Matthew 22:31 - But concerning the resurrection of the dead, haven’t you read that which was spoken to you by God, saying,

Generated Verse: Matthew 22:31

What does "Matthew 22:31" mean?


Matthew 22:31 is part of a larger argument Jesus is making to the Sadducees, a Jewish sect that did not believe in the resurrection of the dead. To understand the verse, let's break down the context:

The Sadducees' Question: The Sadducees pose a hypothetical scenario involving a woman who marries seven brothers successively after each dies. They ask Jesus whose wife she will be in the resurrection, trying to make the idea of resurrection seem absurd.
Jesus' Response (General): Jesus rebukes them for misunderstanding both Scripture and God's power. He explains that in the resurrection, people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like angels in heaven.
Matthew 22:31 (The Verse in Question): This verse is the start of Jesus' proof from scripture that the resurrection is indeed a reality. In essence, he's saying, "Regarding the resurrection, haven't you even bothered to read what God himself has said that implies the resurrection?"
Following Verse and Implications (Matthew 22:32): Jesus quotes God's words to Moses from Exodus 3:6, "I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." He then argues, "God is not the God of the dead, but of the living."

Meaning and Interpretation:

The verse emphasizes that the truth of the resurrection can be found in the very scriptures that the Sadducees claim to follow. Jesus uses God's statement about being the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to argue that these patriarchs, though physically deceased, are still living in some sense because God is their God. If they were completely annihilated and ceased to exist, God could not accurately say, "I am their God."

Here's a breakdown of the verse's components:

"But concerning the resurrection of the dead...": This sets the topic Jesus is addressing.
"...haven't you read that which was spoken to you by God...": This is a rhetorical question challenging the Sadducees' ignorance or willful denial of what the scriptures imply. He's implying they haven't properly understood the implications of passages they are familiar with.
"...saying...": This introduces the quote from Exodus 3:6 that Jesus will use to make his point.

In Summary:

Matthew 22:31 is a pivotal verse in Jesus' argument for the resurrection. It asserts that evidence for the resurrection is contained within the Old Testament scriptures. He challenges the Sadducees' understanding and invites them to reconsider their position based on a deeper reading of the texts they claim to uphold. The core idea is that if God still relates to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as their God, then they must still exist in some form, even after physical death, implying a resurrection or continued life beyond the grave.

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