflection and Application
The Sadducees' challenge in Matthew 22:24, despite its intent to trap Jesus, ultimately serves to illuminate profound truths about the nature of God's kingdom and the resurrected life. Their error was not in quoting the Law, but in their failure to grasp the spirit and ultimate purpose of God's revelation, projecting their limited earthly understanding onto eternal realities. For us today, this passage serves as a vital reminder that our understanding of God and His future plans must not be confined by our current experiences or human logic. We are called to trust in God's power, which transcends our comprehension, and to interpret Scripture with a heart open to its deeper, spiritual truths, rather than a rigid, literalistic approach that misses the forest for the trees. It encourages us to cultivate a vision of eternity that is not merely an extension of earthly life, but a glorious transformation, where our relationships with God and one another will be perfected in ways we can only begin to imagine. Our hope is not in the perpetuation of earthly lineages or institutions, but in the eternal life offered through Christ, which brings a new, spiritual family and an imperishable inheritance.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What was the purpose of levirate marriage in ancient Israel?
Levirate marriage was a custom mandated by Mosaic Law (Deuteronomy 25:5-6) that required a man to marry his deceased brother's widow if the brother died childless. The primary purpose was to preserve the deceased man's name and lineage, ensuring that his family line did not die out and that his inheritance remained within the family. The first son born of this union would be legally considered the heir of the deceased brother. It also provided social and economic security for the widow, who would otherwise be vulnerable.
Why did the Sadducees choose this particular law to challenge Jesus?
The Sadducees, unlike the Pharisees, did not believe in the resurrection of the dead (Acts 23:8). They used the law of levirate marriage to create a complex hypothetical scenario (a woman married to seven brothers) that they believed logically disproved the resurrection. Their argument was that if there were a resurrection, such a situation would create an absurd dilemma regarding whose wife the woman would be, thereby demonstrating the impossibility of an afterlife where earthly marriage continued. They sought to trap Jesus and discredit His teaching on the resurrection.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
While Matthew 22:24 presents an Old Testament legal custom and a challenge to the resurrection, its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment is found in Jesus' subsequent response, which reorients our understanding of life beyond the grave and the nature of God's kingdom. Jesus' teaching reveals that the resurrected life transcends earthly institutions like marriage, which are designed for a mortal existence and procreation. In the resurrection, believers will be "like angels in heaven" (Matthew 22:30), not bound by earthly needs or relationships, but fully devoted to God. This points to Christ as the ultimate "seed" and the source of true, eternal lineage. Through His own resurrection, Jesus conquered death and inaugurated a new creation, where believers are no longer defined by their earthly family lines but by their spiritual adoption as "sons of God" (Luke 20:36) through faith in Him. The focus shifts from preserving a human name to being part of God's eternal family, with Christ as the firstborn of many brethren (Romans 8:29). The Sadducees' question, rooted in a limited view of God as the God of the dead, is powerfully countered by Jesus' declaration that God is "the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob," implying that these patriarchs are alive with God (Matthew 22:32). This reveals that the covenant God is a God of life, and His ultimate purpose is not merely the continuation of earthly lines, but the eternal fellowship of His redeemed people in Christ, where all things are made new (Revelation 21:5).