Matthew 22:28

KJV

Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her.

KJV (with Strong's)

Therefore {G3767} in {G1722} the resurrection {G386} whose {G5101} wife {G1135} shall she be {G2071} of the seven {G2033}? for {G1063} they all {G3956} had {G2192} her {G846}.

Complete Jewish Bible

Now in the Resurrection -- of the seven, whose wife will she be? For they all married her."

Berean Standard Bible

In the resurrection, then, whose wife will she be of the seven? For all of them were married to her.”

American Standard Version

In the resurrection therefore whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Matthew 22:28 presents a calculated challenge from the Sadducees to Jesus, employing a hypothetical scenario involving a woman who successively marries seven brothers. Their question, "Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her," was designed to expose what they perceived as a logical absurdity inherent in the concept of resurrection, thereby attempting to discredit Jesus' teachings and the very notion of an afterlife. This verse encapsulates their profound misunderstanding of God's power and the transformed nature of eternity, setting the stage for Jesus' authoritative and clarifying response.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Matthew 22:28 is situated within a series of intense interrogations Jesus faces from various Jewish factions in Jerusalem during the final days leading up to His crucifixion. Immediately preceding this encounter, Jesus deftly silences the Herodians and Pharisees regarding the payment of taxes to Caesar ([Matthew 22:15-22](/matthew/22-15-22 "Matthew 22:15-22 - Paying Taxes to Caesar")). Following this, the Sadducees, known for their denial of the resurrection, step forward with their seemingly unanswerable dilemma. Jesus' subsequent response in [Matthew 22:29-32](/matthew/22-29-32 "Matthew 22:29-32 - Jesus' Answer to the Sadducees") not only refutes their premise but also powerfully affirms the reality of the resurrection and God's ongoing relationship with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This entire chapter, [Matthew 22](/matthew/22 "Matthew 22 - Jesus' Encounters with Opponents"), showcases Jesus' divine wisdom and authority in the face of escalating opposition.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The Sadducees were a prominent Jewish sect, primarily composed of aristocratic priests and wealthy elites, who held significant political and religious power during Jesus' time. Unlike the Pharisees, they rejected the oral law and adhered strictly to the written Torah (the first five books of Moses), denying the resurrection of the dead, the existence of angels, and the concept of an afterlife (as noted in [Acts 23:8](/acts/23-8 "Acts 23:8 - Sadducees Deny Resurrection")). Their challenge to Jesus was rooted in the Mosaic law of Levirate marriage, outlined in [Deuteronomy 25:5-6](/deuteronomy/25-5-6 "Deuteronomy 25:5-6 - The Law of Levirate Marriage"), which mandated that if a man died childless, his brother was to marry the widow to raise up an heir for the deceased. The Sadducees constructed an extreme hypothetical case, involving seven brothers and one woman, to illustrate what they believed was an absurd consequence of resurrection, thereby attempting to invalidate Jesus' teaching and the very concept of eternal life, which they did not believe in.
* **Key Themes:** This verse highlights several crucial themes. Firstly, it exposes the **misunderstanding of the resurrection** by those who project earthly, temporal conditions onto eternal, spiritual realities. The Sadducees' question reveals a failure to grasp the transformative power of God in the eschatological state. Secondly, it sets the stage for Jesus to teach about **transformed relationships in eternity**, specifically that earthly institutions like marriage, while sacred and significant in this life, do not continue in the same form in the resurrected state. This theme is explicitly addressed in [Matthew 22:30](/matthew/22-30 "Matthew 22:30 - Marriage in the Resurrection"). Thirdly, the encounter underscores the contrast between **divine wisdom and limited human logic**. The Sadducees attempted to trap Jesus within their narrow, earthly framework, but Jesus' response demonstrates that God's ways and power transcend human comprehension, revealing their error stemmed from "not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God" ([Matthew 22:29](/matthew/22-29 "Matthew 22:29 - Jesus Rebukes the Sadducees")).

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **resurrection (Greek, _anástasis'_):** (G386) This term, literally meaning "a standing up again," refers to a rising from the dead, a restoration to life. The Sadducees' error stemmed from their limited understanding of this concept, perceiving it merely as a reanimation of earthly conditions rather than a transformed existence in God's power.
* **wife (Greek, _gynḗ'_):** (G1135) While primarily meaning "woman," in this context, it specifically denotes "wife." The Sadducees' question hinges on the continuity of this earthly covenant relationship into the afterlife, which Jesus directly addresses by clarifying the nature of relationships in the resurrected state.
* **had (Greek, _échō'_):** (G2192) This verb signifies "to hold," "to possess," or "to have." In the context of the Levirate marriage, it refers to the marital union and the sexual relationship that was intended to produce offspring. The Sadducees emphasize that "they all had her" to underscore the perceived complexity and absurdity of her marital status in a resurrected state, assuming earthly possession and relational dynamics would persist.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Therefore in the resurrection":** This opening phrase immediately establishes the Sadducees' theological battleground. The "therefore" (G3767, _oûn_) acts as a consequential particle, linking their elaborate hypothetical scenario to the core question about the afterlife. They are forcing the concept of resurrection into their earthly, legalistic framework.
* **"whose wife shall she be of the seven?":** This is the crux of their challenge. The interrogative "whose" (G5101, _tís_) highlights their concern about the legal and social implications of marriage in a resurrected state, assuming that earthly marital bonds would continue. They present a scenario with seven (G2033, _heptá_) brothers, maximizing the perceived absurdity to trap Jesus.
* **"for they all had her.":** This concluding clause provides the Sadducees' justification for their question. The particle "for" (G1063, _gár_) introduces the reason, emphasizing that each of the seven brothers had entered into a marital relationship with the woman, making her, in their earthly understanding, the wife of all of them. This underscores their projection of temporal, physical realities onto an eternal, spiritual existence.

#### Literary Devices
The Sadducees' question in Matthew 22:28 employs several literary devices. The most prominent is the **Hypothetical Scenario**, a meticulously constructed narrative designed to create a seemingly unresolvable dilemma. This elaborate story, involving a woman marrying seven brothers, is not presented as a real event but as a thought experiment intended to expose what they believed to be the logical flaws of the resurrection doctrine. Coupled with this is the **Rhetorical Question**, "Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven?" This question is not posed out of genuine curiosity but as a challenge, a loaded inquiry designed to trap Jesus and expose His teachings as illogical or absurd. Finally, there is an element of **Irony** in the Sadducees' approach. In their attempt to highlight the supposed absurdity of the resurrection, they inadvertently expose their own limited understanding of God's power and the nature of eternal life. Their human logic, confined to earthly parameters, is revealed as inadequate when confronted with divine truth.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Matthew 22:28, while a question posed by skeptics, serves as a pivotal point for Jesus to reveal profound truths about the nature of the resurrection and the transformed reality of eternity. It underscores that God's power and His design for the afterlife transcend human earthly constructs and limitations. The Sadducees' error lay in their attempt to impose temporal, physical realities onto an eternal, spiritual state, failing to grasp that the resurrected existence is not merely a continuation of earthly life but a glorification and transformation of it. This passage affirms that while marriage is a sacred and beautiful institution ordained by God for this life, its purpose and form are fulfilled and transcended in the eternal realm, where our relationship with God and with one another will be perfected in a new, spiritual dimension. The ultimate union in eternity is with God Himself, and all other relationships are subsumed into that glorious reality.

* [Matthew 22:29-32](/matthew/22-29-32 "Jesus' Answer on the Resurrection")
* [1 Corinthians 15:42-44](/1_corinthians/15-42-44 "The Nature of the Resurrected Body")
* [Luke 20:34-36](/luke/20-34-36 "Marriage in the Resurrection")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Matthew 22:28 and Jesus' subsequent teaching offer vital insights for believers today, encouraging a robust and hopeful perspective on eternity. It challenges us to expand our understanding of God's power beyond the confines of our earthly experiences and logic. We are reminded that while our relationships in this life, particularly marriage, are precious, God-ordained, and formative, they are ultimately temporal expressions of a deeper, eternal reality. Our ultimate hope and joy are found not in the perpetuation of earthly forms but in the transformed, glorified existence in God's presence, where relationships will be perfected and our union with Christ will be complete. This passage invites us to live with an eternal perspective, valuing earthly blessings while holding them loosely in light of the infinitely greater realities awaiting us in Christ. It calls us to trust God's wisdom, which far surpasses our own, and to seek a deeper knowledge of His Word and His boundless power.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How might my own understanding of heaven or eternity be limited by earthly assumptions, similar to the Sadducees?**
* **What does Jesus' teaching about marriage in the resurrection reveal about the ultimate purpose of our relationships in this life?**
* **In what ways does this passage encourage me to trust God's power and wisdom, even when His ways seem to defy human logic?**
* **How can I live with a greater eternal perspective, valuing what is temporal while prioritizing what is eternal?**

### FAQ

**Does this passage mean that marriage is not important or that married couples will not recognize each other in heaven?**

Answer: No, this passage does not diminish the importance of marriage in this life. Marriage is a sacred covenant established by God for human flourishing, procreation, companionship, and as a picture of Christ's relationship with the Church ([Ephesians 5:31-32](/ephesians/5-31-32 "Ephesians 5:31-32 - The Mystery of Marriage")). Jesus' statement in [Matthew 22:30](/matthew/22-30 "Matthew 22:30 - Marriage in the Resurrection") that "in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage" indicates a transformation of relational dynamics, not an annihilation of identity or recognition. Our relationships will be perfected and glorified in Christ, transcending the earthly institution of marriage. While the specific legal and procreative aspects of marriage will cease, the love and bond shared between individuals will likely be elevated and perfected in a way we cannot fully comprehend now, within the greater context of our union with God and one another in the heavenly realm.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Matthew 22:28, though a question from skeptics, ultimately points to Christ as the fulfillment of all hope regarding the resurrection and eternal life. The Sadducees' error stemmed from their ignorance of God's power and the Scriptures, both of which are perfectly embodied and revealed in Jesus. He is not merely a teacher of resurrection but the very "resurrection and the life" ([John 11:25](/john/11-25 "John 11:25 - Jesus, the Resurrection and the Life")). His own victorious resurrection from the dead ([Matthew 28:1-10](/matthew/28-1-10 "Matthew 28:1-10 - The Resurrection of Jesus")) serves as the guarantee and firstfruits of our future resurrection ([1 Corinthians 15:20-22](/1_corinthians/15-20-22 "1 Corinthians 15:20-22 - Christ's Resurrection Guarantees Ours")). Through Him, the transformed nature of eternal existence, where earthly limitations give way to divine realities, is made possible. Furthermore, the ultimate marriage in eternity is not between earthly spouses but between Christ, the divine Bridegroom, and His Church, His beloved bride, a spiritual union that transcends all earthly covenants ([Revelation 19:7-9](/revelation/19-7-9 "Revelation 19:7-9 - The Marriage Supper of the Lamb")). Thus, Jesus not only answers the Sadducees' challenge but also reorients our understanding of eternity around His person, His power, and His ultimate redemptive work.

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.