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Explanation for:
Matthew
22
:
24
Saying: Master, Moses said: If a man die having no son, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up issue to his brother.
12
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{"arr":[{"author-name":"John Chrysostom","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88ea76859f9f8e2ffd3ee_John%20Chrysostom.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"The Sadducees approached the Savior not by immediately addressing the topic of resurrection, but rather by concocting a tale that seemed exceptional, aiming to challenge Him on two fronts: the existence of resurrection and its nature as He had described it. They presented themselves with a facade of humility, much like the Pharisees. To preempt His inquiry about the scenario of seven brothers marrying the same woman, they referred to Moses, although I believe their entire narrative was fabricated."},{"author-name":"Jerome of Stridon","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88dcd3432c6dd41375498_Jerome%20of%20Stridon.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"Individuals who rejected the notion of the resurrection of the dead, believing instead that the soul ceases to exist alongside the body, crafted a narrative to reveal the folly of those who advocate for the resurrection. It is possible that such a scenario occurred during their time."},{"author-name":"Nilus of Sinai","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c896139a28b91cf72655d2_Nilus%20of%20Sinai.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":5,"exegesis-text":"The scripture states, ‘He shall come in to his brother's wife, and shall raise up seed’ (Matt. 22:24). Just as every person or human spirit has received from God a spiritual partner, represented by the natural law, so too has that individual allowed him to perish and be laid to rest through their own negligence. Consequently, his brother, symbolic of the written law, was compelled to unite with the spouse of the now deceased natural law in order to revive and generate the progeny of that which had succumbed to severe inactivity."},{"author-name":"Maximus the Confessor","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8951a1dea23713695271e_Maximus%20the%20Confessor.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":7,"exegesis-text":"Did the Sadducees, who posed a question to the Lord regarding the seven brothers married to one woman (Matt. 22:23-28), do so without intention, or is there a profound significance behind it? If there is, who do the brothers represent and who is the wife? Some argue that we ought not to interpret the Holy Scriptures allegorically when discussing unworthy individuals. However, it is wise to seek divine wisdom persistently for a deeper understanding of Scripture. Thus, with your prayers in mind, I will address the issue at hand: In a spiritual sense, the Sadducees symbolize demonic forces or thoughts that usher in the automatic functioning of natural laws; the wife signifies humanity, while the seven brothers represent the laws of righteousness bestowed upon her by God throughout history, each at the appropriate moment for her spiritual growth and vitality. Yet, despite living with these laws as husbands, she bore no offspring from any of them due to her lack of the fruits of righteousness.\\n\\nThe first law was given to Adam in the Garden of Eden; the second came after his fall as a result of penance; the third was conferred to Noah during the flood; the fourth law was the covenant of circumcision granted to Abraham; the fifth pertained to the sacrifice of Isaac; the sixth was the law delivered through Moses; and the seventh was the law of prevenient grace or prophetic insight. This indicates that human nature was not yet, through faith, fully aligned with the Gospel or capable of living in union with Him, the Eternal Husbandman. The demons, through thoughts, frequently pose these inquiries to our minds, challenging our faith in seemingly reasonable ways, and drawing on Scripture to express doubt: “If there is a resurrection from the dead and we are to enter into a different existence beyond this life, which of the eternal laws will govern humanity?” They attempt to entrap us with these inquiries, arguing, “It would be futile for human life, still burdened with past transgressions, to fall into the same snares again.” This reasoning undeniably promotes the naturalistic perspective and dismisses God’s Sovereign plan for His creation. \\n\\nHowever, the Lord, the Savior, silences these demons and their thoughts, affirming the incorruptibility of human nature—a truth unveiled later in the Gospel. He reveals that human nature will not be ruled by any of the previously received laws, but rather will be transformed and brought into unity with the Word, embodying the divine essence through the Spirit, originating from and abiding in God Himself, who defines its beginning and end. For those who interpret the seven brothers as symbolizing the seven thousand years or ages during which humanity has been formed will grasp this section of Holy Scripture with clarity and motivational insight. In the life to come, human nature will no longer be joined as a wife to any of these ages; instead, once it attains the final goal of temporal existence, it will be taken as a bride by the eighth Husband—a timeless and boundless age. \\n\\nThe sadducees’ wife embodies the soul or nature that exists in vain union with the divine laws imparted throughout history, yet remains oblivious to the promise of future blessings."},{"author-name":"Euthymios Zigabenos","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":11,"exegesis-text":"In the Mosaic law, individuals merely seek a justification for their untruths to attract greater scrutiny to their demands. According to the book of Deuteronomy (Deuteronomy 25:5), Moses instructed that if a man died without having children, his brother should marry the widow (the law of levirate marriage), and the first child they have together would be recognized as the deceased brother's heir, to keep his memory alive. This is the essence of the law. Now, observe how they craft their arguments."},{"author-name":"Michail (Lusin)","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c89550c567e172d15b3055_Michail%20(Lusin).png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"Moses articulated a commandment, as referenced by the Sadducees, concerning the issue of barrenness (Deut. 25: 5-6). This law aimed to avert the severing of family lines, a fate seen as a serious tragedy in Jewish culture. Per this directive, it was required that a deceased man's brother marry his widow, and their firstborn son would be recognized as the offspring of the deceased brother, thereby ensuring the family's continuity."},{"author-name":"Gladkow B.I.","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88bf0ceef8c96e09a6521_Gladkow%20B.I..png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"The Sadducees frequently clashed with the Pharisees over the issue of resurrection, seeking to demonstrate that the writings of Moses contained no evidence for the immortality of souls. They contended that there were even Jewish laws that directly opposed the belief in the resurrection of the dead. One such law mandated that a childless widow should marry her deceased husband's brother to ensure the continuation of the deceased's lineage. This very point was raised by the Sadducees as they sought Jesus' judgment on the matter."},{"author-name":"Abbot Panteleimon about the Trinity","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"They approached him, presenting themselves with an appearance of humility and all the outward trappings of respect. They inquired, \\"Teacher, what is your view on this dilemma we face? Moses, in his commandments, stated: If a man dies without children and leaves his wife childless, his brother shall marry her to preserve his brother’s lineage.\\""},{"author-name":"Lopuchin A.P.","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c891400ee1341634d2276d_Lopuchin%20A.P..png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"The primary group of those who followed Christ had been the Pharisees up until that time. Meanwhile, the opposing faction, the Sadducees, composed of affluent individuals and religious leaders, had mostly distanced themselves from the ongoing events and regarded Christ with the usual disdain they had for the unrefined Galileans. However, as the teachings of the Galilean Rabbi began to resonate throughout Jerusalem and as His remarkable insights gained the attention of the Pharisees, the Sadducees felt compelled to engage with Him further and challenge His understanding of the Law and Jewish theology. \\n\\nTo achieve this, they crafted an elaborate question that delved into their openly skeptical views on the afterlife and resurrection. They presented a scenario from rabbinic reasoning involving a woman who had married seven brothers in succession, each of whom had died without leaving any children, and sought to ascertain which of them she would be united with in the resurrection. Though a fictitious illustration, the case was plausible under the laws that prescribed a brother to marry his deceased sibling's wife to raise offspring in his name, with the firstborn from this marriage being considered the deceased's child. \\n\\nDisbelieving in resurrection and life after death, and thinking that Jesus shared the Pharisees' views on these matters, they relished the prospect of ensnaring Him with their perplexing inquiries, hoping to mock Him and undermine the concept of resurrection itself. Although some rabbis possessed more profound beliefs concerning the afterlife, the majority subscribed to more simplistic and earthly interpretations. They believed that the resurrection involved the restoration of individuals not only to their original bodies but also to their former appetites and desires; the resurrected would partake in eating, drinking, and marrying, donning the very clothing they wore in life, and retaining the same physical characteristics and flaws so that they could be recognized by those who knew them. \\n\\nIndeed, the question posed by the Sadducees had already found an answer among the Rabbis in the idea that \\"a woman who has been married to two husbands in this world will be given to the first in the world to come.\\" Holding onto these coarse, sensual ideologies and generally rejecting the resurrection—believing it to lack foundation in the Mosaic Law as they interpreted it—they approached the Savior with their inquiry."},{"author-name":"Paul Matwejewski","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8969f5be0d592d5a10576_Paul%20Matwejewski.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"Numerous temptations were prepared for Him, yet the Lord, in His profound wisdom, overcame them through love and compassion. Following the departure of the Pharisees, new challengers approached Jesus Christ — the Sadducees, albeit with less malignance. They consistently opposed the fervid zeal of the Pharisees, who were strict adherents to the letter of the law, denying the immortality of souls and claiming there is no resurrection, nor angel nor spirit (Acts 23:8). Seizing the opportunity to mock their rivals and seeking to elevate themselves in the eyes of the people, they posed to the Divine Teacher a question that they frequently used in their debates with the Pharisees as the primary argument against the resurrection and the immortality of souls. The Pharisees, with their carnal perspective on the afterlife, analogous to current existence, were unable to effectively respond to this inquiry. At first glance, the meticulous reasoning of the Sadducees held a degree of validity, though, as St. John Chrysostom noted, it stemmed from \\"some fable, an incident unprecedented.\\" By referencing the Mosaic law concerning levirate marriage (Deuteronomy 25:5-10; Genesis 38:8), the Sadducees aimed to lend plausibility to their hypothetical scenario and to make their conclusion seem more credible. Like the Pharisees before them, they initiated their dialogue with the Lord with an outward show of respect: \\"Teacher, Moses wrote unto us, saying, If any brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, his brother should take the wife and raise up offspring for his brother. There are seven brothers among us; the first is married and dies without children, and he leaves his wife to his brother. The second also takes her, and he dies without children, and the third likewise; all seven had her and left no offspring; finally, the woman dies. In the resurrection, when they rise, whose wife will she be? For all seven had her.\\" The Pharisees could assert that after resurrection, the woman would remain with her first husband, yet this solution would not resolve all the complexities of the matter, leaving the rights of the other lawful husbands unaddressed. The Sadducees likely believed that the Savior upheld the immortality of the soul in alignment with Pharisaic doctrine and anticipated that their question would confound Him. In their estimation, He faced two choices: either endorse polygamy, which would contradict Mosaic Law, or deny the resurrection of the dead — and they were confident of their impending victory."},{"author-name":"Bogolepow D.P.","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"The Gospel narratives do not clearly indicate that the Sadducees collaborated with the Pharisees in this instance. It is possible that, witnessing how Jesus had embarrassed the Pharisees and taking delight in it, they desired that He expose the Pharisees' belief in the resurrection of the dead as well. This belief held that with the arrival of the Messiah, all Israelites would be resurrected to dwell once more in the holy land. At the very least, Jesus' response was pleasing to the scribes (Luke 39), while the Sadducees' defeat provided encouragement to the Pharisees (Matthew 34). The Sadducees argued that the law regarding levirate marriage (Deuteronomy 25:5-6), which permits a woman to have multiple husbands during her lifetime, makes the Pharisees’ view of resurrection life improbable. Therefore, they felt compelled to either deem this law unreasonable or deny the validity of resurrection altogether. Since the divine law itself cannot be regarded as irrational, they concluded that it negates the existence of resurrection. The Sadducees' objection stemmed from the Pharisees' materialistic interpretation of life after resurrection. Consequently, Jesus asserts that both the Sadducees and Pharisees lack understanding of the Scriptures, clarifying that after resurrection \\"they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like the angels of God in heaven” (Matthew 30). Given that the Sadducees based their inquiry on the belief that a decayed human body cannot rise again, the Lord highlights their ignorance of \\"the power of God.\\" He demonstrates from the Scriptures (Exodus 3:6) that life continues beyond death, thus affirming that there will indeed be a resurrection of the dead."},{"author-name":"Alexander Gorsky","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8884037c1e1c51e1332e2_Alexander%20Gorsky.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"After the Pharisees were left speechless by His response, the Sadducees, who belonged to the same Sanhedrin, celebrated their embarrassment and promptly directed a question at Him regarding the doctrine of resurrection, which they had dismissed due to the absurd implications they had perceived. Just as He had done previously in His rebukes of the Pharisees, the Lord addressed the fundamental error of their disbelief. They cited the case of a woman who had been married to seven brothers according to the customs of human law. The Lord demonstrated to the Sadducees that their misunderstanding was rooted in two critical issues: first, their lack of comprehension of the Scriptures, and second, their failure to grasp the omnipotence of God. Had they truly understood even the texts they acknowledged—not merely in their literal sense but also in their intended meaning—they would have recognized the essential link between the religious teachings contained within and the belief in the everlasting personal existence of mankind. Furthermore, if they comprehended God’s omnipotence, they would not assume that human existence after death mirrors the present life in all respects; instead, they would accept that God has the ability to grant a transformed, glorified nature to human existence. The Lord revealed that eternal life must align with the existence of higher spiritual beings. To reinforce His point, He referred to the frequent mentions found in the writings of Moses, identifying Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. How could God maintain such an intimate relationship with these individuals, bestowing upon them significance and dignity by being called their God, if they were merely ephemeral beings and not destined for eternity?"}]}
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