From memory, I believe Calvin in his "Commentary on a Harmony of the Four Last Books of Moses" believed that Levirate Marriage was not instituted by God to be between the widow and her brother-in-law, because relations between them were forbidden elsewhere in the law. It would only be between her and other suitable kinsmen.

Is there any traction in this?

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Richard
communicant member, FCoS
Perth, Scotland UK

His Name forever shall endure;
last like the sun it shall:
Men shall be blessed in Him,
and blessed all nations shall Him call (Ps. 72:17)

It would seem there wouldn't be much, given the Sadducees' stumper scenario that they presented to the Lord.

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Ruben
Moderator
F.P.C.I.
Indiana

Vanities and disguises have covered us, and thereby we are naked; licenciousness hath inflam'd us, and thereby we are frozen; voluptuousness hath fed us, and thereby we are sterved, the fancies and traditions of men have taught and instructed us, and thereby we are ignorant.
John Donne

Board Rules - Signature Requirements - Suggestions?

Calvinistas Conversando
Teología en Mexico
The Howling Wilderness

And was that a correct application of this law by the Sadducees, to the brother-in-law? Presumably Calvin would have demurred.

Their plan to entrap Christ would have been extremely feeble if the situation they proposed was a non-starter. It was an insoluble problem under the terms they presented (so Christ showed the true terms, that in the resurrection there is no marriage), but would have had quite an easy solution if the reply could be, "That situation would never come about."

And you would have to argue that "brethren" means "wider family" and you might run into some difficulty in reconciling the genealogies of Jesus.

I'll check out Calvin's comments on the Four Last Books of Moses again, and I'll also check out what he says about the Sadducee incident.