Luke 3:1-20 (NASB)
1 Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee and his brother Philip was tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene, 2 in the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John, the son of Zechariah, in the wilderness. 3 And he came into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins; 4 as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet:
“The voice of one calling out in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
Make His paths straight!
5 Every ravine will be filled,
And every mountain and hill will be lowered;
The crooked will become straight,
And the rough roads smooth;
6 And all flesh will see the salvation of God!’”
7 So he was saying to the crowds who were going out to be baptized by him, “You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Therefore produce fruits that are consistent with repentance, and do not start saying to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children for Abraham. 9 But indeed the axe is already being laid at the root of the trees; so every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”
10 And the crowds were questioning him, saying, “Then what are we to do?” 11 And he would answer and say to them, “The one who has two tunics is to share with the one who has none; and the one who has food is to do likewise.” 12 Now even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they said to him, “Teacher, what are we to do?” 13 And he said to them, “Collect no more than what you have been ordered to.” 14 And soldiers also were questioning him, saying, “What are we to do, we as well?” And he said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone, nor harass anyone, and be content with your wages.”
15 Now while the people were in a state of expectation and they all were thinking carefully in their hearts about John, whether he himself perhaps was the Christ, 16 John responded to them all, saying, “As for me, I baptize you with water; but He is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the straps of His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in His hand to thoroughly clear His threshing floor, and to gather the wheat into His barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
18 So with many other exhortations he preached the gospel to the people. 19 But when Herod the tetrarch was reprimanded by him regarding Herodias, his brother’s wife, and regarding all the evil things which Herod had done, 20 Herod also added this to them all: he locked John up in prison.
All four Gospels mention John the Baptist, and of course, as we read in the text, his birth was even prophesied about in Isaiah. Luke also gives us more details about John’s birth in the beginning of his Gospel account. In chapter one, he tells how John’s parents, Zechariah and Elizabeth, were “advanced in years,” and had no children. But an angel of the Lord appeared to Zechariah and told him that Elizabeth would bear him a son and they should call him John. Luke 1:14-17 says the angel also said, “You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice over his birth. For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; and he will drink no wine or liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit while still in his mother’s womb. And he will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God. And it is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of fathers back to their children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
John did all that was foretold about himself. He was a voice crying out, telling people to repent for the Messiah was coming. As verses 3-4 says in our text, “And he came into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins; as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: “The voice of one calling out in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make His paths straight!”
We see more of John’s message to prepare the way in John 1:6-8. It says, “A man came, one sent from God, and his name was John. He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.” John’s purpose was to tell people that the Messiah was about to arrive, and that he would tell them who the Messiah was once He showed up. And that is what he did. Continuing in John 1:14-18, it says, “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us; and we saw His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. John testified about Him and called out, saying, ‘This was He of whom I said, “He who is coming after me has proved to be my superior, because He existed before me.”’ For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time; God the only Son, who is in the arms of the Father, He has explained Him.’”
John told the people that, not only had the Messiah arrived, but the Messiah was Jesus and He would “explain” the Father. I’ve always loved that wording, for isn’t that exactly what Jesus does? Jesus’ words and actions are the key to understanding the Old Testament. All the happenings in the Old Testament finally make sense to us when we read it in the light of what Jesus explains to us. The greatest example being Jesus’ sacrificial blood offering, which takes away the sin of the world. Once we understand Jesus’ perfect sacrifice, we understand the old system with its blood offering of animals. Jesus explains God to us in a way we can understand with our limited minds.
John the Baptist gives further testimony as well, continuing again in John 1:19-23 which says, “This is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites to him from Jerusalem to ask him, ‘Who are you?’ And he confessed and did not deny; and this is what he confessed: ‘I am not the Christ.’ And so they asked him, ‘What then? Are you Elijah?’ And he said, ‘I am not.’ ‘Are you the Prophet?’ And he answered, ‘No.’ Then they said to him, ‘Who are you? Tell us, so that we may give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?’ He said, ‘I am the voice of one calling out in the wilderness, “Make the way of the Lord straight,” as Isaiah the prophet said.’”
In his goal of preparing the way, he wanted people to repent and obediently follow God. Picking back up in verses 7-9 it says, “So he was saying to the crowds who were going out to be baptized by him, “You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore produce fruits that are consistent with repentance, and do not start saying to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children for Abraham. But indeed the axe is already being laid at the root of the trees; so every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”
This should sound familiar to us, for Jesus says this same message. In fact, if you read this verse out of context, I think most of us would assume it was Jesus Who was speaking, but it is John the Baptist. John is telling the people that this fruit is their actions, and their actions must line up with their words. The crowd asks John how they can produce this good fruit and he tells them, “The one who has two tunics is to share with the one who has none; and the one who has food is to do likewise,” and to the tax collectors he said, “Collect no more than what you have been ordered to.” Also to the soldiers, he said, “Do not extort money from anyone, nor harass anyone, and be content with your wages.” It challenged the people so much they wondered if he was the Messiah, but he told them clearly that he was not. Verses 16-18 says, “John responded to them all, saying, ‘As for me, I baptize you with water; but He is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the straps of His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in His hand to thoroughly clear His threshing floor, and to gather the wheat into His barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.’ So with many other exhortations he preached the gospel to the people.”
He preached so that the people would repent, and then he baptized those people. But it is worth noting that this baptism of John, though very similar to our baptism today, was not the same baptism that we experience today. John was baptizing people who wanted to repent so they would be ready to welcome the coming Messiah. The waters signified God washing a person clean of their sins. Different commentaries I read wrote that it was a baptism that could be repeated if a person sinned and wanted forgiveness again- much like making a sin offering in the Temple.
Even though we don’t see baptism mentioned in the Old Testament, this washing in baptism echoes God’s command to the Israelites in Exodus 19:10-11, which says, “The Lord also said to Moses, ‘Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and have them wash their garments; and have them ready for the third day, for on the third day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.’”
It’s also worth mentioning, the group of Jews called Essenes also practiced this baptism of repentance, and some commentaries think John was a part of this group, or at least influenced by them. This baptism that John was practicing was not the same baptism the early church performed after Jesus rose from the dead, though. In Acts, we see how baptism changed. Acts 8:14-17 says, “Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them that they would receive the Holy Spirit. For He had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they began laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit.”
That seems like these people had been baptized the way that John the Baptist had baptized people. They repented and were baptized, but had not received the Holy Spirit. Acts 18:24-26 explains this. It says, “Now a Jew named Apollos, an Alexandrian by birth, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus; and he was proficient in the Scriptures. This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he was accurately speaking and teaching things about Jesus, being acquainted only with the baptism of John; and he began speaking boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained the way of God more accurately to him.”
Continuing, Acts 19:1-7 says, “Now it happened that while Apollos was in Corinth, Paul passed through the upper country and came to Ephesus, and found some disciples. He said to them, ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?’ And they said to him, ‘On the contrary, we have not even heard if there is a Holy Spirit.’ And he said, ‘Into what then were you baptized?’ And they said, ‘Into John’s baptism.’ Paul said, ‘John baptized with a baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus.’ When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them and they began speaking with tongues and prophesying. There were about twelve men in all.”
John baptized, preached, and taught people to follow God's law, all with the singular focus being the imminent arrival of the Messiah. And the remarkable thing about that is John baptized the Messiah; he baptized Jesus. In our reading for today, it includes that Herod had John thrown in prison, but that didn’t happen until after he had baptized Jesus. Matthew 3:13-15 says, “Then Jesus arrived from Galilee at the Jordan, coming to John to be baptized by him. But John tried to prevent Him, saying, ‘I have the need to be baptized by You, and yet You are coming to me?’ But Jesus, answering, said to him, ‘Allow it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.’ Then he allowed Him.”
Shortly after that, Herod arrested John and had him thrown in prison. Our text for today told us in verses 19-20, “But when Herod the tetrarch was reprimanded by him regarding Herodias, his brother’s wife, and regarding all the evil things which Herod had done, Herod also added this to them all: he locked John up in prison.”
Herodias was the wife of Herod Antipas, but they had both been previously married. They divorced their spouses so they could marry each other. Like a modern soap opera, Herodias’ previous husband was Herod’s brother Philip. Not only that, but Herodias was a niece to both of her husbands, for she was the granddaughter of Herod the Great. It’s easy to see why John the Baptist did not think their marriage was lawful. He let them know they were in the wrong and they punished him for it.
I’ve always wondered - why did Herodias care what some guy thought about her? I wonder if it’s similar to how atheists will be so angry that Christians believe that non-Christians go to hell when they die. Why do they care at all what we think if it’s not true? I don’t care if people who believe in other religions think I am wrong. So why do atheists care? Why did Herodias care?
Maybe nobody had ever offended her before. Maybe she wielded so much power that everyone was afraid to speak against her. John the Baptist was obviously not afraid of anybody. He spoke the truth, even to the rulers in charge, and this made Herodias so upset that she wanted to kill him, but Herod did not want to kill him, so he locked him up in prison. At the first opportunity, though, Herodias got her revenge. Mark 6:17-29 tells us what happened. It says, “For Herod himself had sent men and had John arrested and bound in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, because he had married her. For John had been saying to Herod, ‘It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.’ And Herodias held a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death, and could not do so; for Herod was afraid of John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he had been protecting him. And when he heard him, he was very perplexed; and yet he used to enjoy listening to him. An opportune day came when Herod, on his birthday, held a banquet for his nobles and military commanders, and the leading people of Galilee; and when the daughter of Herodias herself came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests; and the king said to the girl, ‘Ask me for whatever you want, and I will give it to you.’ And he swore to her, ‘Whatever you ask of me, I will give it to you, up to half of my kingdom.’ And she went out and said to her mother, ‘What shall I ask for?’ And she said, ‘The head of John the Baptist.’ Immediately she came in a hurry to the king and asked, saying, ‘I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.’ And although the king was very sorry, because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he was unwilling to refuse her. Immediately, the king sent an executioner and commanded him to bring back his head. And he went and beheaded him in the prison, and brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother. When his disciples heard about this, they came and carried away his body, and laid it in a tomb.”
John the Baptist, messenger of God, was killed for speaking the truth. I want to look at one last important statement that he made. John 1:29-34 says, “The next day he saw Jesus coming to him, and said, ‘Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is He in behalf of whom I said, “After me is coming a Man who has proved to be my superior, because He existed before me.” And I did not recognize Him, but so that He would be revealed to Israel, I came baptizing in water.’ And John testified, saying, ‘I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him. And I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, “He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.” And I myself have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God.’”
Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. John saw the dove and testified that Jesus was the Messiah. His baptism was a baptism of water, but Jesus’ baptism was a baptism in the Holy Spirit. John’s message was repent, turn from your sins and be washed clean, but it would have needed to be repeated whenever someone sinned. The baptism we take part in today does not need to be repeated. In the same way that Jesus does not need to be sacrificed again on the cross, when we make our public declaration of faith in Jesus at our baptism, we do not need to be baptized again, even when we commit a sin. The act of baptism signifies for us what happens to us when we place our faith in our Savior Jesus: our sins are washed clean and we receive the Holy Spirit living in us. When we sin, we don’t need to be baptized again. We can directly ask for forgiveness from the Father through the access granted to us through our faith in Jesus Christ the Son, for now we are sons and daughters of God, having been washed and declared clean through forgiveness of our sins. All of this is granted to us when we repent of our sins and have faith in the Messiah who is Jesus Christ, who died that horrible death on the cross so we might have forgiveness of sins.
Now, once cleansed of our unrighteousness, we can stand before the throne of God, covered by the grace and mercy He extends to us through His shed blood. What do we do after we have been washed clean? We should strive to live in ways “that are consistent with repentance” as John said. And we should “make His paths straight” so that others can repent and follow Jesus, too.
We “make His paths straight” when we do what John did: tell the truth and testify clearly about Who Jesus is. As Matthew 3:1-2 says, “Now in those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’” That, too, should be our message today: Repent, turn from your sins, for Jesus the Messiah has come to earth, died for our sins, and He will return to judge the world with a winnowing fork in His hand; repent and turn to Jesus so you, too, may find forgiveness and salvation.
Let us be like John the Baptist; willing to be a voice, willing to risk our lives even, in order to share this message of salvation with the world.
Pray: Heavenly Father, thank You for loving us so much that You gave us Jesus who willingly laid down His life for us. Please help us to live lives worthy of that great sacrifice. Please help us by Your Holy Spirit to live consistent with our faith. Please help us, too, to make straight paths for others to come to salvation in You. We want to be a voice that calls to our generation to “repent, for the Kingdom of God is near.” We love You and praise Your mighty name. And in Jesus’ name we pray these things. Amen.
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