Luke Chapter 3.

Luke Chapter 3.    Part two of Luke's Gospel.

            The beginning of the ministry.                  3: 1-9:50.

            The baptism of John.                              3: 1-20.

            The time of the baptism.                         3: 1-2.

            The appearance of the baptist.                3: 2-6.

            The coming of judgment.                         3: 7-9.

            The works of repentance.                        3;10-14.

            The coming of the Messiah.                    3:15-17.

            The baptist imprisoned.                          3:18-20.

His appearance.  This is the starting point of the Gospel concerning Jesus Christ. Mk.1:1; Acts 1:21,22; 10:37; 13:23,24.  Luke marks the significance of John's ministry in two ways:

*  By elaborately dating the beginning of John's preaching 3:1-2.  Scholars usually reckon this as 27-29 AD.  Luke is the only evangelist who gives an approximate dating by naming the reigning Caesar and provincial rulers.

           

*  By declaring, as also do the other evangelists, that John's appearance is the fulfilment of Old Testament prophecy.  The ministry of John was the critical moment in the history of Salvation.

           

His preaching.  The baptizer preached judgment, demanding the people to repent and be baptized.  The symbols of the impending wrath are:

*  The axe and the fire. 

*  The threshing floor and the fire.

The axe lying at the root of the tree suggests its imminence; the threshing floor its thoroughness; the fire its finality.  Every symbol reveals its totality.

           

Repentance - `metanoia', afterthought, change of mind.  In the New Testament indicates a deliberate turning, a coming to one's senses, resulting in a change of conduct.

           

Baptism.  It is known that at somewhat later date, the Jews baptized proselytes, i.e. Gentiles converted to Judaism.  This custom may have been practiced by Jews in John's day.  If this is so, then his call to baptism amounts to an excommunication of the nation of the Jews.  It means that John demands that Jews submit to repentance - baptism.  He thereby placed them in the same category as Gentiles.  Their reliance upon their Abrahamic descent is valueless.  He is virtually calling for a new Israel, based upon repentance.  Baptism was the symbolic sign of the repentance that leads to remission of sins 3:3.  Judaism was to meet unsparing judgment.  There must be a new Israel based upon repentance and baptism for the remission of sins.

           

His witness to Christ.  Foretold,  Isaiah 40:3.  Was preparatory, for John demanded that the people be right to see their Lord.

           

Content. i.e. of John's words.  The coming of the One Supreme Baptizer.  He the Christ baptizes: In fire, utterly destroying the old order; in the Holy Ghost, bringing in the new order.

           

The baptism and anointing of Jesus. 3:21-22.

           

*  Ordination.  The baptism was the inaugural rite through which our Lord entered His public ministry.  His ordination had two sides:

           

a. The personal side.  Jesus was praying as he arose from the baptismal waters.  He prayed for the Father's approval, for confirmation of the Divine will, and for power to fulfil his ministry.  God replies by affirming His delight in His Son, and He assures Jesus of His love and approval.

           

b.  The public side.  This was the Lord's public self-dedication to a ministry that included suffering, sacrifice and death, for he identified himself with them in their need.  Baptism is an act of committal.  It is a figure of death and indicates readiness to accept suffering if it be the will of God.  The Lord indicates by baptism, his readiness to accept the path that led to the cross.

           

*  Anointing.  Compare Acts 10:38.  This anointing of the Holy Spirit marked Jesus out as God's Elect Servant.  Jesus had all along experienced the presence of God's Spirit, but he receives an anointing for service.  The Spirit of God descending upon him in the shape of a dove, was his equipment for all his work.  In associating the receiving of the Holy Spirit with baptism, there is an indication of the narrative for the people of God.

           

To fulfil his ministry the Lord received power, but not as men think of power.  The Spirit of God came in the shape of a dove, the figure of gentleness, harmlessness and peace.  Such was the character of our Lord's Messianic ministry.

           

There is a contrast to John's conception of the Messiah.  John thought of the Spirit in terms of consuming fire, but he has to learn the Spirit descended upon Christ in the form of a dove.  However, John's words will find there fulfilment upon the unrepentant.

           

*  Revelation.  The Divine confirmation from heaven is reminiscent of Psalm 2:7 and Isaiah 42:1.  This Psalm declares the Coronation of the Messiah-King; while Isaiah makes known God's delight in His servant upon whom He has just put His Spirit.  These two things are brought together at the baptism of Jesus and are fulfilled in Him.  The ideas of Kingship and dominion are combined with that of service and sacrifice.  The Son of Psalm 2 is the Servant concerning whom Isaiah wrote, and whose sufferings are so fully portrayed in the 53rd. chapter. And at the very beginning of our Lord's ministry, the truth is disclosed that Jesus is Messiah, not after the fashion of Jewish thought, but in the manner of the Servant of whom Isaiah had written.  The role of the Servant of Isaiah was the form in which He must fulfil His Messianic ministry.  God's appointed King is the Man of Calvary.

           

Jesus prays.   Luke records the fact that Jesus prayed when confronted with important matters during his ministry.  Luke emphasizes the place of prayer, and in this discloses Jesus as the Man of             prayer.

            Preparation         3:21;                           Privately       5:16; 

            Perseverance      6:12;                           Personage     9:18; 

            Purpose              9:29;                           Pastoral        11:1;

            Passionately       22:40-44.

           

The Genealogy.   The difference between this genealogy and that of Matthew, has been a difficulty.  But see Geldenhuy's valuable commentary, who maintains that the genealogy in Luke is really Mary's, while Matthew gives that of Joseph.