Lord’s Day, Vol. 13 No. 34
Preparing the Way of the Lord (Luke 3:1-7)
Luke 3:1-2 (KJV) Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene, 2 Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, …
It was in the 15th year of Tiberius Caesar the next Roman Emperor (A.D. 14-37) after the death of Caesar Augustus (Luke 2:1) when our Lord began His ministry at the age of thirty after the account of His baptism, with the Father in heaven directly authenticating Him as His beloved Son – Luke 3:22-23a (KJV) 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. And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, …
After the death of Herod the Great in 4 B.C., his kingdom was divided among his three sons. Archelaus received Judea, Samaria, and Idumea (cf. Matt. 2:21–23), Herod Antipas took over Galilee and Perea, and Philip inherited Iturea and Trachonitis, regions north and west of Galilee. When Archelaus was removed from office in A.D. 6 by Augustus because of misrule, Judea and Samaria were transferred to the control of Roman governors, known as prefects and procurators. Pontius Pilate is one such prefect, governing Judea from A.D. 26–36. In presiding over Jesus’ trial, Pilate will play a key role in Luke’s Gospel.
Herod Antipas ruled over Galilee and Perea from his father’s death until he was deposed by the emperor Caligula in A.D. 39. This is the Herod who imprisoned and eventually executed John the Baptizer after John spoke out against his marriage to Herodias, his brother’s wife. It is also Antipas who wonders about Jesus’ identity (9:7–9) and whom Jesus calls “that fox” (13:31–32). Only Luke records that Jesus stood before Herod during his trial (23:7–12; cf. Acts 4:27). The title “tetrarch” originally meant ruler of a fourth part of a region, but it came to be used of any minor ruler.
Philip, the half-brother of Herod Antipas, ruled as tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis from 4 B.C. until his death in A.D. 34. Generally recognized as the best of the Herodian rulers, he died without an heir, and his territory became part of the Roman province of Syria. He is mentioned in the New Testament only here. The Philip identified in Matthew 14:3 and Mark 6:17 as the husband of Herodias and half-brother of Antipas is a different son of Herod the Great. He lived in Rome and did not rule after his father’s death. The region of Abilene, over which Lysanias ruled as tetrarch, is located northwest of Galilee in Syria.
Luke’s reference to two high priests at first seems odd, since Judaism had only one high priest. Annas, who came to office in A.D. 6, was deposed in A.D. 15 by Valerius Gratus. He was eventually succeeded by his son-in-law Caiaphas, who served from A.D. 18–37. Annas continued to wield enormous influence, however, and was viewed popularly as continuing as high priest. In this sense there were indeed two high priests: one who held the official office and one who wielded power behind the scenes. Luke thus demonstrates an astute historical sense by identifying not only the actual office holder, but also the political intrigues behind the office. [Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary]
Luke 3:2, 4-5 (KJV) … the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. … 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 shall be made smooth;
John, the son of Zecharias, was called of God to be the forerunner of Jesus Christ as the prophet predicted to prepare the way of the Lord (Isaiah 40:3-5; Malachi 3:1, 4:5-6). John, having received the call, began preaching and baptizing. The word of God came to John, just as the Lord began to speak to young Samuel in 1 Samuel 3:10 (KJV) And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.
Isaiah 40:3-5 (KJV) The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: 5 And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
Malachi 3:1 (KJV) Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.
Malachi 4:5-6 (KJV) Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: 6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers,lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.
Luke 3:3 (KJV) And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;
The call for repentance to the people of Israel by John was to jolt them to come back to God having rebelled against Him. John baptized the repentant and contrite ones in the Jordan river symbolizing the washing away of sin. There is forgiveness of sins where there is true repentance when they turn from their sins to Christ, the Lamb of God, that will take away their sins – Luke 3:6 (KJV) And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
Persevering at The 7am Service
Pray the Lord’s blessing for the gathering at The 7am Service, every Tuesday and Friday, till the end of October 2025.
Yours lovingly,
Pastor Lek Aik Wee