Matthew 22:24

Mat 22:24-28. Master, Moses said, If a man die, &c. — “The argument by which the Sadducees endeavoured to confute the notion of a future state was taken from the Jewish law of marriage, which, to give their objection the better colour, they observed was God’s law, delivered by Moses. As they believed the soul to be nothing but a more refined kind of matter, they thought if there was any future state, it must resemble the present; and, that men being in that state material and mortal, the human race could not be continued, nor the individuals made happy, without the pleasures and conveniences of marriage. Hence they affirmed it to be a necessary consequence of the doctrine of the resurrection, or future state, that every man’s wife should be restored to him.” — Macknight.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mat 22:24. Τέκνα, children) sc. a son or a daughter, or more, see Deu 25:5.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mat_22:24 ff. A free citation of the law respecting levirate marriage, Deu_25:5, and that without following the Septuagint, which in this instance does not render יִבֵּם by the characteristic ἐπυγαμβρ. If a married man died without male issue, his brother was required to marry the widow, and to register the first-born son of the marriage as the son of the deceased husband. See Saalschütz, M. R. p. 754 ff.; Ewald, Alterth. p. 276 ff.; Benary, de Hebraeor. leviratu, Berl. 1835. As to other Oriental nations, see Rosenmüller, Morgenl. V. p. 81; Bodenstedt, d. Völker des Kaukasus, p. 82; Benary, p. 31 ff.

ἐπιγαμβρεύειν, to marry as brother-in-law (levir. יבם). Comp. Gen_38:8; Test. XII. patr. p. 599. Differently ἐπιγαμβρ. τινι in 1Ma_10:54; 1Sa_18:22.

ἕως τῶν ἑπτά] until the seven, i.e. and in the same manner they continued to die until the whole seven were dead. Comp. Mat_18:22; 1Ma_2:38.

ὕστερον πάντων] later than all the husbands.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mat 22:24 . Μωσῆς εἶπεν , what is put into the mouth of all is a free combination of Deu 25:5-6 , with Gen 38:8 . In the latter text the Sept [125] has ἐπιγαμβρεύσαι for the Heb. יַבֵּם = to perform the part of a levir (Latin for brother-in-law) by marrying a deceased brother’s widow having no children. An ancient custom not confined to Israel, but practised by Arabians and other peoples ( vide Ewald, Alterthümer , p. 278; Benzinger, H. A , p. 345).

[125] Septuagint.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Under which name are daughters also comprehended, but yet as touching the family and name of a man, because he that left daughters was in no better case, than if he had left no children at all, (for they were not reckoned in the family) by the name of children are Sons understood.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 24. Raise up seed unto his brother.] This law is mentioned De 25:5. The meaning of the expression is, that the children produced by this marriage should be reckoned in the genealogy of the deceased brother, and enjoy his estates. The word seed should be always translated children or posterity. There is a law precisely similar to this among the Hindoos.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

24. his brother shall marry his wife] This is sometimes called the “levirate law,” from Lat. levir, a brother-in-law; see Deu_25:5. “The law on this subject is not peculiar to the Jews, but is found amongst various Oriental nations, ancient and modern.” Speaker’s Comment., Deu_25:5.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Likewise the second also,.... The eldest of the surviving brethren, having married his brother's wife, after sometime died also without children, and left her to his next brother to marry her; and the third brother accordingly did marry her, and in process of time died likewise, leaving no issue behind him; and thus they went on in course, unto the seventh: the fourth, fifth, and sixth, married her in turn, and so did the seventh; and all died in the same circumstances, having no children by her.

Likewise the second also,.... The eldest of the surviving brethren, having married his brother's wife, after sometime died also without children, and left her to his next brother to marry her; and the third brother accordingly did marry her, and in process of time died likewise, leaving no issue behind him; and thus they went on in course, unto the seventh: the fourth, fifth, and sixth, married her in turn, and so did the seventh; and all died in the same circumstances, having no children by her.

Matthew 22:27

mat 22:27

mat 22:27

mat 22:27And last of all the woman died also. A widow and childless, having never married another person but these seven brethren; and the case with them being alike, no one having any child by her, upon which any peculiar claim to her could be formed, the following question is put.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

24 Saying, Master, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.

Ver. 24. Master, Moses said] They pretend Scripture; so did the devil, Mat 4:1-11. So do heretics all; Sed sensum afferunt non auferunt, but they fetch not the meaning from the Scripture, but fasten a sense (even that of their own devising) on the Scripture: Caedem Scripturarum faciunt ad materiam suam, saith Tertullian. They taw the text, as shoemakers do their leather uppers, saith Polydore Virgil, that they may bring them to serve their turns; they lay the dead child of their own corrupt glosses in the bosom of holy Scripture, and then cry out, It is hers, and not theirs.

If a man die, having no children] This law these Sadducees seem to approve, when indeed they jeer it, as the mother of much monstrous confusion, if there ever be a resurrection. So deals the devil and his janizaries {a} (Jesuits, I should say) at this day, by both Scriptures and fathers, whom they either elude or deride, further than they serve their turn, to confirm their falsehoods.

Raise up seed unto his brother] Our children are a principal part of ourselves, even the seed; as though now there were nothing left in us but the chaff.

{a} One of a former body of Turkish infantry, constituting the Sultan’s guard and the main part of the standing army. The body was first organised in the 14th century, and was composed mainly of tributary children of Christians; after a large number of them had been massacred in 1826, the organization was finally abolished. ŒD

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Raise up issue to his brother, to be heirs of his name and of his effects, as we read in Ruth, chap. iv, ver. 10: suscitare nomen defuncti, &c. to raise up the name of the deceased in his inheritance, lest his name be cut off from among his family, and his brethren, and his people. (Haydock)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

24. Moses said, If a man die — Deu_25:5-6. This law requiring a man to marry the widow of a deceased elder brother and raise up children as being his, was intended to prevent the loss of the memory of a son of Abraham. It was a part of the system by which the memory of the institutes of the old and true religion was to be preserved.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Moses said. They quote the substance of the law of the levirate (i.e. the brother-in-law) in Deu_25:5, Deu_25:6, by which it was enacted that if a married man died without a son, his brother or the next of kin should marry the widow, and the firstborn son of this union should be regarded and registered as the son of the deceased. This was a law not peculiar to the Hebrews, but prevalent from immemorial times among many ancient peoples, e.g. Persians, Egyptians, and found in force among some nations in modern times, as Arabians, Druses, Cireassians, etc. It seems not to have been enforced in any case, but to have been left to the good will of the survivor, who might escape the obligation by submitting to a certain social obloquy. (Deu_25:7-10) The motive of the regulation was the maintenance of a family and the non-alienation of property. Many authorities assert that the law did not apply in the case of a man who left daughters, (Num_27:8) but only in that of a childless widow. Later rabbinism limited the obligation to a betrothed woman, not yet actually married. But whatever may have been the limitations allowed in these days, the question of the Sadducees took its stand on the old legal basis, and endeavoured to draw there from a ridiculous inference. Shall marry; epigambreusei . The verb, found in the Septuagint, is used properly signifying "to take a woman to wife as the husband"s kinsman" (gambrov), and generally, "to contract affinity by marriage." Raise up seed. The firstborn son of such a marriage was the legal heir of the deceased brother, and bore his name. The natural and the legal paternities are seen in the genealogies of our Lord, and occasion some difficulties in adjustment.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Deut. xxv, 5.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

24. Moses said. Deut. 25:5.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

24. ἐπιγαμβρεύσει ὁ ἀδελφὸς κ.τ.λ. This is sometimes called the ‘levirate law,’ from Lat. levir, a brother-in-law; see Deu 25:5. ‘The law on this subject is not peculiar to the Jews, but is found amongst various Oriental nations, ancient and modern.’ Speaker’s Comment., Deu 25:5.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

24. ἀναστ. σπέρ.] The first-born son of a leviratical marriage was reckoned and registered as the son of the deceased brother, Michaelis, Mos. R. ii. 98 (Meyer).

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

24. Saying, Teacher, Moses said, If a man die, not having children, his brother should marry his wife, and raise up seed to his brother.] Mk. has: “Saying, Teacher, Moses wrote for us, that if a man’s brother die, and leave a wife, and leave no child, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed to his brother.” Mk.’s Greek is awkward. In ἔγραψεν ὅτι—ἵνα there is a confusion of two constructions, and the threefold ἀδελφός obscures the meaning. Mt. substitutes τις for τινος ἀδελφός, thus getting rid of one ἀδελφός, omits the superfluous ἵνα, omits the unnecessary καὶ καταλίπῃ γυναῖκα, and substitutes the technical ἐπιγαμβρεύειν for λάβῃ:1 cf. Gen 38:8 γάμβρευσαι αὐτήν. In Lev 18:16, Lev 20:21 marriage with a deceased brother’s wife is forbidden. But Deu 25:5-10 specifies certain circumstances under which it shall be the duty of a man to contract such a marriage.—μὴ ἔχων τέκνα] The Heb. has simply “son,” i.e. male issue. But the LXX. has σπέρμα, and Jos. (Ant. iv. 255) interpreted in this sense.

(M)

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Shall marry [επιγαμβρευσει] . From gambrov, a word used in classical Greek to denote any one connected by marriage : a brother - in - law, father - in - law, even a bridegroom. The word is appropriate here because it refers to marriage between marriage - relatives.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.