Lexical Summary exanistémi: To rise up, to stand up, to awaken Original Word: ἐξανίστημι Strong's Exhaustive Concordance raise, rise up. From ek and anistemi; objectively, to produce, i.e. (figuratively) beget; subjectively, to arise, i.e. (figuratively) object -- raise (rise) up. see GREEK ek see GREEK anistemi NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom ek and anistémi Definition to raise up, to rise NASB Translation raise (2), stood (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 1817: ἐξανίστημιἐξανίστημι: 1 aorist ἐξανέστησα; 2 aorist ἐξανεστην; 1. to make rise up, to raise up, to produce: σπέρμα, Mark 12:19; Luke 20:28 (Hebrew זֶרַע הֵקִים, Genesis 38:8). 2. 2 aorist active to rise in an assembly to speak (as in Xenophon, an. 6, 1, 30); Acts 15:5. The verb denotes the act of arising or causing something or someone to arise. In Scripture it serves both literal and figurative purposes: (1) to lift up or raise physical descendants, and (2) to stand up in open declaration or opposition. Behind both ideas lies the notion of emergence—whether of life that had not yet appeared or of a voice that now comes to the fore. Occurrences in the New Testament 1. Mark 12:19 – The Sadducees recall the levirate instruction that a surviving brother should “raise up offspring” for the deceased. Contexts of Use • Levirate Duty (Mark 12; Luke 20). The verb highlights the continuation of family lineage. By marrying the widow the brother would bring forth a child who legally perpetuated the dead man’s name. This “raising up” protects covenant inheritance lines, showing how seriously Israel regarded God-given family stewardship (see Deuteronomy 25:5-6). • Council Deliberation (Acts 15). Here the verb pictures men literally rising to express doctrinal demands. The same motion of standing encapsulates a theological stance: adherence to the Mosaic ceremonial code for salvation. Their rising sets the stage for apostolic clarification that justification is by grace through faith. Theological Themes 1. Preservation of Covenant Promise God’s covenant with Abraham involved seed (Genesis 17:7). The levirate law—and the verb describing its fulfillment—functions as a safeguard of that promise. Even in human death, God’s design for ongoing covenant life “rises up.” 2. Life Out of Death Although ἐξανίστημι is not the technical term for resurrection, its use in the levirate passages anticipates the greater truth that God brings life where death threatens finality. The Sadducees, who denied bodily resurrection, ironically invoke a statute containing an implicit testimony that death does not have the last word. 3. Witness and Controversy in the Church Acts 15 shows how “rising up” can represent the surfacing of doctrinal error within the believing community. The episode reminds the church that zeal must bow to apostolic teaching and to the revealed gospel of grace. Historical and Cultural Insights • In first-century Judaism, levirate marriage had waned in practice but remained theologically significant. The Sadducees employ it rhetorically to discredit resurrection, demonstrating how legal texts were used in intra-Jewish debates. • Public assemblies in the ancient world expected a speaker to stand to gain the floor. Hence Luke’s description of the Pharisees “standing up” is not mere stage direction; it signals formal opposition requiring an equally formal apostolic reply. Ministry Application • Family Stewardship – Modern believers may draw from the levirate principle a call to honor family responsibilities, protect vulnerable relatives, and value generational faithfulness. • Apologetic Readiness – Jesus’ handling of the Sadducees urges pastors and teachers to engage skeptics with both scriptural precision and an eye on God’s power to give life. • Guarding the Gospel – When voices “rise up” within the church advocating additions to faith in Christ, leaders must follow the pattern of Acts 15: examine claims in light of Scripture, testify to God’s saving work among the nations, and uphold salvation by grace alone. Related Concepts Rising of prophets (Acts 3:22); God “raising up” deliverers (Judges 3:9); bodily resurrection (1 Corinthians 15); standing firm in the gospel (Philippians 1:27). Englishman's Concordance Mark 12:19 V-ASA-3SGRK: γυναῖκα καὶ ἐξαναστήσῃ σπέρμα τῷ NAS: THE WIFE AND RAISE UP CHILDREN KJV: wife, and raise up seed unto his INT: wife and raise up seed for the Luke 20:28 V-ASA-3S Acts 15:5 V-AIA-3P Strong's Greek 1817 |
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