Sunday School Lessons: Luke Chapter 3

Luke Chapter 3

3:1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, 2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas,

Remember, Luke is writing a history—the history of Jesus’ life, death, resurrection, and ascension.  Therefore, he dates the ministry of John the Baptist with well known figures of the day.  There are six men mentioned.  Caesar Augustus was ruling when Christ was born, but now Tiberius Caesar rules in Rome.  He was known to be a cruel and wicked man.  Pontius Pilate was the governor of Judea and we have three tetrarchs; Herod of Galilee, his brother Philip, and Lysanias.  All these men were Roman, secular rulers.  There were also two high priests mentioned, Annas and Caiaphas.  In Israel, there was meant to be only one high priest at a time, however, by this time in Israel’s history, Roman rule had affected the Jewish religion.  Annas was the rightful high priest but Caiaphas was the acting high priest, due to interference by the Roman procurator, Gratus.

Luke is the only Gospel writer that fixes the time when Jesus began his ministry and he does it by the mention of these six men.

3b the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness.

Do you remember how a man becomes a priest in Israel?  Let’s stop and think about this.  If John’s father, Zechariah was a priest, then John the Baptist was born into the Levite tribe.  And yet he was not acting as a priest.  John was born a prophet, but God made him His prophet.  How do we know this? 

3 And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 4 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet,

“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord, 
make his paths straight.
5 Every valley shall be filled,
and every mountain and hill shall be made low,
and the crooked shall become straight,
and the rough places shall become level ways,
6 and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’”

John came preaching repentance for the forgiveness of sin and of judgment.  He was a unique individual—Christ Himself said that no man was greater than him (Matt 11:11).  Matthew and Mark tell us that he wore clothes made of camel’s hair and ate locusts and honey.  He was the last of the Old Testament prophets. He was the fulfillment of the prophesy in Isaiah 40—the one crying in the wilderness “Prepare the way of the Lord!”

7 He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 9 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

John calls the people to repentance.  What is repentance? (1 Thess. 1:9)  He calls them to bear the fruit in keeping with repentance.  What do you think that means?  Why is that important?  Repentance is not just saying you’re sorry!  It means turning from your sins and going another direction!  It means turning from sin to God.

10 And the crowds asked him, “What then shall we do?” 11 And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.” 12 Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” 13 And he said to them, “Collect no more than you are authorized to do.” 14 Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.”

The people cried, “What then shall we do?”  Their conscience was awakened.  Let’s go back and review what we learned in the Book of Acts.  (Acts 2:37; 16:30; 22:10)

What did John tell them to do?  Share with those in need. Why?  Because mercy is shown to those who show mercy to others. 

He told the crowds to share and when the tax collectors came to be baptized, they asked the same question.  Rome taxed the people but local men were hired to collect the taxes that went to Rome.  They often demanded more than was owed and even blackmailed people to force them to give.  They were despised.  John tells them to only collect what is due.

Next come the soldiers.  These soldiers were probably Jewish men who served Herod.  The soldiers, too, were using their power to threaten and falsely accuse the people into paying them money.  John told them to be content with what they were paid.

In this way, he was calling them to “show the fruits of repentance.”  No mater what your job or place in life, you will reveal that you are a Christian by the way you conduct yourself.  (Matt 7:20)

15 As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ, 16 John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

The people were looking for the promised Messiah.  John was such an impressive individual that the people were wondering if he might be the Christ!  John makes it clear that he is not, and preached the message he came to preach—that the Christ is coming with judgment.

18 So with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people. 19 But Herod the tetrarch, who had been reproved by him for Herodias, his brother's wife, and for all the evil things that Herod had done, 20 added this to them all, that he locked up John in prison.

John had challenged Herod publically because he had married his brother’s wife.  John was imprisoned because of this.  This happened after Jesus’ baptism, but it is included here as a parenthetical insertion.  Just as you might tell details of a story out of order because you wanted to make a point, Luke does so here.

Next we will read the account of Jesus’ baptism:

21 Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son;  with you I am well pleased.”

Also read:

Matthew 3:13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 14 John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. 16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

Mark begins his Gospel with the baptism of Jesus:

Mark 1:9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

(Discuss the three passages; comparing and contrasting.  Discuss the Trinitarian aspects of the passages and also the importance of Jesus’ submission, even though He had never sinned)

Next comes the genealogy of Jesus.  Luke gives us the genealogy of Jesus through Mary.  Matthew gives us the genealogy of Joseph’s line, beginning with Abraham and through David and Solomon.  Luke starts with Joseph and moves backward to David and then all the way back to Adam.  Jesus’ legal title to the throne of David came through Mary’s husband, Joseph, but his blood title to the throne came through his mother, Mary.

23 Jesus, when he began his ministry, was about thirty years of age, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli, 24 the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph, 25 the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai, 26 the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Josech, the son of Joda, 27 the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel,  the son of Neri, 28 the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er, 29 the son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, 30 the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim, 31 the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David, 32 the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Sala, the son of Nahshon, 33 the son of Amminadab, the son of Admin, the son of Arni, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, 34 the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, 35 the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, 36 the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, 37 the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalaleel, the son of Cainan, 38 the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.

There are many things we can learn by reading through the genealogies of Jesus.  I have highlighted a few familiar names for you.  (discuss briefly) 

The important things I want us to remember for now, though, is that Luke makes it clear that Joseph was not Jesus’ natural father. 

Also, do you remember to whom Luke was addressing his Gospel?  He was speaking to the Gentiles—the whole world!  And so, while Matthew was directing his Gospel to the Jews and traced his genealogy from Abraham forward, Luke traces it backward all the way to Adam.  Why do you think this is important?

*These lessons are written for use with elementary aged students. You can find lessons for previous chapters here . All scriptures are taken from the ESV.