Matthew 22 25

Matthew 22:25

ESV: Now there were seven brothers among us. The first married and died, and having no offspring left his wife to his brother.

KJV: 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:

NIV: Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died, and since he had no children, he left his wife to his brother.

NKJV: Now there were with us seven brothers. The first died after he had married, and having no offspring, left his wife to his brother.

NLT: Well, suppose there were seven brothers. The oldest one married and then died without children, so his brother married the widow.

Meaning

Matthew 22:25 presents a hypothetical scenario put forth by the Sadducees to Jesus. They describe a situation where a man marries but dies childless, and his widow is subsequently married by his successive brothers, one after another, all of whom also die without leaving offspring. This complex case serves as the foundational premise for their challenge to Jesus regarding the resurrection of the dead. Their intent is to expose what they perceive as an absurdity if there were a resurrection, as the levirate law would lead to multiple claims on one woman.

Cross References

Context

Matthew chapter 22 is a series of confrontations between Jesus and various Jewish religious leaders in Jerusalem during the final week before His crucifixion. Following Jesus' Triumphal Entry and His cleansing of the temple, different groups challenge His authority and teaching, seeking to trap Him in His words. Previously, the Pharisees and Herodians attempted to ensnare Him with a question about paying taxes to Caesar. Immediately after this, the Sadducees approach Him.

The Sadducees were a prominent Jewish sect known for their strict adherence to the written Torah (Pentateuch) and their rejection of many doctrines accepted by other Jewish groups, particularly the Pharisees. Crucially, they did not believe in the resurrection of the dead, angels, or spirits. Their question in Matthew 22:25, leading up to verse 28, is not an earnest search for truth but a calculated polemic designed to ridicule the concept of resurrection and thereby discredit Jesus, who taught about eternal life. They frame their argument using a hyper-extended case of the levirate marriage law (Deut 25:5-10) to highlight what they perceived as an illogical and impossible scenario if there were indeed a resurrection where earthly marriage ties persisted.

Word analysis

• "There were" (ἐγένετο - egeneto): A common Greek verb meaning "it happened" or "there was." It simply sets the scene for the hypothetical situation the Sadducees are presenting. It marks the commencement of their illustrative tale.
• "with us" (παρ’ ἡμῖν - par’ hēmin): "Among us" or "in our view." This phrase underscores that this is their contrived example, originating from their specific perspective and intended to expose what they consider an absurdity based on their understanding of the law and reality. It highlights their ownership of the intellectual challenge.
• "seven brothers" (ἑπτὰ ἀδελφοί - hepta adelphoi): The number "seven" is used to exaggerate the complexity of the situation and push the levirate law to its extreme, making the "absurdity" of resurrection, in their eyes, more pronounced. It implies completeness and finality, emphasizing that all avenues were exhausted in their hypothetical.
• "first married a wife" (ὁ πρῶτος γήμας γυναῖκα - ho prōtos gēmas gynaika): "The first one marrying a wife." This clearly establishes the initial conjugal union and sets the sequence in motion according to the Sadducees' elaborative scenario, beginning the chain of successive marriages.
• "and died" (καὶ ἀπέθανεν - kai apethanen): The simple statement of the death of the first brother, essential for the levirate law to be invoked.
• "and having no offspring" (καὶ μὴ ἔχων σπέρμα - kai mē echōn sperma): This is a critical legal condition. Sperma (σπέρμα) here means "seed" or "offspring." The lack of male heir is precisely what triggered the levirate responsibility (Deut 25:5). This phrase defines the specific condition that mandated the next brother to fulfill the duty.
• "left his wife" (ἀφῆκεν τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ - aphēken tēn gynaika autou): "Left behind his wife." This signifies the woman becoming a widow and being eligible for marriage to the next brother under the levirate system. It implies that she was "left" in a state of dependency and requirement.
• "to his brother" (τῷ ἀδελφῷ αὐτοῦ - tō adelphō autou): This indicates the prescribed person who must marry the widow according to the Mosaic Law (Deut 25:5). It highlights the specific familial duty.

Words-group analysis:

• "There were with us seven brothers; the first married a wife, and died, and having no offspring...": This entire opening sets the scene for a highly specific and exaggerated hypothetical. The phrase "with us" emphasizes the Sadducees' direct presentation and implied ownership of this particular thought experiment. The precise details ("seven brothers," "no offspring") are all meticulously chosen to create a maximum challenge to the concept of resurrection while meticulously staying within the framework of Mosaic law on the surface. They aim to show the levirate law, if extended into a resurrection, as producing an insoluble dilemma concerning the woman's marital status.

Commentary

Matthew 22:25 serves as the exposition of the Sadducees' intricate argument against the resurrection of the dead. By presenting the scenario of seven brothers sequentially marrying a single childless widow, they create an extreme hypothetical case, meticulously crafted to expose what they perceive as the logical flaw in the doctrine of resurrection. Their understanding of the afterlife was limited to an extension of earthly existence, including social structures like marriage. Thus, for them, if there were a resurrection, this woman would impossibly be the wife of seven men simultaneously. This showcases their fundamental misunderstanding of the power of God and the nature of the resurrected state, which Jesus proceeds to correct. They fail to grasp that divine order in the afterlife transcends human earthly constructs and limitations, and God is not the God of the dead, but of the living (Mt 22:32). The Sadducees, focusing strictly on the letter of the Law as they interpreted it, neglected its spirit and the broader prophetic understanding of God's power and promises of eternal life. This scenario sets the stage for Jesus to unveil profound truth about God's eternal nature and the transformation awaiting those who are resurrected.

Bonus section

The Sadducees, largely from the aristocratic and priestly families, held significant influence in the temple and Sanhedrin. Their rejection of resurrection, angels, and spirits distinguished them sharply from the Pharisees, who affirmed these doctrines based on oral traditions and broader scriptural interpretations beyond just the Pentateuch. The levirate marriage law, requiring a brother to marry his deceased sibling's childless widow to raise up offspring for the deceased, was rooted in ancient Israelite custom to preserve family lines and inheritance. The Sadducees’ detailed use of this law reflects their adherence to the Pentateuch, yet their misapplication to ridicule resurrection exposed their limited understanding of divine power and the eschatological reality that Jesus preached. Their entire argument hinges on the false premise that resurrected life would merely be a continuation of mortal existence with all its present customs and challenges, ignoring the transforming power of God. This interaction underscores the profound theological divide of the time and highlights Jesus' unique authority to clarify biblical truth regarding both law and eternal life.

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