Chapter 3

The chapter shifts John the Baptist. Luke is careful to give the specifics of the time and place of these activities – the reign of Emperor Tiberius, the procuratorship of Pontius Pilate during the time of Herod, Philip, and Lysanias, during the high priesthood of both Annas and Caiaphas.

Note here: Rome was the ruler of this region. Pontius Pilate was an appointed procurator (governor) of the region. They allowed the Jews in the region several concessions to Roman rule. 1: They were allowed a Jewish King. The region was under the Jewish rule of Herod, and his brothers Philip and Lysanias. 2: They were allowed a high priesthood. However, these kings and high priests were approved of by the Roman government. Usually the high priesthood was for life. Under Roman rule they were changed frequently to suit the Roman rule. If one of the high priests wasn’t what the government wanted, a new one would be put in place. Annas was the father-in-law to Caiaphas and were high priests during that time. They were under the Roman thumb.

Into this environment John came “prophesying.” John brought the proclamation of a “baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sin.” Baptism was no unheard of. The Jews practiced a proselyte baptism when someone converted from their faith to Judaism. They were circumcised (if male) and then ritually washed at the mikvah (a place of ritual washing. There was another ritual washing for purposes of ritual cleansing such as women needed to do when they concluded their menstruation or after the time of delivery of a child. Those who were healed of leprosy or other “uncleanliness” would make their sacrifices appropriate to the event and then go to the mikvah to wash and become ceremonially clean again. John the Baptist brought a ritual washing with a new twist, this was washing related to “repentance” and was directly related to “forgiveness of sins.” Former washing was related to body, this washing was to bear a deeper significance in relationship to preparation for the coming of the Messiah.

Role of John the Baptist

John’s role has already been laid out in the prophecy of his father Zechariah. “And you child shall be called a prophet of the most high, and you will go before your people to prepare his way.” John falls into the line of prophets sent by God for the purpose of preparing the way of the Lord.

In announcement and fulfillment of this role, John declares himself to be “the voice of one crying in the wilderness.” Wilderness has several points of significance for story of salvation that is being announced. He quotes the passage of the Prophet Isaiah from the fortieth chapter. In its own rite, this chapter is significant of God’s salvation. Chapter 40 of Isaiah marks the turning point of the return home from Israel’s captivity in Babylon. The prophet sings of way back in which God is executing return and restoration. This is to be a return in the wilderness where God will make way straight and the mountains to come low and valleys to be lifted up, the rough places plain.

Note: Luke takes a bit of liberty with the Isaiah text. The Hebrew text reflects, “A voice of one crying, ‘In the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord. . .’” While the Lukan text reflects, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way of the Lord . . .’” Though the comas find different places in their textual venue, the important elements remain: 1) the voice of one crying, 2) the placement within the wilderness, 3) they are words of preparation for something new one the way – a salvation from God.

Message of John

There were a multitude of people gathered to hear John’s preaching and to receive this new baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. His message begins, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits worthy of repentance.”

Repentance lies at the root of John’s harshness. Nothing short of repentance is good enough for preparation for the coming of the messiah.

He turns first to the Jews who were present, to those who derive their definition as “the chosen” through their ancestry to the call of Abraham. “Do not think that your ancestry gives you any preference in this endeavor.” Connection in this new regime is no through ancestral ties or who began who. Connection is through “the fruits that you reflect.” God can raise up children to Abraham from these rocks. John speaks a word of judgment, the ax at the root of the tree. Any tree that doesn’t bear fruit is going to be cut down and thrown into the fire. (We will discuss fire in a moment.)

“So what shall we do?” If the old systems are being torn down without any warning, what will replace it? What are the fruits of repentance?

1. If you have two coats give one to someone who has none.

2. Tax collectors (These were Jews in collaboration with the Roman government to collect taxes. They were not popular among the unclean. They extorted money by over charging the populous, sometimes charging exorbitant rates.) Take only what is due you. Don’t bilk the public. This already raises a point that Luke is making. The kingdom is open to all sorts of people, even tax collectors. They can bear fruits of repentance and be included.

3. Roman soldiers came asking the same question, what can we do? John opened the door for these gentiles. Take only your wages. Don’t force tribute from the weak and the vulnerable. Don’t threaten or create false accusations. Be satisfied with your wages only. Luke includes gentiles in the open door policy of God.

The messiah is coming to all sorts of people, even those that the Jewish considers unclean and outcast. Already it appears from John’s words that this Messiah is changing the rules. However, what this coming Messiah marks is a return to God’s original plan. Things had gotten all turned around at the return from exile. Abraham was commissioned to be a blessing to “all the families of the earth.” This was a universal outreach. That which started as universal and open suddenly became closed after the return. Suddenly they were “exclusive”. The nations were to be kept at a distance. Those who were not of the clans were “unclean.” The Messiah appears through John’s message to returning to God’s original plan of including all the families of the earth again – Jews, tax collectors, and gentiles.

The People’s Perception

“Who are you? Are you the Messiah?” John answers that question promptly. “I am not!” There is another coming far greater than I. I am not worthy to even untie the thong of his sandal. “I baptize with water. He will baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” This is now the second reference to “fire.” The context of this reference is also in the terms of judgment. Winnowing is a separation process. The wheat was cut and placed on the winnowing floor where it would be tossed up in the air with forks. The wind would blow away the chaff (the unusable part) and the grain could then be gathered and shored for use. Chaff is gathered and burned in “unquenchable fire.” The unquenchable nature of this fire turns attention to something more than the harvest. There is something meant to be eternal about this fire. Beware of not bearing fruit.

Here is the time to talk a bit more about fire in the context of Luke. To this point, judgment and fire are closely akin to each other. Yet the baptism of Holy Spirit and fire brings a recollection of something Luke brings to bear at a later date. When the Holy Spirit comes upon the disciples (Acts 2) after Jesus ascension, they are surrounded by sound of a mighty wind and tongues of “fire” appear on the heads of his disciples and they begin to speak in the tongues of all the foreigners gather in Jerusalem at the time. Their baptism in the Holy Spirit and fire is what ignites the spark that creates the church throughout the ages, also a fire that has not been dowsed in two millennia. This fire of regeneration and the spread of the word of Jesus Christ is also “unquenchable” it would appear.

Not all of the people where so supportive. We hear of John’s arrest as the result of his preaching about repentance. The fire of judgment was sparked by Herodias, the wife of Herod who took her from the marriage to his brother. It earned an execution. John’s disappearance seems to be an important part of the story. As John fades to the rear, Jesus takes center stage.

Baptism of Jesus

We are not told the story of how Jesus is baptized, or by whom Jesus is baptized. We are simply brought into the story after the fact. We are told that Jesus was baptized and several things take the focus:

· The heavens are opened as the prophet prayed, “Let the heaven be wrent asunder, O Lord, and come down.”

· The Holy Spirit descends in bodily for as a dove.

· A voice from heaven claims Jesus as his son. These are words of the coronation psalm wherein God claims the king as the son of God. David was claim as the “son of God” and now Jesus is crowned king and is claimed “son of God.” This is Messianic. Jesus is here being claimed as the Messiah of God. (Messiah means ‘anointed’).

As we view our baptism as “children of God,” these references to Jesus’ baptism are the foundation for what God is doing for us in the sacrament.

· God is coming down to us

· God is sending the Holy Spirit

· God is claiming us as “children of God”

The Genealogy

Luke now takes us to a transition that will lead to the ministry of Jesus throughout the remainder of his gospel narrative, but takes us there through the process of a genealogy.

There are two genealogies in the New Testament. One is located here and the other in the Gospel of St. Matthew. They are different in structure and in the names that are present.

Matthew breaks the list into discreet sections listing 12 generations in each.

1. Beginning with Abraham and the promise that God makes through Jesse who is father to King David

2. He begins with David who is the king to whom God promises the messianic line to come through the deportation to the exile in Babylon

3. He begins with the return from exile to the birth of Jesus to Mary who is married to Joseph a relative of David’s

Luke begins with the generations of Joseph who is the “understood” father of Jesus and traces back to the source of humanity, Adam who is “child of God.”

Matthew is preaching to Jews while Luke is preaching to gentiles. Matthew traces descendency through the promise of Abraham the father of the Israelite nation while Luke trances descendency through the origins of humanity which began as a child of God. The points lie far deeper in their agreement in name and structure. In their independent ways, these evangelists are connecting Jesus to roots of God’s promise of salvation after the fall of humanity. They connect Jesus to the promises of the Messianic promise through David. In either case, we end up viewing Jesus as the promised Messiah who is sent by God bring about the end of eternal life that willed.