How does Matthew 22:27 fit into the context of the Sadducees' question about resurrection? Text of Matthew 22:27 “Last of all, the woman also died.” Immediate Narrative Context (Matthew 22:23–33) The Sadducees, “who say there is no resurrection” (v. 23), present Jesus with a hypothetical derived from the levirate-marriage statute. Seven brothers, each dying childless, sequentially marry the same woman; after the seventh brother’s death, “last of all, the woman also died” (v. 27). They then ask, “In the resurrection, then, whose wife will she be of the seven?” (v. 28). Verse 27 therefore serves as the pivot that finalizes the scenario, enabling the question intended to expose—so they think—the absurdity of bodily resurrection. Historical Background of the Sadducees Josephus records that the Sadducees denied the resurrection, angels, and spirits (Ant. 18.16–17; War 2.165–166). Rooted in priestly aristocracy, they accepted only the Torah as binding. Their confrontation with Jesus in Matthew 22 takes place on Temple grounds during Passion Week, when rival Jewish factions tested His authority. The Levirate Marriage Law (Deuteronomy 25:5-10) God commanded a surviving brother to marry the widow of a deceased, childless brother to raise up offspring in his name. The Sadducees’ example exaggerates this provision, multiplying deaths to heighten the supposed dilemma. Rhetorical Structure: the Seven-Brother Motif Jewish literature sometimes used sequences of seven deaths to dramatize faith (e.g., 2 Maccabees 7). Here, the Sadducees deploy the motif satirically. Each repetition tightens the knot until verse 27 announces the widow’s death, completing the circle: every participant is now dead, bringing the focus squarely onto resurrection. Purpose of Verse 27 within the Logical Trap 1. Final Closure: With all characters deceased, no earthly marriage remains, forcing the question into eschatological territory. 2. Heightened Absurdity: By piling seven levirate unions on one woman, they intend to make any future marital assignment look ridiculous. 3. Legal Consistency: Till the woman dies, the levirate responsibility could still shift; her death closes legal obligations, sharpening the issue. Jesus’ Response and Theological Correction Jesus answers, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God” (v. 29). He corrects two misunderstandings: • The nature of resurrected life—“In the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven” (v. 30). • The present-tense covenant God keeps with the patriarchs—quoting Exodus 3:6, “I am the God of Abraham…” (vv. 31-32). Since God “is not the God of the dead, but of the living,” the patriarchs must yet live, vindicating resurrection. Resurrection Affirmed: Exodus 3:6 and Present Tense Jesus’ argument hinges on the verb ἐγώ εἰμι (“I am”). Because the Sadducees accept the Pentateuch, Jesus cites it to prove ongoing patriarchal life. The present tense in Hebrew (’ānōkî ’ĕlōhê) and the Septuagint (ἐγώ εἰμι) signifies enduring relationship, incompatible with annihilation. Synoptic Parallels and Consistency of Testimony Mark 12:22 and Luke 20:32 repeat, “Finally, the woman also died.” The triple attestation, transmitted through independent traditions, reinforces historical reliability. Practical Application and Evangelistic Takeaways • When skeptics raise “what-if” objections, clarify faulty assumptions (here, that resurrection life mirrors present conditions). • Anchor discussions in Scripture’s authority, just as Jesus cites Exodus to a Torah-only audience. • Highlight God’s relational nature: His covenant requires that His people live, encouraging hope for believers today. Concluding Summary Matthew 22:27, by recording the woman’s death, seals the Sadducees’ hypothetical, enabling their challenge. Jesus dismantles the premise, affirms resurrection, and reveals deeper truths about life after death. The verse is thus an indispensable hinge in the narrative, demonstrating both the futility of the Sadducean argument and the coherence of biblical revelation regarding the resurrection of the dead. |
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