Matthew 22 23

Matthew 22:23 kjv

The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him,

Matthew 22:23 nkjv

The same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him and asked Him,

Matthew 22:23 niv

That same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him with a question.

Matthew 22:23 esv

The same day Sadducees came to him, who say that there is no resurrection, and they asked him a question,

Matthew 22:23 nlt

That same day Jesus was approached by some Sadducees ? religious leaders who say there is no resurrection from the dead. They posed this question:

Matthew 22 verses

Matthew 22 23 Meaning

On that particular day, after challenging debates with the Pharisees and Herodians, a group known as the Sadducees approached Jesus. They were distinctive among Jewish sects for their firm belief that there is no future bodily resurrection of the dead. Their purpose in coming to Him was to question His teachings, specifically regarding the resurrection, and attempt to entrap Him with a scenario designed to undermine the concept of life after death.

Matthew 22 23 Context

Matthew 22:23 falls within a series of intense interrogations and traps set for Jesus in the Temple courts in Jerusalem during the final week of His earthly ministry. Immediately preceding this, the Pharisees and Herodians had unsuccessfully attempted to ensnare Jesus with a question about paying taxes to Caesar (Mt 22:15-22). The atmosphere is highly adversarial, with various powerful Jewish factions aiming to discredit Jesus before the crowds and find a reason to arrest Him.

The Sadducees, distinct from the Pharisees, were a smaller but influential group, primarily from the priestly aristocracy. They wielded significant political power and controlled the Temple. Theologically, they adhered strictly to the written Law of Moses (the Pentateuch) and generally rejected traditions or doctrines not explicitly found therein, leading to their denial of the bodily resurrection, angels, and spirits (Acts 23:8). Their challenge to Jesus here is not merely intellectual curiosity but an attempt to publicly expose what they considered to be His erroneous beliefs by presenting a legal conundrum designed to ridicule the idea of an afterlife. This scene thus highlights Jesus's divine wisdom and authority as He confronts yet another facet of entrenched religious disbelief.

Matthew 22 23 Word analysis

• On the same day (Ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ - En ekeinē tē hēmerā): This temporal phrase emphasizes the rapid succession of confrontations Jesus faced, underscoring the relentless opposition from various Jewish leadership factions during this critical period. It ties this encounter directly to the preceding one, highlighting a continuous barrage of challenges.
• Sadducees (Σαδδουκαῖοι - Saddoukaioi): A significant socio-religious party in Second Temple Judaism. Predominantly from wealthy priestly families, they maintained the Temple worship system and often collaborated with Roman authorities for the sake of political stability. Their name likely derives from Zadok, a high priest during the time of David and Solomon (1 Kgs 2:35), signifying their claim to legitimacy and tradition. Their core distinctives were adherence to the written Pentateuch above later prophetic and wisdom writings in terms of binding authority, and notably, their rejection of the resurrection of the dead, angels, and spirits.
• came to Him (προσῆλθον αὐτῷ - prosēlthon autō): This indicates that the Sadducees initiated the encounter. They actively approached Jesus, signifying their intention to challenge Him rather than just passively observing. Their purpose was hostile: to interrogate, test, and expose what they perceived as flaws in Jesus's teachings, particularly regarding resurrection.
• who say (οἱ λέγοντες - hoi legontes): This descriptive phrase introduces their distinguishing theological tenet. It identifies them not just as a group, but as the ones known for this specific belief. This sets up the immediate conflict for the listener or reader, indicating the core issue about to be discussed.
• there is no resurrection (ἀνάστασιν μὴ εἶναι - anastasin mē einai):
  • resurrection (ἀνάστασις - anastasis): Literally "a standing up again." In this context, it refers specifically to the future bodily resurrection of deceased individuals, a doctrine foundational to the Pharisees and Jesus, but disputed by the Sadducees. The concept involved the belief that deceased individuals would rise in their bodies at a future time to face judgment and inherit eternal life or punishment.
  • no (μή - mē): A strong Greek negative particle indicating subjective or conditional negation, often used with participles to express a general principle or characteristic, emphasizing their absolute denial. This theological stance of "no resurrection" was central to the Sadducean identity and their point of doctrinal contention with others. They argued against it based on their narrow interpretation of the Torah, claiming explicit teaching for bodily resurrection was absent.

Matthew 22 23 Bonus section

• The Sadducees' disbelief in the resurrection, angels, and spirits was deeply intertwined with their political and social status. They were largely prosperous and satisfied with life in the present age, and perhaps saw less need for a future judgment or divine intervention.
• Their adherence to the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Old Testament) as primarily authoritative influenced their rejection of resurrection, as explicit references to it are more prevalent in later prophetic and wisdom literature (like Daniel or Job) which they viewed with less binding authority. Jesus's argument directly from Exodus 3:6 (part of the Pentateuch) shrewdly confronted their own accepted authority.
• This specific challenge highlights the theological diversity and conflict within Judaism at the time of Jesus, demonstrating that not all Jewish groups believed the same doctrines. Jesus consistently engaged with these varying viewpoints, asserting the truth of God's word and power against prevailing misconceptions.

Matthew 22 23 Commentary

Matthew 22:23 introduces a pivotal moment where Jesus encounters the Sadducees, a Jewish sect known for denying the resurrection of the dead. Their fundamental theological opposition to this concept set them apart from the Pharisees and provided the basis for their attempt to corner Jesus. They approach Him with a convoluted scenario about a woman married to seven brothers in succession, designed to create an absurdity in the afterlife if the resurrection were true. This reflects not a genuine search for understanding, but a polemical challenge intended to ridicule the idea of eternal life and validate their own limited interpretation of God's Word. Jesus, in His subsequent response (Mt 22:29-33), directly addresses their flawed premise, identifying their core error as twofold: not knowing the Scriptures and not understanding the power of God. This interaction underscores the profound theological divide of the time and showcases Jesus's unparalleled ability to navigate complex spiritual truths against the backdrop of human tradition and disbelief.