LUKE
CHAPTER 3:1-9
PREPARING
THE WAY FOR MESSIAH
Chapter
3:1-2 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, Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God
came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.
Susie: Luke
carefully sets forth who the rulers were at the time that John the Baptist
began preaching. This enables scholars to historically validate the life of
Jesus Christ. For an article on Herod the Tetrarch, a.k.a. Herod Antipas go
here:
Susan: Caiaphas
was the high priest. However, his father-in-law Annas who preceded him had major
influence over every ruling Caiaphas set forth. That will become more evident
when we study the trial of Jesus. This is why Luke lists them both as High
Priests when that was usually a title held by one person.
Susie: Matthew
tells us exactly how John the Baptist was living in the desert at the time the
Lord instructed him to begin preaching:
Matthew
3:4 And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle
about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.
Luke
3:3 And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of
repentance for the remission of sins;
Matthew
3:6 And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.
MacArthur
Study Bible note:
3:6
baptized. The symbolism of John’s baptism likely had its roots in OT
purification rituals (cf. Lev. 15:13). Baptism had also long been administered
to Gentile proselytes coming into Judaism. The baptism of John thus powerfully
and dramatically symbolized repentance.
Susie: John
baptized people who were genuinely repenting of their sins to symbolize that
God’s forgiveness cleansed them.
Susan: The
baptism provided by John pictured God’s washing machine which ultimately
foreshadowed the soap of the cleansing blood of Jesus the Messiah. John understood
baptism to be an outward sign of an inward spiritual commitment.
Susie: John
was helping the people to prepare their hearts to accept the Messiah, Jesus.
Luke
3:4-5 As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias (Isaiah) the prophet,
saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the
Lord, make his paths straight. 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;
MacArthur
Study Bible notes:
3:4
Make His paths straight. Quoted from Is. 40:3–5. A monarch traveling in
wilderness regions would have a crew of workmen go ahead to make sure the road
was clear of debris, obstructions, potholes, and other hazards that made the
journey difficult. In a spiritual sense, John was calling the people of Israel
to prepare their hearts for the coming of their Messiah.
MacArthur
Study Bible note:
Isaiah
40:3–5 A prophetic exhortation told Israel to prepare for the revelation of the
Lord’s glory at the arrival of Messiah. Scripture sees John the Baptist in this
role (Matt. 3:3; Mark 1:3; Luke 3:4–6; John 1:23). It likewise sees the future
forerunner who is to be like Elijah preparing for Christ’s second coming (Mal.
3:1; 4:5, 6).
Susan: John
the Baptist was like a sous chef. He prepared people in advance for the
beginning of Jesus’s ministry. Jesus being the chief chef would put together
all the ingredients John had prepared – repentance, forgiveness, and total
cleansing purchased by Jesus on the cross.
Luke
3:6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
Susan: The
point here is that Jesus’s ministry is not founded on exclusivity. The
redemption He purchased by His death on the cross would be not only for the
Jews but for all who would believe, including the Gentiles.
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?
Susie: In
Matthew’s gospel, he points out that John said this when he saw certain
religious leaders among the crowd:
Matthew
3:7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he
said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the
wrath to come?
Susan: John
the Baptist called these leaders snakes with deadly venom—killers. It was these
elders along with the chief priests who ultimately signed Jesus’s death warrant
just a few years later.
Matthew
26:3-4 Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the
elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called
Caiaphas, And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill him.
Susie: As
leaders, their unwillingness to repent and recognize Jesus as Messiah also led
many others astray.
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.
Susie: John
pointed out that one’s heart attitude is far more important than one’s heredity
or heritage. He urged them to do good works to demonstrate their true
repentance. Being a physical descendant of Abraham has no saving power. It is
only those who have faith like that
of Abraham who come to trust in Jesus.
Susan: To be
true children of Abraham, they needed to follow in his footsteps, trusting in
the Lord by faith.
John
8:39 They answered and said to Him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to
them, “If you are Abraham’s children, do the deeds of Abraham.
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.
Susie: This
was a stern warning that whose who do not genuinely repent and trust the Lord
will be irreversibly cast away and will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
QUESTIONS
1.
What was the role of John the Baptist in
preparing the way for the Messiah?
2.
Why did the people come to John to be baptized?
3.
What is the consequence of failing to repent of
sin and trust in God?
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