SECTION 2 (3:1-4:44). The Launching of the Messiah: The Spirit-filled Ministries of John and Jesus And The Defeat of Satan (3:1-4:44). When we come to chapter 3 we enter the second stage in Luke's message. It commences with the ministry of John, the one who is to prepare of the way, and expands in... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, in the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word... [ Continue Reading ]
THE POWERFUL MINISTRY OF JOHN IS DESCRIBED (3:1-14). Many years have passed and the ministry of John the Baptiser, whose birth was described in chapter 1, begins. It is set very definitely in its historical context, and commences with confirmation that he was fulfilling what the prophets had promise... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he came into all the region round about the Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance unto remission of sins,'. And as a result of receiving ‘the word of God' John came into the region round about the Jordan in order to proclaim it. He preached the need for a ‘turning to God', a ‘change of h... [ Continue Reading ]
‘As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet. a “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, b Make you ready the way of the Lord, c Make his paths straight. d Every valley shall be filled, d And every mountain and hill shall be brought low, c And the crooked shall become st... [ Continue Reading ]
‘He said therefore to the multitudes who went out to be baptised by him, “You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, “We have Abraham to our father”, for I say to you, that God is... [ Continue Reading ]
“And even now the axe also lies at the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bring forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.” For his baptism is no protection against the axe of God. Rather they must recognise that God's axe is ready to start work, and that He is ready... [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN IS APPROACHED BY JEWS, BY THE OUTCASTS AND BY SOLDIERS (3:10-14). ‘And the crowds asked him, saying, “What then must we do?” The crowds were moved and asked what they could do about it. John's reply is straight and practical. He does not just tell them to be more thoughtful unselfish and cons... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he answered and said to them, “He who has two coats, let him impart to him who has none, and he who has food, let him do the same.” ' They are to show true and practical love for their neighbours. If they possess two coats and someone else does not have one, they are to give them one (compare L... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And there came also public servants to be baptised, and they said to him, “Teacher, what must we do?” And he said to them, “Extort no more than that which is appointed you.” ' The tax and custom collectors then came and asked what they should do. These would be looked on by most as unclean and as... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And soldiers also asked him, saying, “And we, what must we do?” And he said to them, “Extort from no man by violence, nor accuse any one wrongfully, and be content with your wages.” ' We are probably intended to see the ‘soldiers' as covering all types of soldier in Palestine. The soldiers may have... [ Continue Reading ]
ONE IS COMING WHO WILL SEND THE HOLY SPIRIT SO AS TO PRODUCE GOOD GRAIN FOR THE HARVEST AND TO CLEANSE HIS THRESHING FLOOR (3:15-18). ‘And the people also were in expectation, and all men reasoned in their hearts concerning John, whether haply he were the Christ.' The words of John stirred the peo... [ Continue Reading ]
‘John answered, saying to them all, “I indeed baptise you with water, but there comes he who is mightier than I, the latchet of whose sandals I am not worthy to unloose. He will baptise you in the Holy Spirit and in fire, Whose winnowing-fork is in his hand, thoroughly to cleanse his threshing-floor... [ Continue Reading ]
‘With many other exhortations therefore preached he good tidings to the people,' This verse parallels Luke 3:3 in the chiasmus. In Luke 3:3 he preached the baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Here he continue in many different ways to give them the same message with ever more powerful... [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN IS REJECTED BY HEROD (3:19-20). ‘But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias his brother's wife, and for all the evil things which Herod had done, added this also to them all, that he shut up John in prison.' Finally we come to the last verse in the chiasmus which parallels the... [ Continue Reading ]
THE BAPTISM OF JESUS (3:21-22). Apart from here there is nothing in any of the Gospels which explains why Jesus began His work when He did. There must have been something that prompted Him to leave the carpenter's shop and His family in order to engage in His God-given mission. And we have the expla... [ Continue Reading ]
THE HOLY SPIRIT COMES ON JESUS AS THE ONE WHO IS THE SON OF DAVID, THE SON OF ADAM, AND THE SON OF GOD (3:21-38). With this incident Luke turns his concentration to Jesus and His ministry. While what now happens does so through John's ministry John is not mentioned, nor is Jesus' actual baptism. We... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And Jesus himself, when he began to teach, was about thirty years of age,' Note here how the genealogy is connected with the commencement of His teaching ministry. His qualifications for His teaching ministry are being described. He was ‘about' thirty years of age. Luke has a tendency to attach ‘ab... [ Continue Reading ]
JESUS IS THE SON OF DAVID (THE MESSIAH), THE SON OF ABRAHAM (THE SERVANT), THE SON OF ADAM (TRULY MAN), THE SON OF GOD (REVEALING THE IMAGE AND LIKENESS OF GOD) (3:23-38). There now follows a genealogy of Jesus, making important connections. Our first concentration here must be on its significance... [ Continue Reading ]