Luke 3:1-38
1 Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarcha of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene,
2 Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.
3 And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;
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.
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;
6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
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?
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.
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.
10 And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then?
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.
12 Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do?
13 And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you.
14 And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violenceb to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.
15 And as the people were in expectation,c and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not;
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:
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.
18 And many other things in his exhortation preached he unto the people.
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,
20 Added yet this above all, that he shut up John in prison.
21 Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened,
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.
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,
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,
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,
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,
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,
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,
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,
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,
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,
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,
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,
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,
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,
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,
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,
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.
Luke’s Good News
Luke
Hilda Bright
Chapter 3
The work of John the *Baptist 3:1-22
v1 The *emperor Tiberius had ruled in that part of the world for 15 years. Pontius Pilate was governing Judea. Herod was governing Galilee, and his brother Philip was governing Iturea and Trachonitis. Lysanias was governing Abilene. v2 Annas and Caiaphas were chief priests. At that time, God’s message came to John, the son of Zechariah. John was in the desert.
Verse 1 After the death of Herod the Great, his three sons (Archelaus, Antipas and Philip) shared the country:
(1) Herod Archelaus had Judea. When Joseph and Mary returned from the country of Egypt with Jesus, they went to Galilee. They did not want to stay where Archelaus governed (Matthew 2:19-23). Archelaus governed Judea in such a cruel way that the *Romans replaced him in the end. Pontius Pilate governed Judea for 10 years. (In 1962 people dug up a stone with his name on it at Caesarea, where he used to live.)
(2) Herod Antipas governed Galilee, during the time when both John and Jesus were teaching.
(3) Philip had the same father as Herod Antipas, but he had a different mother.
Verse 2 Luke says that Annas and Caiaphas were chief priests. There should have been only one chief priest at a time. Caiaphas was the official chief priest. But Annas (the father of Caiaphas’ wife) still had great power. The people who arrested Jesus took him first to Annas (John 18:13).
John’s message 3:3-17
v3 John went into all the region round the river Jordan. He announced that people must turn from their bad ways. He would then *baptise them. God would then forgive their *sins. v4 John made the *prophecy of Isaiah come true (Isaiah 40:3-5). John was the voice of one shouting a message in the desert. John said ‘Prepare the way for the *Lord, make straight paths for him!
v5 Raise every valley! Make every mountain and hill level! Make the bent paths straight! Make the rough ways smooth! v6 And everybody will see how God will *save them’.
Verses 4-6 When a king was to make a journey, an official went ahead to prepare the road. The official would make the road level, straight and smooth. John was preparing the people for the arrival of the *Messiah, their king. They must give the *Lord a way into their lives. They must remove all their wrong attitudes. These attitudes are like ‘valleys’ and ‘hills’ that prevented God from saving them. They must put right everything that was wrong in their lives. They must put right everything that was against what God wanted.
Verse 6 Luke uses words from Isaiah to emphasise that Jesus had come for the whole world, *Jews and *Gentiles alike.
v7 Crowds came to John so that he could *baptise them. ‘You are like poisonous snakes that try to escape from a desert fire!’ said John. ‘You are trying to run away from God’s anger. v8 But you must produce fruit in your lives that shows that you really have *repented. Do not say, “We have Abraham as our *ancestor”. God is able to make *descendants for Abraham from these stones. v9 Even now the axe is ready to cut down the trees at the root. God will cut down every tree that does not produce good fruit. He will throw it into the fire’.
Verse 7 John realised that some people do not come with the right attitude. They were not really sorry for their *sins. They were trying to escape God’s punishment. ‘Fire’ is a way to describe God’s judgement.
Verse 8 These people were *descendants of Abraham. They thought that this connection would save them. But God could make as many children of Abraham as he wanted – even out of hard stones. In the *Hebrew language, the words ‘stones’ and ‘children’ are very similar. John was using this fact when he said these words.
People judge trees by their fruits, not by their roots. These *Jews were trusting in their ‘roots’, that is, their connection with Abraham. They should have been thinking about their ‘fruits’. ‘Fruits’ result from living in the right way towards God and other people.
Verse 9 John said that it was urgent that people should change their bad ways. God is like a farmer. When a tree fails to produce good fruit the farmer cuts it down. Then he throws the tree into the fire. God is ready to act in the same way, if people do not change.
John taught the crowd 3:10-14
v10 The crowds asked him, ‘What must we do?’ v11 He answered, ‘If anyone has two coats give one coat to somebody who has none. He must share his food as well’. v12 *Tax-collectors also came for *baptism. They asked him, ‘Teacher, what shall we do?’ v13 He said, ‘Do not collect any more money than the *Romans require’. v14 Soldiers also asked him, ‘And what shall we do?’ He said, ‘Do not use force against people. Do not pretend that they have done something wrong. Do not complain about your wages’.
Verse 10 The crowds were asking how they could satisfy God’s demand for ‘fruit’.
Verse 11 Ordinary people must stop being selfish. They must care for the needs of other people.
Verses 12-13 John did not tell the hated *tax-collectors that they must not work for the *Romans. Instead, they must not use their work to cheat people. They must be honest.
Verse 14 Soldiers must not use their authority to make money for themselves. They must not frighten people with *physical attacks. They must not make people pay money to avoid trouble about some crime. The soldiers had been accusing people of crimes that they had not done.
The *Messiah 3:15-17
v15 All the people were full of hope. They wondered whether John could be the Christ. v16 John told them, ‘I *baptise with water. Someone is coming who is much more important than I am. I am not even good enough to be a slave to remove his shoes. He will *baptise you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. v17 He is like a farmer, who *winnows his grain. He will put the good wheat in his store. But he will burn the *chaff completely’.
Verse 16 John recognised that he was only the person who announced the arrival of the *Messiah. The king was coming. But John felt that he was not good enough. Not even to do the most humble task of a slave for him. John *baptised people with water. This showed that people desired to be clean and free from *sin.
Fire is very powerful. The *Messiah’s *baptism would give people the power of the Holy Spirit to live in a new way. Fire would also refer to the punishment of those who refused to believe.
Verse 17 A farmer used a large tool like a fork to *winnow. He threw mixed grain and *chaff into the air. The wind blew the *chaff away and the grain fell to the ground. John used this picture language to show that the *Messiah would separate people. The good people, who were like grain, would come into his *kingdom.
John warns Herod 3:18-20
v18 John warned the people in many other ways as he announced good news to the people.
v19 John had told Herod, the ruler, that he should not have married Herodias, his brother’s wife. John also spoke against many other wrong things that Herod had done. v20 Herod added another *sin to all his other *sins: he put John in prison.
Verse 19 Herod Antipas divorced his wife. She was the daughter of the king Aretas who came from Arabia. Herod wanted to marry Herodias who was his brother Philip’s wife. Philip was his half-brother. He was a son of Herod the Great by a different mother. [He was not the same Philip as the one who ruled Iturea (Luke 3:1).] John said that both the divorce and the marriage were wicked. Herodias never forgave John.
Verse 20 They did not put John into prison until later. John and Jesus continued to teach. Luke completes his account of John here. Then he continues to tell the story of Jesus.
John *baptises Jesus 3:21-22
v21 When all the people came for *baptism, Jesus came too. When John had *baptised him, Jesus was praying. Then heaven opened. v22 The Holy Spirit, in the shape of a dove (bird), came upon Jesus. A voice came from heaven: ‘You are my Son whom I love greatly. I am very pleased with you’.
Verse 21 Jesus had no *sin for which he had to say sorry. He came to rescue *sinners. And he wanted to show that he understood and cared about them. He also chose to mark the beginning of his public work in this way.
‘He was praying’. Luke emphasises the prayers of Jesus at all times in his life. Luke also includes two *parables about prayer (Luke 11:5-13; Luke 18:1-8).
Verse 22 The Holy Spirit came upon Jesus in the form of a bird. This could also mean that the Holy Spirit came in a silent way like a bird. The Holy Spirit gave Jesus power for his future work. The phrase ‘son whom I love greatly’ comes from Psalms 2:7. It describes the *Messiah. God was ‘very pleased with him’. These are words from Isaiah (42:1). They describe God’s Servant. Other verses in Isaiah show that God’s Servant would suffer and die (Isaiah 53:8-10).
Jesus’ *ancestors 3:23-28
v23 Jesus was about 30 years old, when he began his public service.
People thought that Jesus was the son of Joseph. Joseph was the son of Heli. v24 Heli was the son of Matthat. Matthat was the son of Levi. Levi was the son of Melchi. Melchi was the son of Jannai. Jannai was the son of (another) Joseph. v25 Joseph was the son of Mattathias. Mattathias was the son of Amos. Amos was the son of Nahum. Nahum was the son of Esli. Esli was the son of Naggai. v26 Naggai was the son of Maath. Maath was the son of Mattathias. Mattathias was the son of Semein. Semein was the son of Josech. Josech was the son of Joda. v27 Joda was the son of Joanan. Joanan was the son of Rhesa. Rhesa was the son of Zerubbabel. Zerubbabel was the son of Shealtiel. Shealtiel was the son of Neri. v28 Neri was the son of Melchi. Melchi was the son of Addi. Addi was the son of Cosam. Cosam was the son of Elmadam. Elmadam was the son of Er. v29 Er was the son of Joshua. Joshua was the son of Eliezer. Eliezer was the son of Jorim. Jorim was the son of Matthat. Matthat was the son of Levi. v30 Levi was the son of Simeon. Simeon was the son of Judah. Judah was the son of Joseph. Joseph was the son of Jonam. Jonam was the son of Eliakim. v31 Eliakim was the son of Melea. Melea was the son of Menna. Menna was the son of Mattatha. Mattatha was the son of Nathan. Nathan was the son of DAVID.
v32 DAVID was the son of Jesse. Jesse was the son of Obed. Obed was the son of Boaz. Boaz was the son of Sala. Sala was the son of Nahshon. v33 Nahshon was the son of Amminadab. Amminadab was the son of Admin. Admin was the son of Arni. Arni was the son of Hezron. Hezron was the son of Perez. Perez was the son of JUDAH.
v34 JUDAH was the son of Jacob. Jacob was the son of Isaac. Isaac was the son of Abraham. Abraham was the son of Terah. Terah was the son of Nahor. v35 Nahor was the son of Serug. Serug was the son of Reu. Reu was the son of Peleg. Peleg was the son of Eber. Eber was the son of Shelah. v36 Shelah was the son of Cainan. Cainan was the son of Arphaxad. Arphaxad was the son of Shem. Shem was the son of Noah. Noah was the son of Lamech. v37 Lamech was the son of Methuselah. Methuselah was the son of Enoch. Enoch was the son of Jared. Jared was the son of Mahalaleel. Mahalaleel was the son of Cainan. v38 Cainan was the son of Enos. Enos was the son of Seth. Seth was the son of ADAM. ADAM was the son of GOD.
Verse 23 There are several possible reasons why Jesus waited until he was 30 years old:
(1) There is no reference to Joseph after the *Passover visit to Jerusalem. Therefore, until he was 30, Jesus was working to take care of his mother, brothers and sisters.
(2) He had the opportunity to learn for himself the problems of family responsibilities. Later, when he taught, he could speak with authority.
(3) *Levites were officials who helped the priests. They began their service at the age of 30. People considered that a man of that age was mature.
Verses 23-38 The fact that Jesus had family *ancestors shows that he was a real human person. The *Messiah was to come from the family line of David, who was of the *tribe of Judah. The fact that Jesus came from the family of David shows that he was the *Messiah. And his *baptism also shows this. Luke records Jesus’ family *ancestors back to Adam, the first man (Genesis 2:20). (The words ‘Adam’ and ‘man’ are the same in *Hebrew.) So, Luke shows that Jesus is a relative of all people. Therefore Jesus came not only for the *Jews, but for all people.
This publication is written in EasyEnglish Level B (2800 words)
Baptist ~ a person who baptises people (John the Baptist).baptise/baptism ~ to put a person into water to show that he wants to obey God.
emperor ~ king who rules over many countries.
Roman ~ person or thing that belongs to Rome.
Rome ~ capital of a great empire in *New Testament times.
empire ~ group of nations under one ruler (emperor).
emperor ~ king who rules over many countries.
prophecy ~ words that God gives to a person to tell other people.
Lord ~ name for God in the Bible; name that we use for Jesus when we obey him.'save/salvation ~ rescue from the power and result of sin.
sin/sinner ~ when people do things against God or other people.
'Christ/Messiah ~ the Jews’ word for the king whom God would send to rescue them.Messiah/Christ ~ the Jews’ word for the king whom God would send to rescue them.
Jew ~ a person who was born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their children.
Jew ~ a person who was born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their children.
Gentiles ~ people who are not Jews.
Jew ~ a person who was born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their children.
ancestors ~ any persons from whom the families of your father or mother come.
descendants ~ future members of a family or nation.
Hebrew ~ language of the Jews and of the *Old Testament.
Jew ~ a person who was born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their children.'tax-collector ~ man who received taxes for the government.
tax ~ money that people must pay to the government.'baptise/baptism ~ to put a person into water to show that he wants to obey God.'tax-collector ~ man who received taxes for the government.
tax ~ money that people must pay to the government.
winnow ~ after you thresh plants, you winnow to separate the grain from the rest of the plant.
thresh, threshing ~ to separate grain from straw.
chaff ~ outside cover of grain.
kingdom ~ land that a king rules.'sin/sinner ~ when people do things against God or other people.
parable ~ a story with a moral meaning.
Passover ~ annual ceremony to remember when God rescued the Jews from Egypt.
Jew ~ a person who was born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their children.
Levite ~ priest’s helper in the Temple.
priest ~ a man that gave gifts and burned animals as a sacrifice to God for the Jews; a man that God chose to serve him.
Temple ~ special building in Jerusalem where Jews worshipped God.
sacrifice ~ a gift to God to ask him to forgive sins; or to thank him for something.
Jew ~ a person who was born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their children.
worship ~ show honour and respect to God and praise him.
tribe ~ a group of people; a family or people having the same ancestors.
ancestors ~ any persons from whom the families of your father or mother come.
Luke: The Man Christ Jesus
The Birth of Jesus and the Beginning of his Work
Ian Mackervoy
Chapter 3
John the *Baptist *preaches – Luke 3:1-20
v1 It was the 15th year during the rule of the *emperor Tiberius. Pontius Pilate was ruler of Judea. Herod ruled Galilee, and his brother Philip ruled Iturea and Trachonitis. Lysanias was the ruler of Abilene. v2 Annas and Caiaphas were the *Jewish chief priests. At that time, God spoke his word to Zechariah’s son John, who lived in the desert. v3 So, John went all over the area near the Jordan River and he spoke to the people. He told them to *repent of their *sins. Then he would *baptise them to show that God had forgiven their *sins. v4 As the *prophet Isaiah wrote in his book, ‘A voice cries out in the desert. “Prepare the way for the *Lord. Make straight paths for him. v5 Make every valley level. Make every mountain and hill low. Make straight the roads that curve. Make the rough roads smooth. v6 And everyone will see how God saves people from their *sins.” ’
v7 Many people came to John for him to *baptise them. He spoke to them, ‘You are like young poisonous snakes. I want to know who warned you to run away from God’s anger.
v8 You need to *repent. You must show that it is real. Do not begin to say among yourselves, “Abraham is our father.” I tell you that God can make children for Abraham from these stones! v9 The axe is already at the root of the trees. The axe will cut down every tree that does not produce good fruit. And fire will burn that tree.’
v10 The people asked John, ‘What should we do then?’
v11 John answered them. ‘If you have two shirts, give one away. Give it to a person who does not have a shirt. If you have food, share it with other people.’
v12 Even some men who collected taxes came for John to *baptise them. They asked him, ‘Teacher, what should we do?’ v13 He told them, ‘Do not collect anything more than is due.’
v14 Some soldiers asked John, ‘What about us? What should we do?’ John said to them, ‘Do not force people to give you money. And do not tell lies about them. Let the pay that you get satisfy you.’
v15 The people expected the *Christ to come. So, they asked themselves whether John might be the *Christ. v16 John answered everyone, ‘I *baptise you with water. But there will come someone who is stronger than I. I am not important enough to be the servant who undoes his *sandals. He will *baptise you with the *Holy Spirit and fire. v17 He will come as one ready to clean completely the yard where he prepares his wheat. He will gather the wheat grains into his store. But he will burn the rubbish in a fire that nobody can put out.’
v18 With many other words, John encouraged the people. And he explained the good news to them. v19 But John spoke against the ruler Herod because Herod had married Herodias, his brother’s wife. Also, John spoke against Herod because of all the evil things that he did. v20 So Herod carried out another evil deed in addition. He put John in prison.
Verses 1-2 Tiberius was the *emperor of Rome. He became *emperor in 14 *AD. But he ruled with Augustus for two years before he became the *emperor. He ruled in Rome for 23 years and he died in 37 *AD. So, the date that the *Lord sent John to speak to the people was either about 28 *AD or about 26 *AD.
Pontius Pilate was *Roman, and he governed Judea from 26 *AD to 36 *AD. Some people accused him of serious crimes. Therefore, he had to return to Rome. But before he arrived there in 37 *AD, Tiberius died. Soon after this, Pilate killed himself.
Herod Antipas ruled in Galilee from about 4 *BC. The *emperor Caligula, who came after Tiberius, removed Herod in 39 *AD. Philip ruled in some territories to the north of Israel from about 4 *BC until his death in 33 *AD or 34 *AD. Both Herod and Philip were sons of Herod the Great. We know nothing about Lysanias.
Iturea was to the north of Israel and to the east of the Jordan River. Trachonitis was to the east of Iturea. And Abilene was to the north of Trachonitis.
Annas was the *Jewish chief priest from 6 *AD to 15 *AD. Five (5) of his sons later became chief priests. The first of these sons was Eleazar, who was chief priest in 16 *AD to 17 *AD. Annas continued to be powerful through the time when Caiaphas was the chief priest. Annas was the father of Caiaphas’ wife. Caiaphas was the chief priest from 18 *AD to 36 *AD.
John the *Baptist lived in the desert. At this time, God spoke to him.
Verses 3-4 Then John came from the desert to the Jordan River. Here he spoke to the people about their *sins. He told them to *repent of their *sins. The meaning of *repentance is a change of mind. It includes to be sorry for *sins and a change of life. As people *repented, John *baptised them in the Jordan River.
John was the ‘voice’ about whom Isaiah wrote. John’s task was to prepare people for the time when the *Christ came (Isaiah 40:3). He warned people to be ready because the *Christ would come soon.
Verses 5-6 When a king approached, the people would clear all the roads ahead of him. They would remove all that could delay him. They would make the rough roads smooth and straight. Luke uses this *prophecy to show that people must prepare for the *Christ. John’s task was to make people ready to receive the *Christ. The *salvation that the *Christ brings is for all the world. People in all places will see this *salvation.
Verses 7-8 Crowds of people came to John for him to *baptise them. Among those crowds were *Pharisees and *Sadducees. These men were the leaders of the *Jewish religion. But many of them were not sincere. So John spoke these hard words to them (Matthew 3:7). He said that they were like poisonous snakes. And they could not escape the anger of God by *baptism.
*Baptism alone cannot save people from their *sins. There has to be true *repentance and real belief in Christ. The proof of *repentance will be the change in the life of the person.
Many *Jews thought that they were safe. God would accept them because they were *descendants of Abraham. But they were wrong. The real *descendants of Abraham are those people who believe in the *Christ (Galatians 3:29).
If a fruit tree does not have fruit, the gardener will cut it down. He will burn it with fire. So, God will not save people unless they *repent of their *sins. God as the judge is like the gardener who is ready with his axe.
Verses 10-14 John had told the people to show that they had *repented. They asked him what they should do. He gave to them some examples of the kind of things that they should do. People who *repent should do good deeds to the poor. They should share their goods with people who have nothing. God very much wants us to do good deeds. He cares about poor people, so we should care about them too.
Some men who collected taxes asked John the same question. They collected taxes for the *Roman government. But they were able to take more money than was due from the people. In this way, they robbed the people and they often became wealthy. John told them to collect only the tax that was due and nothing more.
Next, there came some soldiers with the same question. These men were probably *Jewish soldiers rather than *Roman soldiers. John told them that they should not use unnecessary force. They should not use their strength to get money from the people. They should not tell lies when they accuse someone. Their wages, which included other benefits, should satisfy them.
Such good deeds are the effect of *repentance. They are not works to achieve *salvation.
Verses 15-17 The sudden appearance of this *prophet from the desert caused people to ask who he was. They knew from the *Old Testament that God would send the *Christ. At that time, the *Jews expected that the *Christ would come soon. Maybe John was the *Christ whom God had promised to send.
John knew their thoughts. He told the people that he was not the *Christ. But he taught them that the *Christ would come soon. And he told them something about the nature of the *Christ.
The *Christ is superior to John in every way. John felt that he was not good enough to do such a small thing as to undo the *Christ’s *sandals. A servant would do this task for his master. John *baptised with water. But the *Christ will *baptise with the *Holy Spirit and fire. This is what happened on the day of *Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4). The *disciples of Jesus received power from the *Holy Spirit. This was so much greater than John’s *baptism with water.
Then John spoke about the work of the *Christ. John used the language of agriculture to explain this. The *Christ will test people as the farmer tests his grain. The farmer beats his grain to separate the good grain from the husk (the grain’s outer skin). Then he throws it all into the air. The good grain falls straight to the ground. The farmer puts the good grain in a safe store. But the husks blow a bit further away in the wind. The farmer gathers this rubbish and he burns it with fire. So, the *Christ will be the judge of all people. He will separate the people who belong to him from other people. His people will go to the safety of heaven. But he will punish the people who oppose him, as with fire.
Verses 19-20 Herod Antipas divorced his first wife and he married Herodias. She was the wife of one of his brothers. This was one of many *sins of Herod. He was an evil man. John the *Baptist was bold enough to speak against Herod. So, Herod put John in prison.
John *baptises Jesus – Luke 3:21-22
v21 When John *baptised all the people, he *baptised Jesus too. While Jesus prayed, heaven opened. v22 And the *Holy Spirit came down on Jesus in the physical form of a *dove. And a voice from heaven said, ‘You are my Son. I love you and you please me very much.’
Verses 21-22 Jesus came to John and asked for *baptism. Matthew’s *Gospel tells us more about this event. John recognised that Jesus was superior to him. So, he said that Jesus ought to *baptise him. Jesus insisted that John should *baptise him. John’s *baptism was a *baptism of *repentance. But Jesus had no *sins and therefore he did not need to *repent. He asked John to *baptise him because it was the right thing to do (Matthew 3:15). In this, he chose to be like the people whom he came to save. He was truly humble.
As Jesus came out of the water, he prayed. He saw heaven open and the *Holy Spirit of God came down upon him (Mark 1:10). Also, John the *Baptist saw the *Holy Spirit as he came down like a *dove. By this means, John the *Baptist knew that Jesus was the *Christ (John 1:33-34).
Then a voice spoke from heaven. It was the voice of God the Father. God said to Jesus, ‘You are my son. I love you and you please me very much.’ God declared that Jesus is his Son.
The family history of Jesus – Luke 3:23-38
v23 Jesus was about 30 years old when he began his work. People called Jesus the son of Joseph. Joseph was the son of Heli.
v24 Heli was the son of Matthat. Matthat was the son of Levi. Levi was the son of Melki. Melki was the son of Jannai. Jannai was the son of Joseph. v25 Joseph was the son of Mattathias. Mattathias was the son of Amos. Amos was the son of Nahum. Nahum was the son of Esli. Esli was the son of Naggai. v26 Naggai was the son of Maath. Maath was the son of Mattathias. Mattathias was the son of Semein.
Semein was the son of Josech. Josech was the son of Joda. v27 Joda was the son of Joanan. Joanan was the son of Rhesa. Rhesa was the son of Zerubbabel. Zerubbabel was the son of Shealtiel. Shealtiel was the son of Neri. v28 Neri was the son of Melki. Melki was the son of Addi. Addi was the son of Cosam. Cosam was the son of Elmadam. Elmadam was the son of Er. v29 Er was the son of Joshua.
Joshua was the son of Eliezer. Eliezer was the son of Jorim. Jorim was the son of Matthat. Matthat was the son of Levi. v30 Levi was the son of Simeon. Simeon was the son of Judah. Judah was the son of Joseph. Joseph was the son of Jonam. Jonam was the son of Eliakim. v31 Eliakim was the son of Melea. Melea was the son of Menna. Menna was the son of Mattatha. Mattatha was the son of Nathan.
Nathan was the son of David. v32 David was the son of Jesse. Jesse was the son of Obed. Obed was the son of Boaz. Boaz was the son of Salmon. Salmon was the son of Nahshon. v33 Nahshon was the son of Amminadab. Amminadab was the son of Ram. Ram was the son of Hezron. Hezron was the son of Perez. Perez was the son of Judah. v34 Judah was the son of Jacob.
Jacob was the son of Isaac. Isaac was the son of Abraham. Abraham was the son of Terah. Terah was the son of Nahor. v35 Nahor was the son of Serug. Serug was the son of Reu. Reu was the son of Peleg. Peleg was the son of Eber. Eber was the son of Shelah. v36 Shelah was the son of Cainan. Cainan was the son of Arphaxad. Arphaxad was the son of Shem. Shem was the son of Noah.
Noah was the son of Lamech. v37 Lamech was the son of Methuselah. Methuselah was the son of Enoch. Enoch was the son of Jared. Jared was the son of Mahalaleel. Mahalaleel was the son of Cainan. v38 Cainan was the son of Enosh. Enosh was the son of Seth. Seth was the son of Adam. Adam was the son of God.
Verses 23-38 Jesus began his special work for God when he was approximately 30 years old.
To the *Jews, family history was very important. God had promised to send the *Christ who would be from David’s family. It was necessary to show that the *Christ was a *descendant of David. So, both Matthew and Luke record the family history. Here is an explanation for the two different family lists.
Matthew gives the legal list of names from Abraham to Joseph. In *Jewish law, Joseph was the father of Jesus but in fact, he was not. Matthew starts with Abraham and comes forward in time (Matthew 1:2-16). This shows that Jesus as a man comes from the *Jewish nation. Jesus was the *Christ that God promised to *Israel.
Luke shows that Jesus is not in fact a son of Joseph. So, he gives the list of Mary’s *ancestors. Joseph was the son of Jacob (Matthew 1:16). Heli was his father-in-law (the father of Joseph’s wife Mary). Mary was the daughter of Heli. Probably Luke used the name of the male, Joseph, as it was the custom of the *Jews at that time. The *Jews would not usually end or start the family list with a woman. They would give the name of her husband instead.
Luke shows the family list from Joseph and he goes back in time to Adam. This shows the man Jesus as a relative of all people and not just of the *Jews. God promised Adam that his *descendant would defeat *Satan (Genesis 3:15). This *descendant was Jesus.
Baptist ~ the title that we use for John, whom God sent to prepare people for the Christ’s arrival.
Christ ~ the Christ is the name for the person whom God would send to be the Saviour of his people. Jesus is the Christ and he was called Christ.
Saviour ~ a title of Jesus. He is called the Saviour because he saves us from our sins.
sin ~ the wrong things that we do. To sin is to do wrong, bad or evil deeds and not to obey God.
preach ~ to speak God’s message in public, and to teach his word.
emperor ~ an important ruler, like a king. The Romans called their ruler an emperor.
Roman ~ Rome was the capital city of the rulers at the time of the New Testament. Anything that belonged to Rome was called Roman.
New Testament ~ the last part of the Bible, which the writers wrote after the life of Jesus on earth.
Jewish ~ people or things that are from the Jews.
Jews ~ people who were born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and their *descendants.
repent ~ to change one’s mind and heart. People who repent must turn their minds and hearts away from sin. They ask God to help them so that they can now serve him.
sin ~ the wrong things that we do. To sin is to do wrong, bad or evil deeds and not to obey God.
sin ~ the wrong things that we do. To sin is to do wrong, bad or evil deeds and not to obey God.
baptise ~ to use water in a special ceremony to show that God has forgiven (washed away) a person’s sin.
sin ~ the wrong things that we do. To sin is to do wrong, bad or evil deeds and not to obey God.
prophet ~ a person who speaks for God. A prophet can sometimes say what will happen in the future.
Lord ~ a title for God, or Jesus, to show that he is over all people and things. In the Old Testament, LORD was a special name for God. The word ‘Lord’ can also mean a master or a ruler.
Old Testament ~ the first part of the Bible; the holy things that the writers wrote before Jesus’ birth.
Christ ~ the Christ is the name for the person whom God would send to be the Saviour of his people. Jesus is the Christ and he was called Christ.
Saviour ~ a title of Jesus. He is called the Saviour because he saves us from our sins.
sin ~ the wrong things that we do. To sin is to do wrong, bad or evil deeds and not to obey God.
sandals ~ a shoe with a piece of leather underneath and leather pieces to fit to the foot.'Holy Spirit ~ God’s Spirit whom Jesus sent to help his people. The Holy Spirit is another name for God, also called the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ and the Comforter. The Holy Spirit is a person but not human. He carries out God’s work on earth. He is God, equal with God the Father and with God the Son.
AD ~ years after Jesus Christ.
Roman ~ Rome was the capital city of the rulers at the time of the New Testament. Anything that belonged to Rome was called Roman.
New Testament ~ the last part of the Bible, which the writers wrote after the life of Jesus on earth.
BC ~ years before Jesus Christ.
repentance ~ the act of someone who repents.
repent ~ to change one’s mind and heart. People who repent must turn their minds and hearts away from sin. They ask God to help them so that they can now serve him.
sin ~ the wrong things that we do. To sin is to do wrong, bad or evil deeds and not to obey God.
prophecy ~ a message from God that a person speaks by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Holy Spirit ~ God’s Spirit whom Jesus sent to help his people. The Holy Spirit is another name for God, also called the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ and the Comforter. The Holy Spirit is a person but not human. He carries out God’s work on earth. He is God, equal with God the Father and with God the Son.
salvation ~ the result when God saves us from sin and punishment; the new life that God gives to those people who believe in the Lord Jesus.
sin ~ the wrong things that we do. To sin is to do wrong, bad or evil deeds and not to obey God.
Lord ~ a title for God, or Jesus, to show that he is over all people and things. In the Old Testament, LORD was a special name for God. The word ‘Lord’ can also mean a master or a ruler.
Old Testament ~ the first part of the Bible; the holy things that the writers wrote before Jesus’ birth.
Pharisees ~ A group of Jews who tried to keep all God’s rules. They thought that by this they could please God.
Jews ~ people who were born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and their *descendants.
Sadducees ~ a group of Jews who did not believe that people can live after death.
Jews ~ people who were born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and their *descendants.
baptism ~ the act when a person baptises someone.
baptise ~ to use water in a special ceremony to show that God has forgiven (washed away) a person’s sin.
sin ~ the wrong things that we do. To sin is to do wrong, bad or evil deeds and not to obey God.
baptism ~ the act when a person baptises someone.
baptise ~ to use water in a special ceremony to show that God has forgiven (washed away) a person’s sin.
sin ~ the wrong things that we do. To sin is to do wrong, bad or evil deeds and not to obey God.
Jews ~ people who were born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and their *descendants.'Old Testament ~ the first part of the Bible; the holy things that the writers wrote before Jesus’ birth.
Pentecost ~ annual ceremony (feast) when the Jews thank God for the harvest.
feast ~ a time to eat and drink. The special times of Jewish ceremonies are feasts.
Jews ~ people who were born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and their *descendants.
Jewish ~ people or things that are from the Jews.
disciple ~ a person who follows a leader, especially the 12 men that Jesus chose to be with him.
dove ~ a type of bird.
gospel ~ the good news that God saves people from sin because of Jesus Christ.
Gospel ~ The first 4 books of the New Testament are called Gospels.
sin ~ the wrong things that we do. To sin is to do wrong, bad or evil deeds and not to obey God.
New Testament ~ the last part of the Bible, which the writers wrote after the life of Jesus on earth.
Israel ~ the country of the Jews.
Jews ~ people who were born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and their *descendants.
ancestors ~ people in history from whom your family has come.
Satan ~ a name for the devil. There are several other names for him in the New Testament. In the Hebrew language, Satan means ‘the accuser’; that is, the enemy.
New Testament ~ the last part of the Bible, which the writers wrote after the life of Jesus on earth.
Hebrew ~ the language of the Jews and of the Old Testament.
Jews ~ people who were born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and their *descendants.
Old Testament ~ the first part of the Bible; the holy things that the writers wrote before Jesus’ birth.