The ministry of John is narrated by all four Evangelists. Peculiar to Luke are: the chronological notice (Luke 3:1), which points out the exact position of the main gospel facts on the wide platform of universal history; he quotes the fuller quotation from Isaiah (Luke 3:4-6), and Several particular... [ Continue Reading ]
Luke 3:1. Luke's accuracy appears from his naming here no less than seven official person ages, from the Roman emperor to the Jewish high-priest, or high-priests. IN THE FIFTEENTH, YEAR OF THE REIGN OF TIBERIUS CESAR. The stepson and successor of Augustus. The usual (and incorrect) _Christian era_... [ Continue Reading ]
Luke 3:2. IN THE HIGH PRIESTHOOD OF ANNAS AND CAIAPHAS. There could be properly but one high-priest, holding office for life; the verse therefore suggests some peculiar state of things. From other sources we learn: that Annas had been high-priest, but was deposed by the Romans some years before; tha... [ Continue Reading ]
Luke 3:3. See on Matthew 3:1; Mark 1:4.... [ Continue Reading ]
Luke 3:4. Matthew and Mark also quote Isaiah 40:3, but no more.... [ Continue Reading ]
Luke 3:5-6. EVERY VALLEY, etc. Luke adds Isaiah 40:4, and part of Luke 3:5. The removal of natural obstacles from the path of an approaching conqueror represents the removal of moral hindrances, by means of John's preaching of repentance, before the coming Messiah. THE SALVATION OF GOD. The ‘salva... [ Continue Reading ]
Luke 3:7-9. See on Matthew 3:7-10. MULTITUDES. Matthew: ‘many of the Pharisees and Sadducees.' In this case as in that of every popular preacher, many of the hearers were attracted by idle curiosity or worse motives. John knew this, and adopted this severe tone. The agreement with Matthew is close... [ Continue Reading ]
Luke 3:10. WHAT THEN SHALL WE DO? The question of those whose conscience had been aroused. Comp. similar questions, Acts 2:37; Acts 16:30; Acts 22:10. But the answers given under the gospel dispensation were different.... [ Continue Reading ]
Luke 3:11. HE THAT HATH TWO COATS, etc. This reply says nothing of faith and love. John belonged to the dispensation of the law, was a preacher of repentance, a forerunner of the Saviour. The answer was correct, but necessarily incomplete. The principle is that of unselfishness, which is set forth b... [ Continue Reading ]
Luke 3:12. PUBLICANS. Tax-gatherers. See Matthew 5:46. Their presence is a proof of the power of John's preaching.... [ Continue Reading ]
Luke 3:13. EXACT NO MORE. Great opportunity for exaction was afforded by the system of letting out the collectorships to the highest bidder; the exactions would all be clear profit.... [ Continue Reading ]
Luke 3:14. SOLDIERS. Some soldiers. The original refers to those in actual service at the time. They may have had police duty to perform. That they were foreign mercenaries employed by Herod is less likely, since the inference is that they were either Jews or men like Cornelius (Acts 10). DO VIOLE... [ Continue Reading ]
Luke 3:15. WERE IN EXPECTATION, _i.e._, waiting for a declaration of John respecting himself. Comp. the demand, John 1:19-22. ALL REASONED. The question was considered by all. WHETHER HAPLY HE WERE THE CHRIST. This shows the deep impression made by John, as well as the general expectation that t... [ Continue Reading ]
Luke 3:16-17. Comp, the accounts of Matthew and Mark, also John 1:26-27. The latter passage probably refers to a later interview with delegates from Jerusalem, though the language may have been used more than once. WITH WATER, not ‘in water,' as in Matthew 3:11. IN THE HOLY SPIRIT AND FIRE. Not... [ Continue Reading ]
Luke 3:18. WITH MANY OTHER EXHORTATIONS, etc. The form of the verse is peculiar. The exhorting was varied, different in character as well as repeated. Yet thus HE PREACHED GLAD TIDINGS, _i.e.,_ of the coming Messiah. This description of his ministry is peculiarly apt, hinting at the close connection... [ Continue Reading ]
Luke 3:19. BUT HEROD, etc. This took place afterwards. It is inserted here to complete the sketch of John's ministry, just as chap. Luke 1:80 does that of his youth. HERODIAS. See Matthew 14:3. ALL THE EVIL THINGS WHICH HEROD HAD DONE. See Mark 6:17-20, where Herod's willingness to hear him is b... [ Continue Reading ]
Luke 3:21. Luke's account of the baptism of Jesus is concise, but we have some new details. WHEN ALL THE PEOPLE WERE BAPTISED. These baptisms preceded that of our Lord; probably few were present on the latter occasion. JESUS ALSO HAVING BEEN BAPTISED, AND PRAYING. The baptism took place first, t... [ Continue Reading ]
Luke 3:22. IN A BODILY FORM. This must be taken literally, especially in an exact historical account like that before us. See Matthew 3:16.... [ Continue Reading ]
Luke 3:23. AND JESUS HIMSELF, WHEN HE BEGAN _, i.e.,_ is ministry. This is the only grammatical view. The last verse told of how God had solemnly declared Him to be the Messiah, and the subsequent history tells of His ministry. WAS ABOUT THIRTY YEARS OF AGE. ‘About,' indefinite, but probably o _ve... [ Continue Reading ]
ON THE TRANSLATION OF THE GENEALOGY. The formula: ‘which was,' has nothing answering to it, in the original, and ought to be omitted. The spelling of the names has been altered in many cases to accord with the correct reading, in others to conform to the Hebrew names as given in the Old Testament. T... [ Continue Reading ]
Luke 3:24. MATTHAT. In our view not the same as Matthan, the grandfather of Joseph (Matthew 1:15). A number of very common Hebrew names occur, as might be expected.... [ Continue Reading ]
Luke 3:27. ZERUBBABEL, THE SON OF SHEALTIEL (Gr. _Salathiel_) _,_ Here the two genealogies probably, but not certainly, coincide (comp. Matthew 1:13). Salathiel is here called ‘the son of Neri;' in Matthew he is represented as the son of Jeconiah. We may assume a Levirate marriage, or the marriage o... [ Continue Reading ]
Luke 3:31. NATHAN. Comp. 2Sa 5:14; 1 Chronicles 3:5; Zechariah 12:12. On the genealogy from David back to Adam, comp. 1 Chronicles 1:2... [ Continue Reading ]
Luke 3:33. THE SON OF ARNI. This is better established than: ‘the son of Aram.' Still the latter agrees with Ruth 4:18; 1 Chronicles 2:9; Matthew 1:3-4.... [ Continue Reading ]
Luke 3:34, ff. etc. From Abraham to Adam, comp. Genesis 11:10-26. The only variation is the insertion here of CAINAN (Luke 3:36), between ‘Salah' (1 Chronicles 1:18: ‘Shelah') and ‘Arphaxad.' This agrees with the LXX. (Genesis), but with no other Old Testament record. Explanations: 1. That the Jews... [ Continue Reading ]
Luke 3:38. THE SON OF GOD. Luke does not add this, to prove that Jesus was the son of God. It implies that Adam was _created directly_ by God, also that he stood in a closer relation to God than other creatures. This relation stands in close connection with the fact of the Nativity. The appearance o... [ Continue Reading ]