Luke Chapter Three
The Ministry of John the Baptist
[Verses 1-2 parallel Mark 1:1; verses 3-6 parallel Matthew 3:1-6 and Mark 1:2-6; verses 7-14 parallel Matthew 3:7-10; verses 15-18 parallel Matthew 3:11-12 and Mark 1:7-8; verses 21-22 parallel Matthew 3:13-17 and Mark 1:9-11]
3:1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, 2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness.
Now 18 years later, Luke “sets the stage” for the beginning of both Jesus’ and John the Baptist’s ministries by providing a quick snapshot of the secular and religious leadership at that time. Beginning with the Roman emperor Tiberius Caesar who succeeded Augustus Caesar fifteen years earlier. Next, Luke lists the local authorities. Pontius Pilate, the governor of the Roman province of Judea (also spelled Judaea), Pilate will play a major role later after Jesus is arrested. Herod Antipas the tetrarch[1] of Galilee, the son of Herod the Great.[2] Philip Herod, the brother of Antipas, was the tetrarch of Ituraea (a region north of Galilee) and Trachonitis (a region east of Galilee, other names associated with this area include Lajat, Argob, and Bashan). The last secular leader mentioned was Lysanias, the tetrarch of Abilene (or Albia, unknown exact location southeast of Damascus).
Luke then records the high priesthood being two individuals, Anna and Caiaphas. Since the law clearly established that there would only be one high priest at any given time, this reference to two high priests should raise a red flag for anyone reading[3].
God calls John, the son of Zechariah, out of the wilderness (see Luke 1:80) to begin his ministry preparing the way for the Messiah, Jesus.
3:3 And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 4 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough places shall become level ways, 6 and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’ ”
John’s ministry remained in the region around the Jordan River, where he proclaimed a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. The idea of repentance for forgiveness would have been a radical idea as most Jews were taught compliance to the law, or some other form of “works righteousness,” was required for salvation. Instead, the concept of repentance requires the person to first believe that they are a sinner (not able to comply to God’s law) and then secondly, ask God for forgiveness, no other effort is required.[4] John used water baptism, a well-known procedure to become ceremonially clean, being something done ‘externally’ to show that they were cleaned spiritually ‘internally’, to illustrate in a tangible way God’s forgiveness in action. That once an unclean sinner, they would then be clean of all theirs sins. John being sent by God and conducting his ministry at the Jordan, many miles from Jerusalem, would have made a silent, but powerful statement, regarding the lack of legitimacy of the current religious establishment.
Luke then connects John to a prophecy recorded in Isaiah 40:3-5. Being the one crying in the wilderness to prepare the way of the LORD (note the use of the tetragrammaton[5] in Isaiah, which would directly connect Jesus to being God). To make His paths straight; the valleys, mountains and hills leveled; and the rough made smooth. Each being classic preparations for a king to visit his people. Here John is to prepare the people for the arrival of their king, by introducing them to the new covenant. One where God forgives, but first one must give up the belief that righteousness can be obtained on their own efforts, without God. The belief that salvation can be deserved by following all the convoluted paths of the Pharisees or try to climb the steep mountains of the law on their own, must be abandoned. Instead, the path to righteousness is indeed straight, as it leads directly to Jesus, who will (and has done) all the work for salvation.
3:7 He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 9 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”
John addresses the crowds that came out to be baptized by calling them a “brood of vipers.” Matthew records that John said this when the Pharisees and the Sadducees showed up (see Matthew 3:7), a reference to their sharp tongues and false teaching. John further calls them out by asking, who warned them to flee from the wrath to come? Was their showing up for appearance sake only? Were they legitimately seeking the truth or were they still holding on to their self-righteous ways? John tells his audience that one should bear fruit, being external evidence (proof) that shows they have indeed sought forgiveness through repentance. He then warns them to not fool themselves by believing they are saved simply because they are descendants of Abraham. John illustrates this by pointing to some stones saying that God could raise from these stones children for Abraham if He wanted to, a direct attack against their pride. He then warns that an axe is currently at the root of the trees, that their judgment is imminent. Every tree (those listening) that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown in the fire (see Matthew 3:7-10; 7:19; Luke 13:6-9; John 15:1-11).
3:10 And the crowds asked him, “What then shall we do?” 11 And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.” 12 Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” 13 And he said to them, “Collect no more than you are authorized to do.” 14 Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.”
The crowd around John, undoubtedly shocked by what he said, asked, “What then shall we do?” John first answers with a call for people to notice and care for others. He uses two examples, if someone has two tunics that they are to share one with someone who doesn’t have one, and whoever has food to also likewise share. Some tax collectors in the crowd, calling John a teacher, asked the same question. He tells them not to collect more money than they should, no one was to be overcharged. Then some soldiers also asked, “What shall we do?” John tells them to not extort money by threatening anyone or by falsely accusing them, that they should be content with their wages.
While none of these actions would lead to salvation, as no action or effort can lead to or provide salvation, John is pointing them to see that they are guilty of sin and that they should repent. Also note that the theme of each of the responses John gave to the people was to open their eyes to see the importance of helping other people, a major component of Jesus’ ministry and the edict of the Great Commission (see Matthew 28:18-20).
3:15 As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ, 16 John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
At this point, knowing that the Messiah was promised, and that most believed that He would be coming soon, the people began to wonder if John was indeed the Christ. Perhaps moved by the Holy Spirit to speak or was asked directly, John quickly denied the claim. He told them that someone far greater than him, someone whose sandals even he is not worthy to untie, is coming. John uses two illustrations to describe both Jesus’ desire to provide salvation and the resulting condemnation if He is rejected. Regarding salvation, John points out that he only baptizes with water, but the One that is coming will baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire, referring to God doing all the work (baptism with the Holy Spirit for believers and fire for refinement, see Malachi 3:2-3, some believe that the fire represents judgment and condemnation for unbelievers). John concluded with a warning that the One that is coming will also have a winnowing fork (Greek ‘ptyon’,[6] a shovel used to throw grain up in the air to separate the grain from the chaff) in His hand to clear His threshing floor and gather the wheat (His people) into His barn, but the chaff (those that did not accept Jesus as their Savior) will burn with unquenchable fire (hell).
3:18 So with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people. 19 But Herod the tetrarch, who had been reproved by him for Herodias, his brother’s wife, and for all the evil things that Herod had done, 20 added this to them all, that he locked up John in prison.
Luke summarizes John the Baptist’s ministry by noting that he continued to offer encouragement and preached good news to many people. Luke does not record the time or location of John’s rebuke of Herod the tetrarch for marrying Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife (see Matthew 14:1-12; Mark 6:14-29; Luke 9:7-9), as well as for a number of other evil things Herod had done. But for this reprimand Herod had John imprisoned, adding to the list of wicked things Herod was guilty of.
3:21 Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
Luke appends his reporting on John’s ministry with an event that occurred earlier. After Jesus was baptized the heavens opened and the Holy Spirit became visible in a bodily form that looked like a dove, which descended on Jesus. A voice from heaven said to Jesus, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” (See also Matthew 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; John 1:32-34) Luke also notes that this occurred after Jesus was baptized and was praying, a detail missing from the other gospel accounts.
Considerations
Prophetic Text Overview No. 21
In the same manner of Matthew and Mark (see Matthew 3:1-6 and Mark 1:2-6), Luke quotes Isaiah 40:3-5. Which connects Isaiah’s prophecy to John the Baptist’s ministry of preparing the people of Israel for the coming Messiah. See Considerations under Matthew 3:11-12 “Prophetic Text Overview No. 6” for an overview of the Isaiah passage, see also the Considerations under Mark 1:4-8 “Prophetic Text Overview No. 18.”
The Genealogy of Jesus
[Text parallels Matthew 1:1-17]
3:23 Jesus, when he began his ministry, was about thirty years of age, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli,
Before reporting on Jesus’ genealogy, Luke records that Jesus was thirty years old when He started His public ministry. It is interesting to note, as mentioned in the Introduction to Luke that this gospel account emphasizes Jesus’ humanity, that Luke takes his genealogy all the way back to the first human, Adam. As a physician Luke would understand the importance of a bloodline. Unlike Matthew’s genealogy which ended with Jesus, Luke begins with Jesus, followed by His earthly father Joseph. But Luke makes a rather unusual statement about Joseph. He states that Jesus being, “as was supposed” (Greek ’enomizeto’,[7] assumed, believed to be or in context “regarded as”) the son of Joseph. Luke understood that Joseph was not the ‘blood’ father of Jesus (as He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, see Luke 1:31), so instead, Luke traced Jesus’ bloodline through His mother, Mary.
Some suggest that Matthew gives us the genealogy of Joseph, the legal father of Jesus, while Luke gives that of Mary, the actual line of Jesus. This understands Joseph, the son of Heli as ‘Joseph, the son of Heli by marriage’. Against this it is urged that it is not what Luke says, that he does not mention Mary, and that in any case genealogies were not traced through the female line. Luke, however, is speaking of a virgin birth, and we have no information as to how a genealogy would be reckoned when there was no human father. The case is unique.[8]
Some prefer to call this genealogy, “the lineage of Heli, the father of Mary, the father-in-law of Joseph.”
While none of the genealogies in the Bible are considered to be exhaustive, Luke was able to compile 77 names in this genealogy.
3:24 the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph, 25 the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai, 26 the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Josech, the son of Joda, 27 the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri, 28 the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er, 29 the son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, 30 the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim, 31 the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David,
Although many of these forty names are similar to other names in the Bible, we know very little about these ancestors of Jesus, with the exception of Zerubbabel (see 1 Chronicles 3:19, see also the book of Ezra and the book of Haggai), Shealtiel (see 1 Chronicles 3:17), Nathan (see 2 Samuel 5:14; 1 Chronicles 3:5; 14:4, not to be confused with the prophet Nathan) and King David (the Old Testament refers to David over 1,000 times).
This genealogy began to vary from Matthew’s account with a different son of David. While still indeed “royal blood,” this avoids Solomon and the many kings of Judah that followed in the line of David. It also avoids what is called “The Blood Curse of Jechoniah.”[9]
3:32 the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Sala, the son of Nahshon, 33 the son of Amminadab, the son of Admin, the son of Arni, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, 34 the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, 35 the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, 36 the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, 37 the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalaleel, the son of Cainan, 38 the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.
The names listed from Jesse to Abraham are the same names listed in Matthew 1:1-5 with the exception of ‘Admin’ (Hebrew ‘Rām’, see 1 Chronicles 2:10 in the Septuagint),[10] which is often omitted in some manuscripts (as seen in translations like KJV, NKJV, NIV). Some attribute the addition to being a copyist error.
ADMIN (PERSON) [Gk Admin (Ἀδμιν)]. The son of Arni and father of Aminadab (Luke 3:33) in Luke’s genealogy of Joseph, the husband of Mary (Luke 3:23–38). Matthew’s parallel genealogy (Matt 1:1–17), replaces Luke’s name sequence of Hezron—Arni—Admin—Aminadab with the sequence Hezron—Aram—Aminadab. According to the LXX, this Aram is Aminadab’s father in Ruth 4:19 (MT reads rām; LXX variants include aram and arran), and in 1 Chr 2:9–10 (MT reads rām; LXX lists ram and aram). Luke’s passage (3:33) contains a number of variant spellings of the name (e.g., admin, aram, and admi), attesting to the problems encountered by the copyists in attempting to establish the identity of Admin (Brown 1979: 60).[11]
From the father of Abraham, Terah, through to Adam, the first human being, the names listed are all familiar Old Testament people. Luke adds that Adam was the son of God, referring to the fact that he was the only man directly created by God.
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[1] A tetrarch is a ruler of one quarter of a region or province.
[2] See Considerations unde Matthew 2:7-12 “Meet the Herod’s.”
[3] See Considerations under Matthew 26:3-5 “Chief Priest versus High Priest.”
[4] See also commentary under John 1:24-28.
[5] See Considerations under Matthew 1:22-25 "Tetragrammaton."
[6] Strong’s Greek 4425.
[7] Strong’s Greek 3543.
[8] Morris, L. (1988). Luke: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 3, pp. 118–119). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
[9] See the Considerations under Matthew 1:17 "The Blood Curse of Jechoniah."
[10] See "Old Testament Quotes and Citations" in the Introduction.
[11] Fretz, M. J. (1992). Admin (Person). In D. N. Freedman (Ed.), The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (Vol. 1, p. 73). New York: Doubleday.