Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Luke 3:15
And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not;
15 20. The Messianic Announcement. Imprisonment of John
15. were in expectation ] The Messianic expectations of the day had even reached the Gentiles, many of whom even at Rome and in high society were proselytes, or half proselytes, to Judaism.
mused ] Rather, reasoned.
whether he were the Christ ] Rather, whether haply he were himself the Christ.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
In expectation – Expecting the Messiah. Margin, suspense. That is, they were not certain whether John was not himself the Messiah. They confidently expected his appearing, and there minds were in suspense, or they were in a state of doubt whether he had not already come, and whether John was not the Messiah.
Mused in their hearts of John – Thought of his character, his preaching, and his success, and anxiously inquired whether he did not do the things which were expected of the Messiah.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Luk 3:15
Whether he were the Christ or not
The Baptists attitude towards Christ
Observe here–
1.
How the extraordinariness of the Baptists person, the earnestness of his preaching, the acceptableness of his doctrine, and the exemplariness of his conversation, drew all persons to an admiration of him; insomuch that they began to think within themselves, whether he were not the Messiah Himself. He plainly tells them he was not, but only His servant, His harbinger, and forerunner.
2. The high opinion which John had of Christ. He is mightier than I; i.e., a person of greater authority, dignity, and excellency, than myself.
3. The humble and low estimation that the Baptist had of himself. The latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: a proverbial speech, implying that he was unworthy to do the lowest offices, and meanest services for Christ. How well does humility of mind, a humble estimate and low opinion of themselves, become the messengers and ministers of Christ.
4. John does not only declare the dignity of Christs person, but the excellency of His office. He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire. As if he had said, I only wash the body with water, but Christ cleanses the soul by the operation of His Holy Spirit, which is as fire in its effects, purifying the hearts of His people from sin, and consuming their lusts and corruptions; yet at the same time having fiery indignation, and flaming judgments, to destroy and burn up impenitent sinners like dry stubble. It is observable in Scripture, that Christ is represented by one and the same metaphor of fire, in a way of comfort to His children, and in a way of terror to His enemies; He is fire unto both. He sits in the hearts of His people as a refiners fire; He is amongst His enemies as a consuming fire: a fire for His Church to take comfort in, a fire for His enemies to perish by.
5. The Baptist compares Christ to a husbandman, and the Jewish Church to a barn-floor; the office of a husbandman is to thresh, fan, and winnow His corn, separating it from the chaff, preserving the one and consuming the other.
(1) The Church is Christs floor.
(2) This floor Christ will purge, and that thoroughly.
(3) The Word of Christ is the fan in His hand, by and with which He will thoroughly purge His floor.
The Church is compared to a floor, because of the mixture of good and bad in it, saints and sinners, hypocrites and sincere Christians, just as in a threshing-floor there is straw as well as grain, chaff as well as corn, tares as well as wheat, cockle and darnel as well as good seed. But Christ will purge His Church; purge it of its corruptions, without destroying its essence or existence, by the fan of His Holy Word, accompanied by the wing of discipline. (W. Burkitt, M. A.)
No true teacher can suffer himself to live upon mistaken impressions
The people mused whether John were the Christ or not. An unreal and self-seeking man would have turned this doubtfulness to his own account. This was Johns temptation. Jesus was tempted in one direction and John in another; but in each case the temptation was direct and real. Every ministry must be tempted, as must every Christian. Have you ever been tempted to regard yourself as some great one? Have you not covered up your poor and withering name with the reputation of strong and brilliant men? Have you not received applause for originalities which you have but quoted from others? Johns declaration concerning Christ is most remarkable. He says nothing about preaching the gospel or dying for the sins of the world, nor about the great evangelical mission; the declaration relates solely to baptism, and to the discrimination of character. But what a baptism! and what a discrimination! There can be no mistake about any man who has received the baptism of fire; the fire will either illuminate or consume him, so that he will be either a light shining afar, or a scorched and barren soul that has quenched the Spirit. Baptism by water can only be initial or symbolical; baptism by fire is the great testimony of God to the souls purification and acceptance. John points to two distinct uses of fire: Jesus will baptize with fire, and with fire unquenchable will He burn the chaff.
This is precisely what the gospel does. It is a savour of life unto life, or of death unto death. (J. Parker, D. D.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 15. Whether he were the Christ] So general was the reformation which was produced by the Baptist’s preaching that the people were ready to consider him as the promised Messiah. Thus John came in the spirit and power of Elijah, and reformed all things; showed the people, the tax-gatherers, and the soldiers, their respective duties, and persuaded them to put away the evil of their doings. See Clarke on Mt 17:11.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
It being known to many what the angel had told Zacharias concerning John thirty years since, and what had miraculously happened at his circumcision, as also what Zacharias his father had prophesied concerning him; and there having been many who had observed the holiness and severity of his life all along, until he came to mans estate; and knowing that the time was fulfilled for the coming of the Messias, the sceptre being now departed from Judah, and Daniels weeks being accomplished; and hearing him preach with that life and power which attended his ministry, as also considering his doctrine (not new in itself, being consonant to the Divine law, and the doctrine of the prophets, but) new to them, who had used to hear of rites and ceremonies and the traditions of the elders, but little or nothing of repentance, or bringing forth fruits worthy of it; they began to reason and debate with, themselves, whether John the Baptist were not the Messiah promised, and in great suspense they were about it. But John quickly satisfied them as to that, not desirous to arrogate to himself his honour, whose, messenger only he was.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
15-17. whether he were theChristshowing both how successful he had been in awakening theexpectation of Messiah’s immediate appearing, and the highestimation, and even reverence, which his own character commanded.(Also see on Mt 3:10.)
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And as the people were in expectation, of the coming of the Messiah; Daniel’s seventy weeks being now accomplished, the sceptre being departed from Judah, and the Romans having the government in their hands, from whom they hoped for a deliverance by Christ;
and all men mused in their hearts of John; whether he were the Christ, or no; about which they had many reasonings and debates: some doubting of it, others ready to believe it, from his extraordinary birth, the singular holiness of his life, the power and efficacy of his doctrine, the new ordinance he administered, the restoration of religion by him, the freedom he took in reproving the vices of men, and the apt answers he gave to the questions now put to him. And that the Messiah was born, though he was not, as yet, made manifest, they might conclude, not only from the fulfilment of several prophecies, but from the song of Zacharias, the declaration of Simeon and Anna in the temple, and of the wise men that came from the east; and John appearing in such an unusual manner, they were ready to hope that he was the person; though they did not consider that he was of the tribe of Levi, and not of Judah; from which latter the Messiah was to spring; but this might be unattended to by them, and Satan might have an hand in it to hide the true Messiah from them.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
| Imprisonment of John the Baptist. |
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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 thoroughly 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.
We are now drawing near to the appearance of our Lord Jesus publicly; the Sun will not be long after the morning-star. We are here told,
I. How the people took occasion, from the ministry and baptism of John, to think of the Messiah, and to think of him as at the door, as now come. Thus the way of the Lord was prepared, and people were prepared to bid Christ welcome; for, when men’s expectations are raised, that which they are in expectation of becomes doubly acceptable. Now when they observed what an excellent doctrine John Baptist preached, what a divine power went along with it, and what a tendency it had to reform the world, 1. They began presently to consider that now was the time for the Messiah to appear. The sceptre was departed from Judah, for they had no king but Csar; nay, and the law-giver too was gone from between his feet, for Herod had lately slain the sanhedrim. Daniel’s seventy weeks were now expiring; and therefore it was but three or four years after this that they looked that the kingdom of heaven should appear immediately, Luke xix. 11. Never did the corrupt state of the Jews more need a reformation, nor their distressed state more need a deliverance, than now. 2. Their next thought was, “Is not his he that should come?” All thinking men mused, or reasoned, in their hearts, concerning John, whether he were the Christ or not. He had indeed none of the external pomp and grandeur in which they generally expected the Messiah to appear; but his life was holy and strict, his preaching powerful and with authority, and therefore “why may we not think that he is the Messiah, and that he will shortly throw off this disguise, and appear in more glory?” Note, That which puts people upon considering, reasoning with themselves, prepares the way for Christ.
II. How John disowned all pretensions to the honour of being himself the Messiah, but confirmed them in their expectations of him that really was the Messiah, Luk 3:16; Luk 3:17. John’s office, as a crier or herald, was to give notice that the kingdom of God and the King of that kingdom were at hand; and therefore, when he had told all manner of people severally what they must do (“You must do this, and you must do that”), he tells them one thing more which they must all do: they must expect the Messiah now shortly to appear. And this serves as an answer to their musings and debates concerning himself. Though he knew not their thoughts, yet, in declaring this, he answered them.
1. He declares that the utmost he could do was to baptize them with water. He had no access to the Spirit, nor could command that or work upon that; he could only exhort them to repent, and assure them of forgiveness, upon repentance; he could not work repentance in them, nor confer remission on them.
2. He consigns them, and turns them over, as it were, to Jesus Christ, for whom he was sent to prepare the way, and to whom he was ready to transfer all the interest he had in the affections of the people, and would have them no longer to debate whether John was the Messiah or no, but to look for him that was really so.
(1.) John owns the Messiah to have a greater excellency than he had, and that he was in all things preferable to him; he is one the latchet of whose shoe he does not think himself worthy to loose; he does not think himself worthy to be the meanest of his servants, to help him on and off with his shoes. John was a prophet, yea more than a prophet, more so than any of the Old-Testament prophets; but Christ was a prophet more than John, for it was both by the Spirit of Christ, and of the grace of Christ, that all the prophets prophesied, and John among the rest, 1Pe 1:10; 1Pe 1:11. This was a great truth which John came to preach; but the manner of his expressing it bespeaks his humility, and in it he not only does justice to the Lord Jesus, but does him honour too: “He is one whom I am not worthy to approach, or draw nigh to, no not as a servant.” Thus highly does it become us to speak of Christ, and thus humbly of ourselves.
(2.) He owns him to have a greater energy than he had: “He is mightier than I, and does that which I cannot do, both for the comfort of the faithful and for the terror of hypocrites and dissemblers.” They thought that a wonderful power went along with John; but what was that compared with the power which Jesus would come clothed with? [1.] John can do no more than baptize with water, in token of this, that they ought to purify and cleanse themselves; but Christ can, and will, baptize with the Holy Ghost; he can give the Spirit to cleanse and purify the heart, not only as water washes off the dirt on the outside, but as fire purges out the dross that is within, and melts down the metal, that it may be cast into a new mould. [2.] John can only preach a distinguishing doctrine, and by word and sign separate between the precious and the vile; but Christ hath his fan in his hand, with which he can, and will, perfectly separate between the wheat and the chaff. He will thoroughly purge his floor; it is his own, and therefore he will purge it, and will cast out of his church the unbelieving impenitent Jews, and confirm in his church all that faithfully follow him. [3.] John can only speak comfort to those that receive the gospel, and, like other prophets, say to the righteous that it shall be well with them; but Jesus Christ will give them comfort. John can only promise them that they shall be safe; but Christ will make them so: he will gather the wheat into his garner; good, serious, solid people he will gather now into his church on earth, which shall be made up of such, and he will shortly gather them into his church in heaven, where they shall be for ever sheltered. [4.] John can only threaten hypocrites, and tell the barren trees that they shall be hewn down and cast into the fire; but Christ can execute that threatening; those that are as chaff, light, and vain, and worthless, he will burn with fire unquenchable. John refers here to Mal 3:18; Mal 4:1; Mal 4:2. Then, when the floor is purged, ye shall return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, for the day comes that shall burn as an oven.
The evangelist concludes his account of John’s preaching with an et ctera (v. 18): Many other things in his exhortation preached he unto the people, which are not recorded. First, John was an affectionate preacher. He was parakalon—exhorting, beseeching; he pressed things home upon his hearers, followed his doctrine close, as one in earnest. Secondly, He was a practical preacher. Much of his preaching was exhortation, quickening them to their duty, directing them in it, and not amusing them with matters of nice speculation. Thirdly, He was a popular preacher. Though he had scribes and Pharisees, men of polite learning, attending his ministry, and Sadducees, men of free thought, as they pretended, yet he addressed himself to the people, pros ton laon—to the laity, and accommodated himself to their capacity, as promising himself best success among them. Fourthly, He was an evangelical preacher, for so the word here used signifies, euengelizeto—he preached the gospel to the people; in all his exhortations, he directed people to Christ, and excited and encouraged their expectations of him. When we press duty upon people, we must direct them to Christ, both for righteousness and strength. Fifthly, He was a copious preacher: Many other things he preached, polla men kai hetera—many things, and different. He preached a great deal, shunned not to declare the whole counsel of God; and he varied in his preaching, that those who were not reached, and touched, and wrought upon, by one truth, might be by another.
III. How full a stop was put to John’s preaching. When he was in the midst of his usefulness, going on thus successfully, he was imprisoned by the malice of Herod (Luk 3:19; Luk 3:20): Herod the tetrarch being reproved by him, not only for living in incest with his brother Philip’s wife, but for the many other evils which Herod had done (for those that are wicked in one instance are commonly so in many others), he could not bear it, but contracted an antipathy to him for his plain dealing, and added this wickedness to all the rest, which was indeed above all, that he shut up John in prison, put that burning and shining light under a bushel. Because he could not bear his reproofs, others should be deprived of the benefit of his instructions and counsels. Some little good he might do to those who had access to him, when he was in prison; but nothing to what he might have done if he had had liberty to go about all the country, as he had done. We cannot think of Herod’s doing this without the greatest compassion and lamentation, nor of God’s permitting it without admiring the depth of the divine counsels, which we cannot account for. Must he be silenced who is the voice of one crying in the wilderness? Must such a preacher be shut up in prison who ought to have been set up in the courts of the temple? But thus the faith of his disciples must be tried; thus the unbelief of those who rejected him must be punished; thus he must be Christ’s forerunner in suffering as well as preaching; and thus, having been for about a year and a half preparing people for Christ, he must now give way to him, and, the Sun being risen, the morning-star must of course disappear.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
Were in expectation (). Genitive absolute of this striking verb already seen in 1:21.
Reasoned (). Genitive absolute again. John’s preaching about the Messiah and the kingdom of God stirred the people deeply and set them to wondering.
Whether haply he were the Christ ( ). Optative in indirect question changed from the indicative in the direct (Robertson, Grammar, p. 1031). John wrought no miracles and was not in David’s line and yet he moved people so mightily that they began to suspect that he himself () was the Messiah. The Sanhedrin will one day send a formal committee to ask him this direct question (Joh 1:19).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Mused [] . Better as Rev., reasoned. Compare chapter Luk 1:29; and see on Jas 2:4.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And as the people were in expectation,” (prosdokontos de tou laou) “Then the people were expecting,” in suspense, the masses in the regions of Jordan, who had come out to hear John the Baptist preach, Luk 3:7.
2) “And all men mused in their hearts of John,” (kai dialogizomenon panton en tois kardiais auton peri tou loannou) “And all were debating in their hearts concerning John,” they wondered, perplexed in mind, whether or not this one (John) could himself be the Messiah, much as related Joh 1:19-25.
3) “Whether he were the Christ, or not;” (mepote autos eis ho Christos) “Whether or not he might be the Christ,” the anointed one, the Messiah, instead of His forerunner, Joh 1:25; Deu 18:15-18.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.Luk. 3:15-20
Acceptance and Rejection of the Divine Message.The work of separating the wheat from the chaff and of bringing to light the hidden thoughts of men is done by every true messenger of God to men. Some receive the Divine word gladly, others harden their hearts against it. This twofold result was very marked in the case of John the Baptist.
I. The Divine message he brought awakened the attention of the nation and excited eager questionings and expectations.The people as a whole accepted John as a prophet sent from God, received his rebukes of their sins without resentment, and believed on his testimony that great events were near at hand. Some thought that he must himself be the Christ; nor was their idea altogether ill-founded, for in the person of John, Christ was indeed standing and knocking at the door of their hearts. But John with the humility which is characteristic of true greatness shrank from accepting the honour paid him, and directed the thoughts of the people again to One mightier than himself. He spoke of the greater power, and majesty, and authority with which the Anointed of God would be clothed, and to his previous warnings and threatenings added words that were good tidings of salvation. And in this subordination of the Baptist to the Saviour we have an illustration of the fact, which we ever need to keep in mind, that mere repentance is not enoughthat it is but a state of preparation for that holy life which springs from faith in Christ and communion with Christ.
II. The call to repentance and amendment of life was in some instances rejected, and John, like so many other of the prophets, had to endure persecution on account of the faithfulness with which he discharged his duty.The ruling classes of the nation were disposed to deny his Divine mission, and were only kept from openly opposing him by the strong feeling in his favour on the part of the nation at large. The deepest disgrace, however, attaches to Herod for the part he played in laying violent hands upon the Baptist. Ecclesiastical authorities might be divided upon the question whether John was a prophet sent from God or not; but there could be no doubt that the conduct of Herod which drew upon him the Baptists rebuke and exhortation, was without excuse. Both his own conscience and the plain teaching of the law of Moses, which he professed to reverence, must have convinced the Jewish prince that Johns words of blame were amply deserved. In other parts of his conduct Herod seems to have been disposed to obey the admonitions of the Baptist; but this sin he would not renounce. A solemn warning for all of us lies in this fact. The sin we will not give up must lead us into utter antagonism to God; and no amendment we may effect in other departments of our conduct will atone for the evil that we retain. The thought, too, is suggested by the case before us that rejection of revelation is, in some instances at any rate, due to corruption of heart; and those who are under the impression that the barriers in their way are intellectual difficulties would do well to consider whether the real explanation is not to be found in a depraved nature and a perverse will. The evil heart of unbelief may not in all cases be the cause why revelation is rejected; but few who are acquainted with the word of God and with the facts of human nature can doubt that in most cases it is.
SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS ON Luk. 3:15-20
Luk. 3:15-17. John as a Herald.
I. His clear conception of his own limits.
II. The bowing down of the strong, stern spirit before the Coming One.
III. The profound insight into Christs work.Maclaren.
Preacher and Witness.
I. A great preacher.
II. A plain teacher.
III. A faithful witness to Christ.Taylor.
Luk. 3:15. Whether he were the Christ.The people had not as yet so carnal a notion of the Messiah, for there was nothing of outward splendour about John; nevertheless they entertained these thoughts about him.Bengel.
Luk. 3:16. The Spirits Fire.The two mean but one, the fire being the emblem of the Spirit. Selected to express the work of the Spirit of God
I. By reason of its leaping, triumphant, and transforming energy.This fire of God, if it falls on you, will burn up all your coldness, and will make you glow with enthusiasm:
(1) working your intellectual convictions in fire, not in frost;
(2) making your creed a living power in your lives;
(3) kindling you into a flame of earnest consecration in life-work. Christians are to be set on fire of God. We have more than enough of cold icebergs. The metaphor of fire also suggests
II. Purifying.The spirit of burning will burn the filth cut of us. Foul clay must be thrust into the fire to have its blackness burned out of it. This too is the way in which a soul is cleansed. No washing will ever clear sin. Get the love of God into your hearts, and the fire of the Divine Spirit into your spirits to melt you down, as it were, and then the scum and the dross will come to the top, and you can skim them off.Maclaren.
One mightier.
I. Mightier than John, because mighty to save.
II. Mightier than John, who could impart no spiritual gift. Jesus has sent the Comforter.
III. Mightier than John, who could only warn of judgment. Thou shalt come to be our Judge.Taylor.
Fire.
I. The Holy Spirit is fire.
II. Christ plunges us into this Divine fire.
III. That fiery baptism quickens and cleanses.Maclaren.
Wherein consists the Superiority of Jesus?
1. John calls men to repentance, Jesus remits sin.
2. John proclaims the kingdom of heaven, Jesus bestows it.
3. John baptizes with water, Jesus with the Spirit and with fire.
Not worthy to unloose.It was the token of a slaves having become his masters property, to loose his shoe, to tie the same, or to carry the necessary articles for him to the bath (Lightfoot). The varying forms of expression used in the Gospels all illustrate this relationship between master and slave. It is to be noted that this language would indicate utter abjectness and servility of mind if Jesus had been a mere man, however exalted in character and office; it can only be explained and justified by the fact that He was God incarnate. And it gives us a vivid idea of the beauty of Johns character to see that at the height of his popularity he thus effaces himself in favour of One who would only by the eye of faith be recognised to be more than a lowly Galilan peasant.
Baptism with Water, with Fire, and with the Spirit.Baptism with water had in view the forgiveness of sins, and baptism with the Spirit meant the renewal and sanctification of the nature: the one was negative, and the other positive. And it was baptism with the Spirit that gave efficacy to the material rite. Observe that in the original there is no preposition before water, and that there is one before Spirit; the reason is that water is merely a means employed, and the Spirit more than that. Baptism of a threefold character:
(1) with water;
(2) with the Holy Spirit; and
(3) with fire. In the triple element of baptism there is contained or indicated a progressive gradation of the spiritual development of life, and of the element through which it occurs. Whilst the lowest degree, i.e. the baptism with water, refers to the external purification of sins and repentance, the baptism of the Spirit, on the contrary, refers to the internal purification by faith (the Holy Spirit being considered as the regenerating principle, Joh. 3:1 sqq.; Act. 1:5), and, finally, the baptism of fire expresses the transformation, or sanctification, of the new-born higher life in its peculiar nature (Olshausen).
With fire.No reference is made in the use of this phrase to fire as an emblem of Divine wrath against the impenitent, as in the following verse. The very idea of punishment is utterly incongruous with the rite of baptism, which has mans salvation always in view. It rather describes a holy influence that
(1) searches the nature,
(2) consumes the dross in it,
(3) refines the good elements of character, and
(4) elevates and ennobles the whole being. To purify, illumine, transform, inflame with holy fervour and zeal, and carry upwards, as Elijah was carried up to heaven in a chariot of fire. A prophecy specially fulfilled at Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended in tongues of fire (Act. 2:3).
Luk. 3:17. Whose fan is in His hand.The royal majesty of Christ is indicated in the use of the word HisHis hand, His floor, and His garner. Observe it is not said His chaff; the wheat represents those who are His, the chaff those who reject Him, and are therefore themselves rejected, and are not counted by Him as His own. In the figure of the axe reference was made solely to the fate of the impenitent: this describes the distinction being made between the sincere and the hypocriticalbetween those who become holy and those who remain in their sins. His work of judgment is going forward every day; but the full accomplishment of it will not be seen till the last day. The same figure is used in Amo. 9:9; Jer. 15:7; chap. Luk. 22:31.
Wheat.But how is Christ said to separate the chaff from the wheat, when He can find nothing in men but mere chaff? The answer is easy. The elect, who by their nature are only chaff, become wheat by the grace of God.Calvin.
Chaff.Empty, light, worthless persons, who have nothing of religion but the mere profession, who are devoid of all solidity of principle and character (cf. Psa. 1:4).
Fire unquenchable.There seems at first sight to be a contradiction between burning up and fire unquenchable. But the paradox is explained by the spiritual facts of the case:
(1) there is an utter destruction of all that constitutes true life and happiness; but
(2) the persons themselves are not destroyedin that dread state they are ever conscious of an unending doom. Such seem to be the two ideas suggested by the use of the phrases burn up and unquenchable. That fire here is not the material element, but a Divine anger of which the material fire is an emblem, is quite evident. If we are to interpret fire as literal flame, what can we make of fan, threshing-floor, wheat, and chaff? Let us lay aside the speculations by which foolish men weary themselves to no purpose, and satisfy ourselves with believing that these forms of speech denote, in a manner suited to our feeble capacity, a dreadful torment, which no man can now comprehend and no language can express (Calvin).
Luk. 3:18-20. Johns Later Ministry.Why does Luke anticipate the order of events to introduce the notice of Johns imprisonment at this point? Probably to mark more distinctly the introductory character of his ministry. Luke will finish up his summary of John, and, as it were, get him out of the way before he brings Johns Lord on the scene. This Gospel has no account of Johns martyrdom. The morning star fades before sunrise. The notice of his imprisonment
I. Completes Lukes outline of his character and work.
II. Shows John as a fearless rebuker of highly placed vice.How he got access to kings houses we do not know. Whether he rebuked Herod publicly or privately we are not informed. He had only reproof for the royal profligate.
III. Shows that the climax of a bad mans guilt is his persecution of those who would win him to goodness.The martyrs imprisonment seals the kings condemnation, showing his conviction that the preacher spoke the truth, and was only to be silenced by force.Maclaren.
Luk. 3:18. Preached good tidings (R.V.).Preached, lit. proclaimed good tidings. There is something pathetic in the contrast between the good tidings which he made known to others and the tragic fate which came upon himself. From a comparison of Joh. 2:13 with Luk. 3:24, it appears that John was not cast into prison until after the first Passover attended by Christ after His baptism. It would seem as if St. Luke were anxious to exhibit the history of John at one view, and to connect his bold preaching with the imprisonment in which it issued. And probably this is not without its teaching. By coupling the remote cause with its ultimate consequencethe course pursued with the results it eventually led to (dropping every intermediate fact and all irrelevant circumstances)the inspired writers forcibly remind us how He must regard our lives, and actions, and characters who seeth as well as declareth the end from the beginning.
Luk. 3:19. Herod reproved by him.Note that John the Baptist reproved Herod himself. He did neither
(1) inflame the minds of the people against their ruler by describing and denouncing the immoral character of the life he was living, nor
(2) as Christian prelates have been known to do, condone the wickedness of the king and live on good terms with his mistress. He was different from many of the court preachers known to history. Neither the vicious private life of the sovereign nor the evils of his public administration of affairs escaped rebuke. Cf. the relations between Elijah and Ahab, Nathan and David.
Luk. 3:20. Added yet this above all.The worst of all the evil things that Herod did was to murder the Baptist. Other sins might plead some palliation because of strong evil passions urging Herod on; but this was evidence of hatred of God and of holiness. For it is to be distinctly noted that he regarded John as a messenger and minister of God at the very time that he imprisoned him and at the later time when he beheaded him. As a Jew, Herod could not plead ignorance of Gods nature and claims, and of the inviolable majesty which clothed those whom He inspired and sent to speak to men in His name. Very seldom do the sacred historians manifest any expression of personal feeling excited by the events they record; but here in the phrase added yet this above all the indignation of the writer is but slightly veiled. The words are equivalent to the Hebrew expression filling up the measure of iniquity.
Luk. 3:19-20. Fidelity to duty.There are three periods in the life of John the Baptist. The first of these, of which we know little, lasted for thirty years, the greater part of which he spent in the desert in preparation for his life-work; the second is that of the few months of his public ministry; and the third, perhaps a still shorter period, which he spent as a prisoner in the castle of Machrus. In these different circumstances his character was subjected to severe tests. The task laid upon him of rebuking the sins of every class of the nation required rare steadfastness of soul, and fidelity to the God whose messenger he was. But his success as a prophet had its perils also. It remained to be seen whether he would come safely through them. The movement he inaugurated spread far and wide over the land, until it reached and affected even the sceptical and voluptuous Herod, who summoned him to his palace and seemed disposed to accept his teaching. Worldly wisdom might have counselled John to exercise caution in alluding to the flagrant sin in which Herod lived, or, disguising itself under the pretence of charity, might have found many excuses for it in the evil influences that had surrounded him from his earliest life, in the bad example of his father, and in the licence which is so often allowed to men in his position. John, however, spoke out against the sin of the king in as plain terms as ever he had used in rebuking the sins of Pharisees, and publicans, and soldiers. He addressed himself to the offender, and did not, as already remarked, court the popularity which a demagogue sometimes wins by inflaming the minds of the people with denunciations of the crimes of their rulers. Two things are noticeable in Johns rebuke of Herod:
I. It was unhesitating and direct.It is not lawful for thee to have thy brothers wife. It was the sinfulness of the kings conduct, and not its imprudence, or the scandal it caused, or the risks it provoked, that he laid stress upon. He spoke as one who did not dare to be silent, and not as one who was conscious of the heroism of his conduct.
II. It was unselfish.Johns was not one of those hard, pitiless natures that feel no compunction in administering blame. In spite of the austerity of his life, his soul was of the most exquisite sensibility. No one can read the touching words he spoke when his disciples left him to attach themselves to Jesus without perceiving this. He that hath the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegrooms voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled: He must increase, but I must decrease. The firmness in rebuking sin shown by this man of such profound humility and fine sensitiveness of feeling is all the more wonderful. It must have cost him keen pain to inflict pain, and to speak words of rebuke which he could scarcely fail to know would be fruitless, except in provoking against himself a profound and unsleeping hatred.
The third period of Johns life, when he lay in the dungeon of the palace, and heard rumours of the wonderful works of Christ, who, however, showed no signs of attempting his releasewhen he had leisure to think of the apparent defeat of his mission and of the overthrow of the hopes and anticipations he had once cherishedwas also one when his faith was subjected to new and severe tests. Nor need we wonder if in the hour of darkness he was afflicted by doubt as to the Divine mission of Him whom he had pointed out as the Messiah and the Lamb of God. His doubts, nevertheless, were not those of a poor and weak religious character. They were misgivings caused by separation from Christ, and they were solved by an appeal to Christ.
Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Butlers Comments
SECTION 3
The Baptizers Meekness (Luk. 3:15-20)
15 As the people were in expectation, and all men questioned in their hearts concerning John, whether perhaps he were the Christ, 16John answered them all, I baptize you with water; but he who is mightier than I is coming, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 17His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor, and to gather the wheat into his granary, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.
18 So, with many other exhortations, he preached good news to the people. 19But Herod the tetrarch, who had been reproved by him for Herodias, his brothers wife, and for all the evil things that Herod had done, 20added this to them all, that he shut up John in prison.
Luk. 3:15-17 Subordination: The fervor and frankness of Johns preaching excited the multitudes of Judea. No religious teacher for hundreds of years had so effectively stirred individual consciences and so thoroughly exposed religious hypocrisy. John stirred up a revival! He was saying things and doing things (immersing for the forgiveness of sins) that only Elijah or the Messiah would have authority to do (cf. Joh. 1:24-28). John the Baptizer might have been tempted to bask in the limelight of fame and popularity, but he overcame it and subordinated himself to the One Coming after him, the Messiah. One of the things that made John the Baptist such a great man was his unfeigned humility. He was great because he was a servant. John answers the expectations of the multitudes that no matter how important his preparatory works may seem, they are very much subordinate to the ultimate work of the One Comingthe Messiah. The Messiah will immerse some in the Holy Spirit and some in fire. This statement of John does not mean that all believers are to be immersed in the Holy Spirit, for the following reasons:
a.
The context does not demand such an interpretation. We do not know who the you is in either the case of the Holy Spirit or fire. It is altogether possible that he simply means some of you. Peter and John were very early disciples of John the Baptist and were probably standing there at that moment.
b.
Johns primary purpose in this statement is to make a contrast between himself and the Messiah in importance of ministries.
c.
There are only four distinct references to the baptism of the Holy Spirit in the N.T.
Johns first prediction (with parallels); Mat. 3:11; Mar. 1:8; Luk. 3:16 Johns second prediction, Joh. 1:33
Jesus promise, Act. 1:5 (Act. 2:1-21 is the stated fulfillment of this). The experience of Cornelius and his household, Act. 11:15-17. This lone event upon Gentiles seems to indicate the phrase all flesh of Joe. 2:28 and Act. 2:17 was intended as representative or general, (i.e., the baptism of the Holy Spirit upon some Jews and some Gentiles signified God was opening the kingdom to the whole world).
d.
Baptizo means immerse, overwhelm. The supernatural powers exercised by the apostles (cast out demons, raise the dead, punish some with judgments) were never exercised by any others.
(This has caused some to think Cornelius did not receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit, but only a miraculous gift momentarily in order to signify somethingnot to empower himcertainly not to save him.)
If we are going to call Bible things by Bible names, it is readily apparent that Johns announcement that the Messiah would immerse in the Holy Spirit did not infer that all believers were to receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit.
The immersion with fire is very evidently (from Luk. 3:17) the eternal judgment since it is an unquenchable fire. As Fowler points out in Matthew, Vol. I, pg. 107, John has done here what many Old Testament prophets do; he views great, widely-separated events in the scheme of Gods redemptive program without giving any of the historical details between such events. John the Baptist predicts the immersion in the Holy Spirit (the day of Pentecost) and the immersion in unquenchable fire (the final judgment) without regard to the great time interval between these events, (see our comments, Minor Prophets, Butler, College Press, pg. 32, and 184188).
Luk. 3:18-20 Suffering: It is clear from Luk. 3:18 that we do not have all the words or sermons preached by John the Baptist recorded for us. There are a few typical exhortations preserved in the gospel records. Luk. 3:19-20 are Lukes brief account of the results of some of Johns preaching. Luke digresses here from chronological order. Matthew and Mark give account in more detail and in chronological order (Mar. 6:17 ff; Mat. 14:3 ff). Some of Johns exhortations had to do with the adulterous living of Herod Antipas and Herodias. John the Baptist condemned all the evils Herod had done. And they were many! Herod imprisoned him. Josephus says that Herod imprisoned John the Baptist because of his popularity with the multitudes. The very fact that Josephus records the event serves to give historical confirmation to the accuracy and authenticity of the gospel records.
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
(15) All men mused in their hearts . . .The surmise which St. Luke thus records is not given by St. Matthew or St. Mark, but it agrees with what we find in St. John (Joh. 1:19), and explains the reference to the mightier one which in the other Gospels comes in somewhat abruptly. On the answer itself, see Notes on Mat. 3:11-12. St. Lukes report includes the chief features of those of St. Matthew and St. Mark, but it omits the characteristically vivid stooping down to unloose which we find in the latter.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
One Is Coming Who Will Send the Holy Spirit So As To Produce Good Grain For the Harvest and To Cleanse His Threshing Floor (3:15-18).
‘And the people also were in expectation, and all men reasoned in their hearts concerning John, whether haply he were the Christ.’
The words of John stirred the people and aroused their expectations. A recognition that the last days were coming filled their hearts. So they even began to ask themselves whether he might possibly be the promised Messiah (compare Joh 1:20; Joh 1:25; Act 13:25). A note of uncertainty and wishfulness is indicated in the Greek text (mepote with the optative).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
John’s testimony concerning Christ:
v. 15. And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John whether he were the Christ or not,
v. 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;
v. 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.
v. 18. And many other things in his exhortation preached he unto the people.
v. 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,
v. 20. added yet this above all, that he shut up John in prison. The fearless testimony of John made a powerful impression upon the people as a whole. The popular expectation and conjecture was that he might be the promised Christ. This opinion was gaining ground very rapidly, with the people debating the question with great vehemence. But when this movement was brought to the attention of John, he promptly opposed and did all he could to suppress its further spread. His statement seems to have been a formal, solemn, public declaration. His baptism was that of a servant carrying out orders: he baptized with water only. He, for whose coming he was preparing the way, would be so much mightier and stronger that John did not feel worthy to perform the lowest service of a slave for Him, that of unstrapping and bearing His sandals. Christ would baptize with the Holy Ghost and with fire. In and through the Gospel He gives to the sinners His Holy Ghost for the renewing of their heart, for the sanctifying of their life. His power would have the purifying, cleansing properties of fire. It would give the sinners strength to do what John demanded, fruits of life worthy of repentance. But woe unto those that refused to accept this Savior with His Holy Ghost. As the husbandman separates the chaff from the wheat by a careful and repeated use of the fan, gathers the wheat into his granary, but burns the useless chaff, so Christ, as the Judge of the world, will deal with those that have been weighed and found wanting, that have the outward appearance and behavior of real believers, but lack true, sanctifying faith. Unquenchable fire in the abyss of hell will be their lot. But while John thus chiefly gave testimony concerning Christ, he spoke many other things to the people, both in the form of exhortation and in the form of pure Gospel-preaching; he did the work of a true evangelist. But he could not continue his work very long without interference. With the frankness of the preacher of truth, he did not hesitate about rebuking Herod, the tetrarch of Galilee, for his adulterous union with Herodias, his niece and the wife of his half-brother Philip (not the tetrarch of the region beyond the Sea of Tiberius). And John’s rebuke was not confined to Herod’s sin with Herodias, but rather included all his misdeeds, of injustice, cruelty, luxury, etc. And so Herod felt constrained to place John into prison, being content with that for the present. The later developments Luke does not relate. Though the treatment accorded to ministers and confessors of the Gospel may not often reach this climax in our days, the same enmity toward their open confession of the truth and their fearless testimony against falsehood and every form of sin is abroad in our land today. As Herod rejected the mercy of God and fulfilled the measure of his sins, so many an unbeliever and enemy of Christ is trying to stifle the voice of his conscience by deeds of violence against sincere Christians.
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Luk 3:15. And as the people were in expectation, John had now acquired an extraordinary reputation by the austerity of his life, the subject of his sermons, the fervencyofhisexhortations,and the freedom, impartiality, and courage with which he rebuked his hearers: yet his fame received no small addition from the various rumours current in the country at that time; for the vision which his father Zacharias had seen in the temple, the coming of the Eastern philosophers to Jerusalem, the prophesies of Simeon, the discourses of Anna, the perplexities of Jerusalem, and Herod’s cruelty, though they had happened full thirty years before this, must still have been fresh in the memories of the people, who, no doubt, applied them all to John. Their expectations therefore being raised to a very high pitch, they began to think he might be the Christ, and were ready to acknowledge him as such: so that had he aspired after grandeur, he might, at least for a while, have possessed honours greater than any of the sons of men could justly claim. But the Baptist was too strictly virtuous and holy, to assume what he had no title to;and therefore he declared plainly, that he was not the Messiah, but the lowest of his servants; one sent to prepare the way before him. See the next verse.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Luk 3:15 . Statement of the circumstances which elicited the following confession; although not found in Matthew and Mark, it has not been arbitrarily constructed by Luke (Weisse) in order to return again to the connection, Luk 3:9 (Hilgenfeld, Holtzmann), but was probably derived from the same source as Luk 3:10 ff., and at all events it is in keeping with the impression made by the appearance of John, and his preaching of baptism and repentance. Comp. Joh 1:25 , where the more immediate occasion is narrated.
] while the people were in expectation . The people were eagerly listening for what? This is shown in what follows, namely, for an explanation by John about himself. Comp. Act 27:33 .
] whether not perchance . Comp. on Gal 2:2 .
] ipse , not a third, whose forerunner then he would only be.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
XVIII
THE MINISTRY OF JOHN THE BAPTIST (CONTINUED)
Harmony pages 14-16 and Mat 3:11-17
In several preceding chapters we have turned aside somewhat from the regular course of the narrative to consider, at length, at its first New Testament appearance, the vital and fundamental doctrine of repentance, as preached originally by John the Baptist, and continued by our Lord and all his apostles. We have seen that while John had clear conceptions of the etymology of words and of doctrines in their abstract sense, he was no mere theorist, but intensely practical, insisting on concrete truth as embodied in the daily life. To him, therefore repentance was as inseparable from fruits, worthy of it, as a tree is from its proper fruits. Hence he not only urges reformation in its positive and negative sense of “ceasing to do evil and learning to do well,” but the instant and continuous responsibility to an inexorable judgment at the hands of the coming Messiah. “And even now the ax lieth at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire. . . . Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor; and he will gather his wheat into his garner, but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire.” We now come to the comparison instituted by John between Christ and himself: “I indeed baptize you in water unto repentance; but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: He shall baptize you in the Holy Spirit and in fire.” On this remarkable passage observe:
First, no comparison is instituted between the water baptism of John and the water baptism administered by our Lord through his disciples. They are exactly the same in subject, act and design, as has already been shown, but the comparison is wholly between the dignity of Christ’s superior person, office and power, and John’s inferior person, office and power. The dignity of person John counts not himself worthy to loose the latchet of the Messiah’s sandals. The Messiah is mightier than John, equaling him indeed in water baptism, but exceeding him in two other baptisms, to wit: baptism in the Holy Spirit, and baptism in fire.
The controversies of the ages arise on the meaning of “He shall baptize you in the Holy Spirit and in fire.” The first question to be answered is: Do baptism in the Spirit and in fire mean the same thing? In other words, is “baptism in fire” epexegetical of baptism in the Spirit? If they are identical in meaning, then what is the baptism in the Holy Spirit and in fire? And when, where, how, and why first administered by our Lord? And is it continuous now as well as then? But if baptism in the Spirit and baptism in fire be two distinct things, then what is the baptism in fire, and where, when, why and by whom administered? There is more confusion of mind, and more inconsistency of interpretation on these questions than on any other New Testament problems.
My own interpretation of the passage, and my answers to the questions are worth no more than the common sense and argument back of them. In general terms I refer first to three sermons in my first volume of sermons, entitled severally: (1) baptism in water; (2) baptism in the Holy Spirit; (3) baptism in fire.
Second, in my interpretation of Act 2 there is an elaborate discussion of the baptism in the Holy Spirit, where for the first time in the history of the world it ever occurred. Just here we need something, clear indeed, but far less elaborate. Here, on one point at least, and much as I deprecate it, I must utterly dissent from Dr. Alexander Maclaren, commonly regarded as the prince of Baptist expositors.
In the first volume of his elaborate exposition of Matthew, he labors at great length to prove that “baptism in fire” is epexegetical of “baptism in the Holy Spirit.” leaving the general impression on my mind, at least, that “baptism in fire” means cleansing or purification, about equal in force to sanctification. At other times I don’t know what he means. For if baptism in the Spirit and in fire is equivalent to sanctification, then how is it there was never in the history of the world, a baptism in the Spirit before the first Pentecost after Christ’s resurrection? Surely men were spiritually cleansed, sanctified before that date. My own mind is clear on the following negations:
(1) Baptism in the Holy Spirit is not regeneration, nor conversion, nor sanctification, but an entirely new thing, a thing of promise, unknown to the world until the first Pentecost after our Lord’s resurrection and exaltation. Whatever it is, it is wholly connected with the advent and administration of that “other Paraclete,” the Holy Spirit, who as Christ’s alter ego, rules the churches on earth, while Christ remains, rules, and interests in heaven.
(2) The baptism in fire is not cleansing, but destructive and punitive, the exercise of sovereign judgment by our Lord, unto whom as the Son of Man, all judgment has been committed. Its punitive character as judgment takes cognizance only of one’s attitude toward and treatment of Christ in his cause and people as presented by the gospel. It is exercised now on nations or cities, as Jerusalem A.D. 70, and on the souls of the wicked when they die, as Dives in the parable (Luk 16:23-24 ); and on the bodies of all the living wicked in the great world-fire of the final advent (Mal 4:1-2 ; 2Pe 3:7-10 ) and finds its highest expression, when after the final judgment, the wicked, both souls and bodies, are baptized in the lake of fire (Mat 10:28 ; Rev 20:14-15 ).
That Dr. Maclaren is mistaken about the import of baptism in fire appears from the context. Read carefully the three verses, Mat 3:10-12 . The tenth verse closes: “Every tree therefore that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.” The eleventh verse closes: “He will baptize you in fire.” The twelfth verse closes: “But the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire.”
It violates every sound principle of interpretation to make “fire” in the middle verse of the context mean something radically different from the “fire” in the first and third verses. There can be no doubt of the destructive, punitive character of the fire in verses ten and twelve; there should be none of the like import in verse eleven intervening. This becomes more evident when we consider that John is interpreting Mal 3:1-4:3 . The whole context of the prophecy shows that when the Messiah comes he will discriminate between evil and good persons (not mixed evil and good in one person), and separate them one from another by diverse fates, so that there would be no difficulty in discerning between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God, and him that serveth him not. The refiner’s fire of Mal 3:2-3 has not a different purpose from the fire that burns like an oven in 4:1. We doubt not the appropriateness of using the refiner’s fire to represent the purifying work in individual character, as set forth by the hymn: “Thy dross to consume, thy gold to refine.” And this would be a genuine work of sanctification. But such is not Malachi’s idea, in this connection, nor that of John the Baptist, as appears not only from Mal 3:5-6 ; Mal 3:16-18 ; Mal 4:1-2 , but from the historical fulfilment of Mal 3:12 , when he does come suddenly to his temple at the beginning and end of his ministry, Joh 2:13-18 ; Mat 21:12-13 ; Mar 11:15-18 ; Luk 19:45-46 . In neither of these Temple purgations was there a work of individual sanctification, but the latter is indirectly connected with the cursing of the barren fig tree, as in Mat 3:10 , the barren tree is hewn down and cast into the fire. Malachi is not considering a mixture of good and evil in one individual, the evil to be eliminated by the fire of chastisement; but he is considering a mixture of good people and evil people. God’s fire will be used to separate them and make evident the difference between them. So Paul discusses the same thought: “But if any man buildeth on the foundation gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, stubble; each man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it is revealed in fire; and the fire itself shall prove each man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work shall abide which he built thereon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved; yet so as through fire.” Here Paul’s use of the fire, at the last great day, is not to separate the evil from the good in individual character, but it is to separate evil people from good people, who by unwise builders have been mingled together in building a temple upon the foundation, Christ. If the builder puts on the foundation, Christ, the unregenerate, hypocrites, formalists, ritualists, then that fire will separate them, and the builder who put them on will suffer loss to the extent that his work is destroyed in the revelation of that great fire test.
To find a fulfilment of the identity of the “baptism in Spirit and fire” in the “tongues of fire” at Pentecost is merely silly, since they were not tongues of fire, but “tongues like as of fire.” A rising flame parts itself into the appearance of tongues. So the luminous appearance at Pentecost distributed itself into tongues, as fire seems to do.
On our paragraph, Mat 3:10-12 , Dr. Broadus, in his commentary, ably shows that we may not interpret the “fire” in Mat 3:11 as differing in import from the “fire” in Mat 3:10 ; Mat 3:12 . To pray that we may “be baptized in fire,” while not so meant, is equivalent to praying that we may be cast into hell. The baptism in fire is the punitive destruction of the wicked. A few terse sentences will enable us to discriminate:
In the baptism in fire, Christ is the administrator, an in- corrigible sinner is the subject, the element is fire, the design is punitive.
In the baptism in the Holy Spirit, Christ is the administrator, the Holy Spirit is the element, the subject is a Christian, the design is to accredit and empower him for service.
In regeneration the Holy Spirit is the agent or administrator, the subject is a sinner, the design is to make him a Christian.
In sanctification the Holy Spirit is the agent, the subject is a Christian, the design is to make him personally holy, i.e., a better Christian. Regeneration and sanctification have been wrought by the Spirit in all dispensations since Adam.
The baptism in the Holy Spirit never occurred in the history of the world until the first Pentecost after Christ’s exaltation.
But it was prefigured twice in types. First, when Moses had completed the tabernacle, or movable house of God, the cloud, representing the divine inhabitant, came down and filled it (Exo 40:33-38 ). Second, when Solomon had completed the Temple, the fixed house of God, the cloud, representing the divine inhabitant, came down and occupied it (1Ki 7:51-8:11 ).
So when Jesus had built his church, antitype of tabernacle and Temple, the Holy Spirit came down to accredit, empower and occupy it (Act 2:1-33 ). In other words
The baptism in the Spirit was the baptism of the church the house that Jesus built to succeed the house that Solomon built, as that had succeeded the house that Moses built.
From that date the church was accredited, occupied and empowered by the other Paraclete, the Promised of the Father and the Sent of the Father and Son.
Daniel, in his great prophecy, fixing the date and order of events, says, “Seventy weeks are decreed upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy” Here “the Most Holy” is a place, a house, and not the person, Christ. His anointing came at his baptism when the Spirit came on him.
As the sanctuary of both Moses and Solomon has been anointed when ready for use, so in this verse, following Messiah’s advent and expiation, a new most holy place was anointed by the coming of the Holy Spirit on the new Temple.
Because the old Temple had served its day, the very hour Christ said, “it is finished,” referring to the expiation of sin by the true Lamb of God, “the veil of the temple was rent in twain from top to bottom.” The new Temple was ready, waiting for its anointing on the day of Pentecost. Hence, I repeat, when we come to interpret Act 2 , all the words of John the Baptist and our Lord, in the Gospels, which speak of the baptism in the Spirit as a promise, and all the fulfilments, Act 2:4 ; Act 8:17 ; Act 10:44-46 ; Act 19:6 , and Paul’s great exhaustive discussion at 1 Corinthians 12-14, will be fully considered.
The import of John’s comparison between Jesus and himself is, therefore, that Jesus is mightier than himself. John himself was not the Messiah, but only his herald. John is but a voice soon to be silenced forever. John must decrease, as the morning star pales and fades before the increasing light of the day. John is not the true light, but only a witness to the light. John indeed baptizes -penitent believers in water, but the one who follows him will not only continue the baptism in water, but will also baptize in the Holy Spirit and in fire.
THE CULMINATION OF JOHN’S MINISTRY
This predetermined culmination of John’s ministry was the manifestation of the Messiah to Israel. This manifestation would directly connect with his administration of the ordinance of baptism. He himself declares: “And I knew him not; but that he should be made manifest to Israel, for this cause came I baptizing in water. . . . And I knew him not, but he that sent me to baptize in water, he said unto me, Upon whomsoever thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and abiding on him, the same is he that baptizeth in the Spirit” (Joh 1:31 ; Joh 1:33 ). When by this sign the as yet unknown person of the Messiah is disclosed to John himself, then must he who had hitherto spoken of the coming Messiah in general terms now identify the person, and by repeated testimony lead Israel to accept him so identified, in all his messianic offices. So that the culmination of John’s ministry consists in two particulars:
(1) John must baptize the Messiah, receiving for himself in the ordinance demonstrative evidence of the right person.
(2) This person of the Messiah so manifested to John, must by him be identified to Israel and through his repeated witness, set forth in all his messianic offices as the object of their faith. These two things accomplished, his mission is ended forever. We can do no more in rounding out this chapter than to consider the first part of this culmination, reserving for the next chapter John’s identification to Israel of the person of the Messiah and his presentation of him in all his messianic offices as the object of faith. For the present, therefore, our theme is
JOHN BAPTIZES THE MESSIAH The Harmony, in three parallel columns, pages 15-16, gives us the record of this momentous event, according to three historians (Mat 3:13-17 ; Mar 1:9-11 ; Luk 3:21-22 ). All these historians identify the person so baptized as Jesus. Matthew says, “Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to the Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.” Mark says, “And it came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in the Jordan.” Luke says, “Jesus also having been baptized.” Thus the person of the Messiah is Jesus of Nazareth in Galilee. All of them give two heavenly attestations to Jesus as the Messiah; the visible descent on him of the Holy Spirit, in the form of a dove, and the voice of the -Father from the most excellent glory, declaring Jesus his most beloved Son in whom he is well pleased. He himself came to John and solicited baptism at his hands. The ordinance was administered in the river Jordan.
According to these and correlated passages, the honorable position of this ordinance in the kingdom of God is as follows:
(1) In it is the Messiah manifested.
(2) In it the whole Trinity are present. The Son is being baptized, the Holy Spirit and the Father attesting the Son. Hence in our Lord’s Great Commission, reaching to all nations throughout all time, those disciples must be baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Thus the doctrine of the Trinity is indissolubly connected with baptism and is proclaimed wherever in pool, lake, river, or sea the ordinance is administered.
(3) Therefore it is a confession on the part of every disciple submitting to the ordinance that he accepts Jesus as the sent of the Father, and anointed of the Spirit to be his sacrifice, prophet, priest, king, and judge.
(4) Its symbolism expresses the heart, of the gospel and unites therein our Lord and all his disciples who follow his example (Rom 6:3-5 ; Col 2:12 ; 1Co 15:1 ; 1Co 15:29 ).
A great sermon on the position of baptism has been translated into foreign languages. This was a sermon before the Southern Baptist Convention by Dr. Henry Holcombe Tucker, editor of the Christian Index. From this honorable position of the ordinance it follows that it should never be belittled or despised as a matter of small moment.
The act of John in baptizing Jesus was one thing and not three things. John did not sprinkle water in Hesys (rantizo) and pour water on Jesus (cheo) and dip Jesus in water (baptizo). He did a specific thing. Whatever the specific thing John did, to which Jesus submitted, is the thing which Jesus did when he also (through his disciples) baptized. (Compare Joh 3:22-23 ; Joh 4:1-2 .) And it follows that the specific thing which John did, to which also Jesus submitted, and which he himself did (through his disciples) is the very thing which he commanded) in Mat 28:19 , to be done unto the end of time.
Apart from the clear meaning of baptizo , we may settle the question in another way. The argument of Rom 6:3 and Col 2:12 shows that Jesus was figuratively buried and raised in baptism, and that we who follow him are planted in the likeness of his death and also raised in the likeness of his f resurrection. Therefore baptism is indissolubly connected with the resurrection of the buried dead.
Since John administered a baptism ( eis metanoian ) unto repentance, a baptism of repentance unto the remission of sins ( eis aphesin hamartion ), we have the question, why should Jesus seek baptism at John’s hands, seeing he needed no repentance and no remission of sins? John himself raised this question: “But John would have hindered him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? But Jesus, answering said unto him, Suffer it now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he suffereth him” (Mat 3:14-15 ). The answer is clear, as John understood later. (See Joh 1:31 ; Joh 1:33 .) John’s baptizing had a twofold purpose.(l) as related to penitent believers, (2) as to the Messiah himself. In no other way could John complete his ministry. Out of this comes another question, How harmonize John’s protest (Mat 3:14 ) with his subsequent declaration, “I knew him not, at Joh 1:31 ; Joh 1:33 ? John could not know the person of the Messiah until he saw the appointed sign, the visible descent of the Spirit upon him, but he could be impressed in mind, in other ways, that Jesus was not a sinner needing repentance.
One of the most remarkable things about Jesus was a presence that at times filled friend and foe with awe and amazement. A glory of irresistible power radiated from him. I cite five instances of the radiating power of this presence on his enemies: Twice when he alone purged the Temple, driving all his panic-stricken enemies before him (Joh 2:13-16 ; Mat 21:12 f; Mar 11:15-17 ; Luk 19:45 f); the overawing of the Nazarenes when they rejected and sought to kill him (Luk 4:29-30 ); the prostration of those who sought to arrest him (Joh 18:6 ) ; the outcry of the demons when brought into his presence (Mat 8:29 f; Mar 5 ; Luk 8 .) Not only John the Baptist felt the radiating power of this sinless, awful presence, but Christ’s own disciples many times later. For example, Peter, at the miraculous draught of the fishes (Luk 5:8 ); Peter and others at the stilling of the tempest (Mar 4:41 ); at the transfiguration (Mat 17:6-7 ); all the disciples on the last journey to Jerusalem (Mar 10:32 ). We thus understand how John the Baptist (Mat 3:14 ) could be impressed with the sinlessness of Jesus, and yet not really know he was the Messiah until the sign came.
Now we have seen why Jesus should be baptized of John, but why baptized at all, that is, why to his own mind? The reasons are as follows:
(1) As he foreknew, in connection with this ordinance, it would be his own inauguration as Messiah. Therefore he overcame John’s scruples. Therefore, when baptized, he prayed for his spiritual anointing and the attestation of his Father. His prayer was not vague and indefinite. He knew he must be anointed as prophet, priest, and king, and sealed as the sacrifice for sin. He knew he must be endued for service as Messiah by the Holy Spirit. He must be equipped to resist and overcome the devil. All this appears as follows:
Anointing as Prophet: Read Isa 11:1-5 ; Isa 42:1-2 , which describe his spiritual equipment for service. He prayed for that. The fulfilment is, “God gave not the Spirit to him by measure,” but immeasurably (Joh 3:34 ). Read Isa 61:1 f and his declaration, Luk 4:16-21 . He was anointed to do this very preaching.
Sealed for Sacrifice: Referring to this descent of the Spirit our Lord says, “Him hath God, the Father, sealed” (Joh 6:27 ).
On receipt of this enduement of the Spirit: He went at once to meet the temptation of Satan, as the Second Adam (Mat 4:1 f; Mar 1:12 f; Luk 4:1 f).
So, also, the descent of the Spirit: Was his anointing as King and Priest.
(2) He was baptized to set forth in symbol the great truths of his gospel his death, burial, resurrection (Rom 6:1 f; Col 2:12 ; 1Co 15:1 ; 1Co 15:29 ).
(3) As an example for all his followers (see same scriptures).
However, he had the messianic consciousness before his baptism. He sought the baptism; he overcame John’s scruples; he prayed for the anointing and attestation before he received them.
The meaning of his reply to John, “Thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness” is that neither he nor John must stop at only one of the purposes of John’s baptism, but meet all the other purposes of that baptism. And evidently, as set forth in 2 above) this baptism would memorialize all righteousness, which comes by vicarious expiation, burial and resurrection. It would be a pictorial gospel.
QUESTIONS
1. What comparison did John institute between Christ and himself?
2. Was this a comparison between John’s baptism in water and Christ’s baptism in water? If not, what is the point of comparison?
3. On what phrase of this comparison arise the controversies of the ages, and what two questions are involved in the controversies?
4. From what great Baptist expositor does this interpretation dissent, and what is the point of the dissension?
5. What negations express the dissent from Dr. Maclaren?
6. How is the baptism in fire exercised?
7. Give the argument to show that Dr. Maclaren is mistaken about the baptism in fire.
8. Reply to the contention that tongues of fire at the first Pentecost after the resurrection, prove the identity of baptism in the Spirit and fire.
9. Analyze, in a few terse sentences, the baptism in fire, the baptism in the Holy Spirit, regeneration, and sanctification.
10. Show how the baptism in the Holy Spirit was twice prefigured.
11. Explain the baptism in the Holy Spirit from the passage in Dan 9 .
12. What of the predetermined culmination of John’s ministry, and what were his own words to show that it connected with his baptism in water?
13. It what two things, then, does the culmination of John’s ministry consist?
14. Who are the historians that give an account of John’s baptism of the Messiah?
15. In whom, as a person, do all these historians identify him?
16. What two attestations of Jesus as the Messiah do all the historians give?
17. According to these and correlated passages, what of the honorable position of this ordinance in the kingdom of God?
18. What great sermon on the position of baptism has been translated into foreign languages?
19. What follows from this honorable position of the ordinance?
20. What was the act of John in baptizing Jesus?
21. Apart from the clear meaning of baptize, how otherwise may we settle the question?
22. Why should Jesus seek baptism at John’s hands, seeing he needed no repentance and no remission of sins?
23. How may we harmonize John’s protest (Mat 3:14 ) with his subsequent declaration, “I knew him not,” (Joh 1:31 ; Joh 1:33 )?
24. But why should Jesus be baptized at all?
25. How does it appear that he had the messianic consciousness before his baptism?
26. What, then, is the meaning of his reply to John, “Thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness”?
Fuente: B.H. Carroll’s An Interpretation of the English Bible
15 And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not;
Ver. 15. Whether he were the Christ ] Yet John did no miracle, but he was a burning and a shining light, he thundered in his doctrine and lightened in his life. Hence was he so much admired.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
15 17. ] Luk 3:15 peculiar to Luke, but = Joh 1:19-25 .
, not lingering about (Bretschneider), but being in expectation, i.e. that John would declare himself (Meyer).
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Luk 3:15-17 . Art thou the Christ? (Mat 3:11-12 , Mar 1:7-8 ).
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Luk 3:15 . : in Mt. and Mk. John introduces the subject of the Messiah of his own accord: in Lk. in answer to popular expectation and conjecture; an intrinsically probable account, vide on Mt. , etc., whether perhaps he might not himself be the Christ; expresses very happily the popular state of mind.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Luke
JOHN’S WITNESS TO JESUS, AND GOD’S
Luk 3:15 – Luk 3:22
This passage falls into three parts: John’s witness to the coming Messiah Luk 3:15 – Luk 3:17; John’s undaunted rebuke of sin in high places, and its penalty Luk 3:18 – Luk 3:20; and God’s witness to Jesus Luk 3:21 – Luk 3:22.
I. Luke sharply parts off the Baptist’s work as a preacher of repentance and plain morality from his work as the herald who preceded the king.
In less acute fashion, the same temptation comes to all who move the general conscience. Disciples always seek to hoist their teacher higher than is fitting. Adherence to him takes the place of obedience to his message, and, if he is a true man, he has to damp down misdirected enthusiasm.
Mark John’s clear apprehension of the limitations of his work. He baptized with water, the symbol and means of outward cleansing. He does not depreciate his position or the importance of his baptism, but his whole soul bows in reverence before the coming Messiah, whose great office was to transcend his, as the wide Mediterranean surpassed the little lake of Galilee. His outline of that work is grand, though incomplete. It is largely based upon Malachi’s closing prophecy, and the connection witnesses to John’s consciousness that he was the Elijah foretold there. He saw that the Messiah would surpass him in his special endowment. Strong as he was, that other was to be stronger. Probably he did not dream that that other was to wield the divine might, nor that His perfect strength was to be manifested in weakness, and to work its wonders by the might of gentle, self-sacrificing love. But, though he dimly saw, he perfectly adored. He felt himself unworthy literally, insufficient to be the slave who untied or, according to Matthew, ‘bore’ his lord’s sandals. How beautiful is the lowliness of that strong nature! He stood erect in the face of priests and tetrarchs, and furious women, and the headsman with his sword, but he lay prostrate before his King.
Strength and royal authority were not all that he had to proclaim of Messiah. ‘He shall baptize you in the Holy Ghost and fire.’ We observe that the construction here is different from that in Luk 3:16 ‘with water’, inasmuch as the preposition ‘in’ is inserted, which, though it is often used ‘instrumentaly,’ is here, therefore, more probably to be taken as meaning simply ‘in.’ The two nouns are coupled under one preposition, which suggests that they are fused together in the speaker’s mind as reality and symbol.
Fire is a frequently recurrent emblem of the Holy Spirit, both in the Old and New Testament. It is not the destructive, but the vitalising, glowing, transforming, energy of fire, which is expressed. The fervour of holy enthusiasm, the warmth of ardent love, the melting of hard hearts, the change of cold, damp material into its own ruddy likeness, are all set forth in this great symbol. John’s water baptism was poor beside Messiah’s immersion into that cleansing fire. Fire turns what it touches into kindred flame. The refiner’s fire melts metal, and the scum carries away impurities. Water washes the surface, fire pierces to the centre.
But while that cleansing by the Spirit’s fire was to be Messiah’s primary office, man’s freedom to accept or reject such blessing necessarily made His work selective, even while its destination was universal. So John saw that His coming would part men into two classes, according as they submitted to His baptism of fire or not. The homely image of the threshing-floor, on some exposed, windy height, carries a solemn truth. The Lord of the harvest has an instrument in His hand, which sets up a current of air, and the wheat falls in one heap, while the husks are blown farther, and lie at the edge of the floor. Mark the majestic emphasis on the Christ’s ownership in the two phrases, ‘ His floor’ and ‘ His garner.’
Notice, too, the fact which determines whether a man is chaff or wheat-namely, his yielding to or rejecting the fiery baptism which Christ offers. Ponder that awful emblem of an empty, rootless, fruitless, worthless life, which John caught up from Psa 1:1 – Psa 1:6 Thankfully think of the care and safe keeping and calm repose shadowed in that picture of the wheat stored in the garner after the separating act. And let us lay on awed hearts the terrible doom of the chaff. There are two fires, to one or other of which we must be delivered. Either we shall gladly accept the purging fire of the Spirit which burns sin out of us, or we shall have to meet the punitive fire which burns up us and our sins together. To be cleansed by the one or to be consumed by the other is the choice before each of us.
II. Luk 3:18 – Luk 3:20 show John as the preacher and martyr of righteousness.
It needs some courage to tell a prince to his face that he is foul with corruption, and, still more, to put a finger on his actual sins. But he is no prophet who does not lift up his voice like a trumpet, and speak to hardened consciences. King Demos is quite as impatient of close dealing with his immorality as Herod was. London and New York get as angry with the Christian men who fight against their lust and drunkenness as ever he did, and would not be sorry if they could silence these persistent ‘fanatics’ as conveniently as he could. The need for courage like John’s, and plain speech like his, is not past yet. The ‘good tidings’ has rebuke as part of its substance. The sword is two-edged.
III. The narrative now turns to Jesus, and does not even name John as having baptized Him.
Another striking point is Luke’s mention of Christ’s prayer, which is thus represented as answered by the opened heavens, the descending dove, and the attesting voice. We owe most of our knowledge of Christ’s prayers to this Evangelist, whose mission was to tell of the Son of man. Mysteries beyond our plummets are contained in this story; but however unique it is, it has this which may be reproduced, that prayer unveiled heaven, and brought down the dove to abide on the bowed head, and the divine attestation of sonship to fill the waiting heart.
We need not dwell on the beautiful significance of the emblem of the dove. It symbolised both the nature of that gracious, gentle Spirit, and the perpetuity and completeness of its abode on Jesus. Others receive portions of that celestial fullness, but itself, as if embodied in visible form, settled down on Him, and, with meekly folded wings, tarried there unscared. ‘God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto Him.’
Our Evangelist does not venture into the deep waters, nor attempt to tell what was the relation between the Incarnate Word, as it dwelt in Jesus before that descent, and the Spirit which came upon Him. We shall be wise if we refrain from speculating on such points, and content ourselves with knowing that there has been one manhood capable of receiving and retaining uninterruptedly the whole Spirit of God; and that He will fill us with the Spirit which dwelt in Him, in measure and manner corresponding to our need and our faith.
The heavenly voice spoke to the heart of the man Jesus. What was His need of it, and what were its effects on Him, we do not presume to affirm. But probably it originated an increased certitude of the consciousness which dawned, in His answer to Mary, of His unique divine sonship. To us it declares that He stands in an altogether unexampled relation of kindred to the Father, and that His whole nature and acts are the objects of God’s complacency. But He has nothing for Himself alone, and in Him we may become God’s beloved sons, well pleasing to the Father.
Fuente: Expositions Of Holy Scripture by Alexander MacLaren
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Luk 3:15-17
15Now while the people were in a state of expectation and all were wondering in their hearts about John, as to whether he was the Christ, 16John answered and said to them all, “As for me, I baptize you with water; but One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the thong of His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17His winnowing fork is in His hand to thoroughly clear His threshing floor, and to gather the wheat into His barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
Luk 3:15 “in a state of expectation” The Greek term prosdoka is used several times in Luke’s writings (Gospel, six times; Acts, four times), mostly for “waiting” (as in the LXX), but also for eschatological expectations (cf. Luk 3:15; Luk 7:19-20; Luk 12:46).
“as to whether he was the Christ” This is a present active optative. Messianic expectations were kindled by John’s ministry. These disclaimers serve two theological purposes:
1. to lift up and exalt Jesus
2. to help quell the early church’s heresies connected to John the Baptist (cf. Act 19:1-7 and similar emphatic disclaimers in John’s Gospel, Luk 1:6-8; Luk 1:19-42).
Luk 3:16 “One is coming who is mightier than I” This message is repeated in all three Synoptic Gospels (cf. Mat 3:11; Mar 1:7-8). John knew who he was and what his message was to be (cf. Isa 40:3; Mal 3:1; Mal 4:5-6). He was the forerunner (cf. Isa 40:4-5).
SPECIAL TOPIC: OT TITLES OF THE SPECIAL COMING ONE
“I am not fit to untie the thong of His sandals” The rabbis said that their disciples should do for them what slaves do for their masters, except untie their shoes. John uses this cultural detail to show his humility and the greatness of the Messiah.
“with the Holy Spirit and fire” This phrase is used in the NT only in contexts which contrast John’s water baptism with Jesus’ spirit baptism (cf. Luk 3:16; Mat 3:11; Mar 1:8; Joh 1:33; Act 1:5; Act 11:16). Therefore it is a way to show and magnify the spiritual effectiveness of Jesus’ ministry. The Spirit and fire are synonymous. This phrase should not be proof texted to denote a separate work of the Spirit. It refers to initial salvation through the gospel. Fire is probably a metaphor of cleansing (cf. Lev 13:52; Lev 13:55; Lev 13:57), which is the forgiveness of sins (cf. Luk 3:3). John was sent to prepare, but Jesus to accomplish.
SPECIAL TOPIC: FIRE
Luk 3:17 “winnowing fork” This is an OT metaphor of judgment, where one separates the grain from the husk (which is burned, cf. Job 21:17-18; Psa 1:4; Psa 35:5; Psa 83:13; Isa 17:13; Isa 29:5; Isa 41:15-16; Jer 15:7; Hos 13:3; Zep 2:2).
“gather the wheat into His barn” This is an eschatological metaphor of the righteous being gathered from an evil world to be at home with God. Notice only two possible outcomesGod’s barn or the fire! Many of Jesus’ parables play on these agricultural themes.
“unquenchable fire” This is the Greek word for extinguish or quench with the alpha privative, which negates it. This theme is repeated several times in the Gospels (cf. Mat 3:12; Mat 25:41; Mar 9:43-48). It may be an allusion to Isa 66:24.
The theological question which this raises is not the eternal consequences of rejecting Christ, but the presence of pain and torment without a redemptive hope (i.e., hell). An interesting book by Edward Fudge, The Fire That Consumes, deals with the option of permanent annihilation for the lost after a period of judgment. I do not want to compromise or diminish in any way the eternal consequences of unbelief. It is hard to know for sure how much of the Bible which deals with the afterlife (good and bad) is metaphorical and how much is literal. Jesus is the person who emphasizes the consequences of hell. Most of Jesus’ metaphors of Gehenna come from the garbage dump in the valley and the sons of Hinnom, just south of Jerusalem where the fire god, Molech, was worshiped by the sacrifice of children. Hell is a serious reality, far worse than human languages’ ability to communicate. Hell is the isolating and permanent purging of evil from God’s creation!
SPECIAL TOPIC: Where Are the Dead?
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
in expectation. See notes on Luk 2:25, Luk 2:38; Luk 24:21. Mar 15:43.
mused = reasoned.
of = concerning. Greek. peri. App-104.
the Christ = the Messiah. App-98.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
15-17.] Luk 3:15 peculiar to Luke, but = Joh 1:19-25.
, not lingering about (Bretschneider), but being in expectation,-i.e. that John would declare himself (Meyer).
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Luk 3:15. , being in expectation) They were waiting in expectation that proofs [of Messiahship] should come from John or from some other quarter. But John, being son of the priest Zacharias, was not of the tribe of Judah, of which it was certain that the Messiah was to spring.- , the Christ) As yet they had not so gross a conception concerning the Christ [as subsequently]: for John had no external splendour to recommend him, and yet they were musing such thoughts concerning him.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
the Herald Silenced; the Messiah Appears
Luk 3:15-23
We are told that the time of Johns appearance was the Sabbatic year, when field-work was suspended, and the people had comparative leisure. In his passion for God, reality and truth, John asked for nothing of men; but men were willing to give him anything. The impression he made on his age was due to his selfless devotion to the coming Kingdom and its King. The great cities emptied themselves into the Jordan valley. The youth of Gennesaret left their fishing boats to sit at his feet. The spirit and power of Elijah rested on him. All classes felt that he could speak to their needs, and submitted to his direction.
But how abashed his bearing before Jesus! The voice that had swept the crowds like a whirlwind sank to whispers. Our Lord took him into fellowship-it becometh us. The porter opened the door and recognized that it was the true Shepherd who passed in, Joh 1:32-34.
Fuente: F.B. Meyer’s Through the Bible Commentary
Chapter 20
John The Baptist: A Faithful Preacher
The greatest blessing God bestows upon men and women this side of eternity is the gift of a faithful gospel preacher in their midst (Isa 52:7-8). What a blessing it is for God to plant a gospel church with a faithful pastor in your backyard! The most severe judgment God sends upon men this side of eternity is the judgment of taking from them the ministry of the gospel, the faithful preaching of the Word of God, Gods ordained means of grace to chosen, redeemed sinners (Rom 10:17).
In these verses of scripture Luke gives us his final word about the life and ministry of John the Baptist. In the first twenty verses of this chapter the Holy Spirit directed Lukes pen in showing us the faithfulness of John the Baptist as a preacher of the gospel, holding him before us as an example to be followed by all who are called and sent of God into the glorious work of the gospel ministry.
In the verses now before us Luke uses Johns example to show us five distinct characteristics of a faithful preacher. But Luke is not here addressing preachers. He is addressing Gods saints. This is Gods Word to you and me. You see, that which the scriptures require of faithful, gospel preachers is also required of all faithful men and women. All believers are Gods servants; and the one thing God requires of us all is faithfulness (1Co 4:1-2).
One of my unceasing, daily prayers is that God would be pleased to make me faithful in all things, as his servant. Knowing something of the fickleness of my own heart, I know that if faithfulness is found in me, it will be Gods doing. The Lord has made this a matter of constant prayer with me for more than forty years. The older I get, and the more I know of the things of God and of my own nature, the more I see the power and deceitfulness of the cares of this world, the more earnest I am in asking this one thing of my God. Oh, for grace to be faithful to my God, his Son, his Word, his will, his glory, and his people! What does this faithfulness involve? At least these five things.
A Faithful Ministry Disturbs Men
True preaching is disturbing, heart-piercing, thought provoking. It disturbs men, especially religious men. Luke tells us that when men and women (religious men and women, men and women who presumed that they knew God) heard the Baptist preach, they were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ.
The word mused means reasoned, considered, weighed. When people heard John preach, they were provoked to thoughtful consideration of his message. When a man comes from the throne of God with a message from God, preaching with a God-given knowledge and understanding, he simply cannot be ignored. Those who hear his message are compelled to weigh his words.
That is always a hopeful sign. I am always delighted to see people evidently considering the things of God. When men and women begin to think, I rejoice. Thinking is not faith. Consideration is not conversion. But it is a hopeful sign.
The gospel of the grace of God, the Word of God, the truth of God is always verified by honest examination. Truth never fears examination. The problem with most people is that God is not in their thoughts. They never consider divine truth (Psa 10:4; Isa 1:3). If you are not in too big a hurry to go to hell, you would be wise to get alone with God and this Book, and consider just three things.
Pause for a while and first consider who and what you are. Then take a little time to consider who the Lord Jesus Christ is, why he came into this world and what he has done. Consider how great this man was! Consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself! Finally, will you stop for a while and consider your end?
But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth? Seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behind thee. When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers. Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit. Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mothers son. These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes. Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver. Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God (Psa 50:16-23).
Gods servants make no effort to avoid examination. We court it. I know, beyond a shadow of doubt, that the gospel I preach is the truth of God. I know that it will answer every need of your heart and every demand of your conscience.
A Faithful Preacher Always Exalts Christ
When men came seeking to confer great and high honours upon John, he turned their thoughts away from himself to Christ. As the friend of the bridegroom rejoices in the glory of the bridegroom, so the servant of God rejoices in the glory of Christ, and seeks none for himself (Joh 3:29-30). Faithful men serve Christ, exalt Christ, point sinners to Christ, and preach Christ. They do not serve their own interests (1Co 4:1-5; 2Co 4:1-5).
Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of mans judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self. For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God (1Co 4:1-5).
Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every mans conscience in the sight of God. But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus sake (2Co 4:1-5).
By this standard every mans ministry must be judged. Does he preach Christ? Does he point sinners to Christ? Does he exalt, magnify, extol and honour Christ? As the Son of God? As the Lord our Righteousness? As the effectual Redeemer? As the sovereign Saviour? As the Monarch of the Universe? It matters not how learned he is, how many degrees he wears, how well he dresses, or even how well he speaks. The thing that matters is what he speaks. Does he preach Christ?
By this same standard judge all doctrine, all religious activity and all religious instruction. Does it point you to Christ, make you think more of Christ, cause you to lean on Christ, or does it point you to yourself, cause you to think of yourself and cause you to lean on yourself, on the church and on the pastor?
A Faithful Preacher Knows And Acknowledges His Own Inabilities
When the people presumed that John was himself the Christ, he quickly pointed out that he not only was not the Christ, but that he was utterly incapable of doing anything for their souls. 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 (Luk 3:16).
That is exactly what Paul had to deal with in 1 Corinthians 1-3. The power and efficacy of the gospel does not depend upon the preacher, but upon Christ. Our sufficiency is of God. A man can preach the gospel to you; but a man cannot make you believe it. A man can see the expressions on your face; but a man cannot read your heart. A man can baptize you in water; but a man cannot put you in Christ. A man can give you the bread and wine of the Lords Supper; but a man cannot cause you to eat Christs flesh and drink his blood. A man can show you the way; but a man cannot put you in the way. That is Gods work!
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: Essentially, John is saying three things here. These three things every gospel preacher is keenly and acutely aware of, all the time.
1. I cannot save you or damn you. I am neither your Saviour nor your judge. You should not expect anything from me, or confess anything to me.
2. I am not worthy of your slightest esteem, reverence, or praise. Im not fit to untie my Masters shoes. I am honoured beyond imagination, if he allows me to just take off his shoes.
3. The Lord Jesus Christ is both the Saviour of the world and the Judge of the world. He will baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire. That is to say, he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit in his almighty saving grace. Or, if you do not bow to him, if you are not saved by his grace, he will baptize you with fire in the Day of Judgment.
Be wise. Do not rest with anything less than the operation of Christ himself in your soul. You may have been immersed in water; but has Christ immersed you in grace? Your name is written on this church roll; but is your name written in heaven? You eat the bread and wine at the Lords Table; but are you feasting on Christ? Do not settle for the outward husks of religion. Make certain that Christ is yours. Soon, you will stand before his bar. How will it be for your soul that great and terrible day?
Faithful Men Point Sinners To Death, Judgment And Eternity
John spoke of the Lord Jesus as that One 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 (Luk 3:17).
There is a day of reckoning. One day soon we will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ, the great white throne. In that great day all things will be made manifest. In this world the kingdom of God is a field full of mixed seed, wheat and tares. The church is a fold of sheep and goats. Every gospel church is a mixed assembly of believers and unbelievers, saints and hypocrites, possessors of grace and professors of grace.
No man, no group of men is able to distinguish one from the other. None of us can distinguish sheep from goats, wheat from tares, and saints from hypocrites. We are too easily deceived. Therefore our Lord tells us to let them grow together. But there is a day coming, when he who knows all things will separate the precious from the vile. Give diligence to make your calling and election sure.
Faithful Men Are Faithful Unto Death
And many other things in his exhortation preached he unto the people. But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias his brother Philips wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done, Added yet this above all, that he shut up John in prison (Luk 3:18-20).
Time is the great revealer. In time you and I will all show our cards. We will eventually make ourselves known. We may not make ourselves known to ourselves; but we will be obvious to everyone else. Believers continue in faith. Faithful men and women are faithful to the end, no matter what it costs.
I did not say faithful people do not sin. I said they continue in faithfulness. They continue in the way. They continue to follow Christ, until they are with him in glory. And faithful preachers are faithful unto death, just like John the Baptist. May God make us faithful. Let us be found faithful unto the end.
Fuente: Discovering Christ In Selected Books of the Bible
expectation: or, suspense, Joh 10:24
mused: or, reasoned, or debated, Joh 1:19-28, Joh 3:28, Joh 3:29
Reciprocal: Joh 1:20 – General Act 13:25 – whom
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
A MIGHTIER THAN JOHN
And as the people were in expectation John answered one mightier than I cometh.
Luk 3:15-16
From these verses several practical truths emerge.
I. One effect of a faithful ministry is to set men thinking.The people mused in their hearts. The cause of true religion has gained a great step in a parish, or congregation, or family, when people begin to think.
II. A faithful minister will always exalt Christ.The Baptist refused the honour which he saw the people ready to give him, and referred them to Him who had the fan in His hand, the Lamb of God, the Messiah. Conduct like this will always be the characteristic of a true man of God. He will never allow anything to be credited to him, or his office, which belongs to his Divine Master.
III. There is an essential difference between the Lord Jesus and even the best and holiest of His ministers.We have it in the solemn words of John the Baptist: I indeed baptize you with water; He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost. A Paul may sow, an Apollos may water, but it is God Who giveth the increase.
IV. The change that Christ will work in His visible Church at His second appearing.We read in the figurative words of His forerunner, that He will thoroughly purge His floor, and gather the wheat into His garner; but the chaff He will burn with fire unquenchable. The visible Church is now a mixed body; but there will be an awful separation at the last day.
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
5
Mused is properly rendered “reasoned, or debated” in the margin. The people were considering the reasons for and against the question whether John were the Christ predicted in the Scriptures.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
WE learn, firstly, from these verses, that one effect of a faithful ministry is to set men thinking. We read concerning John the Baptist’s hearers, that “the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not.”
The cause of true religion has gained a great step in a parish, or congregation, or family, when people begin to think. Thoughtlessness about spiritual things is one great feature of unconverted men. It cannot be said, in many cases, that they either like the Gospel, or dislike it. But they do not give it a place in their thoughts. They never “consider.” (Isa 1:3.)
Let us always thank God when we see a spirit of reflection on religious subjects coming over the mind of an unconverted man. Consideration is the high road to conversion. The truth of Christ has nothing to fear from sober examination. We court inquiry. We desire to have its claims fully investigated. We know that its fitness to supply every want of man’s heart and conscience is not appreciated in many cases, simply because it is not known. Thinking, no doubt, is not faith and repentance. But it is always a hopeful symptom. When hearers of the Gospel begin to “muse in their hearts,” we ought to bless God and take courage.
We learn, secondly, from these verses, that a faithful minister will always exalt Christ. We read that when John saw the state of mind in which his hearers were, he told them of a coming One far mightier than himself. He refused the honor which he saw the people ready to give him, and referred them to Him who had the “fan in his hand,” the Lamb of God, the Messiah.
Conduct like this will always be the characteristic of a true “man of God.” He will never allow anything to be credited to him, or his office, which belongs to his divine Master. He will say like Paul, “we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus, the Lord, and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.” (2Co 4:5.) To commend Christ dying, and rising again for the ungodly,-to make known Christ’s love and power to save sinners,-this will be the main object of his ministry. “He must increase but I must decrease,” will be a ruling principle in all his preaching. He will be content that his own name be forgotten, so long as Christ crucified is exalted.
Would we know whether a minister is sound in the faith, and deserving of our confidence as a teacher? We have only to ask a simple question, Where is Christ in his teaching?-Would we know whether we ourselves are receiving benefit from the preaching we attend? Let us ask whether its effect is to magnify Christ in our esteem. A minister who is really doing us good will make us think more of Jesus every year we live.
We learn, thirdly, from these verses, the essential difference between the Lord Jesus and even the best and holiest of His ministers. We have it in the solemn words of John the Baptist:-“I indeed baptize you with water:-He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.”
Man, when ordained, can administer the outward ordinances of Christianity, with a prayerful hope, that God will graciously bless the means which he has Himself appointed. But man cannot read the hearts of those to whom he ministers. He can preach the Gospel faithfully to their ears, but he cannot make them receive it into their consciences. He can apply baptismal water to their foreheads, but he cannot cleanse their inward nature. He can give the bread and wine of the Lord’s Supper into their hands, but he cannot enable them to eat Christ’s body and blood by faith. Up to a certain point he can go, but he can go no further. No ordination, however solemnly conferred, can give man power to change the heart. Christ, the great Head of the Church, can alone do this by the power of the Holy Ghost. It is His peculiar office to do it, and it is an office which He has deputed to no child of man.
May we never rest till we have tasted by experience the power of Christ’s grace upon our souls! We have been baptized with water. But have we also been baptized with the Holy Ghost?-Our names are in the baptismal register. But are they also in the Lamb’s book of life?-We are members of the visible Church. But are we also members of that mystical body of which Christ alone is the Head?-All these are privileges which Christ alone bestows, and for which all who would be saved must make personal application to Him. Man cannot give them. They are treasures laid up in Christ’s hand. From Him we must seek them by faith and prayer, and believing we shall not seek in vain.
We learn, fourthly, in these verses, the change that Christ will work in his visible church at his second appearing. We read in the figurative words of His forerunner, “that he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable.”
The visible Church is now a mixed body. Believers and unbelievers, holy and unholy, converted and unconverted, are now mingled in every congregation, and often sit side by side. It passes the power of man to separate them. False profession is often so like true; and grace is often so weak and feeble, that, in many cases, the right discernment of character is an impossibility. The wheat and the chaff will continue together until the Lord returns.
But there will be an awful separation at the last day. The unerring judgment of the King of kings shall at length divide the wheat from the chaff, and divide them for evermore. The righteous shall be gathered into a place of happiness and safety. The wicked shall be cast down to shame and everlasting contempt. In the great sifting day, every one shall go to his own place.
May we often look forward to that day, and judge ourselves, that we be not judged of the Lord. May we give all diligence to make our calling and election sure, and to know that we are God’s “wheat.” A mistake in the day that the floor is “purged,” will be a mistake that is irretrievable.
We learn, lastly, from these verses, that the reward of God’s servants is often not in this world. Luke closes his account of John the Baptist’s ministry, by telling us of his imprisonment by Herod. The end of that imprisonment we know from other parts of the New Testament. It led at last to John being beheaded.
All true servants of Christ must be content to wait for their wages. Their best things are yet to come. They must count it no strange thing, if they meet with hard treatment from man. The world that persecuted Christ will never hesitate, to persecute Christians. “Marvel not if the world hate you.” (1Jn 3:13.)
But let us take comfort in the thought that the great Master has laid up in heaven for His people such things as pass man’s understanding. The blood that His saints have shed in His name will all be reckoned for one day. The tears that often flow so freely in consequence of the unkindness of the wicked, will one day be wiped from all faces. And when John the Baptist, and all who have suffered for the truth are at last gathered together, they will find it true that heaven makes amends for all.
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Notes-
v15.-[Mused.] The word so translated is generally rendered “reasoned.”
v16.-[I indeed baptize with water.] We must not fail to observe that the contrast John the Baptist draws here, is not, as the Roman Catholic writers say, between his baptism and Christian baptism, but between his power as a mere man to administer an outward ordinance, and the power of Christ the Son of God to affect the heart.
We must be careful that we do not underrate the value of John’s baptism. We have no proof that any of the apostles ever received any other baptism than that of John. To say that the baptism of Christian ministers always confers grace, “ex opere operato,” and that the baptism of John never conferred grace, is to say what cannot be proved either by Scripture or experience. The value of John’s baptism is well defended by Brentius, in his Homilies on this chapter. Spanheim ably discusses the whole question, and concludes that the distinction between the baptism of John and the baptism of Christ was “not essential but accidental,” that is, not in its essence but in its accidents or circumstances.
[Baptize with fire.] The meaning of this expression is doubtful, and has never been fully cleared up. Some confine it entirely to the descent of the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost, when “cloven tongues like as of fire” sat upon each person present on the occasion. (Act 2:3.) Others confine it entirely to the converting operation of the Holy Ghost, purifying and refining the heart as fire purifieth gold. Both views are probably included.
v19.-[But Herod &c.] The mention of John’s imprisonment, in this part of Luke’s Gospel, before the event actually took place, is a striking example of Luke’s mode of “writing in order.” (Luk 1:3.) He is on the subject of John the Baptist and his ministry, and he therefore takes occasion to explain how that ministry was brought to an end, before turning to another subject.
Fuente: Ryle’s Expository Thoughts on the Gospels
Luk 3:15. Were in expectation, i.e., waiting for a declaration of John respecting himself. Comp. the demand, Joh 1:19-22.
All reasoned. The question was considered by all.
Whether haply he were the Christ. This shows the deep impression made by John, as well as the general expectation that the Messiah would speedily come. Johns humble declaration shows moral greatness.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Observe here, 1. How the extraordinariness of John the Baptist’s person, the earnestness of his preaching, the acceptableness of his doctrine, and the exemplariness of his conversation, drew all persons to an admiration of him; insomuch that they began to think within themselves, whether here were not the Messiah himself. He plainly tells them he was not, but only his servant, his harbinger and forerunner.
Observe 2. The high opinion which John had of Christ, He is mightier than I; that is, a person of greater authority, dignity, and excellency, than myself.
From whence may be gathered, that though Christ was man, he was more than man, even very God, equal with the Father: for John himself was the greatest of them that were born of women. Mat 11:11 Yet, says John, Christ is mightier than I. How so? In regard of the dignity of his person, being both God and man? He that cometh after me is mightier than I.
Observe, 3. The humble and low estimation that the holy Baptist had of himself: His shoe-latchet I am not worthy to unloose: a proverbial speech, implying that he was unworthy to do the lowest offices, and meanest services for Christ.
Lord, how well does humility of mind, an humble apprehension, and a low opinion of themselves, become the messengers and ministers of Christ! John was a man of eminent abilities, yet of exemplary humility; he thought himself unworthy to unloose Christ’s shoe.
Observe, 4. John does not only declare the dignity of Christ’s person, but the excellency of his office; He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire. As if he had said, “I only wash the body with water, but Christ cleanses the soul by the operation of his Holy Spirit, which is as fire in the effects of it, purifying the hearts of his people from sin, and consuming their lusts and corruptions; yet at the same time having fiery indignation, and flaming judgments, to destroy and burn up impenitent sinners like dry stubble.”
Observable it is in scripture, that Christ is represented by one and the same metaphor of fire, in a way of comfort to his children, and in a way of terror to his enemies; he is fire unto both. He sits in the hearts of his people as a refiner’s fire; he is amongst his enemies as a consuming fire: a fire for his church to take comfort in, a fire for his enemies to perish by.
Observe, lastly, how the holy Baptist compares our Saviour to an husbandman, and the Jewish church to a barn floor; the office of an husbandman is to thresh, fan, and winnow, his corn, separating it from the chaff, preserving the one, and consuming the other.
Observe, 1. That the church is Christ’s floor.
2. That this floor Christ will purge, and that thoroughly.
3. That the word of Christ is the fan in his hand, by and with which he will thoroughly purge his floor.
The church is compared to a floor, upon the account of that mixture which is in the church. In a floor there is straw as well as grain, chaff as well as corn, tares as well as wheat, cockle and darnel as well as good seed. Thus in the church there has been, there is, and ever will be, a mixture of good and bad, saints and sinners, hypocrites and sincere Christians: but this floor Christ will purge; purge it, but not break it up; purge out its corruptions, but not destroy its essence and existence: and the fan in Christ’s hand, with which he will purge his floor, is his holy word, accompanied with the wing of discipline. The fan detects and discovers the chaff, and the wing dissipates and scatters it; and by the help of both the floor is purged: His fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
Luk 3:15-17. And as all the people were in expectation, &c. The austerity of Johns life, the important subjects of his sermons, the fervency of his exhortations, and the freedom, impartiality, and courage with which he rebuked all classes of sinners, raised him very high in the esteem of the generality of people; insomuch that many began to be of opinion he might be the Messiah. And possibly the extraordinary events which had occurred thirty years before, namely, the vision which his father Zacharias had seen in the temple, the coming of the eastern sages to Jerusalem, the prophecies of Simeon, and the testimony of Anna, which doubtless would be fresh in the memories of many of them, and would all be applied to John, might strengthen that opinion. And, if John had aspired after grandeur, he might for a while have possessed honours greater than any of mankind could justly claim. But he was too upright and pious to assume a character which he had no right to, and therefore he declared plainly that he was not the Messiah, but one of the lowest of his servants; one sent to prepare his way before him. At the same time, to give his hearers a just idea of his Masters dignity, he described the authority and efficacy of his ministry. John answered, saying, I indeed baptize you with water, &c. I am sent from God, and the message I bring is, that all ranks and orders of persons must repent. Withal, to impress this doctrine more deeply on their minds, I address their senses by baptizing all my disciples with water. But one mightier than I cometh There is an infinitely greater prophet than I am, ready to appear, namely, the Messiah; the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose For whom I am not worthy to perform the meanest servile office. He shall baptize with the Holy Ghost and with fire His baptism shall be unspeakably more efficacious than mine, for he will bestow on you the gifts and graces of his Holy Spirit. Whose fan is in his hand See this and the preceding verse explained at large, in the notes on Mat 3:11-12.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Vers. 15-17.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.
This portion is common to the three Syn. But the preamble, Luk 3:15, is peculiar to Luke. It is a brief and striking sketch of the general excitement and lively expectation awakened by John’s ministry. The of the T. R. contains the idea of a solemn gathering; but this scene is not the same as that of Joh 1:19 et seq., which did not take place till after the baptism of Jesus. In his answer John asserts two things: first, that he is not the Messiah; second, that the Messiah is following him close at hand. The art. before denotes this personage as expected.
To unloose the sandals of the master when he came in (Luke and Mark), or rather to bring them to him (, Matt.) when he was disposed to go out, was the duty of the lowest class of slaves. Mark expresses its menial character in a dramatic way: , to stoop down and unloose. Each evangelist has thus his own shade of thought. If one of them had copied from the other, these changes, which would be at once purposed and insignificant, would be puerile. may be applied either to physical or intellectual capacity, or to moral dignity. It is taken in the latter sense here.
The pronoun brings out prominently the personality of the Messiah. The preposition , which had not been employed before , is added before ; the Spirit cannot be treated as a simple means. One baptizes with water, but not with the Spirit.
If the pardon granted in the baptism of water was not followed by the baptism of the Spirit, sin would soon regain the upper hand, and the pardon would be speedily annulled (Mat 18:23-25). But let the baptism of the Spirit be added to the baptism of water, and then the pardon is confirmed by the renewal of the heart and life.
Almost all modern interpreters apply the term fire to the consuming ardour of the judgment, according to Luk 3:17, the fire which is not quenched. But if there was such a marked contrast between the two expressions Spirit and fire, the preposition must have been repeated before the latter. Therefore there can only be a shade of difference between these two terms. The Spirit and fire both denote the same divine principle, but in two different relations with human nature: the first, inasmuch as taking possession of all in the natural man that is fitted to enter into the kingdom of God, and consecrating it to this end; the secondthe image of fire is introduced on account of its contrariness to the water of baptisminasmuch as consuming everything in the old nature that is out of harmony with the divine kingdom, and destined to perish. The Spirit, in this latter relation, is indeed the principle of judgment, but of an altogether internal judgment. It is the fire symbolized on the day of Pentecost. As to the fire of Luk 3:17, it is expressly opposed to that of Luk 3:16 by the epithet , which is not quenched. Whoever refuses to be baptized with the fire of holiness, will be exposed to the fire of wrath. Comp. a similar transition, but in an inverse sense, Mar 9:48-49.
John had said, shall baptize you (Luk 3:16). Since this you applied solely to the penitent, it contained the idea of a sifting process going on amongst the people. This sifting is described in the seventeenth verse. The threshing-floor among the ancients was an uncovered place, where the corn, spread out upon the hardened ground, was trodden by oxen, which were sometimes yoked to a sledge. The straw was burnt upon the spot; the corn was gathered into the garner. This garner, in John’s thought, represents the Messianic kingdom, the Church in fact, the earliest historical form of this kingdom, into which all believing Israelites will be gathered. Jewish presumption made the line of demarcation which separates the elect from the condemned pass between Israel and the Gentiles; John makes it pass across the theocracy itself, of which the threshing-floor is the symbol. This is the force of the in . Jesus expresses Himself in exactly the same sense, Joh 3:18 et seq. The judgment of the nation and of the individual are here mingled together, as in Luk 3:9; behind the national chastisement of the fall of Jerusalem and the dispersion of the people, is placed in the background the judgment of individuals, under another dispensation. The readings and , in order to purify, in order to gather, cannot be admitted. They rather weaken the force of this striking passage; the authority of . B. and of the two documents of the Italic are not sufficient; lastly, the future , which must be in opposition to a preceding future (), comes in too abruptly.
The pronoun , twice repeated Luk 3:17 (His threshing-floor, His garner), leaves no doubt about the divine dignity which John attributed to the Messiah. The theocracy belongs to Jehovah. Comp. the expression, His temple, Mal 3:1.
Fuente: Godet Commentary (Luke, John, Romans and 1 Corinthians)
Verse 15
The evangelist John states that the Jews sent special messengers from Jerusalem to put this question to him. (John 1:19.)
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
3:15 {2} And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not;
(2) If we would rightly and fruitfully receive the sacraments, we must neither rest in the signs, neither in him that ministers the signs, but lift up our eyes to Christ, who is the author of the sacraments, and the giver of that which is represented by the sacraments.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Luke’s account of John’s preaching about Jesus is the longest in the three Synoptic Gospels (cf. Joh 1:19-25). John distinguished between his baptism and Messiah’s to show that he was not the Messiah.
Matthew’s account of these words stressed the importance of Jesus’ Jewish hearers repenting personally and nationally. Luke tailored his account to Gentiles and stressed the judgment that Jesus would bring (cf. Isa 4:4). The presence of only one article before "Holy Spirit" and "fire" in the Greek text suggests that John was referring to one baptism. It is probably the baptism that Jesus will initiate when He returns to earth as the messianic King but which He initiated from heaven as a foreview of that event on the day of Pentecost (Act 1:5; Act 2:3-4; cf. Isa 44:3; Joe 2:28-32). John’s water baptism prefigured Jesus’ baptism. John’s reference to unquenchable fire implies eternal judgment. Jesus will be the stronger One who judges, not just God (cf. Joh 5:22).