Luke 3, The Baptizer and the Messiah

After covering the birth of both the Baptizer, John, and the Messiah, Jesus, Luke has briefly mentioned events from Jesus's childhood. His story then moves on to the beginning of Jesus's ministry, when Jesus is introduced to the world by John.

Luke 3: 1-6, The ministry of John the Baptist
In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar--when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene-- during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the desert. He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. As is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: "A voice of one calling in the desert, `Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him. Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth. And all mankind will see God's salvation.'"

The Old Testament quote in verse 6 is from Isaiah 40:3-5.

The first two verses are an attempt to provide a precise historical date.  Note Luke's emphasis on historical details.

Some say Annas and Caiaphas were never high priest together; others say they rotated the position.

Luke is fascinated by the life of John the Baptist; he even included material about John’s birth, unlike the other gospels.  Luke, who is not a Jew, is learning as much as he can about the Jewish culture and preparation for the Messiah.

What is the theme of John's preaching? Why might this message have seemed strange to the Jews? (This is probably in keeping with Zechariah's original prayer when the angel visited him in chapter 1!)

Baptism was a strange concept then. It does not appear in the Old Testament and probably grew out of Jewish rituals on washing and cleansing. It would have represented conversion to Judaism and so is initially insulting to the native Jew.

Why do roads need to be "straightened"? What is the significance of lowering mountains and filling in valleys?

Luke 3: 7-9, Repent!
John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, `We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire."

John calls his listeners a “brood of vipers”. There are some today who try to mimic John's confrontational methods, without his motivation.  John's preaching is specifically directed at his Jewish brothers and sisters, confronting the general apathy of the Jews.  It would have been easy for Jews to say, "We are God's special people" and use this designation for complacency.  But John, like ancient prophets, stresses that God could move on and leave them behind. (That is the meaning of the ax metaphor in verse 9.)

Luke 3: 10-14, Good works
"What should we do then?" the crowd asked.

John answered, "The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same."

Tax collectors also came to be baptized. "Teacher," they asked, "what should we do?"

Don't collect any more than you are required to," he told them.

Then some soldiers asked him, "And what should we do?"

He replied, "Don't extort money and don't accuse people falsely--be content with your pay."

What question does the crowd ask?  What is John’s answer to their question?

Aren't John's answers a little too specific? What good does it do for pagan Roman soldiers to merely be content with their pay? Shouldn't they turn to God?

Luke 3: 15-18, The real baptizer
The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Christ. John answered them all, "I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." And with many other words John exhorted the people and preached the good news to them.

What is the winnowing fork? What is the significance of the threshing floor metaphor? How is verse 17 to be considered “good news”?

How does John’s baptism compare with the real baptizer who is coming?

Luke 3: 19-20, The Baptizer imprisoned
But when John rebuked Herod the tetrarch because of Herodias, his brother's wife, and all the other evil things he had done, Herod added this to them all: He locked John up in prison.

The Baptist was fearless, a wild and scary man. Note Luke's deliberate irony in verse 20.

Luke 3: 21-22, The baptism of Jesus
When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."

Why was Jesus baptized? If Jesus was perfect, why did he go to John, whose baptism was one of repentance?

Did baptism involve a time of prayer? Or was this prayer (verse 21) after the baptism.

How did the Holy Spirit descend? What must that have looked like (really)? Why did the Holy Spirit have to descend on Jesus? Wasn't he already God?!

I wonder who heard the voice.

Luke 3: 23-38, The genealogy of the Messiah
Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry. 
He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph, 
the son of Heli, 
the son of Matthat, 
the son of Levi, 
the son of Melki, 
the son of Jannai, 
the son of Joseph, 
the son of Mattathias, 
the son of Amos, 
the son of Nahum,
the son of Esli, 
the son of Naggai, 
the son of Maath, 
the son of Mattathias, 
the son of Semein, 
the son of Josech, 
the son of Joda, 
the son of Joanan, 
the son of Rhesa, 
the son of Zerubbabel, 
the son of Shealtiel, 
the son of Neri, 
the son of Melki, 
the son of Addi, 
the son of Cosam, 
the son of Elmadam, 
the son of Er, 
the son of Joshua, 
the son of Eliezer,
the son of Jorim, 
the son of Matthat, 
the son of Levi, 
the son of Simeon, 
the son of Judah, 
the son of Joseph, 
the son of Jonam, 
the son of Eliakim, 
the son of Melea, 
the son of Menna, 
the son of Mattatha, 
the son of Nathan, 
the son of David, 
the son of Jesse, 
the son of Obed, 
the son of Boaz,
the son of Salmon,
the son of Nahshon, 
the son of Amminadab, 
the son of Ram,
the son of Hezron, 
the son of Perez, 
the son of Judah, 
the son of Jacob, 
the son of Isaac, 
the son of Abraham, 
the son of Terah, 
the son of Nahor, 
the son of Serug, 
the son of Reu, 
the son of Peleg, 
the son of Eber, 
the son of Shelah, 
the son of Cainan, 
the son of Arphaxad, 
the son of Shem, 
the son of Noah, 
the son of Lamech, 
the son of Methuselah, 
the son of Enoch, 
the son of Jared, 
the son of Mahalalel, 
the son of Kenan, 
the son of Enosh, 
the son of Seth, 
the son of Adam, 
the son of God.

Seventy five generations are recorded here!!

NIV Footnotes: Apparently ancient manuscripts vary considerably in verse 33 ("the son of Amminadab....")

The genealogy in Luke is different from that of Matthew. Is Luke’s genealogy that of Mary? (Some suggest that; note the phrase “so it was thought” in verse 23.) Or were Heli and Jacob brothers?

For further thought: The ministry of John, the Baptizer, is one of reformation. John anticipates a new Judaism. Had you, as a serious Jew, been along the Jordan River listening to this reformation prophet, what was the primary message you heard? (No, I don't think it was just about Jesus.)

The ministry of Jesus begins in the next chapter.