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

MATTHEW 22:24KJV
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Matthew 22:24 (KJV)

What does Matthew 22:24 mean?

Matthew 22:24 describes a question posed to Jesus about a law from Moses: if a man dies without children, his brother is expected to marry the widow and have children in his brother’s name. This practice was meant to ensure the deceased brother’s family line and inheritance continued.

In this scene, some religious leaders (the Sadducees) are speaking to Jesus, calling him “Master” and referencing Moses’ teaching. They are bringing up this law to challenge Jesus, setting up a question about resurrection. The verse refers to a custom from the Law of Moses, known as “levirate marriage,” which was a real and important part of ancient Jewish life.

The Greek behind Matthew 22:24

  • διδάσκαλε (didaskale, “Master”): This word shows respect, addressing Jesus as a teacher, but in this context, the Sadducees use it formally, not necessarily sincerely.
  • ἐάν (ean, “If”): This word introduces a hypothetical situation, signaling that the Sadducees are setting up a scenario for debate rather than describing a real event.
  • σπέρμα (sperma, “seed”): This word means “offspring” or “descendants.” The focus is on continuing the family line, which was a key concern in ancient Israel.

Why Matthew 22:24 matters

  • Matthew 22:24 helps clarify the background of the Sadducees’ question, showing they are not asking about marriage in general but about a specific law meant to preserve family lines.
  • The verse highlights the Sadducees’ approach: they use a real law to pose a challenge about resurrection, a belief they themselves reject, which sets the stage for Jesus’ response.
  • Understanding this verse gives insight into the social and legal customs of the time, helping modern readers grasp why this question would have been significant and challenging in Jesus’ day.

Where else these words appear

“seed” Greek G4690 · used in 41 verses

  • Matthew 13:24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:
  • John 7:42 Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?
  • Romans 9:29 And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha.

“Master” Greek G1320 · used in 57 verses

  • Matthew 8:19 And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.
  • Mark 12:19 Master, Moses wrote unto us, If a man's brother die, and leave his wife behind him, and leave no children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.
  • Luke 22:11 And ye shall say unto the goodman of the house, The Master saith unto thee, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples?

“Moses” Greek G3475 · used in 79 verses

  • Matthew 8:4 And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.
  • John 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
  • Acts 21:21 And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs.

“children” Greek G5043 · used in 91 verses

  • Matthew 2:18 In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.
  • Luke 19:44 And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.
  • Philippians 2:15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;