Matthew 22:29 (KJV)

What does Matthew 22:29 mean?

In Matthew 22:29, Jesus tells the Sadducees that their question about life after death rests on a mistaken understanding. Their mistake involves both the Scriptures, the sacred writings they knew, and what God has the power to do.

The Sadducees have presented a story about a woman who had seven husbands in succession and asked whose wife she would be when the dead rise. Jesus begins his answer by challenging the assumptions behind their question. His reply prepares for his explanation of life after the dead rise and his appeal to Scripture.

The Greek behind Matthew 22:29

• “err” — πλανάω (planaō): The word carries the sense of going astray or being mistaken. Jesus says the Sadducees have gone wrong in their thinking, not merely that they have asked a difficult question.
• “knowing” — οἶδα (oida): The word can mean knowing or understanding. Here Jesus points to a failure to grasp the Scriptures, even though the Sadducees were familiar with the sacred writings.
• “power” — δύναμις (dynamis): The word means power or ability. Jesus directs attention to what God is able to do, which matters to the Sadducees’ question about the dead rising.

Why Matthew 22:29 matters

• Jesus challenges the question’s picture of life after death. In verse 30, he says that those who rise from the dead do not marry.
• Jesus connects his answer to the sacred writings themselves. In verses 31–32, he points to God’s words about Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as part of his reply about the dead rising.