Question 1

What does Matthew 22:31 mean?

Accepted Answer

Matthew 22:31 shows Jesus responding to a question about resurrection by pointing his listeners back to what God had already said in Scripture. Jesus challenges them for not recognizing what God had spoken about the resurrection of the dead. In this verse, Jesus is speaking to the Sadducees, a group of Jewish leaders who denied that there would be a resurrection. The conversation happens in the temple, where the Sadducees had tried to trap Jesus with a question about life after death. Jesus refers to what God said in the Scriptures, highlighting that the answer to their question was already given by God himself.

Question 2

The Greek behind Matthew 22:31

Accepted Answer

ἀνάστασις (anastasis, G386): This word means "resurrection," specifically the rising up of the dead. Jesus uses it to focus the discussion on life after death, which was a key point of disagreement with the Sadducees. θεός (theos, G2316): This is the Greek word for "God." Jesus emphasizes that the statement about resurrection comes directly from God, not just human tradition or interpretation. ἐρρέθη (errethe, G4483): This word means "spoken." Jesus stresses that God himself has spoken these words, giving them authority and weight in the debate.

Question 3

Why Matthew 22:31 matters

Accepted Answer

Matthew 22:31 corrects the idea that the resurrection is a new or obscure teaching by showing it is rooted in what God already revealed in Scripture. The verse highlights Jesus’ method of answering questions by appealing directly to the authority of God’s word, not just human reasoning. This moment sets up Jesus’ explanation that God’s relationship with the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob) implies ongoing life, which he will clarify in the following verses.

Matthew 22:31 (KJV)