Matthew 22:24
in Matthew 22“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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
saying, Teacher, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.
KJV
Saying, Master, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.
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This verse in Matthew 22
Commentary
11 notes on this verseSaying, master,.... Rabbi, or doctor, as he was usually called; Moses said, in Deu 25:5 if a man die having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother; which, though not expressed in the self same words, yet is the sense of the passage referred to, and was a practice in use before the times of Moses, as appears from the case of Er and Onan; the design of which was, to preserve families, and keep their inheritances distinct and entire.
This site's exposition
the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection
on Matthew 22:23-25
The same day came the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, a party distinct from the Pharisees precisely on this point, accepting only the five books of Moses as final authority and reading no bodily resurrection there. Their case is built from Moses' own levirate law in Deuteronomy 25:5, a brother marrying his dead brother's childless widow to raise up seed, and they stretch it into an absurdity, seven brethren married in succession to one woman. The question is designed as a trap for anyone who teaches resurrection, since a shared wife in the age to come was assumed by their own framing to be a problem with no clean answer.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
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.
(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.
(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.
A commentator
John ChrysostomHomily on the Gospel of Matthew 70 · Written in the 5th century.
proposed
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.
The Medieval Church1 voice
There follows the question. And first he presents the law; secondly, the case; thirdly, the question. They say, therefore, and they interrogated him, saying: master, Moses said: if a man die, having no son, etc. Deuteronomy 25:5 f. What was the reason for the law? …
4 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church1 voice
When the mouths of the Pharisees and the Herodians had been shut, again the Sadducees put Him to the test. Their heresy was this: they believed neither in a resurrection of the dead, nor in the existence of an immaterial spirit, nor in angels, and …
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
Raise up seed unto his brother - This law is mentioned Deu 25:5. The meaning of the expression is, that the children produced by this marriage should be reckoned in the genealogy of the deceased brother, and enjoy his estates. The word seed should be always translated children or posterity. There is a law precisely similar to this among the Hindoos.
This passage describes a conversation between our Lord Jesus Christ and the Sadducees. These unhappy men, who said that there was “no resurrection” attempted, like the Pharisees and Herodians, to perplex our Lord with hard questions. Like them, they hoped “to entangle him in his talk” and to injure his reputation among the people. Like them, they were completely baffled. Let us observe in the first place, that absurd skeptical objections to Bible truths are ancient things.
This passage describes a conversation between our Lord Jesus Christ and the Sadducees. These unhappy men, who said that there was “no resurrection” attempted, like the Pharisees and Herodians, to perplex our Lord with hard questions. Like them, they hoped “to entangle him in his talk” and to injure his reputation among the people. Like them, they were completely baffled. Let us observe in the first place, that absurd skeptical objections to Bible truths are ancient things. The Sadducees wished to show the absurdity of the doctrine of the resurrection and the life to come; they therefore came to our Lord with a story which was probably invented for the occasion. They told him that a certain woman had married seven brothers in succession, who had all died and left no children. They then asked, “whose wife” this woman would be in the next world, when all rose again. The object of the question was plain and transparent. They meant, in reality, to bring the whole doctrine of a resurrection into contempt; they meant to insinuate that there must needs be confusion, and strife and unseemly disorder if after death men and women were to live again. It must never surprise us if we meet with like objections against the doctrines of Scripture, and especially against those doctrines which concern another world. There never probably will be wanting unreasonable men who will intrude into things unseen and make imaginary difficulties their excuse for unbelief. Supposed cases are one of the favorite strongholds in which an unbelieving mind loves to entrench itself. Such a mind will often set up a shadow of its own imagining, and fight with it as if it was a truth; such a mind will often refuse to look at the overwhelming mass of plain evidence by which Christianity is supported, and will fasten down on some one single difficulty which it fancies is unanswerable.
How the passage was read
On Matthew 22:23-46On Matthew 22:23-46
The Sadducees' riddle, the greatest commandment, and David's son
The Sadducees, the priestly party that denied the resurrection of the dead (Acts 23:8), build their riddle on levirate marriage: the Torah's command that a man marry his brother's childless widow (Deuteronomy 25:5-10, the law behind Ruth; the Mishnah's tractate Yevamot regulates its cases). Seven brothers, one widow: “in the resurrection whose wife shall she be?” Jesus answers them from the Torah alone, the canon they granted: “I AM the God of Abraham” (Exodus 3:6), the living God of living men. Note where the parties stand: the Pharisees affirmed the resurrection so strongly that the Mishnah excludes from the world to come anyone who says the resurrection is not from the Torah (Sanhedrin 10:1). On this doctrine the Pharisaic tradition and Christian confession stand together against the Sadducees.
The lawyer's question that follows, “which is the great commandment?”, belongs to a genuine rabbinic genre: the search for a kelal gadol, a great governing principle. Hillel, asked to teach the whole Torah while a challenger stood on one foot, answered “what is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow; that is the whole Torah, the rest is commentary; go and learn” (Shabbat 31a); Rabbi Akiva later called “love your neighbor as yourself” the all-embracing principle of the Torah (Sifra on Leviticus 19:18). Jesus' first answer IS the Shema, the confession every observant Jew prays morning and evening (Deuteronomy 6:4-5), joined to Leviticus 19:18. The materials are the tradition's own; what is His alone is the authority with which He joins and ranks them, and the counter-question He then asks from Psalm 110: whose son is the Messiah?
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Sources: Mishnah Sanhedrin 10:1 (the resurrection as core doctrine) · Shabbat 31a (Babylonian Talmud, Hillel on one foot) · Sifra, Kedoshim 4:12 (Akiva's great principle) · Mishnah Yevamot 1:1 (the levirate tractate)
The words behind it
23 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| λέγοντες· | legontes | saying; | G3004 → | 1325 times |
| διδάσκαλε, | didaskale | Teacher, | G1320 → | 58 times |
| Μωϋσῆς | mouses | Moses | G3475 → | 78 times |
| εἶπεν· | eipen | said; | G2036 → | 925 times |
| ἐάν | ean | If | G1437 → | 352 times |
| τις | tis | anyone | G5100 → | 528 times |
| ἀποθάνῃ | apothane | shall die | G599 → | 110 times |
| μὴ | me | not | G3361 → | 1066 times |
| ἔχων | echon | having | G2192 → | 707 times |
| τέκνα, | tekna | children, | G5043 → | 99 times |
| ἐπιγαμβρεύσει | epigambreusei | will marry | G1918 → | |
| ὁ | ho | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀδελφὸς | adelphos | brother | G80 → | 343 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | of him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| γυναῖκα | gunaika | wife | G1135 → | 211 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | of him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἀναστήσει | anastesei | he will raise up | G450 → | 107 times |
| σπέρμα | sperma | offspring | G4690 → | 43 times |
| τῷ | to | for the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀδελφῷ | adelpho | brother | G80 → | 343 times |
| αὐτοῦ. | autou | of him. | G846 → | 5565 times |
λέγοντες·saying;
legontesG3004 →1325 times
διδάσκαλε,Teacher,
didaskaleG1320 →58 times
ΜωϋσῆςMoses
mousesG3475 →78 times
εἶπεν·said;
eipenG2036 →925 times
ἐάνIf
eanG1437 →352 times
τιςanyone
tisG5100 →528 times
ἀποθάνῃshall die
apothaneG599 →110 times
μὴnot
meG3361 →1066 times
ἔχωνhaving
echonG2192 →707 times
τέκνα,children,
teknaG5043 →99 times
ἐπιγαμβρεύσειwill marry
epigambreuseiG1918 →
ὁthe
hoG3588 →19766 times
ἀδελφὸςbrother
adelphosG80 →343 times
αὐτοῦof him
autouG846 →5565 times
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
γυναῖκαwife
gunaikaG1135 →211 times
αὐτοῦof him
autouG846 →5565 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἀναστήσειhe will raise up
anasteseiG450 →107 times
σπέρμαoffspring
spermaG4690 →43 times
τῷfor the
toG3588 →19766 times
ἀδελφῷbrother
adelphoG80 →343 times
αὐτοῦ.of him.
autouG846 →5565 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Matthew 7:21Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
it leads to
- Romans 2:13
For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but it is the doers of the law who will be declared righteous.
- Luke 6:46
Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ but not do what I say?
- James 1:22
Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves.
- Luke 11:28
But He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”
- Titus 1:16
They profess to know God, but by their actions they deny Him. They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good deed.
- Romans 2:13
Through
Ruth 1:11But Naomi replied, “Return home, my daughters. Why would you go with me? Are there still sons in my womb to become your husbands?
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 25:5
When brothers dwell together and one of them dies without a son, the widow must not marry outside the family. Her husband’s brother is to take her as his wife and fulfill the duty…
- Deuteronomy 25:5
Through
Luke 20:28“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.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 25:5–10
When brothers dwell together and one of them dies without a son, the widow must not marry outside the family. Her husband’s brother is to take her as his wife and fulfill the duty…
- Deuteronomy 25:5–10
Through
Matthew 22:16They sent their disciples to Him along with the Herodians. “Teacher,” they said, “we know that You are honest and that You teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You seek…
it leads to
- Mark 3:6
At this, the Pharisees went out and began plotting with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus.
- Mark 3:6
Where this verse is studied
About Matthew
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Matthew; Jerome, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Jerome, Commentary on Matthew; John Chrysostom, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; John Chrysostom, Homily on the Gospel of Matthew 70; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Lightfoot, Horae Hebraicae et Talmudicae on Matthew; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Matthew and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Matthew.