And the third took her; and in like manner the seven also: and they left no children, and died.
LUKE 20:31KJVWhat does Luke 20:31 mean?
Luke 20:31 describes how the third brother, and then all seven brothers in turn, each married the same woman, but none of them had children with her, and each one died. This continues the story being told to Jesus about a woman who was widowed multiple times without leaving any offspring.
In this scene, some religious leaders (the Sadducees) are questioning Jesus. They are presenting a hypothetical situation based on the Jewish custom of levirate marriage, where a man would marry his brother’s widow if the brother died childless. Their question is meant to challenge Jesus about the resurrection, using this story to raise a puzzle about what happens after death.
Why Luke 20:31 matters
- Luke 20:31 helps clarify the Sadducees' argument, showing the full extent of their scenario: all seven brothers marry the same woman and die childless, emphasizing the complexity of their question about resurrection.
- This verse highlights the cultural practice of levirate marriage and the importance placed on producing heirs in Jewish society at the time.
- By including that each brother died without children, the verse sets up the Sadducees’ challenge to Jesus about whose wife the woman would be in the resurrection, sharpening the focus of the debate.