Luke 20:31

And the third took her; and in like manner the seven also: and they left no children, and died.

Luke 20:31 (KJV)

Context

This verse belongs to a larger exchange in Luke 20:27-40, where Jesus answers the Sadducees, a religious group in first-century Judaism that denied the resurrection. They present a hypothetical case built on the levirate law in Deuteronomy 25:5-6, which required a brother to marry his deceased brother’s widow to raise up offspring for him. In their scenario, a woman marries a man who dies childless, then his brother marries her, and so on through seven brothers.

Luke 20:31 records the third brother taking her as his wife, and then the pattern continuing: all seven brothers marry her in turn, yet none father children, and each dies. The verse emphasizes the repeated cycle of childlessness and death, setting the stage for the Sadducees’ question about whose wife she will be at the resurrection.

Meaning

The Sadducees used this extreme example to challenge the idea of resurrection, hoping to expose it as absurd. But Jesus corrects their misunderstanding. He explains that in the resurrection, people will not marry or be given in marriage, but will be like angels, living in God’s presence. He then affirms that God is not the God of the dead but of the living, showing that the resurrection is real and that life with God is eternal.

Biblical connections

The levirate law in Deuteronomy 25:5-6 is the foundation of the Sadducees’ question. Jesus’ response also connects to the broader biblical teaching on the resurrection, where the resurrection body is described as transformed and imperishable.

Application

This passage reminds believers that the resurrection is not merely a continuation of earthly life, but a transformed existence in God’s presence. It challenges us to trust God’s power over death and to live with hope in the life to come.

Reflection

Jesus’ answer to the Sadducees reveals that God’s purposes extend beyond the grave. The hope of resurrection is not a vague idea but a certainty grounded in God’s character as the God of the living. This assurance can shape how we face death and loss, knowing that in Christ, life is not ended but changed.