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    Luke 3:1-20 Lesson 108

    Read both the "King James Bible" and the "New Living Translation."

    In this Lesson:
     
    In our last lesson, Jesus was twelve years old. 
    He's now thirty and starting His ministry.     ​
    John the Baptist preaching in the wilderness.
    Study Tip:    
     
    As you study the Bible, pray, and trust your informed interpretations.  God will open your heart and pour in more truth as you're ready to receive it. 
    Who was -
     
    Tiberius Caesar -
    Tiberius Claudius Nero Caesar, the Roman emperor from AD 14 until his death in AD 37 at the age of 78.  Born in 42 BC, he was the son of Tiberius Claudius Nero and the stepson of Caesar Augustus who was the Roman emperor when Jesus was born.  Caesar Augustus adopted Tiberius after the death of his father.  Tiberius rose to prominence as a military leader and was a cruel and brutal emperor prone to laziness and self-indulgence.  King Herod Antipas named Tiberias, a city in Galilee, after him.
     
    Pontius Pilate -  
    Pontius Pilate was the fifth Roman procurator (governor) of Judea and Samaria.  He served from AD 26 to 36 and disliked his Judean assignment so far from home.  Pilate was no fan of the Jews.  He was routinely charged with cruelty against them, accusations he usually deserved, and Jesus was well aware of Pilate's harsh reputation (Luke 13:1).  The Jewish religious leaders returned Pilate's animosity and frequently complained about him to Rome.  They accused him 
    of corruption, cruelty, insensitivity to their customs, and once of stealing money from the Temple to build an aqueduct.  Pilate's headquarters was in Caesarea, but he was in Jerusalem with his wife Claudia to keep order as the Holy City filled with pilgrims over the Passover holiday.  While in Jerusalem, the Jewish high council (Sanhedrin) brought Jesus to stand trial before him.  The Sanhedrin lacked the authority to sentence a prisoner to death (John 18:31) so pressured Pilate to crucify Jesus.  A pure politician, Pilate was more interested in political expediency than justice.  Already disciplined by Rome once, Pilate wasn't willing to release Jesus and risk more Jewish complaints.  He repeatedly declared Jesus innocent (Luke 23:4; 23:14; 23:22; John 18:38) yet was willing to have him executed.  In A.D. 36 Pilate finally lost favor with Rome after the Governor of Syria brought yet more charges of cruelty against him.  He was exiled to Vienne in Gaul where he committed suicide in AD 38.
     
    Herod -
    Herod Antipas was the son of Herod the Great (who ruled during the time of Jesus' birth and tried to kill the infant Messiah in Matthew 2:16).  Ambitious, self-destructive, and without principle, the Romans appointed Herod tetrarch (ruler) over Galilee (Luke 3:1) and Perea after his father's death.  Jesus called him a "fox" (Luke 13:32) because of his reputation for being sly, cunning, cowardly, and sordid.  Herod had John the Baptist beheaded for criticizing his marriage to his niece and brothers ex-wife, Herodias (Matthew 14:3-12; Mark 6:17-18; Luke 9:9).  At the time, Herod was at war with Aretas, the Arabian king of Petraea for divorcing Aretas' daughter so he could marry Herodias.  After Jesus was arrested, He was brought before Herod and mocked (Luke 23:6-12).  Herod was eventually dethroned by the Romans for "confederating with the king of Parthia against the Roman empire."  Herod and his niece/wife, Herodias died in exile in Spain.   
     
    Philip -
    Herod Philip, the son of Herod the Great, half brother to Herod Antipas, and the tetrarch of Ituraea and Trachonitis (Luke 3:1) located northeast of the Sea of Galilee.  Philip's rule lasted thirty-seven years and was a period of peace and prosperity.  He built the city of Caesarea Philippi and named it after Caesar and himself.  Philip married his niece Herodias, but she divorced him to marry her other uncle, Herod Antipas.  He was well thought of by his subjects and died in AD 34.
     
    Lysanias -
    The tetrarch of the Roman providence of Abilene located north of Damascus, Syria. 
     
    Annas -
    The Jewish high priest for nine years (AD 6-15) until he was removed by the Romans.  Many Jews resented Roman interference in their religious affairs and still considered Annas to be the rightful high priest.  After being deposed, he continued to hold lesser positions (Acts 4:6) and four of his sons went on to become high priest after him.  Jesus had His first hearing after being arrested before Annas, and his daughter married the high priest Joseph Caiaphas (John 18:13). 
     
     
    Caiaphas -
    Joseph Caiaphas was the Jewish high priest appointed by Pontius Pilate's predecessor, the Roman governor of Judaea, Valerius Gratus.  Caiaphas served as the leader of the Sanhedrin for eighteen years (AD 18-36) and plotted Jesus' arrest, trial, and then pressured Pilate into crucifying Him.  Later, he tried to cover up the resurrection (Matthew 28:11-15) and spent years persecuting Christians, including John and Peter (Acts 4:6-10).  Caiaphas was married to the former
    high priest Annas' daughter (John 18:13).  He was eventually removed from office by the Romans.  What finally became of Caiaphas is unknown although legend has it that he converted to Christianity.
     
    Esaias -
    The Greek name for the Old Testament prophet Isaiah (meaning Jehovah is salvation) who died in 681 BC.  Considered by many as the greatest Jewish prophet, Isaiah wrote "The Book of the Prophet Isaiah" which spoke out against hypocrisy (Isaiah 29:13) and prophesized the coming of the Messiah (Isaiah 6:15) seven hundred years before the birth of Christ.  He is quoted over fifty times in the New Testament.
     
    Herodias -
    Herod Antipas' niece (daughter of Aristobulus, Herod's half brother) and wife.  She divorced her first husband Philip (Herod Antipas's half brother) to marry Herod (Mark 6:17).  After being condemned by John the Baptist for marrying her husband's brother (her uncle), she masterminded John's beheading (Matthew 14:1-12).  Herod Antipas and Herodias both died in exile in Spain. 

    The Gospel According to St. Luke

    The King James Bible    ​

    Luke 3:1-20
    John the Baptist preaches repentance

    1 Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch 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 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 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.
    ​Margin notes: 
     
    "Tetrarch." (3:1) - "Governor."
     
    "Ituraea." (3:1) - A small Roman province in Syria.  Located Northeast of the Sea of Galilee, the Romans made King Herod ruler of the providence.  Herod bequeathed it to his son, Philip.  
     
    "Trachonitis." (3:1) - A Roman province in Syria.  Located southwest of Damascus, it was also governed by Philip.  
     
    "Abilene." (3:1) - Another Roman province in Syria, named after its capital, Abila.
     
    "Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests." (3:2) - According to Jewish law, there could only be one high priest at a time.  Two are named here because the Romans deposed Annas and replaced him with Caiaphas.  Because the position was supposed to be for life, many Jews continued to call Annas the high priest.
     
    "Baptism of repentance." (3:3) - Before John the Baptist, baptism was a symbolic Jewish ceremony to cleanse Gentiles converting to Judaism.  Here, John is teaching that baptism is the public repentance of sin.
     
    "The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight." (3:4) - Verses 3:4-6 are taken from the prophecy in Isaiah 40:3-5.  Additional note: In biblical days, "the way" was prepared and made secure for kings when they traveled.  Similarly, "the way" should be prepared for Jesus, the King of Kings.  
     
    "All flesh shall see the salvation of God." (3:6) - "All mankind (Jew and Gentile) will see the Savior sent from God" (Acts 28:28; Titus 2:11).
     
    "We have Abraham to our father." (3:8) - Abraham is the father of all Jews (Romans 4:11-16; Galatians 3:7).
     
    "Every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down." (3:9) - Jesus will repeat this message to bear fruit in The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 7:19).
     
    "Let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise." (3:11) - "Let him share with those who have none, and those who have food, do likewise."
     
    "Publicans." (3:12) - Tax collectors.  Some manned customhouses and collected duty on imported and exported trade goods.  Others collected sales taxes on anything that was bought or sold.  There were taxes to cross bridges, taxes to use the roads or the harbor, to enter the marketplace or to ship merchandise.  There were taxes on wagons and the animals that pulled them.  To the disgruntled population it seemed like everything was taxed and there was no redress if the publicans overtaxed you.  In fact, the publicans paid Rome for the right to collect taxes and then paid themselves by overcharging (Luke 3:12-13) and keeping the difference.  Couple this with the fact that they worked for the oppressive Romans meant they were not popular with the Jewish population.
     
    "Exact no more." (3:13) - "Collect no more."
     
    "Neither accuse any falsely." (3:14) - Exodus 23:1.
     
    "The latchet." (3:16) - "The straps." 
      
    "Fan." (3:17) - A farmers tool used to separate wheat from worthless chaff.  The valuable wheat represents those who have found God while chaff symbolizes unrepentant sinners. 
     
    "Gather the wheat into his garner." (3:17) - "Gather the wheat into his barn."  Also, see "Today's Question" below.
     
    "Being reproved." (3:19) - "Being reproached."
    To read Matthew's, Mark's, and John's report on John the Baptist, see Matthew 3:1-10, Mark 1:3-5, and John 1:19-34.


                                                  New Living Translation 
     

    Luke 3:1-20 
    John the Baptist Prepares the Way
     
    1 It was now the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius, the Roman emperor. Pontius Pilate was governor over Judea; Herod Antipas was ruler over Galilee; his brother Philip was ruler over Iturea and Traconitis; Lysanias was ruler over Abilene.

    2 Annas and Caiaphas were the high priests. At this time a message from God came to John son of Zechariah, who was living in the wilderness.

    3 Then John went from place to place on both sides of the Jordan River, preaching that people should be baptized to show that they had repented of their sins and turned to God to be forgiven.

    4 Isaiah had spoken of John when he said,
     
    "He is a voice shouting in the wilderness,
    'Prepare the way for the Lord's coming!
    Clear the road for him!

    5     The valleys will be filled,
    and the mountains and hills made level.
    The curves will be straightened,
    and the rough places made smooth.

    6     And then all people will see
    the salvation sent from God.'"
     
    7 When the crowds came to John for baptism, he said, "You brood of snakes! Who warned you to flee God's coming wrath?

    8 Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. Don't just say to each other, 'We're safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.' That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones.

    9 Even now the ax of God's judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire."
     
    10 The crowds asked, "What should we do?"
     
    11 John replied, "If you have two shirts, give one to the poor. If you have food, share it with those who are hungry."
     
    12 Even corrupt tax collectors came to be baptized and asked, "Teacher, what should we do?"
     
    13 He replied, "Collect no more taxes than the government requires."
     
    14 "What should we do?" asked some soldiers.
     
    John replied, "Don't extort money or make false accusations. And be content with your pay."
     
    15 Everyone was expecting the Messiah to come soon, and they were eager to know whether John might be the Messiah.

    16 John answered their questions by saying, "I baptize you with water; but someone is coming soon who is greater than I am-so much greater that I'm not even worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

    17 He is ready to separate the chaff from the wheat with his winnowing fork. Then he will clean up the threshing area, gathering the wheat into his barn but burning the chaff with never-ending fire."

    18 John used many such warnings as he announced the Good News to the people.
     
    19 John also publicly criticized Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee, for marrying Herodias, his brother's wife, and for many other wrongs he had done.

    20 So Herod put John in prison, adding this sin to his many others.
    ​This second Bible text from the "New Living Translation" (Tyndale House, Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois) is a paraphrase and not an accurate word for word translation of the Bible.  However, it is a helpful tool when read with the "King James Version."
    Today's question:
     
    1. What did John mean by "gather the wheat into his garner"? (3:17)




    Let me know your suggestions on improving the lessons.
    Answer: (Do you agree?) 
    ​​
    1. To gather the wheat into the garner (barn) is a warning of God's coming judgment.  In John the Baptist's metaphor, people who refuse to live for God represent the chaff (the outer part of the wheat that has no value).  Those who repent
    and follow God are compared to the valuable wheat grain.  They will be gathered into heaven.




    Application thought for the day:
    With the coming of the Messiah (3:6), the message of John the Baptist was to repent (3:8).  Spend the day pondering the sins you need to repent of.
    Thanks to the writings and commentary of John Wesley and Adam Clarke. Also, "The Layman's Bible Study Notebook" by Irving Jensen published by Harvest House Publishing, Irvine, California; the "Life Change Series" published by NavPress Books, Colorado Springs, Colorado; the "Life Application Study Bible" published by Tyndale House Publishing, Carol Stream, Illinois; "The Quest Study Bible" published by The Zondervan Corporation, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "Robertson's New Testament Word Studies"; "The MacArthur Bible Commentary" by John MacArthur published by Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee; "Wisdom of the Bible" CD by Topics Entertainment, Inc., Renton, Washington for their inspiring pictures; "My utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers published by Barbour publishing, Inc., Uhrichsville, Ohio; The "Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge" by Reuben Archer Torrey; "Hope For Each Day" by Billy Graham published by J. Countryman, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, Tennessee; "Easton's Bible Dictionary" by Matthew George Easton; "Unger's Bible Dictionary" by Merrill F. Unger, published by Moody Press, Chicago, Illinois; "Halley's Bible Handbook" by Henry H. Halley, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "The Living New Testament" published by Tyndale house; "The New Living Translation" published by Tyndale House; BibleGateway.com for all their wonderful links; and of course the "King James Bible".  All were critical in putting these lessons together.
    ​    © 2020 evolke