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“Jesus Debates the Sadducees on the Resurrection”· Matthew 22:23–33
Translation
Complete Jewish Bible
The same thing happened to the second brother, and the third, and finally to all seven.
Berean Standard Bible
The same thing happened to the second and third brothers, down to the seventh.
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Historical interpretation
Five Centuries of Reception
14 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...
(Quæst. Ev. i, 32.) Mystically; by these seven brethren are understood the wicked, who could not bring forth the fruit of righteousness in the earth through all the seven ages of the world, during which this earth has being, for afterwards this earth also shall pass away, through which all those seven passed away unfruitful.
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 22:26 serves as a crucial detail within the Sadducees' elaborate hypothetical scenario, presented to Jesus as a theological trap concerning the resurrection. This verse specifically enumerates the continuation of the levirate marriage pattern, describing how "likewise the second also, and the third, unto the seventh" brother married the same woman, all dying childless. It meticulously builds the premise for their climactic question, aiming to expose what they perceived as an absurdity in the doctrine of resurrection, thereby challenging Jesus' authority and wisdom.
Context
Literary Context
Matthew 22:26 is embedded within a direct confrontation between Jesus and the Sadducees, meticulously recorded in Matthew 22:23-33. Following the Pharisees' failed attempt to trap Jesus (Matthew 22:15-22), the Sadducees, known for their rejection of the resurrection, step forward. Their challenge begins with a detailed hypothetical situation in Matthew 22:25, outlining a man who dies childless, leading his brother to marry the widow according to the law of levirate marriage. Matthew 22:26 then meticulously extends this scenario, emphasizing the sequential nature of seven brothers marrying the same woman, each dying without issue. This verse is not a standalone theological statement but a narrative device, building the foundation for the Sadducees' intended "gotcha" question about whose wife she would be in the resurrection, which Jesus masterfully refutes in Matthew 22:29-32.
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, rejecting oral traditions, the existence of angels, and, most notably, the resurrection of the dead and the concept of an afterlife. Their question to Jesus was rooted in the Mosaic law of levirate marriage, found in Deuteronomy 25:5-10, which mandated that if a man died childless, his brother should marry the widow to "raise up seed unto his brother," ensuring the deceased's name and lineage continued. By constructing a scenario involving seven brothers and one woman, the Sadducees aimed to expose what they believed was an inherent absurdity in the resurrection doctrine, assuming that resurrected life would merely be an extension of earthly social structures and marital obligations.
Key Themes
Matthew 22:26, as part of this pivotal exchange, contributes to several significant themes within Matthew's Gospel and broader New Testament theology. Firstly, it highlights the Sadducees' profound misunderstanding of the afterlife, revealing their limited, earthly-bound conception of God's power and the nature of resurrected existence. They project human institutions and limitations onto divine realities. Secondly, it sets the stage for Jesus' authoritative teaching on the nature of the resurrection, where He clarifies that in the resurrection, people "neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven" (Matthew 22:30). This reveals a transformed, spiritual reality that transcends earthly concerns. Thirdly, the passage underscores Jesus' divine wisdom and unparalleled authority in handling theological challenges, demonstrating His ability to expose the flawed logic of His adversaries and elevate the discussion to profound spiritual truths, even appealing to the Torah itself to prove the resurrection (Matthew 22:31-32). Finally, it implicitly affirms the reality and importance of the resurrection, a foundational doctrine of Christian faith, despite the Sadducees' attempts to discredit it.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This adverb signifies "in the same manner" or "similarly." In Matthew 22:26, its use emphasizes the repetitive and consistent nature of the hypothetical situation. Each successive brother follows the same pattern of marrying the widow and then dying childless, meticulously building the Sadducees' case for an absurd outcome in the resurrection. It underscores the methodical construction of their theological trap.
As an ordinal number, "second" simply denotes the position in a sequence. Here, it marks the commencement of the enumerated succession of brothers after the first. Its inclusion, alongside "third" and "seventh," highlights the Sadducees' detailed, step-by-step presentation of their scenario, intending to leave no room for ambiguity or alternative interpretations of their convoluted example.
This cardinal number, "seven," is significant. In biblical numerology, seven often symbolizes completion, perfection, or fullness. In this context, it marks the culmination of the Sadducees' extreme hypothetical. By extending the scenario to the seventh brother, they aim to maximize the perceived absurdity of the situation, believing that such an extensive chain of levirate marriages would undeniably expose a flaw in the concept of resurrection, as the woman would have an impossibly complex marital status in the afterlife.
Verse Breakdown
"Likewise the second also"
This phrase immediately follows the mention of the first brother dying childless (Matthew 22:25). "Likewise" (G3668, homoíōs) indicates that the pattern of marriage and subsequent death without offspring is repeated. The "second also" (G1208, deúteros) explicitly names the next brother in the sequence, underscoring the methodical and sequential nature of the Sadducees' hypothetical situation. It sets the precedent for the repeated failure of the levirate marriage to produce an heir.
"and the third"
This continues the enumeration, adding the third brother to the tragic sequence. The simple conjunction "and" (G2532, kaí) maintains the direct, unembellished narrative of the Sadducees, who are laying out their case in a matter-of-fact manner. Each addition to the chain of brothers dying childless strengthens their argument for the perceived absurdity of a resurrection that would perpetuate such earthly dilemmas.
"unto the seventh"
This climactic phrase (using G2193, héōs, meaning "until" or "unto," and G2033, heptá, "seventh") signifies the completion of the Sadducees' extreme scenario. By extending the pattern to the seventh brother, they present the most convoluted possible situation under the levirate law. The implication is that all seven brothers, one after another, married the same woman and all died without issue, thus maximizing the perceived problem of "whose wife" she would be in the resurrection, which they believed would logically disprove the resurrection itself.
Literary Devices
Matthew 22:26, while brief, is an integral part of a larger Hypothetical Scenario crafted by the Sadducees. This scenario, designed to trap Jesus, relies on an extreme and convoluted application of the levirate marriage law. The verse employs Enumeration and Repetition ("the second... and the third, unto the seventh") to emphasize the systematic and exhaustive nature of the Sadducees' premise. This meticulous detailing serves to heighten the perceived dilemma, making the subsequent question about the woman's marital status in the resurrection seem unanswerable from an earthly perspective. There is also an underlying Irony in the Sadducees' attempt: by using the very Law they strictly adhered to, they inadvertently set the stage for Jesus to reveal a deeper, more spiritual truth that transcends their limited, literalistic understanding.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Matthew 22:26, though a descriptive detail in a challenging question, opens a profound theological window when viewed in the context of Jesus' subsequent response. It highlights the vast chasm between human, earthly understanding and divine, eternal realities. The Sadducees, confined by their literal interpretation of the Torah and their rejection of spiritual truths like the resurrection, could only conceive of an afterlife as a mere continuation of physical existence and social institutions. Jesus' response, prompted by this very verse, elevates the discussion, revealing that God's power and the nature of resurrected life transcend human limitations, including earthly marriage. This passage, therefore, serves as a powerful reminder that our finite minds cannot fully grasp the infinite wisdom and power of God, and that His plans for eternity are far grander and more transformative than our present experiences can imagine.
Reflection and Application
Matthew 22:26, as part of the Sadducees' misguided challenge, serves as a potent reminder of the dangers of limiting God to our human frameworks and expectations. Just as the Sadducees struggled to conceive of an existence beyond the physical and its societal structures, we too can fall into the trap of projecting our earthly understanding onto divine truths. This passage encourages us to cultivate a posture of humility and openness to God's revelation, recognizing that His ways are infinitely higher than our own. It calls us to trust in the transformative power of the resurrection, not merely as a resuscitation of our current bodies, but as a glorious, spiritual renewal that transcends the limitations and complexities of our present life. Ultimately, it directs our hope towards an eternal reality where our relationship with God will be perfected, and earthly concerns will give way to a new, spiritual existence in His presence.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why did the Sadducees choose this specific scenario involving seven brothers and one woman?
The Sadducees chose this scenario to create what they believed was an irresolvable dilemma for Jesus, thereby disproving the concept of resurrection. They based their hypothetical on the Mosaic law of levirate marriage (Deuteronomy 25:5-10), which required a brother to marry his deceased, childless brother's widow. By extending this to seven brothers, all of whom die childless after marrying the same woman, they maximized the perceived absurdity. Their logic was that if there were a resurrection, this woman would have seven husbands, creating an impossible marital situation in the afterlife, which they believed would render the idea of resurrection illogical and therefore false. They assumed resurrected life would simply be a continuation of earthly social structures.
What does Jesus' response in this passage teach us about marriage in the resurrection?
Jesus' response, particularly in Matthew 22:30, clarifies that "in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven." This does not necessarily mean that earthly relationships are nullified or that love ceases to exist, but rather that the institution of marriage, as we know it on earth (which includes procreation and the continuation of family lines), will be transformed or transcended. Our resurrected state will be spiritual and eternal, focused on our direct relationship with God, rather than the earthly bonds that serve a purpose in this temporal life. It suggests a higher, more perfect state of being where the need for earthly institutions like marriage is fulfilled in a new, divine reality.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Matthew 22:26, as part of the Sadducees' challenge, ultimately serves to highlight the profound Christ-centered truth of the resurrection. The Sadducees, by denying the resurrection, denied the very power of God and, by extension, the future reality of Christ's triumph over death. Jesus' response to their convoluted scenario not only corrects their theological error but also implicitly points to His own identity as the Lord of life and the Resurrection itself. When Jesus declares that God is "not the God of the dead, but of the living" (Matthew 22:32), He foreshadows His own impending victory over the grave. His resurrection, the ultimate fulfillment of all Old Testament hopes, would definitively prove the reality of life beyond death and establish Him as the "firstfruits of those who are asleep" (1 Corinthians 15:20). The Sadducees' limited, earthly understanding is shattered by the reality of Christ, who embodies the new creation where earthly institutions are transcended and eternal life in fellowship with God is fully realized. Through Him, we are promised a transformed existence, where the limitations of this world give way to the glorious, incorruptible reality of God's eternal kingdom, as beautifully envisioned in Revelation 21:3-4.