Acts 23:6-9

23:6 Then when Paul noticed ¹  that part of them were Sadducees ²  and the others Pharisees, ³  he shouted out in the council, ⁴  “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. I am on trial concerning the hope of the resurrection ⁵  of the dead!” 23:7 When he said this, ⁶  an argument ⁷  began ⁸  between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. 23:8 (For the Sadducees say there is no resurrection, or angel, or spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.) ⁹  23:9 There was a great commotion, ¹⁰  and some experts in the law ¹¹  from the party of the Pharisees stood up ¹²  and protested strongly, ¹³  “We find nothing wrong ¹⁴  with this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?”

Matthew 16:12

16:12 Then they understood that he had not told them to be on guard against the yeast in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

Matthew 22:16

22:16 They sent to him their disciples along with the Herodians, ¹⁵  saying, “Teacher, we know that you are truthful, and teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. ¹⁶  You do not court anyone’s favor because you show no partiality. ¹⁷ 

Matthew 22:23-24

Marriage and the Resurrection

22:23 The same day Sadducees ¹⁸  (who say there is no resurrection) ¹⁹  came to him and asked him, ²⁰  22:24 “Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies without having children, his brother must marry the widow and father children ²¹  for his brother.’ ²² 

[23:6]  ¹ tn BDAG 200 s.v. γινώσκω 4 has “to be aware of someth., perceive, notice, realize”; this is further clarified by section 4.c: “w. ὅτι foll….Ac 23:6.”

[23:6]  ² sn See the note on Sadducees in 4:1.

[23:6]  ³ sn See the note on Pharisee in 5:34.

[23:6]  ⁴ tn Grk “the Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[23:6]  ⁵ tn That is, concerning the hope that the dead will be resurrected. Grk “concerning the hope and resurrection.” BDAG 320 s.v. ἐλπίς 1.b.α states, “Of Israel’s messianic hope Ac 23:6 (ἐ. καὶ ἀνάστασις for ἐ. τῆς ἀν. [obj. gen] as 2 Macc 3:29 ἐ. καὶ σωτηρία).” With an objective genitive construction, the resurrection of the dead would be the “object” of the hope.

[23:7]  ⁶ tn The participle εἰπόντος (eiponto") has been translated temporally.

[23:7]  ⁷ tn Or “a dispute” (BDAG 940 s.v. στάσις 3).

[23:7]  ⁸ tn Grk “there came about an argument.” This has been simplified to “an argument began”

[23:8]  ⁹ tn BDAG 55 s.v. ἀμφότεροι 2 has “all, even when more than two are involved…Φαρισαῖοι ὁμολογοῦσιν τὰ ἀ. believe in them all 23:8.” On this belief see Josephus, J. W. 2.8.14 (2.163); Ant. 18.1.3 (18.14).

[23:9]  ¹⁰ tn Or “clamor” (cf. BDAG 565 s.v. κραυγή 1.a, which has “there arose a loud outcry” here, and Exod 12:30).

[23:9]  ¹¹ tn Or “and some scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 4:5.

[23:9]  ¹² tn Grk “standing up.” The participle ἀναστάντες (anastante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:9]  ¹³ tn Grk “protested strongly, saying.” L&N 39.27 has “διαμάχομαι: to fight or contend with, involving severity and thoroughness – ‘to protest strongly, to contend with.’…‘some scribes from the party of the Pharisees protested strongly’ Ac 23:9.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant and has not been translated.

[23:9]  ¹⁴ sn “We find nothing wrong with this man.” Here is another declaration of innocence. These leaders recognized the possibility that Paul might have the right to make his claim.

[22:16]  ¹⁵ sn The Herodians are mentioned in the NT only once in Matt (22:16 = Mark 12:13) and twice in Mark (3:6; 12:13; some mss also read “Herodians” instead of “Herod” in Mark 8:15). It is generally assumed that as a group the Herodians were Jewish supporters of the Herodian dynasty (or of Herod Antipas in particular). In every instance they are linked with the Pharisees. This probably reflects agreement regarding political objectives (nationalism as opposed to submission to the yoke of Roman oppression) rather than philosophy or religious beliefs.

[22:16]  ¹⁶ sn Teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Very few comments are as deceitful as this one; they did not really believe this at all. The question of the Pharisees and Herodians was specifically designed to trap Jesus.

[22:16]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “And it is not a concern to you about anyone because you do not see the face of men.”

[22:23]  ¹⁸ sn See the note on Sadducees in 3:7.

[22:23]  ¹⁹ sn This remark is best regarded as a parenthetical note by the author.

[22:23]  ²⁰ tn Grk “and asked him, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.

[22:24]  ²¹ tn Grk “and raise up seed,” an idiom for fathering children (L&N 23.59).

[22:24]  ²² sn A quotation from Deut 25:5. This practice is called levirate marriage (see also Ruth 4:1-12; Mishnah, m. Yevamot; Josephus, Ant. 4.8.23 [4.254-256]). The levirate law is described in Deut 25:5-10. The brother of a man who died without a son had an obligation to marry his brother’s widow. This served several purposes: It provided for the widow in a society where a widow with no children to care for her would be reduced to begging, and it preserved the name of the deceased, who would be regarded as the legal father of the first son produced from that marriage.