Luke 20:28 - They asked him, “Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man’s brother dies having a wife, and he is childless, his brother should take the wife, and raise up children for his brother.
Select Bible Verse
Filter Categories
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
R
S
T
U
V
W
What does "Luke 20:28" mean?
This verse refers to a practice called levirate marriage, which was outlined in the Old Testament Law of Moses. Let's break down what it means:
"They asked him, “Teacher...": This refers to a group of Sadducees (a Jewish sect) questioning Jesus.
"Moses wrote to us...": They are referring to Deuteronomy 25:5-6, a law attributed to Moses.
"...if a man's brother dies having a wife, and he is childless...": This sets the scenario. A man dies, leaving his wife a widow but with no children.
"...his brother should take the wife...": The deceased man's brother is obligated to marry the widow.
"...and raise up children for his brother.": The purpose of this marriage is not for the surviving brother's personal benefit, but to continue the deceased brother's family line. The first son born from this union would be considered the legal heir and descendant of the deceased brother, carrying on his name and inheritance.
In essence, levirate marriage aimed to:
Ensure the continuation of a deceased man's lineage.
Provide security and care for the widow, who was often vulnerable in that society.
Keep property within the family line.
Why were the Sadducees asking Jesus about this?
The Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection of the dead. They present Jesus with a hypothetical situation in the following verses where a woman marries seven brothers, one after the other, due to levirate marriage. Their question is designed to ridicule the idea of resurrection: "In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For all seven had her as wife." (Luke 20:33)
By using this complicated scenario, they are trying to trap Jesus and discredit the belief in the resurrection.
Luke 20:28 - They asked him, “Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man’s brother dies having a wife, and he is childless, his brother should take the wife, and raise up children for his brother.
What does "Luke 20:28" mean?
This verse refers to a practice called levirate marriage, which was outlined in the Old Testament Law of Moses. Let's break down what it means:
"They asked him, “Teacher...": This refers to a group of Sadducees (a Jewish sect) questioning Jesus.
"Moses wrote to us...": They are referring to Deuteronomy 25:5-6, a law attributed to Moses.
"...if a man's brother dies having a wife, and he is childless...": This sets the scenario. A man dies, leaving his wife a widow but with no children.
"...his brother should take the wife...": The deceased man's brother is obligated to marry the widow.
"...and raise up children for his brother.": The purpose of this marriage is not for the surviving brother's personal benefit, but to continue the deceased brother's family line. The first son born from this union would be considered the legal heir and descendant of the deceased brother, carrying on his name and inheritance.
In essence, levirate marriage aimed to:
Ensure the continuation of a deceased man's lineage.
Provide security and care for the widow, who was often vulnerable in that society.
Keep property within the family line.
Why were the Sadducees asking Jesus about this?
The Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection of the dead. They present Jesus with a hypothetical situation in the following verses where a woman marries seven brothers, one after the other, due to levirate marriage. Their question is designed to ridicule the idea of resurrection: "In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For all seven had her as wife." (Luke 20:33)
By using this complicated scenario, they are trying to trap Jesus and discredit the belief in the resurrection.