Matthew 22:32 Meaning and Explanation
“I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →God names Himself the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob -- and He is not the God of the dead, but of the living.
What Does Matthew 22:32 Mean?
Jesus quotes Exodus 3:6, where God speaks from the burning bush long after the patriarchs were buried: "I am the God of Abraham" -- present tense. He does not say "I was." If God still calls Himself their God, then Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are not gone; they live unto Him.
The argument rests on covenant faithfulness: God does not bind Himself to people and then lose them to the grave. "God is not the God of the dead, but of the living" -- His remembering is keeping. For everyone who has buried someone beloved in faith, this verse is bedrock: those who belong to God are alive to God, and the resurrection will one day declare it openly.
Matthew 22:32 in the Original Language
ego eimi (ἐγώ εἰμι), 'I am' -- present tense; God still is, not merely was, the God of the patriarchs.
Frequently Asked Questions About Matthew 22:32
What does Matthew 22:32 mean?
God names Himself the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob -- and He is not the God of the dead, but of the living.