mh_parser/vol_split/42 - Luke/Chapter 3.xml

<div2 id="Luke.iv" n="iv" next="Luke.v" prev="Luke.iii" progress="49.47%" title="Chapter III">
<h2 id="Luke.iv-p0.1">L U K E.</h2>
<h3 id="Luke.iv-p0.2">CHAP. III.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Luke.iv-p1">Nothing is related concerning our Lord Jesus from
his twelfth year to his entrance on his thirtieth year. We often
think it would have been a pleasure and advantage to us if we had
journals, or at least annuls, of occurrences concerning him; but we
have as much as Infinite Wisdom thought fit to communicate to us,
and, if we improve not that, neither should we have improved more
if we had had it. The great intention of the evangelists was to
give us an account of the gospel of Christ, which we are to
believe, and by which we hope for salvation: now that began in the
ministry and baptism of John, and therefore they hasten to give us
an account of that. We could wish, perhaps, that Luke had wholly
passed by what was related by Matthew and Mark, and had written
only what was new, as he has done in his two first chapters. But it
was the will of the Spirit that some things should be established
out of the mouth, not only of two, but of three witnesses; and we
must not reckon it a needless repetition, nor shall we do so if we
renew out meditations upon these things, with suitable affections.
In this chapter we have, I. The beginning of John's baptism, and
the scope and intention of it, <scripRef id="Luke.iv-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:Luke.3.1-Luke.3.6" parsed="|Luke|3|1|3|6" passage="Lu 3:1-6">ver.
1-6</scripRef>. His exhortation to the multitude (<scripRef id="Luke.iv-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:Luke.3.7-Luke.3.9" parsed="|Luke|3|7|3|9" passage="Lu 3:7-9">ver. 7-9</scripRef>), and the particular
instructions he gave to those who desired to be told their duty,
<scripRef id="Luke.iv-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:Luke.3.10-Luke.3.14" parsed="|Luke|3|10|3|14" passage="Lu 3:10-14">ver. 10-14</scripRef>. II. The
notice he gave them of the approach of the Messiah (<scripRef id="Luke.iv-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:Luke.3.15-Luke.3.18" parsed="|Luke|3|15|3|18" passage="Lu 3:15-18">ver. 15-18</scripRef>), to which is added
(though it happened after what follows) the mention of his
imprisonment, <scripRef id="Luke.iv-p1.5" osisRef="Bible:Luke.3.19-Luke.3.20" parsed="|Luke|3|19|3|20" passage="Lu 3:19-20">ver. 19-20</scripRef>.
III. Christ coming to be baptized of John, and his entrance therein
upon the execution of his prophetical office, <scripRef id="Luke.iv-p1.6" osisRef="Bible:Luke.3.21-Luke.3.22" parsed="|Luke|3|21|3|22" passage="Lu 3:21,22">ver. 21, 22</scripRef>. IV. His pedigree and genealogy
recorded up to Adam, <scripRef id="Luke.iv-p1.7" osisRef="Bible:Luke.3.23-Luke.3.38" parsed="|Luke|3|23|3|38" passage="Lu 3:23-38">ver.
23-38</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom id="Luke.iv-p1.8" osisRef="Bible:Luke.3" parsed="|Luke|3|0|0|0" passage="Lu 3" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Luke.iv-p1.9" osisRef="Bible:Luke.3.1-Luke.3.14" parsed="|Luke|3|1|3|14" passage="Lu 3:1-14" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Luke.3.1-Luke.3.14">
<h4 id="Luke.iv-p1.10">Ministry of John the
Baptist.</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Luke.iv-p2">1 Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of
Tiberius Cæsar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judæa, and Herod
being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of
Ituræa and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch
of Abilene,   2 Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the
word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.
  3 And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching
the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;   4 As it
is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying,
The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of
the Lord, make his paths straight.   5 Every valley shall be
filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the
crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways <i>shall be</i>
made smooth;   6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
  7 Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be
baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to
flee from the wrath to come?   8 Bring forth therefore fruits
worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We
have Abraham to <i>our</i> father: for I say unto you, That God is
able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.   9
And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree
therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and
cast into the fire.   10 And the people asked him, saying,
What shall we do then?   11 He answereth and saith unto them,
He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and
he that hath meat, let him do likewise.   12 Then came also
publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we
do?   13 And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which
is appointed you.   14 And the soldiers likewise demanded of
him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do
violence to no man, neither accuse <i>any</i> falsely; and be
content with your wages.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.iv-p3">John's baptism introducing a new
dispensation, it was requisite that we should have a particular
account of it. Glorious things were said of John, what a
distinguished favourite of Heaven he should be, and what a great
blessing to this earth (<scripRef id="Luke.iv-p3.1" osisRef="Bible:Luke.1.15 Bible:Luke.1.17" parsed="|Luke|1|15|0|0;|Luke|1|17|0|0" passage="Lu 1:15,17"><i>ch.</i>
i. 15, 17</scripRef>); but we lost him in the deserts, and there he
remains until <i>the day of his showing unto Israel,</i> <scripRef id="Luke.iv-p3.2" osisRef="Bible:Luke.1.80" parsed="|Luke|1|80|0|0" passage="Lu 1:80"><i>ch.</i> i. 80</scripRef>. And now at last that
day dawns, and a welcome day it was to them that waited for it more
than they that waited for the morning. Observe here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.iv-p4">I. The date of the beginning of John's
baptism, when it was that he appeared; this is here taken notice
of, which was not by the other evangelists, that the truth of the
thing might be confirmed by the exact fixing of the time. And it is
dated,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.iv-p5">1. By the government of the heathen, which
the Jews were under, to show that they were a conquered people, and
therefore it was time for the Messiah to come to set up a spiritual
kingdom, and an eternal one, upon the ruins of all the temporal
dignity and dominion of David and Judah.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.iv-p6">(1.) It is dated by the reign of the Roman
emperor; it was in the fifteenth year of Tiberius Cæsar, the third
of the twelve Cæsars, a very bad man, given to covetousness,
drunkenness, and cruelty; such a man is mentioned first (saith Dr.
Lightfoot), as it were, to teach us what to look for from that
cruel and abominable city wherein Satan reigned in all ages and
successions. The people of the Jews, after a long struggle, were of
late made a province of the empire, and were under the dominion of
this Tiberius; and that country which once had made so great a
figure, and had many nations tributaries to it, in the reigns of
David and Solomon, is now itself an inconsiderable despicable part
of the Roman empire, and rather trampled upon than triumphed
in.</p>
<verse id="Luke.iv-p6.1">
<l class="t1" id="Luke.iv-p6.2"><i>——En quo discordia cives,</i></l>
<l class="t1" id="Luke.iv-p6.3"><i>Perduxit miseros</i>——</l>
<l class="t1" id="Luke.iv-p6.4">What dire effects from civil discord flow!</l>
</verse>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.iv-p7">The lawgiver was now departed from between
Judah's feet; and, as an evidence of that, their public acts are
dated by the reign of the Roman emperor, and therefore now Shiloh
must come.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.iv-p8">(2.) It is dated by the governments of the
viceroys that ruled in the several parts of the Holy Land under the
Roman emperor, which was another badge of their servitude, for they
were all foreigners, which bespeaks a sad change with that people
whose <i>governors</i> used to be <i>of themselves</i> (<scripRef id="Luke.iv-p8.1" osisRef="Bible:Jer.30.21" parsed="|Jer|30|21|0|0" passage="Jer 30:21">Jer. xxx. 21</scripRef>), and it was their
glory. <i>How is the gold become dim!</i> [1.] Pilate is here said
to be the governor, president, or procurator, of Judea. This
character is given of him by some other writers, that he was a
wicked man, and one that made no conscience of a lie. He reigned
ill, and at last was displaced by Vitellius, president of Syria,
and sent to Rome, to answer for his mal-administrations. [2.] The
other three are called <i>tetrarchs,</i> some think from the
countries which they had the command of, each of them being over a
<i>fourth part</i> of that which had been entirely under the
government of Herod the Great. Others think that they are so called
from the post of honour they held in the government; they had the
<i>fourth</i> place, or were <i>fourth-rate</i> governors: the
emperor was the <i>first,</i> the <i>pro-consul,</i> who governed a
province, the <i>second,</i> a <i>king</i> the <i>third,</i> and a
<i>tetrarch</i> the <i>fourth.</i> So Dr. Lightfoot.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.iv-p9">2. By the government of the Jews among
themselves, to show that they were a corrupt people, and that
therefore it was time that the Messiah should come, to reform them,
<scripRef id="Luke.iv-p9.1" osisRef="Bible:Luke.3.2" parsed="|Luke|3|2|0|0" passage="Lu 3:2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>. Annas and
Caiaphas were the high priests. God had appointed that there should
be but one high priest at a time, but here were two, to serve some
ill turn or other: one served one year and the other the other
year; so some. One was the high priest, and the other the
<i>sagan,</i> as the Jews called him, to officiate for him when he
was disabled; or, as others say, one was high priest, and
represented Aaron, and that was <i>Caiaphas;</i> Annas, the other,
was <i>nasi,</i> or head of the sanhedrim, and represented Moses.
But to us there is but one high priest, one Lord of all, to whom
all judgment is committed.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.iv-p10">II. The origin and tendency of John's
baptism.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.iv-p11">1. The origin of it was <i>from heaven: The
word of God came unto John,</i> <scripRef id="Luke.iv-p11.1" osisRef="Bible:Luke.3.2" parsed="|Luke|3|2|0|0" passage="Lu 3:2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>. He received full commission and
full instructions from God to do what he did. It is the same
expression that is used concerning the Old-Testament prophets
(<scripRef id="Luke.iv-p11.2" osisRef="Bible:Jer.1.2" parsed="|Jer|1|2|0|0" passage="Jer 1:2">Jer. i. 2</scripRef>); for John was a
prophet, yea, more than a prophet, and in him prophecy revived,
which had been long suspended. We are not told how <i>the word of
the Lord came</i> to John, whether by an angel, as to his father,
or by dream, or vision, or voice, but it was to his satisfaction,
and ought to be to ours. John is here called <i>the son of
Zacharias,</i> to refer us to what the angel said to his father,
when he assured him that he should have this son. The word of the
Lord came to him <i>in the wilderness;</i> for those whom God
<i>fits</i> he will find out, wherever they are. As the word of the
Lord is not <i>bound</i> in a <i>prison,</i> so it is not
<i>lost</i> in a <i>wilderness.</i> The <i>word of the Lord</i>
made its way to Ezekiel among the captives by the river of Chebar,
and to John in the isle of Patmos. John was the <i>son of a
priest,</i> now entering upon the thirtieth year of his age; and
therefore, according to the custom of the temple, he was now to be
admitted into the temple-service, where he should have attended as
a candidate five years before. But God had called him to a more
honourable ministry, and therefore the Holy Ghost enrols him here,
since he was not enrolled in the archives of the temple: <i>John
the son of Zacharias began his ministration such a time.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.iv-p12">2. The scope and design of it were to bring
all the people of his country off from their sins and home to their
God, <scripRef id="Luke.iv-p12.1" osisRef="Bible:Luke.3.3" parsed="|Luke|3|3|0|0" passage="Lu 3:3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>. <i>He
came</i> first <i>into all the country about Jordan,</i> the
neighbourhood wherein he resided, that part of the country which
Israel took possession of first, when they entered the land of
promise under Joshua's conduct; there was the banner of the gospel
first displayed. John resided in the most solitary part of the
country: but, when the word of the Lord came to him, he quitted his
deserts, and came into the inhabited country. Those that are
<i>best pleased</i> in their retirements must cheerfully
<i>exchange</i> them, when God calls them into places of concourse.
<i>He came</i> out of the wilderness <i>into all the country,</i>
with some marks of distinction, <i>preaching</i> a new
<i>baptism;</i> not a sect, or party, but a <i>profession,</i> or
distinguishing badge. The sign, or ceremony, was such as was
ordinarily used among the Jews, <i>washing with water,</i> by which
proselytes were sometimes admitted, or disciples to some great
master; but the meaning of it was, <i>repentance for the remission
of sins:</i> that is, all that submitted to his baptism,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.iv-p13">(1.) Were thereby obliged to <i>repent of
their sins,</i> to be <i>sorry</i> for what they had done amiss,
and to <i>do so no more.</i> The former they <i>professed,</i> and
were concerned to be <i>sincere</i> in their professions; the
latter they <i>promised,</i> and were concerned to <i>make good</i>
what they promised. He bound them, not to such ceremonious
observances as were imposed by the tradition of the elders, but to
change their mind, and change their way, to <i>cast away from them
all their transgressions,</i> and to <i>make them new hearts</i>
and to live new lives. The design of the gospel, which now began,
was to make men devout and pious, holy and heavenly, humble and
meek, sober and chaste, just and honest, charitable and kind, and
good in every relation, who had been much otherwise; and this is to
<i>repent.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.iv-p14">(2.) They were thereby assured of the
pardon of their sins, upon their repentance. As the baptism he
administered bound them not to submit to the power of sin, so it
sealed to them a gracious and pleadable discharge from the guilt of
sin. <i>Turn yourselves from all your transgressions, so iniquity
shall not be your ruin;</i> agreeing with the word of the Lord, by
the Old-Testament prophets, <scripRef id="Luke.iv-p14.1" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.18.30" parsed="|Ezek|18|30|0|0" passage="Eze 18:30">Ezek.
xviii. 30</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.iv-p15">III. The fulfilling of the scriptures in
the ministry of John. The other evangelists had referred us to the
same text that is here referred to, that of Esaias, <scripRef id="Luke.iv-p15.1" osisRef="Bible:Isa.40.3" parsed="|Isa|40|3|0|0" passage="Isa 40:3"><i>ch.</i> xl. 3</scripRef>. It is <i>written in
the book of the words of Esaias the prophet,</i> which he heard
from God, which he spoke for God, those words of his which were
<i>written</i> for the generations to come. Among them it is found
that there should be <i>the voice of one crying in the
wilderness;</i> and John is that voice, a clear distinct voice, a
loud voice, an articulate one; he cries, <i>Prepare ye the way of
the Lord, and make his paths straight.</i> John's business is to
<i>make way</i> for the entertainment of the gospel in the hearts
of the people, to bring them into such a frame and temper as that
Christ might be welcome to them, and they welcome to Christ. Luke
goes further on with the quotation than Matthew and Mark had done,
and applies the following words likewise to John's ministry
(<scripRef id="Luke.iv-p15.2" osisRef="Bible:Luke.3.5-Luke.3.6" parsed="|Luke|3|5|3|6" passage="Lu 3:5,6"><i>v.</i> 5, 6</scripRef>), <i>Every
valley shall be filled.</i> Dr. Hammond understands this as a
prediction of the desolation coming upon the people of the Jews for
their infidelity: the land should be made plain by the pioneers for
the Roman army, and should be laid waste by it, and there should
then be a visible distinction made between the impenitent on the
one side and the receivers of the gospel on the other side. But it
seems rather to be meant of the gospel of Christ, of which that was
the introduction. 1. The humble shall by it be <i>enriched</i> with
grace: <i>Every valley</i> that lies <i>low</i> and <i>moist</i>
shall be <i>filled</i> and be <i>exalted.</i> 2. The proud shall by
it be humbled; the <i>self-confident</i> that stand upon <i>their
own bottom,</i> and the <i>self-conceited</i> that lift up <i>their
own top,</i> shall have contempt put upon them: <i>Every mountain
and hill shall be brought low.</i> If they repent, they are brought
to the dust; if not, to the lowest hell. 3. Sinners shall be
converted to God: <i>The crooked ways</i> and the <i>crooked</i>
spirits shall be <i>made straight;</i> for, though <i>none can make
that straight which God hath made crooked</i> (<scripRef id="Luke.iv-p15.3" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.7.13" parsed="|Eccl|7|13|0|0" passage="Ec 7:13">Eccl. vii. 13</scripRef>), yet God by his grace can make
that straight which sin hath made crooked. 4. Difficulties that
were hindering and discouraging in the way to heaven shall be
removed: <i>The rough ways shall be made smooth;</i> and they that
love God's law shall have <i>great peace,</i> and <i>nothing shall
offend them.</i> The gospel has made the way to heaven <i>plain</i>
and easy to be <i>found, smooth</i> and easy to be <i>walked
in.</i> 5. The great salvation shall be more fully discovered than
ever, and the discovery of it shall spread further (<scripRef id="Luke.iv-p15.4" osisRef="Bible:Luke.3.6" parsed="|Luke|3|6|0|0" passage="Lu 3:6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>): <i>All flesh shall see
the salvation of God;</i> not the Jews only, but the Gentiles. All
shall <i>see</i> it; they shall have it set before them and offered
to them, and some of all sorts shall <i>see</i> it, enjoy it, and
have the benefit of it. When way is made for the gospel into the
heart, by the captivation of high thoughts and bringing them into
obedience to Christ, by the leveling of the soul and the removing
of all obstructions that stand in the way of Christ and his grace,
then prepare to bid the salvation of God welcome.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.iv-p16">IV. The general warnings and exhortations
which he gave to those who submitted to his baptism, <scripRef id="Luke.iv-p16.1" osisRef="Bible:Luke.3.7-Luke.3.9" parsed="|Luke|3|7|3|9" passage="Lu 3:7-9"><i>v.</i> 7-9</scripRef>. In Matthew he is said
to have preached these same things to <i>many of the Pharisees and
Sadducees,</i> that <i>came to his baptism</i> (<scripRef id="Luke.iv-p16.2" osisRef="Bible:Matt.3.7-Matt.3.10" parsed="|Matt|3|7|3|10" passage="Mt 3:7-10">Matt. iii. 7-10</scripRef>); but here he is said to
have spoken them <i>to the multitude, that came forth to be
baptized of him,</i> <scripRef id="Luke.iv-p16.3" osisRef="Bible:Luke.3.7" parsed="|Luke|3|7|0|0" passage="Lu 3:7"><i>v.</i>
7</scripRef>. This was the purport of his preaching to all that
came to him, and he did not alter it in compliment to the Pharisees
and Sadducees, when they came, but dealt as plainly with them as
with any other of his hearers. And as he did not flatter the
<i>great,</i> so neither did he compliment the <i>many,</i> or make
his court to them, but gave the same reproofs of sin and warnings
of wrath to the <i>multitude</i> that he did to the Sadducees and
Pharisees; for, if they had not the same faults, they had others as
bad. Now observe here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.iv-p17">1. That the guilty corrupted race of
mankind is become a <i>generation of vipers;</i> not only poisoned,
but poisonous; hateful to God, hating one another. This magnifies
the patience of God, in continuing the race of mankind upon the
earth, and not destroying that <i>nest of vipers.</i> He did it
once by water, and will again by fire.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.iv-p18">2. This generation of vipers is fairly
warned to <i>flee from the wrath to come,</i> which is certainly
before them if they continue such; and their being a
<i>multitude</i> will not be at all their security, for it will be
neither <i>reproach</i> nor <i>loss</i> to God to cut them off. We
are not only warned of this wrath, but are put into a way to escape
it, if we look about us in time.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.iv-p19">3. There is no way of <i>fleeing from the
wrath to come,</i> but by <i>repentance.</i> They that submitted to
the baptism of repentance thereby evidenced that they were
<i>warned</i> to flee from the wrath to come and <i>took</i> the
warning; and we by our baptism profess to have fled out of Sodom,
for fear of what is coming upon it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.iv-p20">4. Those that profess repentance are highly
concerned to live like penitents (<scripRef id="Luke.iv-p20.1" osisRef="Bible:Luke.3.8" parsed="|Luke|3|8|0|0" passage="Lu 3:8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>): "<i>Bring forth therefore fruits
meet for repentance,</i> else, notwithstanding your professions of
repentance, you cannot escape <i>the wrath to come.</i>" By the
fruits of repentance it will be known whether it be sincere or no.
By the change of our way must be evidenced the change of our
mind.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.iv-p21">5. If we be not really holy, both in heart
and life, our profession of religion and relation to God and his
church will stand us in no stead at all: <i>Begin not</i> now to
frame excuses from this great duty of repentance, by <i>saying
within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father.</i> What will it
avail us to be the children of godly parents if we be not godly, to
be within the pale of the Church if we be not brought into the bond
of the covenant?</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.iv-p22">6. We have therefore no reason to depend
upon our external privileges and professions of religion, because
God has no need of us or of our services, but can effectually
secure by his own honour and interest without us. If we were cut
off and ruined, he could raise up to himself a church out of the
most unlikely,—<i>children to Abraham</i> even <i>out of
stones.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.iv-p23">7. The greater professions we make of
repentance, and the greater assistances and encouragements are
given us to repentance, the nearer and the sorer will our
destruction be if we do not <i>bring forth fruits meet for
repentance.</i> Now that the gospel begins to be preached, now that
the kingdom of heaven is at hand, <i>now</i> that the <i>axe is
laid to the root of the tree,</i> threatenings to the wicked and
impenitent are now more terrible than before, as encouragements to
the penitent are now more comfortable. "Now that you are upon your
behaviour, look to yourselves."</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.iv-p24">8. Barren trees will be cast into the fire
at length; it is the fittest place for them: <i>Every tree</i> that
doth not bring forth fruit, <i>good fruit,</i> is <i>hewn down,</i>
and <i>cast into the fire.</i> If it serve not for fruit, to the
honour of God's grace, let it serve for fuel, to the honour of his
justice.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.iv-p25">V. The particular instructions he gave to
several sorts of persons, that enquired of him concerning their
duty: the <i>people,</i> the <i>publicans,</i> and the
<i>soldiers.</i> Some of the Pharisees and Sadducees came to his
baptism; but we do not find them asking, <i>What shall we do?</i>
They thought they knew what they had to do as well as he could tell
them, or were determined to do what they pleased, whatever he told
them. But the <i>people,</i> the <i>publicans,</i> and the
<i>soldiers,</i> who knew that they had done amiss, and that they
ought to do better, and were conscious to themselves of great
ignorance and unacquaintedness with the divine law, were
particularly inquisitive: <i>What shall we do?</i> Note, 1. Those
that are <i>baptized</i> must be <i>taught,</i> and those that have
baptized them are concerned, as they have opportunity, to teach
them, <scripRef id="Luke.iv-p25.1" osisRef="Bible:Matt.28.19-Matt.28.20" parsed="|Matt|28|19|28|20" passage="Mt 28:19,20">Matt. xxviii. 19,
20</scripRef>. 2. Those that profess and promise repentance in
general must evidence it by particular instances of reformation,
according as their place and condition are. 3. They that would do
their duty must desire to know their duty, and enquire concerning
it. The first good word Paul said, when he was converted, was,
<i>Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?</i> These here enquire, not,
<i>What shall this man do?</i> but, What shall <i>we</i> do? What
<i>fruits meet for repentance</i> shall we <i>bring forth?</i> Now
John gives answer to each, according to their place and
station.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.iv-p26">(1.) He tells the <i>people</i> their duty,
and that is to be charitable (<scripRef id="Luke.iv-p26.1" osisRef="Bible:Luke.3.11" parsed="|Luke|3|11|0|0" passage="Lu 3:11"><i>v.</i>
11</scripRef>): He <i>that has two coats,</i> and, consequently,
one to spare, let him <i>give,</i> or <i>lend</i> at least, <i>to
him that has none,</i> to keep him warm. Perhaps he saw among his
hearers some that were overloaded with clothes, while others were
ready to perish in rags, and he puts those who had superfluities
upon contributing to the relief of those that had not necessaries.
The gospel requires <i>mercy,</i> and not sacrifice; and the design
of it is to engage us to do all the good we can. <i>Food and
raiment</i> are the two supports of life; he that hath <i>meat</i>
to spare, let him give to him that is destitute of <i>daily
food,</i> as well as he that hath clothes to spare: what we have we
are but stewards of, and must use it, accordingly, as our Master
directs.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.iv-p27">(2.) He tells the <i>publicans</i> their
duty, the collectors of the emperor's revenue (<scripRef id="Luke.iv-p27.1" osisRef="Bible:Luke.3.13" parsed="|Luke|3|13|0|0" passage="Lu 3:13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>): <i>Exact no more than that
which is appointed you.</i> They must do justice between the
government and the merchant, and not oppress the people in levying
the taxes, nor any way make them heavier or more burdensome than
the law had made them. They must not think that because it was
their office to take care that the people did not defraud the
prince they might therefore, by the power they had, bear hard upon
the people; as those that have ever so little a branch of power are
apt to abuse it: "No, keep to your <i>book of rates,</i> and reckon
it enough that you collect for Cæsar the things that are Cæsar's,
and do not enrich yourselves by taking more." The public revenues
must be applied to the public service, and not to gratify the
avarice of private persons. Observe, He does not direct the
publicans to quit their places, and to go no more to the receipt of
custom; the employment is in itself lawful and necessary, but let
them be just and honest in it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.iv-p28">(3.) He tells the <i>soldiers</i> their
duty, <scripRef id="Luke.iv-p28.1" osisRef="Bible:Luke.3.14" parsed="|Luke|3|14|0|0" passage="Lu 3:14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>. Some
think that these soldiers were of the Jewish nation and religion:
others think that they were Romans; for it was not likely either
that the Jews would serve the Romans or that the Romans would trust
the Jews in their garrisons in their own nation; and then it is an
early instance of Gentiles embracing the gospel and submitting to
it. Military men seldom seem inclined to religion; yet these
submitted even to the Baptist's strict profession, and desired to
receive the <i>word of command</i> from him: <i>What must we
do?</i> Those who more than other men have their lives in their
hands, and are in deaths often, are concerned to enquire what they
shall do that they may be <i>found in peace.</i> In answer to this
enquiry, John does not bid them lay down their arms, and desert the
service, but cautions them against the sins that soldiers were
commonly guilty of; for this is fruit meet for repentance, to
<i>keep ourselves from our iniquity.</i> [1.] They must not be
injurious to <i>the people</i> among whom they were quartered, and
over whom indeed they were set: "<i>Do violence to no man.</i> Your
business is to keep the peace, and prevent men's doing violence to
one another; but do not you <i>do violence</i> to any. <i>Shake no
man</i>" (so the word signifies); "do not put people into fear; for
the sword of war, as well as that of justice, is to be a terror
only to evil doers, but a protection to those that do well. Be not
rude in your quarters; force not money from people by frightening
them. Shed not the blood of war in peace; offer no incivility
either to man or woman, nor have any hand in the barbarous
devastations that armies sometimes make." Nor must they <i>accuse
any falsely</i> to the government, thereby to make themselves
formidable, and get bribes. [2.] They must not be injurious to
their <i>fellow-soldiers;</i> for some think that caution, not to
<i>accuse falsely,</i> has special reference to them: "Be not
forward to complain one of another to your superior officers, that
you may be revenged on those whom you have a pique against, or
undermine those above you, and get into their places." <i>Do not
oppress any;</i> so some think the word here signifies as used by
the LXX. in several passages of the Old Testament. [3.] They must
not be given to mutiny, or contend with their generals about their
pay: "<i>Be content with your wages.</i> While you have what you
agreed for, do not murmur that it is not more." It is discontent
with what they have that makes men oppressive and injurious; they
that never think they have enough themselves will not scruple at
any the most irregular practices to make it more, by defrauding
others. It is a rule to all servants that they <i>be content with
their wages;</i> for they that indulge themselves in discontents
expose themselves to many temptations, and it is wisdom to make the
best of that which is.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Luke.iv-p28.2" osisRef="Bible:Luke.3.15-Luke.3.20" parsed="|Luke|3|15|3|20" passage="Lu 3:15-20" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Luke.3.15-Luke.3.20">
<h4 id="Luke.iv-p28.3">Imprisonment of John the
Baptist.</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Luke.iv-p29">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 <i>them</i> 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
<i>is</i> 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.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.iv-p30">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,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.iv-p31">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
<i>prepared,</i> 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 Cæsar; 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, <scripRef id="Luke.iv-p31.1" osisRef="Bible:Luke.19.11" parsed="|Luke|19|11|0|0" passage="Lu 19:11">Luke
xix. 11</scripRef>. 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?" <i>All</i> thinking <i>men mused,</i> or
reasoned, <i>in their hearts,</i> concerning John, <i>whether he
were the Christ or not.</i> 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.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.iv-p32">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, <scripRef id="Luke.iv-p32.1" osisRef="Bible:Luke.3.16-Luke.3.17" parsed="|Luke|3|16|3|17" passage="Lu 3:16,17"><i>v.</i> 16, 17</scripRef>. John's office, as
a crier or herald, was to give notice that the <i>kingdom of
God</i> and the King of that kingdom were <i>at hand;</i> 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 <i>answer</i>
to their <i>musings</i> and debates concerning himself. Though he
knew not their thoughts, yet, in declaring this, he <i>answered</i>
them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.iv-p33">1. He declares that the utmost he could do
was to <i>baptize</i> them <i>with water.</i> He had no access to
<i>the Spirit,</i> nor could command <i>that</i> or work upon
<i>that;</i> he could only exhort them to <i>repent,</i> and assure
them of forgiveness, upon repentance; he could not work repentance
in them, nor confer remission on them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.iv-p34">2. He consigns them, and turns them over,
as it were, to Jesus Christ, for whom he was sent to <i>prepare the
way,</i> 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 <i>debate</i> whether John was the Messiah or no, but to look
for him that was really so.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.iv-p35">(1.) John owns the Messiah to have a
greater <i>excellency</i> than he had, and that he was in all
things preferable to him; he is one the <i>latchet of whose
shoe</i> he does not think himself <i>worthy to loose;</i> he does
not think himself worthy to be the meanest of his servants, to help
him on and off with his shoes. John was <i>a prophet,</i> yea
<i>more than a prophet,</i> more so than any of the Old-Testament
prophets; but Christ was a prophet more than John, for it was both
<i>by the Spirit of Christ,</i> and <i>of the grace of Christ,</i>
that all the prophets prophesied, and John among the rest,
<scripRef id="Luke.iv-p35.1" osisRef="Bible:1Pet.1.10-1Pet.1.11" parsed="|1Pet|1|10|1|11" passage="1Pe 1:10,11">1 Pet. i. 10, 11</scripRef>. 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 <i>does
justice</i> to the Lord Jesus, but <i>does him honour</i> 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.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.iv-p36">(2.) He owns him to have a greater
<i>energy</i> than he had: "He is <i>mightier than I,</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 <i>baptize with water,</i> in token of this, that
they ought to purify and cleanse themselves; but Christ can, and
will, <i>baptize with the Holy Ghost;</i> he can give the Spirit to
cleanse and purify the heart, not only as <i>water</i> washes off
the <i>dirt</i> on the outside, but as <i>fire</i> purges out the
<i>dross</i> that is within, and <i>melts down</i> the metal, that
it may be cast into a <i>new mould.</i> [2.] John can only preach a
<i>distinguishing</i> doctrine, and by word and sign <i>separate
between the precious and the vile;</i> but Christ hath his <i>fan
in his hand,</i> with which he can, and will, perfectly separate
between the wheat and the chaff. He <i>will thoroughly purge his
floor;</i> it is <i>his own,</i> and therefore he will <i>purge</i>
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 <i>speak comfort</i> to those that receive the
gospel, and, like other prophets, <i>say to the righteous</i> that
<i>it shall be well with them;</i> but Jesus Christ will <i>give
them comfort.</i> John can only promise them that they shall be
safe; but Christ will make them so: he will <i>gather the wheat
into his garner;</i> 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 <i>threaten</i>
hypocrites, and tell the <i>barren trees</i> that they shall be
<i>hewn down</i> and <i>cast into the fire;</i> but Christ can
execute that threatening; those that are as <i>chaff,</i> light,
and vain, and worthless, <i>he will burn with fire
unquenchable.</i> John refers here to <scripRef id="Luke.iv-p36.1" osisRef="Bible:Mal.3.18 Bible:Mal.4.1-Mal.4.2" parsed="|Mal|3|18|0|0;|Mal|4|1|4|2" passage="Mal 3:18,4:1,2">Mal. iii. 18; iv. 1, 2</scripRef>. <i>Then,</i>
when the <i>floor is purged, ye shall return, and discern between
the righteous and the wicked,</i> for <i>the day comes that shall
burn as an oven.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.iv-p37">The evangelist concludes his account of
John's preaching with an <i>et cætera</i> (<scripRef id="Luke.iv-p37.1" osisRef="Bible:Luke.3.18" parsed="|Luke|3|18|0|0" passage="Lu 3:18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>): <i>Many other things in his
exhortation preached he unto the people,</i> which are not
recorded. <i>First,</i> John was an <i>affectionate</i> preacher.
He was <b><i>parakalon</i></b>—<i>exhorting,</i> beseeching; he
pressed things home upon his hearers, followed his doctrine close,
as one in earnest. <i>Secondly,</i> He was a <i>practical</i>
preacher. Much of his preaching was <i>exhortation,</i> quickening
them to their duty, directing them in it, and not amusing them with
matters of nice speculation. <i>Thirdly,</i> He was a
<i>popular</i> preacher. Though he had scribes and Pharisees, men
of polite learning, attending his ministry, and Sadducees, men of
<i>free thought,</i> as they pretended, yet he addressed himself
<i>to the people,</i> <b><i>pros ton laon</i></b>—<i>to the
laity,</i> and accommodated himself to their capacity, as promising
himself best success among them. <i>Fourthly,</i> He was an
<i>evangelical</i> preacher, for so the word here used signifies,
<b><i>euengelizeto</i></b>—<i>he preached the gospel</i> to the
people; in all his <i>exhortations,</i> he directed people to
Christ, and excited and encouraged their expectations of
<i>him.</i> When we press duty upon people, we must direct them to
Christ, both for righteousness and strength. <i>Fifthly,</i> He was
a <i>copious</i> preacher: <i>Many other things he preached,</i>
<b><i>polla men kai hetera</i></b>—<i>many things, and
different.</i> He preached a great deal, shunned not to declare the
whole counsel of God; and he <i>varied</i> in his preaching, that
those who were not reached, and touched, and wrought upon, by one
truth, might be by another.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.iv-p38">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
(<scripRef id="Luke.iv-p38.1" osisRef="Bible:Luke.3.19-Luke.3.20" parsed="|Luke|3|19|3|20" passage="Lu 3:19,20"><i>v.</i> 19, 20</scripRef>):
<i>Herod the tetrarch being reproved by him,</i> not only for
living in incest with his brother Philip's wife, but for the many
other <i>evils which Herod had done</i> (for those that are wicked
in one instance are commonly so in many others), he could not
<i>bear it,</i> but contracted an antipathy to him for his plain
dealing, and <i>added</i> this wickedness to all the rest, which
was indeed <i>above all,</i> that he <i>shut up John in prison,</i>
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
<i>voice of one crying in the wilderness?</i> 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.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Luke.iv-p38.2" osisRef="Bible:Luke.3.21-Luke.3.38" parsed="|Luke|3|21|3|38" passage="Lu 3:21-38" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Luke.3.21-Luke.3.38">
<h4 id="Luke.iv-p38.3">The Genealogy of Christ.</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Luke.iv-p39">21 Now when all the people were baptized, it
came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the
heaven was opened,   22 And the Holy Ghost descended in a
bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven,
which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.
  23 And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age,
being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was <i>the son</i>
of Heli,   24 Which was <i>the son</i> of Matthat, which was
<i>the son</i> of Levi, which was <i>the son</i> of Melchi, which
was <i>the son</i> of Janna, which was <i>the son</i> of Joseph,
  25 Which was <i>the son</i> of Mattathias, which was <i>the
son</i> of Amos, which was <i>the son</i> of Naum, which was <i>the
son</i> of Esli, which was <i>the son</i> of Nagge,   26 Which
was <i>the son</i> of Maath, which was <i>the son</i> of
Mattathias, which was <i>the son</i> of Semei, which was <i>the
son</i> of Joseph, which was <i>the son</i> of Juda,   27
Which was <i>the son</i> of Joanna, which was <i>the son</i> of
Rhesa, which was <i>the son</i> of Zorobabel, which was <i>the
son</i> of Salathiel, which was <i>the son</i> of Neri,   28
Which was <i>the son</i> of Melchi, which was <i>the son</i> of
Addi, which was <i>the son</i> of Cosam, which was <i>the son</i>
of Elmodam, which was <i>the son</i> of Er,   29 Which was
<i>the son</i> of Jose, which was <i>the son</i> of Eliezer, which
was <i>the son</i> of Jorim, which was <i>the son</i> of Matthat,
which was <i>the son</i> of Levi,   30 Which was <i>the
son</i> of Simeon, which was <i>the son</i> of Juda, which was
<i>the son</i> of Joseph, which was <i>the son</i> of Jonan, which
was <i>the son</i> of Eliakim,   31 Which was <i>the son</i>
of Melea, which was <i>the son</i> of Menan, which was <i>the
son</i> of Mattatha, which was <i>the son</i> of Nathan, which was
<i>the son</i> of David,   32 Which was <i>the son</i> of
Jesse, which was <i>the son</i> of Obed, which was <i>the son</i>
of Booz, which was <i>the son</i> of Salmon, which was <i>the
son</i> of Naasson,   33 Which was <i>the son</i> of Aminadab,
which was <i>the son</i> of Aram, which was <i>the son</i> of
Esrom, which was <i>the son</i> of Phares, which was <i>the son</i>
of Juda,   34 Which was <i>the son</i> of Jacob, which was
<i>the son</i> of Isaac, which was <i>the son</i> of Abraham, which
was <i>the son</i> of Thara, which was <i>the son</i> of Nachor,
  35 Which was <i>the son</i> of Saruch, which was <i>the
son</i> of Ragau, which was <i>the son</i> of Phalec, which was
<i>the son</i> of Heber, which was <i>the son</i> of Sala,  
36 Which was <i>the son</i> of Cainan, which was <i>the son</i> of
Arphaxad, which was <i>the son</i> of Sem, which was <i>the son</i>
of Noe, which was <i>the son</i> of Lamech,   37 Which was
<i>the son</i> of Mathusala, which was <i>the son</i> of Enoch,
which was <i>the son</i> of Jared, which was <i>the son</i> of
Maleleel, which was <i>the son</i> of Cainan,   38 Which was
<i>the son</i> of Enos, which was <i>the son</i> of Seth, which was
<i>the son</i> of Adam, which was <i>the son</i> of God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.iv-p40">The evangelist mentioned John's
imprisonment before Christ's being baptized, though it was nearly a
year after it, because he would finish the story of John's
ministry, and then introduce that of Christ. Now here we have,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.iv-p41">I. A short account of Christ's baptism,
which had been more fully related by St. Matthew. Jesus came, to be
baptized of John, and he was so, <scripRef id="Luke.iv-p41.1" osisRef="Bible:Luke.3.21-Luke.3.22" parsed="|Luke|3|21|3|22" passage="Lu 3:21,22"><i>v.</i> 21, 22</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.iv-p42">1. It is here said that, <i>when all the
people were baptized,</i> then <i>Jesus was baptized:</i> all that
were then present. Christ would be baptized last, among the common
people, and in the rear of them; thus he humbled himself, and made
himself of no reputation, as one of the least, nay, as less than
the least. He saw what multitudes were hereby prepared to receive
him, and then he appeared.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.iv-p43">2. Notice is here taken of Christ's
<i>praying</i> when he was <i>baptized,</i> which was not in
Matthew: being baptized, and <i>praying.</i> He did not <i>confess
sin,</i> as others did, for he had none to confess; but he
<i>prayed,</i> as others did, for he would thus keep up communion
with his Father. Note, The inward and spiritual grace of which
sacraments are the outward and visible signs must be fetched in by
prayer; and therefore prayer must always accompany them. We have
reason to think that Christ now prayed for this manifestation of
God's favour to him which immediately followed; he prayed for the
discovery of his Father's favour to him, and the descent of the
Spirit. What was promised to Christ, he must obtain by prayer:
<i>Ask of me and I will give thee, &amp;c.</i> Thus he would put an
honour upon prayer, would tie us to it, and encourage us in it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.iv-p44">3. When he prayed, <i>the heaven was
opened.</i> He that by his power parted the waters, to make a way
through them to Canaan, now by his power parted the air, another
fluid element, to open a correspondence with the heavenly Canaan.
Thus was there opened to Christ, and by him to us, <i>a new and
living way into the holiest;</i> sin had shut up heaven, but
Christ's prayer opened it again. Prayer is an ordinance that
<i>opens heaven: Knock, and it shall be opened unto you.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.iv-p45">4. <i>The Holy Ghost descended in a bodily
shape like a dove upon him;</i> our Lord Jesus was now to receive
greater measures of the Spirit than before, to qualify him for his
prophetical office, <scripRef id="Luke.iv-p45.1" osisRef="Bible:Isa.61.1" parsed="|Isa|61|1|0|0" passage="Isa 61:1">Isa. lxi.
1</scripRef>. When he begins to preach, <i>the Spirit of the Lord
is upon him.</i> Now this is here expressed by a sensible evidence
for his encouragement in his work, and for the satisfaction of John
the Baptist; for he was told before that by this sign it should be
notified to him which was the Christ. Dr. Lightfoot suggests that
the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape, that he might be
revealed to be a personal substance, and not merely an operation of
the Godhead: and thus (saith he) was made a full, clear, and
sensible demonstration of the Trinity, at the beginning of the
gospel; and very fitly is this done at Christ's baptism, who was to
make the ordinance of baptism a badge of the profession of that
faith in the doctrine of the Trinity, <i>Father, Son, and Holy
Ghost.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.iv-p46">5. There came <i>a voice from heaven,</i>
from God the Father, from the <i>excellent glory</i> (so it is
expressed, <scripRef id="Luke.iv-p46.1" osisRef="Bible:2Pet.1.17" parsed="|2Pet|1|17|0|0" passage="2Pe 1:17">2 Pet. i. 17</scripRef>),
<i>Thou art my beloved Son.</i> Here, and in Mark, it is expressed
as spoken <i>to</i> Christ; in Matthew as spoken <i>of</i> him:
<i>This is my beloved Son.</i> It comes all to one; it was intended
to be a notification to John, and as such was properly expressed
by, <i>This is my beloved Son;</i> and likewise an answer to his
prayer, and so it is most fitly expressed by. <i>Thou art.</i> It
was foretold concerning the Messiah, <i>I will be his Father, and
he shall be my Son,</i> <scripRef id="Luke.iv-p46.2" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.7.14" parsed="|2Sam|7|14|0|0" passage="2Sa 7:14">2 Sam. vii.
14</scripRef>. <i>I will make him my First-born,</i> <scripRef id="Luke.iv-p46.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.89.27" parsed="|Ps|89|27|0|0" passage="Ps 89:27">Ps. lxxxix. 27</scripRef>. It was also foretold
that he should be God's <i>elect, in whom his soul delighted</i>
(<scripRef id="Luke.iv-p46.4" osisRef="Bible:Isa.42.1" parsed="|Isa|42|1|0|0" passage="Isa 42:1">Isa. xlii. 1</scripRef>); and,
accordingly, it is here declared, <i>Thou art my beloved Son, in
whom I am well pleased.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.iv-p47">II. A long account of Christ's pedigree,
which had been more briefly related by St. Matthew. Here is,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.iv-p48">1. His age: <i>He now began to be about
thirty years of age.</i> So old Joseph was when he stood before
Pharaoh (<scripRef id="Luke.iv-p48.1" osisRef="Bible:Gen.41.46" parsed="|Gen|41|46|0|0" passage="Ge 41:46">Gen. xli. 46</scripRef>),
David when he began to reign (<scripRef id="Luke.iv-p48.2" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.5.4" parsed="|2Sam|5|4|0|0" passage="2Sa 5:4">2 Sam. v.
4</scripRef>), and at this age the priests were to enter upon the
full execution of their office, <scripRef id="Luke.iv-p48.3" osisRef="Bible:Num.4.3" parsed="|Num|4|3|0|0" passage="Nu 4:3">Num. iv.
3</scripRef>. Dr. Lightfoot thinks that it is plain, by the manner
of expression here, that he was just twenty-nine years old
complete, and entering upon his thirtieth year, in the month
<i>Tisri;</i> that, after this, he lived three years and a half,
and died when he was thirty-two years and a half old. <i>Three
years and a half,</i> the time of Christ's ministry, is a period of
time very remarkable in scripture. <i>Three years and six
months</i> the heavens were shut up in Elijah's time, <scripRef id="Luke.iv-p48.4" osisRef="Bible:Luke.4.25 Bible:Jas.5.17" parsed="|Luke|4|25|0|0;|Jas|5|17|0|0" passage="Lu 4:25,Jam 5:17">Luke iv. 25; Jam. v. 17</scripRef>. This
was the half week in which the Messiah was to confirm the covenant,
<scripRef id="Luke.iv-p48.5" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.27" parsed="|Dan|9|27|0|0" passage="Da 9:27">Dan. ix. 27</scripRef>. This period is
expressed in the prophetical writings by a time, times, and half a
time (<scripRef id="Luke.iv-p48.6" osisRef="Bible:Dan.12.7 Bible:Rev.12.14" parsed="|Dan|12|7|0|0;|Rev|12|14|0|0" passage="Da 12:7,Re 12:14">Dan. xii. 7; Rev. xii.
14</scripRef>); and by forty-two months, and a thousand two hundred
and threescore days, <scripRef id="Luke.iv-p48.7" osisRef="Bible:Rev.11.2-Rev.11.3" parsed="|Rev|11|2|11|3" passage="Re 11:2,3">Rev. xi. 2,
3</scripRef>. It is the time fixed for the witnesses' prophesying
in sackcloth, in conformity to Christ's preaching in his
humiliation just so long.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.iv-p49">2. His pedigree, <scripRef id="Luke.iv-p49.1" osisRef="Bible:Luke.3.23" parsed="|Luke|3|23|0|0" passage="Lu 3:23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>, &amp;c. Matthew had given us
somewhat of this. He goes no higher than Abraham, but Luke brings
it as high as Adam. Matthew designed to show that Christ was the
son of Abraham, in whom <i>all the families of the earth are
blessed,</i> and that he was heir to the throne of David; and
therefore he begins with Abraham, and brings the genealogy down to
Jacob, who was the father of Joseph, and heir-male of the house of
David: but Luke, designing to show that Christ was the <i>seed of
the woman,</i> that should break the serpent's head, traces his
pedigree upward as high as Adam, and begins it with Ei, or Heli,
who was the father, not of Joseph, but of the virgin Mary. And some
suggest that the supply which our translators all along insert here
is not right, and that it should not be read <i>which,</i> that is,
which <i>Joseph</i> was the son of Heli, but which <i>Jesus;</i> he
was <i>the son of Joseph, of Eli, of Matthat,</i> &amp;c., and he,
that is, Jesus, was the son <i>of Seth, of Adam, of God,</i>
<scripRef id="Luke.iv-p49.2" osisRef="Bible:Luke.3.38" parsed="|Luke|3|38|0|0" passage="Lu 3:38"><i>v.</i> 38</scripRef>. The difference
between the two evangelists in the genealogy of Christ has been a
stumbling-block to infidels that cavil at the word, but such a one
as has been removed by the labours of learned men, both in the
early ages of the church and in latter times, to which we refer
ourselves. Matthew draws the pedigree from Solomon, whose natural
line ending in Jechonias, the legal right was transferred to
Salathiel, who was of the house of Nathan, another son of David,
which line Luke here pursues, and so leaves out all the kings of
Judah. It is well for us that our salvation doth not depend upon
our being able to solve all these difficulties, nor is the divine
authority of the gospels at all weakened by them; for the
evangelists are not supposed to write these genealogies either of
their own knowledge or by divine inspiration, but to have copied
them out of the authentic records of the genealogies among the
Jews, the heralds' books, which therefore they were obliged to
follow; and in them they found the pedigree of Jacob, the father of
Joseph, to be as it is set down in Matthew; and the pedigree of
Heli, the father of Mary, to be as it is set down here in Luke. And
this is the meaning of <b><i>hos enomizeto</i></b> (<scripRef id="Luke.iv-p49.3" osisRef="Bible:Luke.3.23" parsed="|Luke|3|23|0|0" passage="Lu 3:23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>), not, <i>as it was
supposed,</i> referring only to Joseph, but <i>uti sancitum est
lege—as it is entered into the books,</i> as we find it upon
record; by which is appeared that Jesus was both by father and
mother's side the Son of David, witness this extract out of their
own records, which any one might at that time have liberty to
compare with the original, and further the evangelists needed not
to go; nay, had they varied from that, they had not gained their
point. Its not being contradicted at that time is satisfaction
enough to us now that it is a true copy, as it is further worthy of
observation, that, when those records of the Jewish genealogies had
continued thirty or forty years after these extracts out of them,
long enough to justify the evangelists therein, they were all lost
and destroyed with the Jewish state and nation; for now there was
no more occasion for them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.iv-p50">One difficulty occurs between Abraham and
Noah, which gives us some perplexity, <scripRef id="Luke.iv-p50.1" osisRef="Bible:Luke.3.35-Luke.3.36" parsed="|Luke|3|35|3|36" passage="Lu 3:35,36"><i>v.</i> 35, 36</scripRef>. Sala is said to be the
<i>son of Cainan,</i> and he <i>the son of Arphaxad,</i> whereas
Sala was the son of Arphaxad (<scripRef id="Luke.iv-p50.2" osisRef="Bible:Gen.10.24 Bible:Gen.11.12" parsed="|Gen|10|24|0|0;|Gen|11|12|0|0" passage="Ge 10:24,11:12">Gen. x. 24; xi. 12</scripRef>), and there is no
such man as Cainan found there. But, as to that, it is sufficient
to say that the Seventy Interpreters, who, before our Saviour's
time, translated the Old Testament into Greek, for reasons best
known to themselves inserted that Cainan; and St. Luke, writing
among the <i>Hellenist Jews,</i> was obliged to make use of that
translation, and therefore to take it as he found it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.iv-p51">The genealogy concludes with this, <i>who
was the son of Adam, the son of God.</i> (1.) Some refer it to
Adam; he was in a peculiar manner the <i>son of God,</i> being,
more immediately than any of his offspring, the offspring of God by
creation. (2.) Others refer it to Christ, and so make the last
words of this genealogy to denote his divine and human nature. He
was both the <i>Son of Adam</i> and the <i>Son of God</i> that he
might be a proper Mediator between God and the sons of Adam, and
might bring the sons of Adam to be, through him, the <i>sons of
God.</i></p>
</div></div2>