Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Luke 3:18
And many other things in his exhortation preached he unto the people.
18. many other things ] Of which some are recorded by St John alone (Luk 1:29; Luk 1:34, Luk 3:27-36).
preached he ] , literally, “ he was preaching the Good Tidings.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Luk 3:18; Luk 3:20
He shut up John in prison
Herod Antipas
The view here given of the character, conduct, and history of Herod Antipas is full of matter for awful reflection and serious admonition.
1. The mysteriousness of the ways of Providence. That a man so worthless should be permitted to cut short the labours and the life of so holy and useful a character, and that, too, in order to gratify the revenge of an abandoned adulteress, and to reward the vain exhibition of a giddy damsel, must, no doubt, at first appear strange. Yet the anger of God overtook: he persecutors before they left this world; and as for the holy sufferer, his work was done; and it was easy for his Lord to recompense to him his temporal sorrows a hundredfold in the world of glory.
2. The danger of power without grace. It is common to wish for power, and to envy those in whose hands it is; but when it is held without principle, it is fraught with peril, not only to those over whom it is exercised, but to those by whom it is possessed. They are generally borne away by the temptations which it presents to the gratification of caprice, luxury, covetousness, oppression, revenge, and every evil passion; and however prosperous their career may seem for a season, their end is generally destruction, and their memory is abhorred.
3. What is sin in the meanest is also sin in the highest. The judgment of God is impartial, and in every case He will render to each according to his deeds.
4. An awful commentary on human depravity.
5. The dreadful consequences which often result from the violation of the seventh commandment, and from intemperance.
6. We should learn to take reproof in good part. Well had it been for Herod if he had submitted to Johns rebuke and acted on it.
7. Sin, when pointed out, must be renounced. This man reverenced John, and yet lived and died in sin. Let us not do as he did. (James Foote, M. A.)
Johns rebuke of Herod
The life of John the Baptist divides itself into three distinct periods. Of the first, we are told that he was in the deserts until his showing unto Israel. This period lasted thirty years. The second is a shorter one. It comprises the few months of his public ministry. In the third we are to consider him as the tenant of a compelled solitude, in the dungeon of a capricious tyrant. A rare man, one of Gods heroic ones, a true conqueror; one whose life and motives it is hard to understand without feeling warmly and enthusiastically about them. One of the very highest characters, rightly understood, of all the Bible. In the verse which is to serve us for our guidance on this subject there are two branches which will afford us fruit of contemplation.
I. THE TRUTHFULNESS OF CHRISTIAN CHARACTER. Herod being reproved by John for Herodias. There are three things we remark in this truthfulness of John.
1. Its straightforwardness.
2. Its unconsciousness.
3. Its unselfishness.
II. THE APPARENT FAILURE OF CHRISTIAN LIFE. Shut up John in prison. The first thought which suggests itself is that a magnificent career is cut short too soon. At the very outset of ripe and experienced manhood the whole thing ends in failure. Johns day of active usefulness is over. The crowds that listened to his voice, we hear of them no more. Herod heard John gladly, did much good by reason of his influence. What was all that worth? The prophet comes to himself in a dungeon, and wakes to the conviction, that his influence had told much in the way of commanding attention, and even winning reverence, but very little in the way of gaining souls-the bitterest, the most crushing discovery in the whole circle of ministerial experience. All this was seeming failure. And this, brethren, is the picture of almost all human life. In the isolation of Johns dying hour there appears failure again. The martyr of truth dies privately in Herods dungeon. We have no record of his last words. There were no crowds to look on. We cannot describe how he received his sentence. Was he calm? Was he agitated? Did he bless his murderer? Did he give utterance to any deep reflections on human life? All that is shrouded in silence. He bowed his head, and the sharp stroke fell flashing down. We know that, we know no more–apparently a noble life abortive. And now–
III. Let us ask the question–WAS ALL THIS INDEED FAILURE? NO, it was sublimest victory. Johns work was no failure. He left behind him no sect to which he had given his name, but his disciples passed into the service of Christ, and were absorbed in the Christian Church. Words from John had made impressions, and men forgot in after years where the impressions first came from, but the day of judgment will not forget. John laid the foundations of a temple, and others built upon it. He laid it in struggle, in martyrdom. It was covered up like the rough masonry below ground, but when we look round on the vast Christian Church, we are looking at the superstructure of Johns toil. There is a lesson for us all in that, if we will learn it. Work, true work, done honestly and manfully for Christ, never can be a failure. We are treading upon a bridge of martyrs. The suffering was theirs–the victory is ours.
IV. In conclusion, we make three remarks.
1. Let young and ardent minds, under the first impressions of religion, beware how they pledge themselves by any open profession to more than they can perform.
2. We get from this subject the doctrine of a resurrection. Johns life was hardness, his end was agony. Be content to feel that this world is not your home. Homeless upon earth; try more and more to make your home in heaven, above with Christ.
3. Devotedness to Christ is our only blessedness. (F. W. Robertson, M. A.)
John Baptists imprisonment
Josephus gives some interesting particulars respecting the imprisonment and murder of the Baptist, which are not supplied in the gospel history. Herod Antipas, son of Herod the Great, was at that time tetrarch of Galilee and Peraea, and had married the daughter of Aretas, an Arabian king, whose territories abutted on his own. When he was at Rome, however, he stayed at the house of his half-brother Philip, whose wife Herodias he conceived a passion for. Antipas made known his passion, and Herodias readily enough consented to leave Philip and go with him. The daughter of Aretas was divorced, and Herodias duly installed in her place. John the Baptist had the courage to denounce this infamous marriage; and by and by Herod Antipas, under pretence that he feared Johns popularity with the multitude might lead to disturbances, apprehended and imprisoned him. John was sent to Machaerus, or MKhaur, on the eastern side of the Dead Sea, where Herod had both a city and fortress. The site and ruins of Machaerus were identified by Canon Tristram in his visit to the Land of Moab in 1872. It was from this spot, then, that John sent two of his disciples to Christ to ask, Art Thou He that should come? And it was here that Salome, the daughter of Herodias, danced before Antipas, and won for her infamous mother the head of John the Baptist. (Biblical Things Not Generally Known.)
John like Elijah
As the first Elijah reproved King Ahab for the murder of Naboth and the seizure of his vineyard, so the second Elijah rebuked King Herod for his lust. (W. Bull.)
Reproving a king
Dr. Hickington, chaplain to Charles II., used to preach at the kings vices. This the king took to himself; and so, one day, he said, Doctor, you and I ought to be better friends; give up being so sharp on me, and see if I dont mend on your hand. Well, well, quoth the doctor, Ill make it up with your Majesty on these terms: as you mend, Ill mend.
The king reproved
It is said that Henry the Great of France took much pleasure in conversing with an honest and religious man of low situation in life, who used great freedom with his Majesty. One day he said to the king, Sire, I always take your part when I hear any man speaking evil of you; I know that you excel in justice and generosity, and that many worthy things have been done by you. But you have one vice for which God will condemn you, if you do not repent–I mean the unlawful love of women. The king, it is said, was too magnanimous to resent this reproof, but he long felt it like an arrow in his bosom; and sometimes said that the most eloquent discourses of the doctors of the Sorbonne had never made such an impression on his soul as this honest reproof from his humble friend.
Excommunicating a prince
William IX., Duke of Aquitaine and Earl of Polctiers, was a violent and dissolute prince, and often indulged himself in improper behaviour at the expense of religion. Though he had contracted a very suitable marriage, and one with which he was satisfied for some time, he parted from his wife without reason, to marry another who pleased him better. The Bishop of Polctiers, by name Peter, could not brook so great a scandal; and having employed all other means in vain, he thought it his duty to excommunicate the duke. As he began to pronounce the anathema, William furiously advanced, sword in hand, saying, Thou art dead if thou proceedest. The bishop, as if afraid, required a few moments to consider what was most expedient. The duke granted it, and the bishop courageously finished the rest of the formula of excommunication. After which, extending his neck, Now, strike, said he, I am quite ready. The astonishment which this intrepid conduct produced in the duke disarmed his fury, and saying, ironically, I dont like you well enough to send you to heaven, he contented himself with banishing him.
Moral courage
Dr. Harris, the minister of Hanwell, during the Civil Wars, frequently had military officers quartered at his house. A party of them, being unmindful of the reverence due to the holy name of God, indulged themselves in swearing. The doctor noticed this, and on the following Sunday preached from these words–Above all things, my brethren, swear not. This so enraged the soldiers, who judged the sermon was intended for them, that they swore they would shoot him if he preached on the subject again. He was not, however, to be intimidated; and, on the following Sunday, he not only preached from the same text, but inveighed in still stronger terms against the vice of swearing. As he was preaching a soldier levelled his carabine at him; but he went on to the conclusion of his sermon, without the slightest fear or hesitation.
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
18. many other things, c.suchas we read in Joh 1:29 Joh 1:33;Joh 1:34; Joh 3:27-36.(Also see on Mt 3:12.)
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And many other thing’s,…. Relating to the person and office of the Messiah, to the nature of his kingdom, the Gospel dispensation, and to faith in him; for he pointed him out to the people, and exhorted them to believe in him, and expressed much joy and pleasure on the hearing of his success and increase; and these, with others beside, in his “exhortation”, or whilst he was
exhorting, or “comforting”, preached he unto the people: publishing the Gospel, the good news, and glad tidings of the Messiah’s being come, and of life, righteousness, and salvation by him.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Many other exhortations ( ). Literally, many and different things did John , , to the people. Luke has given a bare sample of the wonderful messages of the Baptist. Few as his words preserved are they give a definite and powerful conception of his preaching.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Other [] . Rather, various, different.
Preached [] . Rev., preserves the fuller meaning of the word according to its etymology : preached good tidings. See on Gospel, Superscription of Matthew.
19, 20. Compare Mt 14:3 – 5; Mr 6:17 – 20.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And many other things in his exhortation,” (polla men oun kai hetera parakalon) “Therefore indeed with many different things of exhorting nature,” of which the above was of chiefest importance, and the primary substance, Joh 1:15; Joh 1:19-23; Joh 1:31-34.
2) “Preached he unto the people.” (euenngelizeto ton laon) “He evangelized the people,” he proclaimed good tidings to the people of the soon coming of the Christ, Mat 3:1-8; Mar 1:1-5.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(18) Many other things . . .This lay, more or less, in the nature of the case; but St. Lukes is the only record which lays stress on the wider range of the Baptists teaching. The sources of information which supplied him with Luk. 3:10-14, probably brought to his knowledge much of the same character; but what he records, in common with the other two Evangelists, was, as it were, the text and burden of it all.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
‘With many other exhortations therefore preached he good tidings to the people,’
This verse parallels Luk 3:3 in the chiasmus. In Luk 3:3 he preached the baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Here he continue in many different ways to give them the same message with ever more powerful illustrations, ‘preaching good tidings’ (of the forgiveness of sins to those who come back to God) to the people, and the need for obedient response to God and His word. In these words is summarised a ministry that may have gone on for quite some time, even years. And in it he won many disciples, many of whom would become full disciples of Jesus (Joh 1:19 onwards), while others would await the arrival of the Good News when Jesus had risen from the dead (Act 19:1-6).
It is important to recognise that John was a proclaimer of Good News, not just of judgment, for the truth is that he pointed to Christ. He did not just speak of judgment. Indeed the purpose of his ministry was in order to save men and women from the consequences of their sin. His Good News was that by turning to God from their sins they could find forgiveness and begin to live lives that were pleasing to God. It was that God was now acting positively and would shortly act even more positively in the coming of Jesus the Christ. His purpose was that all men might ‘see the salvation of God’. The Apostle John tells us that he pointed to Jesus as ‘the Lamb of God’ Who would take away the sin of the world (Joh 1:29). His warnings were simply the background to this purpose. His baptism which represented turning to God for the remission of sins demonstrated what was his central aim. It was the transformation of men and women by the Spirit. And that was Good News, and especially Good News about Jesus.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Luk 3:18. Preached he , He evangelized, or preached as an evangelist. See Luk 2:10. It is observable, that in the parallel place; Mat 3:1 the word is used, which implies the notice given by Christ’s herald, who is sent before to make preparation for his prince, and to announce his approach. Dr. Doddridge renders and paraphrases the present verse thus: and offering many other exhortations to them, to the same effect, he published to the people these glad tidings of the Messiah’s approach, and endeavoured to prepare them to receive him in a proper manner. Dr. Heylin renders it, And with many other exhortations, he preached the gospel to the people: for, says he, the doctrine of a second baptism, or purification, &c. is purely evangelical.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Luk 3:18-20 . See on Mat 14:3 ff.; Mar 6:17 ff. On , quidem igitur , so that , “rem praesentem confirmet,” and , “conclusionem ex rebus ita comparatis conficiat,” see Klotz, ad Devar . p. 662 f.
] and other matters besides, different in kind from those already adduced. As to with , see Blomfield, ad Aesch. Pers . 249; Khner, ad Xen. Mem . i. 2. 24; and as to , see on Gal 1:7 .
. ] he supplied the people with the glad announcement of the coming Messiah. On the construction, comp. Act 8:25 ; Act 8:40 ; Act 14:21 ; Act 16:10 ; Lobeck, ad Phryn . p. 268.
. . .] an historical digression in which several details are brought together in brief compass for the purpose of at once completing the delineation of John in its chief features. To that description also belonged the contrast between his work ( . . ) and his destiny . The brief intimation of Luk 3:19-20 was sufficient for this.
. . .] See Mat 14:3 f.
. . .] peculiar to Luke, but, as we gather from Mar 6:20 , essentially historical. The , attracted with it, stands thus according to classical usage. See Matthiae, 473, quoted by Dissen, ad Dem. de Cor . p. 177, 349.
] to all his wicked deeds.
] simplicity in the style is maintained at the expense of the syntax (Khner, 720).
] in the prison , whither he had brought him. Comp. Act 26:10 ; Herodian, v. 8. 12, and elsewhere; Xen. Cyrop . vi. 4. 10.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
18 And many other things in his exhortation preached he unto the people.
Ver. 18. And many other things preached he ] Being concionator admirabilis (as Keckerman saith of Jeremiah), an admirable preacher, full of pregnant instructions and admonitions, he did no miracle indeed, but he uttered many sweet oracles, which St Luke here passeth over, that he may hasten to speak of Christ, his main design.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
18 20. ] Luke only: containing the corroboration of the account in Mar 6:20 of John’s boldness in rebuking Herod, with this slight variation, that whereas in Mark Herod heard him gladly, and did many things in consequence, here the rebuke for general profligacy seems to have contributed to his imprisonment. These accounts however, though perfectly distinct, are by no means inconsistent. The same rebukes which stung Herod’s conscience and aided the desire to imprison John, might work on that conscience, and cause the wish to hear more from the man of God. Luk 3:19-20 are in anticipation of what follows; which is in Luke’s manner: see ch. Luk 1:80 .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Luk 3:18-20 . Close of the Baptist’s ministry and life . Lk. gives here all he means to say about John, condensing into a single sentence the full narratives of Mt. and Mk. as to his end.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Luk 3:18 . , “many things, too, different from these” (Farrar, who refers to Joh 1:29 ; Joh 1:34 ; Joh 3:27-36 , as illustrating the kind of utterances meant). The following seems to justify emphasising , as pointing to a more evangelic type of utterance than those about the axe and the fan, and the wrath to come. But it may be questioned whether by such a representation the real John of history is not to a certain extent unconsciously idealised and Christianised. : the may be taken as summarising and concluding the narrative about John and as answering to in Luk 3:19 = John was carrying on a useful evangelic ministry, out it was cut short; or may be taken as one word, emphasising , and preparing for transition to what follows (Hahn).
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Luk 3:18-20
18So with many other exhortations he preached the gospel to the people. 19But when Herod the tetrarch was reprimanded by him because of Herodias, his brother’s wife, and because of all the wicked things which Herod had done, 20Herod also added this to them all: he locked John up in prison.
Luk 3:18 “the gospel” It must be remembered that John the Baptist was the last OT prophet, not a NT gospel preacher. He did not know the full gospel. Here the sense of the term is the “good news” (i.e., gospel) of God’s willingness to judge sin and God’s coming full provision for sin through repentance and faith in the work of the Messiah (cf. Mar 1:15).
Luk 3:19 “Herodias” This text tells us that Herod had John killed at the instigation of Herodias. Josephus tells us he had him killed because he feared a riot (cf. Antiquities of the Jews, 18.5.2). She had been the wife of Philip, the brother of Herod Antipas (cf. Mat 14:3). They had lived in Rome. She was also Antipas’ niece through Aristobulus. Antipas had wooed her away from Philip and married her.
According to Josephus (i.e., Antiquities of the Jews 18.5.4), Herodias was married to Herod the Great’s son, Herod (whose mother was Marianne, the high priest’s daughter). He also says Herodias’ daughter, Salome, later married Philip. It is possible that Herod was known as Herod Philip.
Luk 3:20 “locked John up in prison” Josephus tells us it was at the fortress Machaerus (cf. Antiq. 18.5.2,4). This was one of nine fortresses Herod the Great built throughout his kingdom which he used as dungeons for his enemies. Three of these nine were also palaces (Machaerus, Masada, and Herodium). Machaerus was located in the mountain on the eastern side of the Dead Sea (cf. Jewish Wars 7.6.2).
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
other = different. See App-124.
things = things therefore.
preached = announced the glad tidings. Greek. euangelizo. See App-121. Not the same word as in Luk 3:3
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
18-20.] Luke only: containing the corroboration of the account in Mar 6:20 of Johns boldness in rebuking Herod, with this slight variation, that whereas in Mark Herod heard him gladly, and did many things in consequence, here the rebuke for general profligacy seems to have contributed to his imprisonment. These accounts however, though perfectly distinct, are by no means inconsistent. The same rebukes which stung Herods conscience and aided the desire to imprison John, might work on that conscience, and cause the wish to hear more from the man of God. Luk 3:19-20 are in anticipation of what follows; which is in Lukes manner: see ch. Luk 1:80.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Luk 3:18-19. , exhorting) The function of John was to exhort, and to announce the coming Gospel; to rebuke and to preach, Comp. Luk 3:3; Luk 3:19.-, he preached the coming Gospel) as he did in Luk 3:16.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Joh 1:15, Joh 1:29, Joh 1:34, Joh 3:29-36, Act 2:40
Reciprocal: 1Co 14:3 – exhortation
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
8
John not only’ preached the truth to the people, but he exhorted them, which means to “insist on doing a known duty.”
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Luk 3:18. With many other exhortations, etc. The form of the verse is peculiar. The exhorting was varied, different in character as well as repeated. Yet thus he preached glad tidings, i.e., of the coming Messiah. This description of his ministry is peculiarly apt, hinting at the close connection between repentance and belief in the Gospel, and at the relation between John the Baptist and Christ.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Observe here, 1. In John the Baptist the character of a zealous and faithful minister of the gospel: he is one that deals plainly, and durst tell the greatest persons of their faults. Herod, though a king, is reproved by him for his adultery and incest. The crown and sceptre of Herod could not daunt the faithful messenger of God. There ought to meet in the ministers of Christ both courage, and impartiality; courage in fearing no faces, and impartiality in sparing no sins.
Observe, 2. Who it was that imprisoned and beheaded the holy Baptist: Herod a king. How sad is it when kings, who should be nursing-fathers to the church, do prove the bloody butchers of the prophets of God. Many of the severest persecutions which the ministers of God have fallen under, have been occasioned by their telling great men of their crimes. Men in power are impatient of reproof, and imagine that their authority gives them a license to transgress.
Observe, 3. The heinous aggravations of this sin in Herod: He added this to all his other sins, that he shut up John in prison. This evidenced him incorrigible and irreclaimable. John had preached before Herod, and Herod had heard John with some delight; but he had a darling lust, which occasioned his destruction.
Learn hence, that hypocrites may hear the word with some pleasure, and do many things with some delight, but they have always some beloved lust that must be spared; they will neither part with it, nor bear reproof for it. Herod sticks not to cut off that head, whose tongue was so bold as to reprove him for his lusts.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
Luk 3:18-20. And many other things preached he unto the people In this manner did John inculcate the doctrine of repentance, and declare his Masters greatness. But his sermons were not confined to these matters. He discoursed also on many other important subjects, according as he knew they would be profitable to his hearers. But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him, &c. In the whole course of Johns ministry he showed great integrity and courage, but especially in his intercourse with Herod the tetrarch, who, it seems, had heard him, and admitted him into conversation; for he was so bold as to address the tetrarch on the subject of his favourite sins, particularly his adultery with Herodias. This he represented to him in its true colours, and reproved him for it. But the effect of his exhortation was not what it ought to have been. It did not bring Herod to repentance. On the contrary, it so provoked him, that he cast the Baptist into prison, and thereby put an end to his ministry, after it had lasted a considerable time. This circumstance, though it happened after, is here mentioned before our Lords baptism, that his history (that of John being concluded) might then follow without any interruption.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
4. vers. 18-20. We find here one of those general surveys such as we have in Luk 1:66; Luk 1:80, Luk 2:40; Luk 2:52. For the third time the lot of the forerunner becomes the prelude to that of the Saviour. The expression many other things (Luk 3:18) confirms what was already indicated by the imperf. he used to say (Luk 3:7), that Luke only intends to give a summary of John’s preaching. The term he evangelized (a literal translation) refers to the Messianic promises which his discourses contained (Luk 3:16-17), and the true translation of this verse appears to me to be this: while addressing these and many other exhortations to the people, he announced to them the glad tidings.
Ver. 19. Herod Antipas, the sovereign of Galilee, is the person already mentioned in Luk 3:1. The word , rejected by important authorities, is probably a gloss derived from Matthew. The first husband of Herodias was called Herod. He has no other name in Josephus. He lived as a private individual at Jerusalem. But perhaps he also bore the surname of Philip, to distinguish him from Herod Antipas. The brother of Antipas, who was properly called Philip, is the tetrarch of Ituraea (Luk 3:1). The ambitious Herodias had abandoned her husband to marry Antipas, who for love of her sent away his first wife, a daughter of Aretas king of Arabia; this act drew him into a disastrous war.
Luke’s expression indicates concentrated indignation. In order to express the energy of the , we must say: to crown all…The form of the phrase is based on a well-known Hebraism, and proves that this narrative of Luke’s is derived from an Aramaean document. This passage furnishes another proof that Luke draws upon an independent source; he separates himself, in fact, from the two other synoptics, by mentioning the imprisonment of John the Baptist here instead of referring it to a later period, as Matthew and Mark do, synchronizing it with the return of Jesus into Galilee after His baptism (Mat 4:12; Mar 1:14). He thereby avoids the chronological error committed by the two other Syn., and rectified by John (Luk 3:24). This notice is brought in here by anticipation, as the similar notices, Luk 1:66 b and 80b. It is intended to explain the sudden end of John’s ministry, and serves as a steppingstone to the narrative Luk 7:18, where John sends from his prison two of his disciples to Jesus.
The fact of John the Baptist’s ministry is authenticated by the narrative of Josephus. This historian speaks of it at some length when describing the marriage of Herod Antipas with Herodias. After relating the defeat of Herod’s army by Aretas, the father of his first wife, Josephus (Antiq. 18.5. 1, 2) continues thus: This disaster was attributed by many of the Jews to the displeasure of God, who smote Herod for the murder of John, surnamed the Baptist; for Herod had put to death this good man, who exhorted the Jews to the practice of virtue, inviting them to come to his baptism, and bidding them act with justice towards each other, and with piety towards God; for their baptism would please God if they did not use it to justify themselves from any sin they had committed, but to obtain purity of body after their souls had been previously purified by righteousness. And when a great multitude of people came to him, and were deeply moved by his discourses, Herod, fearing lest he might use his influence to urge them to revolt,for he well knew that they would do whatever he advised them,thought that the best course for him to take was to put him to death before he attempted anything of the kind. So he put him in chains, and sent him to the castle of Machaerus, and there put him to death. The Jews, therefore, were convinced that his army was destroyed as a punishment for this murder, God being incensed against Herod. This account, while altogether independent of the evangelist’s, confirms it in all the essential points: the extraordinary appearance of this person of such remarkable sanctity; the rite of baptism introduced by him; his surname, the Baptist; John’s protest against the use of baptism as a mere opus operatum; his energetic exhortations; the general excitement; the imprisonment and murder of John; and further, the criminal marriage of Herod, related in what precedes. By the side of these essential points, common to the two narratives, there are some secondary differences:1 st. Josephus makes no mention of the Messianic element in the preaching of John. But in this there is nothing surprising. This silence proceeds from the same cause as that which he observes respecting the person of Jesus. He who could allow himself to apply the Messianic prophecies to Vespasian, would necessarily try to avoid everything in contemporaneous history that had reference either to the forerunner, as such, or to Jesus. Weizscker rightly observes that the narrative of Josephus, so far from invalidating that of Luke on this point, confirms it. For it is evident that, apart from its connection with the expectation of the Messiah, the baptism of John would not have produced that general excitement which excited the fears of Herod, and which is proved by the account of Josephus.2 d. According to Luke, the determining cause of John’s imprisonment was the resentment of Herod at the rebukes of the Baptist; while, according to Josephus, the motive for this crime was the fear of a political outbreak. But it is easy to conceive that the cause indicated by Luke would not be openly avowed, and that it was unknown in the political circles where Josephus gathered his information. Herod and his counsellors put forward, as is usual in such cases, the reason of State. The previous revoltsthose which immediately followed the death of Herod, and that which Judas the Gaulonite provokedonly justified too well the fears which they affected to feel.
In any case, if, on account of this general agreement, we were willing to admit that one of the two historians made use of the other, it is not Luke that we should regard as the copyist; for the Aramaean forms of his narrative indicate a source independent of that of Josephus.
The higher origin of this ministry of John is proved by the two following characteristics, which are inexplicable from a purely natural point of view:1 st. His connection, so emphatically announced, with the immediate appearance of the Messiah; 2 d. The abdication of John, when at the height of his popularity, in favour of the poor Galilean, who was as yet unknown to all. As to the originality of John’s baptism, the lustrations used in the oriental religions, in Judaism itself, and particularly among the Essenes, have been alleged against it. But this originality consisted less in the outward form of the rite, than1. In its application to the whole people, thus pronounced defiled, and placed on a level with the heathen; and 2. In the preparatory relation established by the forerunner between this imperfect baptism and that final baptism which the Messiah was about to confer.
We think it useful to give an example here of the way in which Holtzmann tries to explain the composition of our Gospel:
1. Luk 3:1-6 are borrowed from source A. (the original Mark); only Luke leaves out the details respecting the ascetic life of John the Baptist, because he intends to give his discourses at greater length; he compensates for this omission by adding the chronological data (Luk 3:1-2), and by extending the quotation from the LXX. (Luk 3:5-6)!
2. Luk 3:7-9 are also taken from A., just as are the parallel verses in Matthew; they were left out by the author of our canonical Mark, whose intention was to give only an abridgment of the discourses.
3. Luk 3:10-14 are taken from a private source, peculiar to Luke.
Are we then to suppose that this source contained only these four verses, since Luke has depended on other sources for all the rest of his matter?
4. Luk 3:15-17 are composed (a) of a sketch of Luke’s invention (Luk 3:15); (b) of an extract from A., Luk 3:16-17.5. Luk 3:18-20 have been compiled on the basis of a fragment of A., which is found in Mar 6:17-29, a summary of which Luke thought should be introduced here.
Do we not thus fall into that process of manufacture which Schleiermacher ridiculed so happily in his work on the composition of Luke, propos of Eichhorn’s hypothesis, a method which we thought had disappeared from criticism for ever?
Fuente: Godet Commentary (Luke, John, Romans and 1 Corinthians)
John’s preaching was also positive. He preached good news to the people (Gr. laos, a potentially responsive group) as well as warning them of coming judgment.
"John illustrates how the proclaimer of the Word should perform his task. The preacher must bear good news as well as news that exposes sin. Some preachers in the past tended to emphasize sin so much that one wondered where grace might be found. Today our problem is the opposite: being able to confront people with their accountability and culpability before God." [Note: Ibid., Luke, p. 117.]