Luke 3:1-22 (ESV)
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 the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias
tetrarch of Abilene, [2] during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the
word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. [3] And he
went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming 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 crying in the wilderness: Prepare
the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. [5] Every valley shall be filled,
and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall become
straight, and the rough places shall become level ways, [6] and all flesh shall
see the salvation of God." [7]
He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, "You
brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? [8] Bear fruits
in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have
Abraham as our father.' For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise
up children for Abraham. [9] Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees.
Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into
the fire."
[10] And the crowds asked him, "What then shall we
do?" [11] And he answered them, "Whoever has two tunics is to share
with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise." [12] Tax
collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, "Teacher, what shall
we do?" [13] And he said to them, "Collect no more than you are
authorized to do." [14] Soldiers also asked him, "And we, what shall
we do?" And he said to them, "Do not extort money from anyone by
threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages."
[15] As the people were in expectation, and all were
questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ,
[16] John answered them all, saying, "I baptize you with water, but he who
is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to
untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. [17] His
winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the
wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."
[18] So with many other exhortations he preached good news to
the people. [19] But Herod the tetrarch, who had been reproved by him for
Herodias, his brother's wife, and for all the evil things that Herod had done,
[20] added this to them all, that he locked up John in prison.
[21] Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also
had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, [22] and the Holy
Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from
heaven, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased."
Questions for Reflection
1. What well-known public person would you most readily describe as a great speaker?
2. What was John’s basic message? (3:3)
3. What attitude did John warn the people not to have? Why? (3:8-9)
4. What is repentance?
5. When John explained repentance to people, how did it relate to the work they did in life?
6. When we are confronted with a call to repent, why do we tend to accept or reject the invitation strongly?
7. What connection is there between repentance and forgiveness?
8. How did John apply the principle that while God is at work changing people, He often does not change their work or their place in life?
9. In what ways does John’s life teach us about humility?
10. How should your relationship with God make your work habits differ from those around you?
