What does Luke 20:28 teach about marriage and family responsibilities? Setting the Scene • In Luke 20:28 the Sadducees repeat Moses’ instruction from Deuteronomy 25:5. • They are challenging Jesus about the resurrection, yet their quotation reveals God-given duties inside the covenant family. What Moses Commanded “Teacher, Moses wrote for us: ‘If a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man is to marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother.’” (Luke 20:28) • The command is called levirate marriage. • Purpose: preserve the deceased brother’s name, land inheritance, and line in Israel. • It also protected the widow from poverty and social disgrace. Key Insights on Marriage • Marriage is more than romance; it is a covenant with communal implications (Genesis 2:24; Malachi 2:14-15). • God links marriage to the continuation of life and legacy—children are a “heritage from the LORD” (Psalm 127:3). • The command recognizes the permanence of the marital bond even after death: the family must honor it. Family Responsibilities Highlighted Obligation to the widow • Relatives must not abandon vulnerable family members (Proverbs 23:10-11; 1 Timothy 5:3-4). • Practical, sacrificial care reflects covenant faithfulness. Obligation to the deceased • A brother’s memory and property were safeguarded; his life still mattered (Numbers 27:1-11). • Preserving his name kept tribal inheritance lines intact, upholding God’s promises to Israel. Obligation to future generations • “Raise up offspring” underscores the duty to produce and disciple godly children (Deuteronomy 6:6-7; Ephesians 6:4). • Family lines serve God’s redemptive plan—seen supremely in Christ’s genealogy, which includes a levirate story (Ruth 4:10-22). Continuing Application Today • Honor the permanence and covenant depth of marriage; treat it as a God-designed institution with communal impact. • Care for widows, single parents, and other vulnerable relatives—practical love is non-negotiable (1 Timothy 5:8). • Remember family heritage: steward names, testimonies, and resources so the next generation knows the Lord (Psalm 78:4-7). Luke 20:28 reminds us that marriage responsibilities extend beyond the couple; they bind the wider family to faithful, sacrificial love that preserves life, honor, and God’s covenant purposes. |
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