Matthew 22 31

Matthew 22:31 kjv

But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying,

Matthew 22:31 nkjv

But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, saying,

Matthew 22:31 niv

But about the resurrection of the dead?have you not read what God said to you,

Matthew 22:31 esv

And as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God:

Matthew 22:31 nlt

"But now, as to whether there will be a resurrection of the dead ? haven't you ever read about this in the Scriptures? Long after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died, God said,

Matthew 22 verses

Matthew 22 31 Meaning

This verse serves as Jesus' direct and authoritative response to the Sadducees, who challenged Him regarding the resurrection. Jesus questions their limited understanding, pointing them back to the written Word of God. He asserts that the truth of resurrection is implicitly, yet clearly, contained in God's direct revelation in Scripture, specifically in the books they acknowledged as authoritative (the Torah). It emphasizes that God Himself, through His spoken word recorded in Scripture, testifies to the continued existence and eventual resurrection of His people, confronting the Sadducees' theological error and intellectual blindness.

Matthew 22 31 Context

Matthew 22:31 is part of a series of confrontations between Jesus and various Jewish leaders during the final days leading up to His crucifixion. Immediately preceding this verse (Matthew 22:23-30), the Sadducees approach Jesus, attempting to trap Him with a hypothetical scenario about a woman married seven times, asking whose wife she would be in the resurrection. This question was designed to ridicule the concept of resurrection, which the Sadducees denied as a core tenet of their belief system, contrary to the Pharisees and the general Jewish populace who affirmed it. Jesus directly challenges their flawed premise by stating in Matthew 22:29 that they "are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God." Verse 31 directly elaborates on this point, preparing to reveal where their scriptural misinterpretation lies, even within the Torah they claimed to exclusively follow. Historically, the Sadducees were a priestly, aristocratic sect, powerful and influential, but holding to a more minimalist interpretation of the Law, rejecting doctrines like resurrection, angels, and an afterlife, focusing instead on this-worldly prosperity. Jesus' rebuttal directly attacks their core theological error using arguments derived from the very Scriptures they esteemed, showing their intellectual and spiritual bankruptcy.

Matthew 22 31 Word analysis

• But (Δέ - de): A conjunction indicating a contrast or a transition. Here, it marks Jesus shifting from correcting their flawed reasoning to directly presenting the scriptural basis for the resurrection, setting His truth apart from their error.
• concerning (Περὶ - peri): A preposition meaning "about," "concerning," or "regarding." It precisely delineates the subject Jesus is addressing: the concept of rising from the dead.
• the resurrection (τῆς ἀναστάσεως - tēs anastaseōs): From anastasis, meaning "a standing up again" or "a raising up." It explicitly denotes the return of the deceased to life, emphasizing a bodily revival. For the Sadducees, this was a central point of contention, as they only believed in the physical life and did not embrace an afterlife in this form.
• of the dead (τῶν νεκρῶν - tōn nekrōn): Genitive plural of nekros, meaning "dead (ones)." It clearly specifies that the discussion is about deceased human beings.
• have you not read (οὐκ ἀνέγνωτε - ouk anegnōte): A rhetorical question expecting a positive answer. It's a mild but firm rebuke, implying that the Sadducees, as interpreters of the Law, should have understood this truth from their own sacred texts. The verb anaginōskō means "to read aloud," reflecting the common practice of public scripture reading in synagogues.
• what was spoken (τὸ ῥηθέν - to rhēthen): A passive participle of rheō, "to speak." The passive voice underscores that these words did not originate from human thought or tradition, but were spoken by God Himself. It refers to God's direct revelation recorded in Scripture, holding ultimate authority.
• to you (ὑμῖν - hymin): Dative plural pronoun, directly addressing the Sadducees and, by extension, anyone who hears the Word of God. It implies personal accountability for understanding and believing what God has revealed, making God's ancient words profoundly relevant to contemporary listeners.
• by God (ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ - hypo tou theou): Explicitly identifies the divine author of the words Jesus is about to quote (from Ex 3:6). This statement emphasizes the supreme authority and divine inspiration of the Scripture, leaving no room for human dismissal or reinterpretation. It stands in stark contrast to human speculation.
• saying (λέγοντος - legontos): Present participle, introducing the direct quotation of God's words from Exodus, serving as Jesus' irrefutable proof for the resurrection.

Words-Group by words-Group Analysis:

• "But concerning the resurrection of the dead": This phrase establishes the specific theological issue at hand—the bodily raising of those who have died. Jesus' 'but' signals a direct refutation of the Sadducees' premise, which sought to deny this fundamental truth.
• "have you not read what was spoken to you by God": This powerful rhetorical question serves as a challenge to the Sadducees' authority and knowledge. It implies gross negligence in their study of the very Scriptures they professed to uphold. By emphasizing that the words were "spoken to you by God," Jesus elevates the discussion beyond mere human philosophical debate to the realm of divine revelation, underscoring the inerrancy and direct address of God's Word to all generations. It highlights that the Sadducees' error was a failure not merely of logic, but of acknowledging and discerning God's living voice in His ancient text.

Matthew 22 31 Bonus section

• Jesus' choice of Exodus 3:6 as proof of resurrection is particularly insightful because it comes from the Torah, the very part of the Old Testament the Sadducees held to exclusively. This demonstrates His profound grasp of Scripture and ability to draw out profound theological truths even from seemingly simple declarations, revealing implications that the Sadducees, despite their textual focus, had overlooked.
• The phrase "what was spoken to you by God" underscores the idea of Scripture as God's living word. It's not just ancient literature, but God actively speaking to contemporary generations, demanding hearing and obedience. This concept challenges any attempt to diminish the Bible to mere human historical accounts or fallible human writings.
• The Sadducees' error, as exposed by Jesus, was multifaceted: they failed to grasp the depth and interconnectedness of Scripture and underestimated the very power of God to raise the dead (as explicitly stated in Mt 22:29). This verse serves as a preamble, focusing on their intellectual blind spot regarding the Scriptures, before moving to the actual content of God's "spoken" words in the next verse.
• Jesus here illustrates that the foundation for understanding spiritual realities (like resurrection) lies firmly in discerning the will and nature of God as revealed in His word, rather than in human philosophical reasoning or logical deduction alone.

Matthew 22 31 Commentary

In Matthew 22:31, Jesus masterfully disarms the Sadducees by redirecting their skeptical question back to the undisputed authority of God's written Word, specifically the Pentateuch, which was the only part of Scripture they accepted without reservation. He directly challenges their "not knowing the Scriptures" by reminding them that God personally spoke to their forefathers—words recorded and therefore accessible to them—which intrinsically contained the truth about resurrection. This isn't just about reading a text, but about recognizing God's living voice within the text, actively addressing His people. The verse is a profound assertion of the Bible's divine inspiration and timeless relevance, implying that theological error often stems from an insufficient or misguided understanding of what God has already plainly declared. Jesus prepares to unveil how God's self-identification as the "God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob" inherently necessitates their continued existence beyond physical death, validating the resurrection through divine character and promise.