Mateo 22:25

25 Pues bien, había entre nosotros siete hermanos. El primero se casó y murió y, como no tuvo hijos, dejó la esposa a su hermano.

Mateo 22:25 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 22:25

Now there were with us seven brethren
That is, there was in the city, town or neighbourhood, where these Sadducees dwelt, probably at Jerusalem, a family, in which were seven sons, all brethren by the father's side; for brethren by the mother's side were not counted brethren, nor obliged by this law ^F1; whether this was a reigned case which is here and in the following verses put, or whether it was real fact, which is possible, it matters not: and the first, when he had married a wife, deceased, and having no issue, left his wife unto his brother: the eldest of these seven brethren married a wife, and after some time died, having no children, son or daughter, by his wife; and therefore, according to the above law, leaves her to his next brother to marry her, and raise up seed unto him; which, according to the Jewish canons ^F2, could not be done before ninety days, or three months after the decease of his brother; for so long they were to wait and see, whether she was with child by his brother or not; for if she was, it was not necessary, yea, it was unlawful for him to marry her.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F1 Maimon. Hilch. Yebum, c. 1. sect. 7.
F2 T. Bab. Erubin, fol. 47. 1. Maimon. ib. c. 1. sect. 19.

Mateo 22:25 In-Context

23 Ese mismo día los saduceos, que decían que no hay resurrección, se le acercaron y le plantearon un problema:

24 —Maestro, Moisés nos enseñó que si un hombre muere sin tener hijos, el hermano de ese hombre tiene que casarse con la viuda para que su hermano tenga descendencia.

25 Pues bien, había entre nosotros siete hermanos. El primero se casó y murió y, como no tuvo hijos, dejó la esposa a su hermano.

26 Lo mismo les pasó al segundo y al tercer hermano, y así hasta llegar al séptimo.

27 Por último, murió la mujer.