Luke 3 - Introduction

CHAPTER 3.

THE MINISTRY OF THE NEW ERA OPENS.

Having related the beginnings of the lives of the two prophets of the new time (Chapter s 1 and 2), the evangelist now introduces us to the beginnings of their prophetic ministries, or rather to the ministry of John as the prelude to the evangelic drama. In regard to the ministry of Jesus he gives us merely the date of its beginning (Luke 3:23), attaching thereto a genealogy of Jesus. Bengel has well expressed the significance of this chapter by the words: Hic quasi scena N. T. panditur.