The preaching and baptism of John, 1-14; his testimony of Christ, 15-18; Herod imprisons John, 19, 20; Christ, baptized, receives testimony from heaven, 21, 22. The age and genealogy of Christ from Joseph upwards, 23-38.
1 Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanius the tetrarch of Abilene, 2 Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3 And he came into all the country around the Jordan preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, 4 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, saying,
"The voice of one crying in the wilderness,/
'Prepare the way of the Lord./
Make his paths straight.
5 Every valley shall be filled,/
every mountain and hill shall be brought low,/
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 he said to the multitude who came forth to be baptized by him, "O generation of vipers, who has warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say within yourselves, 'We have Abraham for our father.' For I say to you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children to Abraham. 9 And now also the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore which does not bring 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 answers and says to them, "He who has two coats, let him impart to him who has none, and he who has provisions, let him do likewise." 12 Then tax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, "Master, what shall we do?" 13 And he said to them, "Exact no more than that which is appointed you." 14 And the soldiers likewise asked him, saying, "And what shall we do?" And he said to them, "Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely, and be content with your wages."
15 And as the people were in expectation and all men mused in their hearts concerning John, whether he was the Christ or not, 16 John answered, saying to them all, "I indeed baptize you with water, but one mightier than I comes, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire, 17 Whose winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his floor and will gather the wheat into his granary, but he will burn the chaff with unquenchable fire."
18 And many other things in his exhortation he preached to the people. 19 But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him on account of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done, 20 Added yet this above all, that he shut John up in prison.
21 Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, as Jesus had also been baptized and was praying, that the heaven was opened, 22 And the Holy Spirit descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, "You are my beloved Son. In you I am well pleased."
23 And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, who was the son of Heli, 24 Who was the son of Matthat, who was the son of Levi, who was the son of Melchi, who was the son of Janna, who was the son of Joseph, 25 Who was the son of Mattathias, who was the son of Amos, who was the son of Nahum, who was the son of Esli, who was the son of Naggai, 26 Who was the son of Maath, who was the son of Mattathias, who was the son of Semein, who was the son of Josech, who was the son of Joda, 27 Who was the son of Joanan, who was the son of Rhesa, who was the son of Zerubbabel, who was the son of Shealtiel, who was the son of Neri, 28 Who was the son of Melchi, who was the son of Addi, who was the son of Cosam, who was the son of Elmadam, who was the son of Er, 29 Who was the son of Joshua, who was the son of Eliezer, who was the son of Jorim, who was the son of Matthat, who was the son of Levi, 30 Who was the son of Simeon, who was the son of Judah, who was the son of Joseph, who was the son of Jonam, who was the son of Eliakim, 31 Who was the son of Melea, who was the son of Menna, who was the son of Mattatha, who was the son of Nathan, who was the son of David, 32 Who was the son of Jesse, who was the son of Obed, who was the son of Boaz, who was the son of Salmon, who was the son of Nahshon, 33 Who was the son of Amminadab, who was the son of Ram, who was the son of Hezron, who was the son of Pharez, who was the son of Judah, 34 Who was the son of Jacob, who was the son of Isaac, who was the son of Abraham, who was the son of Terah, who was the son of Nahor, 35 Who was the son of Serug, who was the son of Reu, who was the son of Peleg, who was the son of Eber, who was the son of Salah, 36 Who was the son of Cainan, who was the son of Arphaxad, who was the son of Shem, who was the son of Noah, who was the son of Lamech, 37 Who was the son of Methuselah, who was the son of Enoch, who was the son of Jared, who was the son of Mahalaleel, who was the son of Cainan, 38 Who was the son of Enos, who was the son of Seth, who was the son of Adam, who was the son of God.
Matthew Henry Commentary - Luke, Chapter 3[➚]
[v.1-6] - Gospel Link: Matthew 3:1-6; Mark 1:1-6.
[v.4-6] - Quoting Isaiah 40:3-5 (LXX).
[v.7-14] - Gospel Link: Matthew 3:7-10.
[v.15-18] - Gospel Link: Matthew 3:11-12; Mark 1:7-8.
[v.16] - Gospel Link: John 1:26-27.
[v.21-23] - Gospel Link: Matthew 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11.
[v.22] - Gospel Link: John 1:32.
[v.23-38] - Gospel Link: Matthew 1:1-17. Note the differences between this genealogy and the one in Matthew, ch. 1. From John Wesley's Notes: "The son of Heli - That is, the son-in-law: for Heli was the father of Mary. So St. Matthew writes the genealogy of Joseph, descended from David by Solomon; St. Luke that of Mary, descended from David by Nathan. In the genealogy of Joseph (recited by St. Matthew) that of Mary is implied, the Jews being accustomed to marry into their own families."
[v.31-34] - Reference (reverse order), 1st Chronicles 3:5, 2:15, 12-9, 5-4, 1, 1:34, 28.
[v.34-38] - Reference (reverse order), 1st Chronicles 1:27-24, 4-1. Concerning verses 35 and 36, note that in these two verses, Cainan is mentioned. This passage of the genealogy comes from Genesis 11:12-13 (it is also mentioned in 1st Chronicles, ch. 1 as previously noted), but notice how that passage in Genesis (and also the passage in 1st Chronicles) does not mention Cainan. This discrepancy can be explained in the Septuagint, which Luke likely referenced for this genealogy. In the Septuagint, the passage in Genesis (but not in 1st Chronicles) mentions Cainan in the genealogy. Genesis 11:13 (LXX): "και έζησεν Αρφαξάδ μετά το γεννήσαι αυτόν τον Καϊναν έτη τριακόσια τριάκοντα και εγέννησεν υιούς και θυγατέρας και απέθανε και έζησε Καϊνάν εκατόν και τριάκοντα έτη και εγέννησε τον Σαλά και έζησε Καϊναν μετά το γεννήσαι αυτω τον Σαλα έτη τριακόσια τριάκοντα και εγέννησεν υιούς και θυγατέρας και απέθανε" (bolded words are the names of Arphaxad, Cainan, and Salah).