LUKE 3
Luke 3:1 "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 Ituraea and of the region of
Trachonitis, and
Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene,"
Luke 3:2 "Annas and
Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son
of Zacharias in
the wilderness."
This is just setting the time that the things in
chapter 3 occurs. Tiberius Caesar was the second Roman emperor.
Pontius Pilate was the governor of Judaea and was subordinate to
Caesar. Herod was under Pontius Pilate and was over
the small area of Galilee where John the Baptist and Jesus lived. Annas
and Caiaphas were the head of the temple
worship. We can see the chain of world power in this area. This "John",
mentioned here, was John the Baptist. This
Word of God that John received was from God, not man. The message John
got was a message of the spirit. Of course,
it will affect these rulers indirectly: but the message is not for them
as rulers. The message John gets speaks to the soul
of man.
Luke 3:3 "And he
came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of
repentance for the remission
of sins;"
John had one message. "repent". That should be the
message of our day. also. To repent is the first step on the way to
being saved. Then when we repent, we must change our mind and become a
new creature in Christ. Our thoughts must
be different. We must walk a different walk than before. Our desires
must change. What John the Baptist was saying is
turn from your wicked ways and live a holy life pleasing unto God. John
had been chosen even before his birth for this
job. He had lived a near perfect life and was well respected by those
around him. This message that John had received
from God was very similar to the great commission which says, "Go ye
into all the world and preach the gospel to every
creature." (Mark 16:15)
Luke 3:4 "As it is
written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The
voice of one crying in the
wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the
Lord, make his paths straight."
You can find the Scripture in Isaiah in chapter 40.
Verse 3. It appears that John the Baptist was not speaking in the
temple. He was out in a desert area where few lived. John was preparing
the people to be ready for the Saviour. He was
proclaiming the coming of the Lord.
Luke 3:5 "Every
valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought
low; and the crooked shall be
made straight, and the rough ways
shall be made smooth;"
This is speaking of obstacles of every kind which
shall be done away with so that everyone will be able to hear.
Luke 3:6 "And all
flesh shall see the salvation of God."
Salvation is not just for one particular group;
salvation is for everyone who will accept it. Salvation is an offer of
God to all mankind.
Luke 3:7 "Then
said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O
generation of vipers, who hath
warned you to flee from the wrath to
come?"
This was an evil generation. This was a generation
who had turned its back on God. The sad thing here is that John
was speaking to people who professed to know God. Our generation is
like this as well. Our country claims to be under
God, yet sin is everywhere. Movies are X, R, or PG rated. Television is
so bad you can't allow the children to watch
even the shows especially made for them. If there was ever a generation
of people displeasing God, it is ours. Even
people who go to church and claim to be Christians are doing things
abominable to God. We take God so lightly that
we have difficulty having any time for Him at all. John the Baptist
called them "vipers". because they belonged to the
old devil. No one wants to face the wrath of God, then or now. We fear
the wrath but will not live a life pleasing to
God. The only way to avoid God's wrath is to live pleasing before Him.
Luke 3:8 "Bring
forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say
within yourselves, We have
Abraham to [our] father: for I say
unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto
Abraham."
The Lord does not have grandchildren, only children,
who your parents are makes no difference. The promise to
Abraham and his descendents was conditional. God would bless them, if
they kept His commandments. There was a
curse if they did not keep His commandments. Abraham's true seed do the
works of Abraham as in St. John
8:39. Abraham's true seed are the ones mentioned in Galatians 3:29.
These fruits worthy of repentance are a changed
life.
Luke 3:9 "And now
also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore
which bringeth not forth
good fruit is hewn down, and cast into
the fire."
Verse 9 is speaking of what happens to those at the
judgement who have wasted their lives on themselves. Those
who have lived in sin to please their own flesh and have had no regard
for the souls of those around them. The end of
these people is hell and the lake of fire.
Luke 3:10 "And the
people asked him, saying, What shall we do then?"
This is the same question the young. rich man asked
Jesus ("what must I do to be saved"?).
Luke 3:11 "He
answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart
to him that hath none; and
he that hath meat, let him do
likewise."
John is saying in this, you say you have repented
and want to live for Jesus, now show me by giving up your selfish
ways. Begin to do for others and stop thinking so much of yourselves.
Jesus will teach later on that in as much as you
have done this for the least of these, you have done it for Him. Giving
to someone who cannot possibly pay you
back is giving to God.
Luke 3:12 "Then
came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what
shall we do?"
These publicans were people who collected taxes for
the Romans. This is a very good question they have asked.
Luke 3:13 "And he
said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you."
Some of the tax collectors took bribes and pocketed
some of the money for themselves. This type of employment was
looked down upon by the Jews, but it appears here that John is saying,
"If you must do this job, be honest and don't put
any more burden on the people than is required".
Luke 3:14 "And the
soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he
said unto them,
Do violence to no man, neither accuse
any falsely; and be content with your wages."
We see, here, that many of the soldiers desired to
be among those who repented and were ready for the coming of the
Lord. John, again, tells them to do their job well without cruelty. He
tells them to be careful and not to accuse anyone of
a crime they did not do. Again, he reminds them to be satisfied
with the wages they make and not to covet others'
money or wealth. These soldiers being armed could cause others around
them problems, if they desired. John is warning
them not to do this.
Luke 3:15 "And as
the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of
John, whether he were
the Christ, or not;"
It appears that many believed that John the Baptist
was the "looked for" Messiah. They had expected Messiah for so
long, and John seemed right for what they were looking for. Certainly,
he was like no other man that they had ever
come into contact with. They, also, know of his miracle birth to aged
parents. The other gospels do not mention
that many thought John to be Messiah. He was so different it is not
surprising that many thought this to be Messiah.
Luke 3:16 "John
answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but
one mightier than I
cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I
am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and
with
fire:"
John. here, is trying to cool down their belief that
he might be Messiah. He tells them quickly that he is not Messiah.
John is attempting to prepare them for the Messiah. John the Baptist's
message is "repent". "Repent", as we said before,
means to have a change of heart, to turn from the old ways and walk in
a better life. The baptism of John was certainly
different from Jesus' baptism. John's was the baptism of repentance,
the washing away of sins and rising to a new and
better life. The baptism of Jesus sets you on fire to work for Him.
This baptism of John was not the baptism of power
from on high. This baptism of fire was the baptism evident at
Pentecost. John knew that he was not Messiah and was
quick to tell others that he was not. He was a voice proclaiming
the coming of the Saviour. This baptism of fire the
Messiah would bring would burn away the sin and set all who receive it
on fire to work for Messiah. Just as Isaiah's
lips were purged with fire in Isaiah 6:6.
Luke 3:17 "Whose
fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and will
gather the wheat into his
garner; but the chaff he will burn
with fire unquenchable."
This is a prophetic statement by John speaking of
the separation Jesus will make of His own from the evil on
Judgement day. Christians are the wheat. The Lord will gather us unto
Him, but the chaff (unbeliever) has nothing but
the lake of fire to look forward to. This fan in His hand just means
that He can get this all stirred up and going all by
Himself. When you fan a fire, it burns hotter. His floor will be clean,
regardless of what must be done to cleanse it.
Jesus taught the separation of good from evil here on the earth and
also taught in the parable of the wheat and the chaff
the different fates of the two. Notice in verse 17, that it is Jesus
who is the Judge.
Luke 3:18 "And
many other things in his exhortation preached he unto the people."
Verse 40 of Acts chapter 2 is possibly speaking of
the same thing. Acts 2:40 "And with many other words did he
testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward
generation." You see that what both of these are saying
is the same. John's message was repent and be baptized. The thing that
was different was that he said to each individual
something that they could relate to. He preached what they needed to
hear. He spoke loudly to some and to others in a
gentle voice. He said whatever would touch their heart and cause them
to repent.
Luke 3:19 "But
Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias his brother
Philip's wife, and for all the
evils which Herod had done,"
Herod was a very evil ruler. John the Baptist is
beheaded by him later on as John's ministry grows. John had told
Herod that he was living in sin, because he had taken his own brother's
wife to live with. Strangely enough, Herod was
afraid of John.
Luke 3:20 "Added
yet this above all, that he shut up John in prison."
Herod knew that John was telling him the truth.
Herod had great respect for John even though he put John in prison.
Herod knew the people would follow John, if he asked them. Herod's
greatest fear was not in John leading an army
against him but was fear of John's God. He didn't like John going
around telling that he should not be living with his
brother Philip's wife, either.
Luke 3:21 "Now
when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also
being baptized, and praying,
the heaven was opened,"
This does not mean that the whole countryside was
baptized. It just means "all" of the people who "wanted" to be
baptized. In other words. Jesus didn't come in and stop others so that
He might be baptized first. The other gospels do
not mention prayer at the baptism. It appears that Jesus was praying,
and the heaven opened.
Luke 3:22 "And the
Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a
voice came from
heaven, which said, Thou art my
beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased."
We see here God the Father speaking from heaven, God
the Son being baptized, and God the Holy Ghost appearing
as a dove. We see, over and over, that God is a Spirit and can appear
in any form He wants to. The Dove, however,
throughout Scripture symbolizes the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost. We see
at Jesus' baptism the Godhead. The Father
approved everything Jesus did. Those who heard this voice should never
have a doubt who Jesus was. We should never
forget that Jesus was then, and always will be God: God the Word before
He came to earth and God the Son for His
stay on earth. The Spirit of God dwelled in Him. Jesus was baptized not
for His own benefit (he didn't need to be
baptized). but for ours. He wanted to show us that being baptized was
important.
Luke 3:23 "And
Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was
supposed) the son of Joseph,
which was the son of Heli,"
Genealogies are given for man. This is why it was
necessary to show the genealogy of Joseph, who was not even
Jesus' Father. The world thought that Jesus was Joseph's son so the
line had to show back from Joseph to David. This
genealogy differs in a few ways from Matthew. This genealogy goes
back to Adam and God, whereas the one in
Matthew begins with Abraham. Very good records were kept in the
Hebrews' line of King David. Genealogies are kept
for the world, not for God. Note that Jesus was 30 years old when His
official ministry began. The fact of Him being
30, 3X10 shows us that God is dealing with mankind (world
government). Also, Hebrew men in the service of God
began their ministry at 30.
Luke 3:24 "Which
was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi, which was the son of
Melchi, which was
the son of Janna, which was the son of
Joseph,"
Luke 3:25 "Which
was the son of Mattathias, which was the son of Amos, which was the son
of Naum, which
was the son of Esli, which was the son
of Nagge,"
Luke 3:26 "Which was the son of Maath,
which was the son of Mattathias, which was the son of Semei, which was
the son of Joseph, which was the son
of Juda,"
You may notice that the names are not always
identical in Matthew and Luke. Possibly, the place that each of them
got the records from spelled them a little different
Luke 3:27 "Which
was the son of Joanna, which was the son of Rhesa, which was the son of
Zorobabel, which
was the son of Salathiel, which was
the son of Neri,"
Luke 3:28 "Which
was the son of Melchi, which was the son of Addi, which was the son of
Cosam, which was
the son of Elmodam, which was the son
of Er,"
Luke 3:29 "Which
was the son of Jose, which was the son of Eliezer, which was the son of
Jorim, which was the
son of Matthat, which was the son of
Levi,"
These descendents mentioned in Luke many believe to
be the line to Jesus through Mary even though it is not stated
at the outset.
Luke 3:30 "Which
was the son of Simeon, which was the son of Juda, which was the son of
Joseph, which was
the son of Jonan, which was the son of
Eliakim,"
Luke 3:31 "Which
was the son of Melea, which was the son of Menan, which was the son of
Mattatha,
which was the son of Nathan, which was
the son of David,"
It is very important to the Hebrews for David to be
in the direct lineage of Jesus. They really expected Messiah to be
a strong man of war like David. They thought Messiah would free them
from the Roman rule.
Luke 3:32 "Which
was the son of Jesse, which was the son of Obed, which was the son of
Booz, which was the
son of Salmon, which was the son of
Naasson,"
We see in this "Booz", the husband of Ruth, that
there were Hebrew and Gentile roots. Ruth was a Moabite woman
(Gentile). Ruth, a Gentile, and Booz, a Hebrew, were in the direct
lineage of Jesus.
Luke 3:33 "Which
was the son of Aminadab, which was the son of Aram, which was the son
of Esrom, which
was the son of Phares, which was the
son of Juda,"
We know that Jesus was the Lion of the tribe of
Juda. Here we see Juda in the lineage.
Luke 3:34 "Which
was the son of Jacob, which was the son of Isaac, which was the son of
Abraham, which was
the son of Thara, which was the son of
Nachor,"
This is one of the most important genealogy
connections, because the promise was to come through Abraham, Isaac,
and Jacob. This shows covenant connection.
Luke 3:35 "Which
was the son of Saruch, which was the son of Ragau, which was the son of
Phalec, which was
the son of Heber, which was the son of
Sala,"
Luke 3:36 "Which
was the son of Cainan, which was the son of Arphaxad, which was the son
of Sem, which was
the son of Noe, which was the son of
Lamech,"
Luke 3:37 "Which
was the son of Mathusala, which was the son of Enoch, which was the son
of Jared, which
was the son of Maleleel, which was the
son of Cainan,"
Luke 3:38 "Which was the son of Enos,
which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son
of God."