Matthew 22 27

Matthew 22:27 kjv

And last of all the woman died also.

Matthew 22:27 nkjv

Last of all the woman died also.

Matthew 22:27 niv

Finally, the woman died.

Matthew 22:27 esv

After them all, the woman died.

Matthew 22:27 nlt

Last of all, the woman also died.

Matthew 22 verses

Matthew 22 27 Meaning

Matthew 22:27 states the conclusion of the Sadducees' hypothetical scenario: "Last of all the woman died also." This verse is the final point in their elaborate question posed to Jesus, designed to challenge and refute the concept of resurrection by presenting an absurd marital dilemma in the afterlife based on Levirate marriage law (Deut 25:5). It highlights the ultimate end of all parties involved in their earthly narrative, thus setting up Jesus' direct and profound theological response regarding the true nature of the resurrected state and God's power.

Matthew 22 27 Context

Matthew chapter 22 details a series of challenges to Jesus' authority and teachings from various Jewish groups. Following the parables of the wedding feast, Jesus is confronted first by the Pharisees and Herodians regarding tribute to Caesar (Mt 22:15-22). Immediately after, the Sadducees approach Him with a direct challenge concerning the doctrine of resurrection, which they did not believe in (Mt 22:23). They presented a convoluted hypothetical scenario derived from the Levirate marriage law in Deuteronomy 25, wherein a woman successively marries seven brothers, as each dies without progeny. Verse 27 represents the culmination of this elaborate setup, stating that after the seven brothers, "the woman died also," thereby completing the earthly part of their argument and posing the core problem of her marital status in the supposed resurrection. This verse sets the stage for Jesus' powerful and comprehensive rebuttal that exposes their limited understanding of God's power and the Scriptures.

Matthew 22 27 Word analysis

• Last (ἔσχατον - eschaton): This Greek term signifies the final or ultimate point in a sequence. Here, it underscores the chronological end of the Sadducees' earthly narrative, completing the chain of deaths. Its placement emphasizes the woman's survival through all seven brothers' deaths, making her passing the climactic event that brings the Sadducees' hypothetical situation to a full close before their question about the afterlife. It frames the entire pre-resurrection narrative.

• of all (πάντων - pantōn): This dative plural pronoun, often translated "of all" or "last of all," reinforces the completeness and comprehensiveness of the Sadducees' scenario. It means everyone involved in their story, including all the brothers, has now passed away. This collective emphasis highlights the scale of the "problem" they are presenting.

• the woman (ἡ γυνή - hē gynē): "The woman" refers specifically to the female central to their elaborate Levirate marriage dilemma. The definite article "the" indicates she is a specific, known entity within the context of their narrative, allowing Jesus to directly address the specific implications of her earthly relationships versus her resurrected state. She is the final piece of their earthly puzzle.

• died (ἀπέθανεν - apethanen): This verb, from apothnēskō (to die), is in the aorist active indicative, simply stating a completed past action. It directly refers to the physical death of the woman, reinforcing the mortality common to all in the Sadducees' scenario. Her death is the definitive end of her earthly existence and ties, according to their limited perspective. The Sadducees saw death as the absolute cessation, thus challenging any future existence.

• also (καὶ - kai): This conjunction serves as an intensifying particle here, meaning "even she," or "she also." It implies that like the seven brothers before her, she too was subject to mortality. It highlights that the universal fate of death befell even this woman at the end of the exaggerated narrative. It marks the full closure of all earthly life within their presented case.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • Last of all: This phrase establishes the finality of the sequence, preparing the listener for the subsequent theological question that death alone cannot answer. It highlights the conclusion of the earthly dilemma.
  • the woman died also: This short clause completes the grim, yet purely natural, progression of their hypothetical situation. It's the critical juncture after which the Sadducees will pose their core theological question about marital status after death, making the point of no return for the physical body. It solidifies the problem, grounding it in a state of ultimate earthly absence.

Matthew 22 27 Bonus section

The Sadducees, by denying the resurrection, also implicitly denied any afterlife that would necessitate such a physical state. Their understanding of "Scriptures" was limited primarily to the Torah (Pentateuch), which they interpreted rigidly. Jesus' choice of proof-text from Exodus 3:6—a part of the Torah—to argue for resurrection profoundly countered their method and exposed their ignorance, not just of other Scriptures, but of their own. They limited God's power to what they could logically deduce from earthly experience, failing to consider His infinite capacity to establish a new order in the resurrection (Mk 12:24). The cumulative death sequence leading up to verse 27 was designed to paint a picture of an unending earthly dilemma if resurrection were true, revealing their spiritual myopia.

Matthew 22 27 Commentary

Matthew 22:27 serves as the punchline to the Sadducees' drawn-out and deliberately intricate thought experiment against the resurrection. By stating "Last of all the woman died also," they meticulously wrap up their earthly legal conundrum. Their intention was to expose the doctrine of resurrection as illogical and untenable, by reducing it to a comical post-mortem marital dispute. Their view of the afterlife was purely carnal, imagining an extension of earthly institutions and needs, without grasping God's power to transform or the spiritual reality of the resurrected state. The verse itself is a factual statement within their presented case, but its profound significance lies in preparing the ground for Jesus' incisive refutation. It completes their earthly challenge, thereby fully launching Jesus into His heavenly wisdom concerning the transcendence of God, the truth of Scripture, and the transformed nature of the resurrected existence (Mt 22:29-32).