Luke 20:29 – “Now there were seven brothers. The first one married a woman and died childless.”
Extended Explanation
In this verse, the Sadducees continue to set up their hypothetical scenario as part of their attempt to trap Jesus. They reference the Jewish practice of levirate marriage, where a man’s brother was required to marry his widow if he died without children (Deuteronomy 25:5-6). In this case, the Sadducees describe a situation where the first brother marries a woman but dies without any children. This detail is important because, according to Jewish custom, the responsibility of continuing the family line would then fall to the next brother.
Their goal is to take this practice to an absurd extreme by describing seven brothers who all marry the same woman and die childless. They intend to use this hypothetical situation to make the idea of resurrection look ridiculous. But as we will see, Jesus’ response reveals the limits of their understanding and points to the deeper truth of eternal life.
Historical Context
Levirate marriage was an established practice in ancient Israel designed to protect widows and preserve family lines. In a culture where family legacy and inheritance were extremely important, this law ensured that a man’s property and name would not be lost if he died without children. The firstborn son of the new union was considered the heir of the deceased brother, continuing the family’s legacy.
By Jesus’ time, however, the Sadducees used this law primarily as a theological debate tool. They didn’t believe in the resurrection, so they saw this hypothetical situation as a way to show the supposed “absurdity” of life after death. Their focus on the earthly implications of levirate marriage shows that they viewed life and death primarily through the lens of human logic, not faith in God’s power.
Theological Implications
This verse highlights an important theological distinction between human understanding and God’s truth. The Sadducees’ question assumes that life in the resurrection will be exactly like life on earth, with the same relationships and obligations. But Jesus later explains that the resurrection involves a transformation that goes beyond earthly concerns (Luke 20:35-36). Eternal life is not a continuation of earthly family structures; it is a new existence in the presence of God.
This misunderstanding of the resurrection is a common problem when people try to fit God’s eternal plan into human categories. But God’s ways are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9), and the resurrection represents a reality that surpasses anything we can fully comprehend.
Literary Analysis
The Sadducees’ use of seven brothers in their hypothetical story is significant. The number seven often represents completeness or perfection in the Bible, which may be why they chose it to make their example seem extreme and comprehensive. Their exaggerated scenario is designed to make the idea of resurrection seem confusing and impractical, but it also reveals their limited understanding of what God has planned for those who believe in Him.
The narrative structure builds tension as the Sadducees lay out their question, with each detail leading to what they think will be an unanswerable dilemma for Jesus. But Luke’s account anticipates the moment when Jesus will provide a response that not only answers their question but reveals a deeper truth about God’s power and the nature of eternal life.
Biblical Cross-References
- Deuteronomy 25:5-6 – The commandment regarding levirate marriage, which the Sadducees reference in their question.
- Genesis 38:6-10 – The story of Onan, who failed to fulfill his duty under the levirate marriage law.
- Isaiah 55:8-9 – God’s ways are higher than human ways, reminding us that His plan for the resurrection goes beyond human understanding.
- Matthew 22:23-30 – The parallel account where Jesus addresses the same question from the Sadducees.
- 1 Corinthians 15:42-44 – Paul’s teaching on the resurrection body, emphasizing that the resurrected body is different from the earthly body.
What This Verse Means for Today’s Christian
For Christians today, this verse serves as a reminder that our hope in the resurrection is not based on human logic or earthly experiences. The Sadducees made the mistake of trying to understand eternal life in purely human terms, but Jesus teaches that the resurrection involves a completely new reality where death, marriage, and earthly concerns no longer apply.
This verse also challenges us to trust in God’s promises even when we don’t fully understand them. Just as the Sadducees couldn’t grasp the nature of the resurrection, we may sometimes struggle to understand God’s plans for the future. But faith means trusting that God’s promises are true, even when they go beyond what we can comprehend.
How This Verse Relates to a Loving God
God’s love is shown in His desire to provide eternal life for His people. The Sadducees’ question reveals their limited understanding of God’s love—they thought that earthly relationships and family legacy were the only ways to achieve meaning and immortality. But God’s love offers something much greater: an eternal relationship with Him that transcends earthly concerns.
God’s love is also patient. Even when the Sadducees approached Jesus with insincere motives, He responded with truth and grace, giving them the opportunity to learn about God’s power and the reality of the resurrection. This shows that God’s love is not limited to those who already understand Him—He patiently reveals His truth to those who seek it.
How This Verse Connects to Jesus Christ
This verse is part of a conversation that points directly to Jesus’ role as the one who secures resurrection and eternal life. The Sadducees didn’t realize that they were speaking to the very person who would conquer death and make the resurrection possible. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus defeated the power of sin and death, offering eternal life to all who believe in Him (John 11:25-26).
The Sadducees thought that the continuation of earthly family lines was the only way to preserve a legacy, but Jesus showed that eternal life is about being part of God’s family. Those who believe in Christ are adopted into God’s family and receive an inheritance that lasts forever (Romans 8:17).
Questions for Reflection and Discussion
- Why did the Sadducees focus on levirate marriage as part of their argument against the resurrection?
- How does Jesus’ teaching on the resurrection challenge the way you think about life after death?
- Are there areas in your life where you are tempted to rely on human understanding rather than trusting God’s promises?
- How does the promise of resurrection give you hope in the face of death or uncertainty about the future?
- What does this passage teach you about God’s love and His desire to provide eternal life for His people?