Online Resource Library
Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadBob Utley You Can Understand the Bible - Matthew 22:23 - 22:33
(Show All Books | Show All Chapters)
This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Mat_22:23-33
23On that day some Sadducees (who say there is no resurrection) came to Jesus and questioned Him, 24asking, " Teacher, Moses said, 'If a man dies having no children, his brother as next of kin shall marry his wife, and raise up children for his brother.'25"Now there were seven brothers with us; and the first married and died, and having no children left his wife to his brother; 26so also the second, and the third, down to the seventh. 27Last of all, the woman died. 28In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had married her." 29But Jesus answered and said to them, "You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures nor the power of God. 30For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like the angels in heaven. 31But regarding the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God: 32'I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not the God of the dead but of the living." 33When the crowds heard this, they were astonished at His teaching.
Mat_22:23 "Sadducees" See Special Topic at Mat_2:4.
▣ "questioned Him" This question also was meant to force Jesus to deal with a controversial topic, and thereby, alienate Himself from a segment of the Jewish population.
Mat_22:24 "Moses said" This is a reference to Deu_25:5-6.
▣ "if" This is a third class conditional sentence, which meant potential future action.
▣ "his brother as next of kin shall marry his wife" This dealt with the concept of "Levirate marriage" (cf. Deu_25:5-6; Rth_4:1-2). This term comes from the Latin term for " brother-in-law." In ancient Israel the land was a major theological emphasis (cf. Gen_12:1-3). God had divided the land by lot under Joshua into tribal allocations. When a male descendant died without an heir the question arose about the fate of his land. The Jews developed a way for the widow to have a child, if possible, by a near relative so that the deceased man's property would go to an heir. This child would be considered the child of the deceased brother (cf. Numbers 27 and Ruth 4).
Mat_22:25 "seven brothers" This shows that the Sadducees did not really want theological information but grounds for accusations! No doubt they had used this theological argument many times to confuse and embarrass the Pharisees.
Mat_22:29 "You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures nor the power of God" This accusation must have really embarrassed these religious leaders (cf. Mat_21:42)! However, it is uncertain to which OT Scripture Jesus was referring to provide this information.
Mat_22:30 "For in the resurrection" Jesus was asserting His agreement with the Pharisees concerning a future resurrection (cf. Dan_12:1-2 or possibly Job_14:7-15; Job_19:25-27).
▣ "they neither marry nor are given in marriage" This was a new truth not disclosed elsewhere in Scripture. It implies that sexuality is only an aspect of time. It was part of God's will for creation (cf. Gen_1:28; Gen_9:17), but not for eternity! This seems to imply that the wonderful one flesh fellowship between a man and wife will be superseded by an even closer fellowship between all of God's children in eternity.
▣ "but are like the angels in heaven" This states that angels do not have a sexual aspect to their existence. They do not reproduce themselves in this way. Many commentators have used this verse to interpret Gen_6:1-4 as not referring to the sexual activity of angels, but rather a special group of angels mentioned in Jud_1:6 and possibly 1Pe_3:19-20, who are kept in prison (Tartarus, which was the name for the wicked part of hades).
Mat_22:32 "I am the God of Abraham" Jesus was using a rabbinical word play on the implied present tense of the supplied Hebrew verb "I Am"of Exo_3:6 to assert that God was and is still Abraham's and the Patriarchs'God. Abraham still lives and God is still his God! Jesus used a text from the Pentateuch (Genesis - Deuteronomy) in which the Sadducees claimed to be authoritative.
Mat_22:33 They were astonished because Jesus used the OT without reference to the rabbinical traditions (cf. Mat_7:28; Mat_13:54). He was His own authority (cf. Mat_5:21-48).