Chapter 3
Lu 3:1-20. Preaching, Baptism, and Imprisonment of John
(See on [Mt 3:1-12]; [Mr 6:17], &c.).
1-2. Here the curtain of the New Testament is, as it were, drawn up, and the greatest of all epochs of the Church commences. Even our Lord's own age ([Lu 3:23]) is determined by it [Bengel]. No such elaborate chronological precision is to be found elsewhere in the New Testament, and it comes fitly from him who claims it as the peculiar recommendation of his Gospel, that he had "accurately traced down all things from the first" ([Lu 1:3]). Here, evidently, commences his proper narrative. Also see on [Mt 3:1].
the fifteenth year of Tiberius--reckoning from the period when he was admitted, three years before Augustus' death, to a share of the empire [Webster and Wilkinson], about the end of the year of Rome 779, or about four years before the usual reckoning.
Pilate ... governor of Judea--His proper title was Procurator, but with more than the usual powers of that office. After holding it about ten years he was ordered to Rome, to answer to charges brought against him, but ere he arrived Tiberius died (A.D. 35), and soon after Pilate committed suicide.
Herod--(See on [Mr 6:14]).
Philip--a different and very superior Philip to the one whose wife Herodias went to live with Herod Antipas. (See [Mr 6:17]).
Iturea--to the northeast of Palestine; so called from Ishmael's son Itur or Jetur ([1Ch 1:31]), and anciently belonging to the half tribe of Manasseh.
Trachonitis--farther to the northeast, between Iturea and Damascus; a rocky district, infested by robbers, and committed by Augustus to Herod the Great to keep in order.
Abilene--still more to the northeast, so called from Abila, eighteen miles from Damascus [Robinson].
5. Every valley, &c.--levelling and smoothing, obvious figures, the sense of which is in the first words of the proclamation, "Prepare ye the way of the Lord."
6. all flesh, &c.--(quoted literally from the Septuagint of [Is 40:5]). The idea is that every obstruction shall be so removed as to reveal to the whole world the Salvation of God in Him whose name is the "Saviour" (compare [Psa 98:3]; [Is 11:10]; ; ; [Lu 2:31], 32; [Ac 13:47]).
10-14. What shall we do then?--to show the sincerity of our repentance. (Also see on [Mt 3:10].)
15-17. whether he were the Christ--showing both how successful he had been in awakening the expectation of Messiah's immediate appearing, and the high estimation, and even reverence, which his own character commanded. (Also see on [Mt 3:10].)
18. many other things, &c.--such as we read in [Joh 1:29], 33, 34; 3:27-36. (Also see on [Mt 3:12].)
19-20. But Herod, &c.--See on [Mr 6:14], &c. (Also see on [Mt 3:12].)
and for all the evils which Herod had done--important fact here only mentioned, showing how thoroughgoing was the fidelity of the Baptist to his royal hearer, and how strong must have been the workings of conscience in that slave of passion when, notwithstanding such plainness, he "did many things and heard John gladly" ([Mr 6:20], ).
21. when all the people were baptized--that He might not seem to be merely one of the crowd. Thus, as He rode into Jerusalem upon an ass, "whereon yet never man sat" ([Lu 19:30]), and lay in a sepulchre "wherein was never man yet laid" ([Joh 19:41]), so in His baptism He would be "separate from sinners."
Lu 3:23-38. Genealogy of Jesus
23. he began to be about thirty--that is, "was about entering on His thirtieth year." So our translators have taken the word (and so Calvin, Beza, Bloomfield, Webster and Wilkinson, &c.): but "was about thirty years of age when He began [His ministry]," makes better Greek, and is probably the true sense [Bengel, Olshausen, De Wette, Meyer, Alford, &c.]. At this age the priests entered on their office ([Nu 4:3]).
being, as was supposed, the son of Joseph, &c.--Have we in this genealogy, as well as in Matthew's, the line of Joseph? or is this the line of Mary?--a point on which there has been great difference of opinion and much acute discussion. Those who take the former opinion contend that it is the natural sense of this verse, and that no other would have been thought of but for its supposed improbability and the uncertainty which it seems to throw over our Lord's real descent. But it is liable to another difficulty; namely, that in this case Matthew makes Jacob, while Luke makes "Heli," to be Joseph's father; and though the same man had often more than one name, we ought not to resort to that supposition, in such a case as this, without necessity. And then, though the descent of Mary from David would be liable to no real doubt, even though we had no table of her line preserved to us (see, for example, [Lu 1:2-32], and see on [Lu 2:5]), still it does seem unlikely--we say not incredible--that two genealogies of our Lord should be preserved to us, neither of which gives his real descent. Those who take the latter opinion, that we have here the line of Mary, as in Matthew that of Joseph--here His real, there His reputed line--explain the statement about Joseph, that he was "the son of Hell," to mean that he was his son-in-law, as the husband of his daughter Mary (as in [Ru 1:11], ), and believe that Joseph's name is only introduced instead of Mary's, in conformity with the Jewish custom in such tables. Perhaps this view is attended with fewest difficulties, as it certainly is the best supported. However we decide, it is a satisfaction to know that not a doubt was thrown out by the bitterest of the early enemies of Christianity as to our Lord's real descent from David. On comparing the two genealogies, it will be found that Matthew, writing more immediately for Jews, deemed it enough to show that the Saviour was sprung from Abraham and David; whereas Luke, writing more immediately for Gentiles, traces the descent back to Adam, the parent stock of the whole human family, thus showing Him to be the promised "Seed of the woman." "The possibility of constructing such a table, comprising a period of thousands of years, in an uninterrupted line from father to son, of a family that dwelt for a long time in the utmost retirement, would be inexplicable, had not the members of this line been endowed with a thread by which they could extricate themselves from the many families into which every tribe and branch was again subdivided, and thus hold fast and know the member that was destined to continue the lineage. This thread was the hope that Messiah would be born of the race of Abraham and David. The ardent desire to behold Him and be partakers of His mercy and glory suffered not the attention to be exhausted through a period embracing thousands of years. Thus the member destined to continue the lineage, whenever doubtful, became easily distinguishable, awakening the hope of a final fulfilment, and keeping it alive until it was consummated" [Olshausen].
24-30. son of Matthat, &c.--(See on [Mt 1:13-15]). In [Lu 3:27], Salathiel is called the son, while in [Mt 1:12], he is called the father of Zerubbabel. But they are probably different persons.
38. son of God--Compare [Ac 17:28].
Chapter 4
Lu 4:1-13. Temptation of Christ
(See on [Mt 4:1-11].)
Lu 4:14-32. Jesus Entering on His Public Ministry, Makes a Circuit of Galilee--Rejection at Nazareth
Note.--A large gap here occurs, embracing the important transactions in Galilee and Jerusalem which are recorded in Joh 1:29-4:54, and which occurred before John's imprisonment ([Joh 3:24]); whereas the transactions here recorded occurred (as appears from [Mt 4:12], ) after that event. The visit to Nazareth recorded in [Mt 13:54-58] (and [Mr 6:1-6]) we take to be not a later visit, but the same with this first one; because we cannot think that the Nazarenes, after being so enraged at His first display of wisdom as to attempt His destruction, should, on a second display of the same, wonder at it and ask how He came by it, as if they had never witnessed it before.
16. as his custom was--Compare [Ac 17:2].
stood up for to read--Others besides rabbins were allowed to address the congregation. (See [Ac 13:15].)
18-19. To have fixed on any passage announcing His sufferings (as [Is 53:1-12]), would have been unsuitable at that early stage of His ministry. But He selects a passage announcing the sublime object of His whole mission, its divine character, and His special endowments for it; expressed in the first person, and so singularly adapted to the first opening of the mouth in His prophetic capacity, that it seems as if made expressly for this occasion. It is from the well-known section of Isaiah's prophecies whose burden is that mysterious "Servant of the Lord," despised of man, abhorred of the nation, but before whom kings on seeing Him are to arise, and princes to worship; in visage more marred than any man and His form than the sons of men, yet sprinkling many nations; laboring seemingly in vain, and spending His strength for naught and in vain, yet Jehovah's Servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and be His Salvation to the ends of the earth ([Is 49:1-26], &c.). The quotation is chiefly from the Septuagint version, used in the synagogues.
20. the minister--the chazan, or synagogue-officer.
all eyes ... fastened on Him--astounded at His putting in such claims.
21. began to say, &c.--His whole address was just a detailed application to Himself of this and perhaps other like prophecies.
22. gracious words--"the words of grace," referring both to the richness of His matter and the sweetness of His manner ([Psa 45:2]).
Is not this, &c.--(See on [Mt 13:54-56]). They knew He had received no rabbinical education, and anything supernatural they seemed incapable of conceiving.
23. this proverb--like our "Charity begins at home."
whatsoever, &c.--"Strange rumors have reached our ears of Thy doings at Capernaum; but if such power resides in Thee to cure the ills of humanity, why has none of it yet come nearer home, and why is all this alleged power reserved for strangers?" His choice of Capernaum as a place of residence since entering on public life was, it seems, already well known at Nazareth; and when He did come thither, to give no displays of His power when distant places were ringing with His fame, wounded their pride. He had indeed "laid his hands on a few sick folk and healed them" ([Mr 6:5]); but this seems to have been done quite privately the general unbelief precluding anything more open.
24. And he said, &c.--He replies to the one proverb by another, equally familiar, which we express in a rougher form--"Too much familiarity breeds contempt." Our Lord's long residence in Nazareth merely as a townsman had made Him too common, incapacitating them for appreciating Him as others did who were less familiar with His everyday demeanor in private life. A most important principle, to which the wise will pay due regard. (See also [Mt 7:6], on which our Lord Himself ever acted.)
25-27. But I tell you, &c.--falling back for support on the well-known examples of Elijah and Elisha (Eliseus), whose miraculous power, passing by those who were near, expended itself on those at a distance, yea on heathens, "the two great prophets who stand at the commencement of prophetic antiquity, and whose miracles strikingly prefigured those of our Lord. As He intended like them to feed the poor and cleanse the lepers, He points to these miracles of mercy, and not to the fire from heaven and the bears that tore the mockers" [Stier].
three years and six months--So [Jas 5:17], including perhaps the six months after the last fall of rain, when there would be little or none at any rate; whereas in [1Ki 18:1], which says the rain returned "in the third year," that period is probably not reckoned.
28-29. when they heard these things--these allusions to the heathen, just as afterwards with Paul ([Ac 22:21], ).
30. passing through the midst, &c.--evidently in a miraculous way, though perhaps quite noiselessly, leading them to wonder afterwards what spell could have come over them, that they allowed Him to escape. (Similar escapes, however, in times of persecution, are not unexampled.)
31. down to Capernaum--It lay on the Sea of Galilee ([Mt 4:13]), whereas Nazareth lay high.
Lu 4:33-37. Demoniac Healed
33. unclean--The frequency with which this character of impurity is applied to evil spirits is worthy of notice.