The Gospel of Luke Chapter 3. The Gospel of Luke. Luke - the discerning historian

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate ruled in Judea, Herod was a fourth servant in Galilee, Philip his brother, a fourth servant in Iturea and the Trachonite region, and Lisian the fourth servant in Aviline, under the high priests Anna and Caiaphas, was the verb of God to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. And he went all over the surrounding country of Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. The time and the rulers are rightly mentioned to show that under Christ the succession of the leaders of the Jews ceased; since Pilate, a man from another nation, was the hegemon, the tetrarchs were the sons of Herod the Ascalonite, and therefore it was accepted as true that Christ came, according to the prophecy of Jacob (Gen. 49, 10)! “There was,” said, “the verb of God to John,” so that you would know that he did not come to testify of Christ as an impostor, but because he was moved by the Spirit of God. Under the "verb" mind or the Holy Spirit, or the command of God. The word of God to John was "in the wilderness." Since the children of the abandoned (Church Slavonic - empty), that is, the church of the Gentiles, were more numerous than the children who had a husband (Isa. 54, 1), that is, the Jewish church, the word and command of God was decent to John when he was in a desert. He preached to people the baptism of repentance, that is, confession. And this baptism helped them to the remission of sins given through the baptism of Christ. For the baptism of John did not have the remission of sins, but led to the remission, that is, it prepared people to receive Christ's baptism, which has the remission of sins.

As it is written in the book of words of the prophet Isaiah, which says: The voice of one crying in the wilderness: prepare the way of the Lord, make straight paths to Him; every valley must be filled, and every mountain and hill may decrease, the curvatures will be straightened and uneven paths will become smooth; and all flesh will see the salvation of God. The "path" which commands to prepare is a way of life according to the teaching of Christ; for the Lord soon had to preach. "Paths" are the commandments of the Law, as it were already worn out. It is commanded to make them “direct,” because the Pharisees corrupted the commandments. Under the "path" you can understand the soul, and under the "paths" - thoughts and deeds. So, we must prepare the soul and make right our deeds and thoughts. Then how would anyone ask: how do we accomplish this? For virtue is not easy to fulfill and encounters many intrigues and obstacles both from crafty forces and from passions that live in us? He replies that nothing will be difficult, but everything is convenient. For the valleys will “fill up,” that is, our natural forces, weakened for good and come to a low state, will be replenished; “every mountain and hill,” that is, nasty forces and wishes that seem to be enclosed with nature, have truly weakened: and everything has become smooth, and the curve has changed to a straight line. For Christ abolished the nasty forces that are called mountains and hills here, and revived our natural motives for good, which the evangelist called filled valleys. For this reason He incarnated in order to restore our nature to its own form. “All flesh will see,” it is said, “the salvation of God," not Jews and aliens, but all flesh, for the gospel is carried throughout the earth. One could say many other things, but for the sake of clarity let this be said.

John the people who came to be baptized from him said: the offspring of vipers! who inspired you to flee from future anger? Create worthy fruits of repentance and don’t think to say in yourself: our father is Abraham, for I tell you that God can raise children from these stones for Abraham. Already the ax is at the root of the trees: every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. The Jews call it “the offspring of the vipers,” because they insulted their fathers and mothers; for this animal, they say, eats up the womb and is thus born. Moreover, they killed the prophets and teachers. "Future anger" refers to eternal punishment. “Worthy fruits of repentance” is not only removal from evil, but also exercise in good; for the fulfillment of good is truly the fruit and offspring of repentance. Do not begin to say in yourself that you are of a good kind, and, hoping for your fathers, do not abandon virtues. God will be able to give children to the patriarch from these stones; for almost the same he created before. Although Sarah’s womb was harder than stones, she received the grace of procreation. The Poleaxe is a divine judgment, casting out the unworthy of the living. If, - says, - do not repent, you will be deprived of life. The ax is "at the root" of your trees. By “root” is meant life, as we said. But under the "root" you can also understand the relationship with Abraham. According to the apostle (Rom. 11, 19-21), those who are unworthy to be his branches are cut off from this relationship with Abraham. The punishment is twofold, for the sinful and barren is not only cut off from affinity with the righteous, but is also thrown into the fire.

And his people asked: what shall we do? He told them in response: whoever has two clothes, give that to the poor, and whoever has food, do the same. The tax collectors came to be baptized, and said to him: teacher! what should we do? He answered them: do not demand anything more specific to you. The warriors also asked him: what should we do? And he said to them: Do not offend anyone, do not slander, and be content with your salary. When the people were waiting, and everyone was thinking in their hearts about John, whether he was Christ, —John answered everyone: I will drop you with water, but the Strongest will come, from whom I am not worthy to untie the shoe belt; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His shovel is in his hand, and he will cleanse his threshing floor and gather wheat in his granary, and he will burn the straw with unquenchable fire. He preached much and more to the people, teaching him. John admonishes three classes that came to him: a simple class of people, tax collectors and warriors. He persuades a simple class of people to lay hands on alms, commanding that he who has two clothes give to the poor; the publicans convinces not to exact, that is, not to demand anything superfluous; he persuades the soldiers not to abduct, but to be content with dues, that is, a salary, which is usually given from the king. See how John, a simple class of people, as non-evil, convinces them to do something good, that is, to devote to others, and tax collectors and warriors to refrain from evil. For these were not yet capable, could not do anything good, but it was enough for them - not to do evil. Some commandment - to have two clothes to share with not having - is understood in a moral sense. They say it: two clothes mean the Spirit of Scripture and the letter; having one or the other, John is prompted to communicate to the one who has absolutely nothing; for example, if someone understands the Scripture in both respects, both in letter and in spirit, let him pass it on to him who does not, let him know the unknowing and give him at least a letter. - The virtue of John was so high that everyone thought of him, is he not Christ himself? Averting such an opinion, he says: the difference between me and Christ is, firstly, that "I baptize" with water, and He - with Spirit and fire, and another - that "I am not worthy to even untie His shoe belt." What the words mean: "to baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire" is perfectly clear; for he sent the apostles of the Spirit, and divided tongues of fire appeared over them (Acts 2, 3.4). And the words: “unworthy to untie the belt of shoes”, obviously, mean that I am not worthy to put myself even in His last servants. In a more confidential sense, the shoes of both feet of the Lord are His appearance from heaven to earth and the descent from earth to hell. No one can solve the method of these two phenomena, even if it were even similar to John. For who can say how the Lord was incarnated or how he descended into hell? The words: "His shovel in His hand" means that although He baptizes you, do not think that you are already unpunished; but if you do not keep yourself immaculate in your next life, He will burn you with unquenchable fire. Spit is one who has a barren mind and takes great care only of everyday objects. "He preached a great deal more to the people, teaching him." For good teaching is truly consolation and is rightly called the gospel.

Herod, the fourth-lord, convicted of him for Herodias, the wife of his brother, and for everything that Herod did evil, added to everything else that he also imprisoned John. When all the people were baptized, and Jesus, being baptized, prayed: the heavens were opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on Him in bodily form, like a dove, and there was a voice from heaven, saying: You are My Beloved Son; My grace is in you! The evangelist put a word about Herod here. He seemed to say this: although the people thought highly of John, Herod, convicted of him, added to all his atrocities that he had imprisoned him. It narrates, as it were, with deep sorrow and deep pity that Herod did wrong to John, while the people had a high concept of him. - “Heaven was opened” in order to show us that baptism opens the sky for all, locked by Adam. “The Holy Spirit descended” on Jesus, so that we know from this that the Spirit also comes upon us when we are baptized. For the Lord did not have a need for the Spirit, but He does everything for us and Himself is the firstborn in everything (Col. 1, 18), which we had to accept subsequently in order to be the firstborn in many brethren. "Like a dove," so that we learn that we need to be meek and clean. And just as under Noah the dove depicted the reassurance of God's wrath, so here the Holy Spirit, having drowned sin, reconciled us to God. And the Son hears a voice from the Father uttered to show that he granted us baptism to us baptized. “In You My Grace” - in You I have calmed down.

Jesus starting My ministrywas thirty years old, and was thought to be the Son of Joseph, Iliev, Matfatov, Leviin, Melkhiev, Iannayev, Joseph, Mattafiev, Amos, Naumov, Ifimov, Naggeev, Maafov, Mattafiev, Semeiev, Josephov, Judin, Ioannanov, Risayev, Zavov , Salafiilev, Niriev, Melkhiev, Addiev, Kosamov, Elmodam, Irov, Iosiev, Eliezerov, Iorim, Matfatov, Leviin, Simeonov, Judin, Josephov, Ionanov, Eliakimov, Meleev, Mainov, Mattafayev, Nessov, Ovidov, Davidov , Salmonov, Naasson, Aminadav, Aramov, Esromov, Faresov, Judin, Iakovlev, Isaakov, Abraham, Farrin, Nahorov, Serukhov, Ragav, Falekov, Everov, Salin, Kainanov, Arfaksadov, Simov, Noah, Lamekhov, Methuselah, Enoch, Jared, Maleleilov, Kainanov, Enosov, Sifov, Adam, God. The Lord was baptized, having thirty years, because this age is the most perfect, and in it a person is reverent or unfit. Luke presents the Lord's genealogy in the opposite order, compared with the evangelist Matthew, to show that the one born today in the flesh is from God - for see how the genealogy goes back to God - and together so that we know that He was incarnated so that to bring all mediating fathers to God and make them sons. I can say otherwise: the birth of the Lord, as seedless, met unbelief. Therefore, the evangelist, wanting to show that at another time, man was without seed, from the lowest ascends to Adam and God. He says, as it were: if you do not believe how the second Adam was born without a seed, then, please, turn your mind to the first Adam, and you will find that he was created by God without a seed, and after that do not be unfaithful. Some ask: how does Matthew call Joseph the son of Jacob, and Luke - Iliev? For it is impossible, they say, to the same thing to be the son of two fathers. They answer that Jacob and Eli were single-parent brothers, but from different fathers, that, after Elijah’s death, Jacob took his wife to raise his children from her, and that therefore Joseph is called the son of Jacob by nature, and Iliev - by the Law. For Jacob really gave birth to him by nature, and he was his own son, and he was the son of Iliev only according to the Law. For the Law commanded that the wife of a deceased childless be combined with his brother, and that the union born from this union should be considered a child of the deceased (Deuteronomy 25, 5. 6), although by nature it was from a living person. Therefore, evangelicals speak correctly and do not contradict each other. Matthew recorded the natural father of Joseph, and Luke - due to him by his father according to the Law, that is, Elijah; and both show that the Lord was born in order to sanctify nature and the Law.

1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius of Caesar, when Pontius Pilate ruled in Judea, Herod was a fourth servant in Galilee, Philip his brother, a fourth servant in Iturea and Trachonite, and Lisany a fourth servant in Aviline,

2 with the high priests Anne and Caiaphas, there was a verb of God to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.

John the Baptist Artist Gertgen Toth Sint Jans 1490

3 And he went all over the surrounding country of Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins,

4 as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah, which says: The voice of one crying in the wilderness: prepare the way of the Lord, make straight paths to Him;

5 every valley must be filled, and every mountain and hill may be lowered, the curvatures straightened and uneven paths made smooth;

6 And all flesh will see the salvation of God.

7 John to the people who came to be baptized from him said: The offspring of vipers! who inspired you to flee from future anger?

Preaching of the Forerunner. Artist Domenico Ghirlandaio 1486-1490

8 And make worthy fruits of repentance, and do not think to say in yourself: our father is Abraham, for I tell you that God can raise children from these stones for Abraham.

9 Already the ax is at the root of the trees: every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

10 And his people asked: What shall we do?

11 He answered and said to them: whoever has two clothes, give him to the poor, and whoever has food, do the same.

12 And the tax collectors came to be baptized, and said to him: teacher! what should we do?

13 He answered them: Do not demand anything more specific to you.

14 And the soldiers also asked him: What shall we do? And he said to them: Do not offend anyone, do not slander, and be content with your salary.

John is a preacher in the wilderness. Artist J. Sh. Von KAROLSFELD

15 When the people were waiting, and everyone was thinking in their hearts about John, whether he was Christ, 16 John answered everyone: I baptize you with water, but the Strongest of me comes, from Whom I am not worthy to untie the shoe belt; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

17 His shovel is in his hand, and he will cleanse his threshing floor and gather wheat in his granary, and he will burn the straw with unquenchable fire.

18 Much more and more he preached to the people, teaching him.

19 Herod is a tetrarch, convicted of him for Herodias, the wife of his brother, and for all that Herod did evil,

20 added to everything else that John had put in prison.

21 But when all the people were baptized, and Jesus, being baptized, prayed: heaven was opened,

22 and the Holy Spirit descended on Him in bodily form, like a dove, and there was a voice from heaven, saying: You are My Beloved Son; My grace is in you!

23 Jesus, beginning His ministry, was about thirty years old, and was thought to be the Son of Joseph, Elijah,

24 Matfatov, Leviin, Melkhiev, Iannaev, Josephov,

25 Mattafiev, Amosov, Naumov, Ifimov, Naggeev,

26 Maafov, Mattafiev, Semeyev, Josephov, Judah,

27 Ioannanov, Risaev, Zerubbabel, Salafiilev, Niriev,

28 Melkhiev, Addiev, Kosamov, Elmodamov, Irov,

29 Josiev, Eliezerov, Iorim, Matfatov, Leviin,

30 Simeonov, Judah, Joseph, Jonans, Eliakim,

31 Meleaev, Maininov, Mattafayev, Nafanov, Davidov,

32 Jesse, Ovid, Boaz, Salmon, Naasson,

33 Aminadavov, Aramov, Yesromov, Faresov, Judin,

34 Jacob, Isaac, Abraham, Farrin, Nahorov,

35 Serukhov, Ragav, Falekov, Everov, Salin,

36 Cainans, Arfaksad, Sims, Noah, Lamechov,

37 Methuselah, Enoch, Jared, Maleleilov, Kainanov,

38 Enosov, Seth, Adam, God.

1-6. Speech by John the Baptist. - 7-17. Sermon of John the Baptist. - 18–20. The capture of John the Baptist in prison. - 21–38. The baptism and genealogy of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Luke 3: 1. In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate ruled in Judea, Herod was a tetrarch in Galilee, Philip his brother, a tetrarch in Iturea and Trachonite, and Lysanius a tetrarch in Aviline,

Luke 3: 2. when the chief priests Anne and Caiaphas, there was a verb of God to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness.

The Evangelist Luke, the first writer to introduce the gospel history with precise chronological instructions in global history, gives here an exact definition of the time when the ministry of John the Baptist, the Forerunner of the Messiah, began.

"In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar" - more correctly: "as Caesar." Augustus, who was succeeded by his stepson, Tiberius, died on August 19, 767. But even earlier, around 765, he appointed Tiberius as his co-ruler. Where does the evangelist say from the fifteenth year? From the beginning of his companionship to Augustus or from the beginning of an independent reign? In all likelihood, since the beginning of his confession to Augustus, since below the Evangelist Luke says that Christ was baptized at the age of about thirty years (verse 23). Assuming that Christ was born in 749, and adding 30 years to this, we get 779, and subtracting 15 years of Tiberius’s rule from here, we get 764, the very year that Augustus made Tiberius his co-ruler.

“Pontius Pilate ruled in Judea” (see comments on Matthew 27: 2). Pilate reigned from the end of 778 to 789.

“Herod” (see comments on Matthew 2:22) reigned from 750 to 792, when he was deposed.

“Philip his brother” also ruled from 750 until his death in 786. He ruled Iturea, by which we can understand the ancient Gilead (eastern side of the Jordan). If Josephus did not mention the name of this region, then he probably meant it by the name of Vataney or Avranitida, about whose membership in the tetrarchy of Philip he reports (Josephus, "Jewish Antiquities", XVII, 11, 4). The Trachonite region was also located east of the Jordan, above Iturea.

"Lysany." Recent critics insist that the Evangelist Luke fell into an anachronism here, that Lisany reigned in Avilinia almost 60 years before the time described here, and that he was not a tetrarch at all. But recent research suggests that there were two Lysanias - one that ruled Avilinia 60 years before the performance of John the Baptist, and the other - contemporary to this performance. This last one is called directly “tetrarch” in one Greek inscription that Pococcus found near Nebi Abel (ancient Avila - a city northwest of Damascus, at the foot of Lebanon). Then Josephus Flavius \u200b\u200btestifies that Agrippa, upon the death of Tiberius, received the tetrarchy of Philip and the tetrarchy of Lysanius (Josephus Flavius. “Jewish Antiquities”, XVIII, 6, 10). Here, Josephus cannot have in mind the first Lisia, who had already died long ago and whose kingdom is nowhere called tetrarchy.

"Under the High Priests Anne and Caiaphas." Actually, the high priest at that time was Caiaphas alone. See comments on Matt. 26: 3. But his father-in-law, Anna, or, more correctly, Anan, formerly the high priest and deposed by the procurator Vitellius, continued, by virtue of his character, to enjoy great influence. And since he was older than Caiaphas by the high priesthood, the evangelist places him above the last. Draw from this mention of the two high priests the conclusion that the Evangelist Luke wanted to show by this that the ancient theocracy fell into complete decline, which could only be eliminated by the Messiah (as, say, Prof. Theological. Public service of the Lord Jesus Christ, vol. 1 p. 17), there are absolutely no grounds, just as it is unreasonable in Luke's previous reference to different secular rulers to see his desire to characterize the political decline of the Jewish people.

“There was a verb of God”, i.e. God commanded John to speak in the ministry (cf. Jer. 1: 2; Isa. 38 et seq.).

“In the wilderness” (see comments on Luke 1:80).

Luke 3: 3. And he went all over the surrounding country of Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins,

"And he walked ..." More precisely: "and he walked all over the Jordan." See comments on Matt. 3: 5.

"Preaching ...". A repetition of what is said of Mark (Mark 1: 4).

Luke 3: 4. as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah, which says: The voice of one crying in the wilderness: prepare the way of the Lord, make straight paths to Him;

Luke 3: 5. every valley must be filled, and every mountain and hill may decrease, the curvatures will be straightened and uneven paths will become smooth;

Luke 3: 6. and all flesh will see the salvation of God.

(See Matt. 3: 3).

The Evangelist Luke, however, cites the prophecy of Isaiah in a more complete form than Matthew and Mark (Mark 1: 3). In addition to the 3rd verse of the 40th chapter, he cites the 4th and 5th (according to the text of the Seventy, with minor changes of his own).

“In the book of words ...”, i.e. in a book containing the words or sayings of the prophet Isaiah (cf. Am. 1: 1 - “the words of Amos”).

"Every dol", i.e. any valley, lowland, ravine (φάραγξ). These, as well as the following expressions: mountain, hill, curvature, uneven paths, are all images that serve to indicate moral obstacles that should be removed by John from the path by which the Messiah goes to His people. These obstacles can only be removed through sincere repentance of the people.

“The Salvation of God” (see comments on Luke 2:30). The evangelist, according to the prophet, here implies messianic salvation, which, with the advent of the Messiah and through Him, will become accessible to the contemplation of all people (“all flesh” - this expression denotes humanity on the part of its weakness and need for Divine help, and also points to the universality of salvation , cf. Acts 2: 17). The Evangelist, obviously, just for this reason continued the quotation from the book of Isaiah in order to make it clear to his readers that the salvation offered by Christ was appointed for all nations.

Luke 3: 7. John to the people who came to be baptized from him said: The offspring of vipers! who inspired you to flee from future anger?

Luke 3: 8. Create worthy fruits of repentance and don’t think to say in yourself: our father is Abraham, for I tell you that God can raise children from these stones for Abraham.

Luke 3: 9. Already the ax is at the root of the trees: every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

These verses are an almost literal repetition of Matthew. 3: 7-10. The only difference is that in Matthew John refers to the Pharisees and Sadducees, and in Luke to crowds of people. But, as can be seen from the menacing tone of speech, Luke also meant that the Pharisees and Sadducees were predominant in the crowd, only he did not mention them separately. For more, see the comments on Matt. 3: 7-10.

Luke 3: 10. And his people asked: what shall we do?

Luke 3: 11. He told them in response: whoever has two clothes, give that to the poor, and whoever has food, do the same.

Luke 3: 12. The tax collectors came to be baptized, and said to him: teacher! what should we do?

Luke 3: 13. He answered them: do not demand anything more specific to you.

Luke 3:14. The warriors also asked him: what should we do? And he said to them: Do not offend anyone, do not slander, and be content with your salary.

John's instructions to the common people, which he gave in response to a question from the people, are transmitted by one evangelist Luke. The general idea of \u200b\u200bthese instructions is as follows. The real fruits of repentance are not something special, unbearable, but simply honest fulfillment of their responsibilities.

"Who has two clothes ...". By this John recalls the obligation of each to help his needy neighbor than anyone can.

"Give. one.

“Who has food” - not only large stocks of food, but also a small amount.

“Do the same”, i.e. share a piece of bread.

"Publicans" (see comments on Matt. 5:46). The publicans could think that John would force them to completely abandon their ministry that was hated by the people.

“More specific to you”, i.e. more than what the government ordered you to gather from the people. Usually, tax collectors demanded a lot in their personal favor.

"Warriors". There could be Jewish soldiers and Roman soldiers from various other nations, who were also passionate about John's preaching. They, like the tax collectors, felt partly guilty that their maintenance was a heavy burden on the people. Often, they also had to take someone else's property by force during campaigns, and this seemed to them an inevitable matter of their profession. How do they repent now? Is it absolutely necessary to leave military service, since it forces them to commit such injustices in relation to their neighbor? John, in response, tells them that they can do without such injustices - let them live by their salaries.

“Do not slander”, or rather: “do not denounce” (συκοφαντήσητε - a word that originally denoted among the Greeks a denunciation of violating the government’s ban on fig export).

Luke 3: 15. When the people were waiting, and everyone thought in their hearts about John, whether he was Christ, -

Luke 3: 16. John answered all: I baptize you with water, but the Strongest of me is coming, Whose I am not worthy to untie the shoe belt; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Luke 3:17. His shovel is in his hand, and he will cleanse his threshing floor and gather wheat in his granary, and he will burn the straw with unquenchable fire.

“The imperious word of the Forerunner sealed by supreme human dignity, his new teaching, answering the holiest requests of the soul, combined with its outward, extraordinary appearance and the most artless preaching, made such a strong impression on the people that many were perplexed and thought in their hearts , Isn't this the Messiah promised to Israel? This mood of minds could easily: lead to harmful consequences for John and his goal. Strictly faithful to his calling, not wanting glory that does not belong to himself, John warns of the possibility of such an extreme hobby and explains to bewildered people in short but strong expressions the true meaning of his ministry and his attitude towards the Messiah ”(Theological, p. 50).

“Is not he Christ?” More precisely: “is not he (μήποτε αὐτός) Christ?” John spoke of another Christ, but maybe we - the people thought - didn’t understand something? Maybe he meant himself?

Other see comments on Matt. 3: 11-12.

Luke 3:18. He preached much and more to the people, teaching him.

Luke 3:19. Herod is the fourth servant, convicted of him for Herodias, the wife of his brother, and for all that Herod did evil,

Luke 3: 20. added to everything else that John had put in prison.

“Much and another preached the gospel ...”. The Evangelist Luke here notes that he, like the other Evangelicals, of course, cites John’s sermon only in abbreviation. By “gospel” one must understand a sermon on the coming Messiah, which John described in very lively terms. This sermon, as can be seen from the Gospel of Matthew (Matthew 11:12), brought good fruits: it aroused the desire for the Kingdom of Heaven among the people.

“Herod ...” Before proceeding to the story of the appearance of Jesus Christ in public service, the Evangelist Luke considers it necessary to conclude his speech on the fate of John the Baptist. What he says here, in Matthew and Mark is said in a different sequence (see Matt. 14 et seq .; Mk 6 et seq.).

Luke 3: 21. When all the people were baptized, and Jesus, being baptized, prayed: heaven was opened,

Luke 3: 22. and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form, like a dove, and there was a voice from heaven, saying: You are My Beloved Son; My grace is in you!

"When did all the people baptize." This is a more definite remark than Matthew (Matthew 3:13) and Mark (Mark 1: 9) about the time of Christ's baptism. “This happened, says the Evangelist Luke, when the people showed a universal desire to receive baptism from John.” And this indicates the end of the preaching work of the Forerunner (Theological, p. 63).

"Prayed." This is indicated only by Luke, who notes that baptism was an especially important event in the life of Christ (cf. Matt. 26:36; Luke 9:28).

"The sky has opened." Matthew and Mark say that the opening of heaven was a matter of vision (Matt. 3:16; Mk. 1:10), and therefore some commentators tend to present this “rejection” not as something actual, but as something that seems to known persons. But the evangelist Luke cuts off any path to such interpretations, saying that the sky was opened and without adding that it was a vision. This miracle, as well as the subsequent descent of the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove and the voice of God the Father - all these were real events.

“The Holy Spirit ...” (see comments on Matthew 3:16).

“In the bodily form”, i.e. He appeared in the ordinary form of a dove.

"You". The Evangelist Luke in this is similar to Mark (Matthew - "This") see Mk. 1:11.

"In you...". The Evangelist Luke here again conveys the voice of God the Father as a direct appeal to Christ (in Matthew and Mark - “in whom”).

Luke 3:23. Jesus, beginning His ministry, was about thirty years old, and was thought to be the Son of Joseph, Elijah,

Luke 3: 24. Matfatov, Leviin, Melkhiev, Iannayev, Josephov,

Luke 3: 25. Mattafiev, Amosov, Naumov, Ifimov, Naggeev,

Luke 3: 26. Maafov, Mattafiev, Semeyev, Josephov, Judah,

Luke 3: 27. Ioannanov, Risaev, Zorobavel, Salafiilev, Niriev,

Luke 3: 28. Melkhiev, Addiev, Kosamov, Elmodamov, Irov,

Luke 3: 29. Iosiev, Eliezerov, Iorim, Matfatov, Leviin,

Luke 3:30. Simeonov, Judah, Joseph, Jonans, Eliakim,

Luke 3:31. Meleaev, Maininov, Mattafayev, Nafanov, Davidov,

Luke 3: 32. Jesse, Ovid, Boaz, Salmon, Naasson,

Luke 3:33. Aminadavov, Aramov, Esromov, Faresov, Judah,

Luke 3:34. Iakovlev, Isaakov, Abraham, Farrin, Nahorov,

Luke 3:35. Serukhov, Ragav, Falekov, Everov, Salin,

Luke 3:36. Kainanov, Arfaksadov, Simov, Noah, Lamekhov,

Luke 3:37. Methuselah, Enoch, Jared, Maleleilov, Kainanov,

Luke 3:38. Enosov, Seth, Adam, God.

It indicates the year Christ spoke in public service.

"Jesus, beginning His ministry ..." is more correct: "and He Himself - of Whom was the voice of God (verse 22) - namely, Jesus, was, at the beginning of His activity (ἀρχόμενος), at the age of about thirty years." Evangelist Luke obviously puts the beginning of Christ's ministry as the “anointing” of Christ with the Holy Spirit during baptism. From here, you can approximately indicate the year of the general calendar, in which this performance took place. As we have already accepted (see verse 1), the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius is 779 from the foundation of Rome. But Jesus Christ was probably baptized the next year after the speech of John the Baptist, which took place in this year 779, therefore, approximately in 780. From this we can also derive, again, of course, approximately, the year of Christ's birth. Counting 30 years from the 780th year, we get 750 for the birth of Christ. Meanwhile, our account of the years from the Nativity of Christ, founded by the monk Dionysius, suggests that Christ was born in 752 — two or three years later against the deadline.

"About thirty years." Usually at this age, as the age of full maturity, the Levites took up their posts (Num. 4: 3, 23).

"And there was, as they thought, the Son of Joseph, Elijah." In Greek: ὤν, ὡς ἐνομίζετο, υἱὸς Ἰωσήφ, τοῦ Ἠλί. With this reading, the word “Son” (υἱός) refers to the word “Joseph” (Ἰωσήφ). But the absence of the article in front of the name Joseph prohibits recognizing such a combination: after all, everywhere the father’s attitude to his son is denoted by the arithic (τοῦ). No, the absence of the article before the word “Joseph”, rather, makes us think that the Evangelist does not make Joseph among the ancestors of Jesus Christ. It is therefore better to accept a reading of the Code of Alexandria, where the word “Son” (υἱός) is attached to the sacrament ἦν (in Russian: “was”). Then it will be necessary to convey this verse in Russian as follows: "and there was (more precisely: being) the Son, as was supposed, of Josephs — (actually) Iliev." But who is Eli? According to the most probable assumption, which in science replaced the previously accepted explanation of Julius Afrikan (cf. Interpretation on the Gospel of Matthew, ch. 1), it was the father of the Blessed Virgin Mary. She herself, according to Jewish tradition, is not included in the number of members of the genealogy of Christ, but it was very important for the evangelist to indicate that Christ in the flesh is a true descendant of David, which he does by giving the genealogy of Father Mary and showing that Mary really came from David .

The Evangelist Luke thus leads the genealogy of Christ through His maternal grandfather and in ascending order. Here, however, we meet with two such names (verse 27), which are repeated in the genealogy reported by the Evangelist Matthew as the genealogy of Joseph (Matthew 1:12) - namely with the names of Zerubbabel and Salaphiel. But this perplexity can be solved simply: both of them were indeed the common ancestors of Joseph and Mary, and then the evangelists already list the different — two — sons of Zerubbabel, from one of whom came the family of Joseph, and the other - the family of Mary. More important than other perplexities that arise here. How is it to explain that Luke calls Zerubbabel the son of Salaphiel (also Matthew), while in the book of Chronicles (1 Chronicles 3: 18-19), Zerubbabel is called the son of Fedaiya? Probably, this can be explained by the law of scrubbing. Fedaiya was the brother of Salafiel, and therefore, after the death of the latter, he could marry his childless widow, and from this marriage Zerubbabel could be born. Of course, the reverse could also happen, in the event of the death of Fedayia, in a word, either the evangelists or the writer of the book Chronicles call Zorubbabel’s father not the real, real, but legal, whose name was Zorubbabel.

Finally, with regard to the fact that in the book of Chronicles (1 Chronicles 3:20) among the sons of Zerubbabel the Risai mentioned here is not mentioned, this can be explained by the fact that the writer of the books of Chronicles named all the sons of Zerubbabel, or by the fact that some of two sons were named after each other (Theological, Childhood of Jesus Christ, p. 54).

In verse 37, the name Cainan is mentioned, found only in the translation of Genesis at Seventy (Genesis 10:24). This name, in all likelihood, was also in the original text.

In verse 38, the Evangelist Luke calls Christ the son of Adam, God. It is unnatural to imagine that the evangelist put Adam in such an attitude towards God, in which Seth put him to Adam, i.e. in relation to sonship by birth. Therefore, it is more correct to attribute the word “God” to the word “Jesus” in verse 23. Thus, it will be pointed out here that, according to her bodily origin, the Son of Mary was at the same time the Son of God.

It is remarkable that in Luke the genealogy is divided into Sedmeritsa, which are connected three times three in one section and once - two in a section, namely:

1) from Jesus to Neria - 21 kind (3 x 7),

2) from Niriy to David - 21 genera (3 x 7),

3) from David to Abraham - 14 genera (2 x 7), and

4) from Abraham to Adam - 21 genera (3 x 7).

Of course, such agreement is obtained when the final persons of the week are considered the initial members of the next week.

Since tradition calls Father Mary not Elijah, but Joachim, to explain this we can again recall the custom of the Jews to bear two names - one given at birth and the other adopted on the occasion of some extraordinary event in human life.

As for the question why the Evangelist Luke does not place the genealogy of Christ where the Evangelist Matthew, i.e. not at the beginning of the Gospel, this circumstance can be explained by the custom of the Hebrew writers to give genealogical tables of famous historical figures where the beginning of the activity of these persons is depicted (see Exodus 6: 4-26).

. In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate ruled in Judea, Herod was a fourth servant in Galilee, Philip his brother, a fourth servant in Iturea and the Trachonite region, and Lisany a fourth servant in Avilina,

The time and the rulers are rightly mentioned to show that under Christ the succession of the leaders of the Jews ceased; since Pilate, a man from another nation, was the hegemon, the four-rulers were the sons of Herod the Ascalonite, and therefore it was accepted as true that Christ came, according to the prophecy of Jacob ().

. when the chief priests Anne and Caiaphas, there was a verb of God to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness.

"Was," said, " the verb of God to John "so that you know that he came to testify of Christ not as an impostor, but because he was moved by the Spirit of God. Under the “verb” of the mind or the Holy Spirit, or the command of God. The word of God to John was "in the wilderness." Since the children of the abandoned church, that is, the church from the Gentiles, were more numerous than the children of “having a husband” (), that is, the Jewish church, the word and command of God was decent to John when he was in the wilderness.

. And he went all over the surrounding country of Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins,

He preached to people “Baptism of repentance”, that is, confession. And this baptism helped them to the remission of sins given through the baptism of Christ. For the baptism of John did not have the remission of sins, but led to the remission, that is, it prepared people to receive the baptism of Christ, which has the remission of sins.

. As written in the book of words of the prophet Isaiah, who says (): the voice of one crying in the wilderness: prepare the way for the Lord, make straight the paths to Him;

. every valley must be filled, and every mountain and hill may decrease, the curvatures will be straightened and uneven paths will become smooth;

The "path" which commands to prepare is a way of life according to the teaching of Christ; for the Lord soon had to preach. "Paths" are the commandments of the Law, as it were already worn out. It is commanded to make them “direct,” because the Pharisees corrupted the commandments. Under the "path" you can understand the soul, and under the "paths" - thoughts and deeds. So, we must prepare the soul and make right our deeds and thoughts. Then how would anyone ask: how do we accomplish this? For virtue is not easy to fulfill and encounters many intrigues and obstacles both from crafty forces and from passions that live in us? He replies that nothing will be difficult, but everything is convenient. For the valleys are "filled", that is, our natural forces, weakened for good and come to a low state, will be replenished; "Every mountain and hill", that is, the opposing forces and wishes that seem to be enclosed with nature have truly weakened: and everything became smooth, and the curve turned into a straight line. For Christ abolished the nasty forces that are called mountains and hills here, and revived our natural motives for good, which the evangelist called filled valleys. For this reason He incarnated in order to restore our nature to its own form.

. and all flesh will see the salvation of God.

“All flesh shall behold, ”It is said,“ the salvation of God, ”“ not only Jews but aliens, but “all flesh,” for the gospel is carried throughout the earth. One could say many other things, but for the sake of clarity let this be said.

. John the people who came to be baptized from him said: the offspring of vipers! who inspired you to flee from future anger?

The Jews call it “the offspring of mi echidnins,” because they insulted their fathers and mothers; for this animal, they say, eats up the womb and is thus born. Moreover, they killed the prophets and teachers. “Future anger” refers to eternal punishment.

. Create worthy fruits of repentance and don’t think to say in yourself: our father is Abraham, for I tell you that God can raise children from these stones for Abraham.

“Worthy fruits of repentance” is not only a distance from evil, but also an exercise in good; for the fulfillment of good is truly the fruit and offspring of repentance. Do not start saying in yourself that you are of a good kind, and, hoping for your fathers, do not abandon virtues. God will be able to give children from “these stones ... to the patriarch; for He had created almost the same before. Although Sarah’s womb was harder than stones, she received the grace of procreation ().

. Already the ax is at the root of the trees: every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

The Poleaxe is a divine judgment, casting out the unworthy of the living. If, - says, - do not repent, you will be deprived of life. The ax is "at the root of your trees." By “root” is meant life, as we said. But under the "root" can be understood and kinship with Abraham. According to the apostle (), those who are not worthy to be his branches are cut off from this relationship with Abraham. The punishment is twofold, for the sinful and barren is not only cut off from affinity with the righteous, but is also thrown into the fire.

. And his people asked: what shall we do?

. He told them in response: whoever has two clothes, give that to the poor, and whoever has food, do the same.

. The tax collectors came to be baptized, and said to him: teacher! what should we do?

. He answered them: do not demand anything more specific to you.

. The warriors also asked him: what should we do? And he said to them: Do not offend anyone, do not slander, and be content with your salary.

John admonishes three classes that came to him: a simple class of people, tax collectors and warriors. He persuades a simple class of people to lay hands on alms, commanding that he who has “two clothes” give to the poor; the publicans convinces not to exact, that is, not to demand anything superfluous; he persuades the soldiers not to abduct, but to be content with dues, that is, a salary, which is usually given from the king. See how John, a simple class of people, as non-evil, convinces them to do something good, that is, to devote to others, and tax collectors and warriors to refrain from evil. For these were not yet capable, could not do anything good, but it was enough for them - not to do evil. Some command - to have “two clothes” to share with not having - is understood in a moral sense. They say it: two clothes mean the Spirit of Scripture and the letter; having one or the other, John is prompted to communicate to the one who has absolutely nothing; for example, if someone understands the Scripture in both respects, both in letter and in spirit, let him pass it on to him who does not, let him know the unknowing and give him at least a letter.

. When the people were waiting, and everyone thought in their hearts about John, whether he was Christ, -

. John answered everyone: I baptize you with water, but the Strongest of me is coming, Whose I am not worthy to untie the shoe belt; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

The virtue of John was so high that everyone thought of him, is he not Christ himself? Averting such an opinion, he says: the difference between me and Christ, firstly, is that "I baptize ... water", and “He ... - by the Spirit ... and by fire”and the other is that “I am not even worthy untie the shoe belt » His. What do the words mean: “Baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire”, absolutely clear; for He sent the apostles of the Spirit, and divided tongues of fire appeared over them (). And the words: "Unworthy to untie the shoe belt", obviously, mean that I am not worthy to put myself even in His last servants. In a more confidential sense, the shoes of both feet of the Lord are His appearance from heaven to earth and the descent from earth to hell. No one can solve the method of these two phenomena, even if it were even similar to John. For who can say how the Lord was incarnated or how he descended into hell?

. His shovel is in his hand, and he will cleanse his threshing floor and gather wheat in his granary, and he will burn the straw with unquenchable fire.

The words: “His Shovel in His Hand” mean that although He baptizes you, do not think that you are already unpunished; but if you do not keep yourself immaculate in your next life, He will “burn you unquenchable fire ". Spit is one who has a barren mind and takes great care only of everyday objects.

. He preached much and more to the people, teaching him.

For good teaching is truly consolation and is rightly called the gospel.

. Herod is a tetrarch, convicted of him for Herodias, the wife of his brother, and for all that Herod did the evil,

. added to everything else that John had put in prison.

. When all the people were baptized, and Jesus, being baptized, prayed:

The evangelist put a word about Herod here. He kind of says it: although the people thought highly of John, Herod, "Convicted of him"to all his atrocities "Added ... and what he concluded imprisoned him. ”It is narrated, as it were, with deep sorrow and deep pity that Herod did so wrong to John, while the people had a high concept of him.

the sky has opened

in order to show us that baptism opens the heavens to all, locked up.

. and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him

“The Holy Spirit descended upon” Jesus, so that we know from this that the Spirit also comes upon us when we are baptized. For the Lord did not need the Spirit, but he does everything for us and Himself is the firstborn in everything (), which we later accepted to be the firstborn in many brethren.

bodily like a dove,

so that we learn that we need to be meek and clean. And just as under Noah the dove depicted the reassurance of God's wrath (), so here the Holy Spirit, having drowned sin, reconciled us to God.

and there was a voice from heaven, saying: You are my Beloved Son;

And the Son hears a voice from the Father uttered to show that he granted us baptism to us baptized.

my grace is in you!

- In You I have calmed down.

. Jesus starting: My ministry was thirty years old, and was thought to be the Son of Joseph, Iliev, Matfatov, Leviin, Melkhiev, Iannayev, Joseph, Mattafiev, Amos, Naumov, Ifimov, Naggeev, Maafov, Mattafiev, Semeiev, Josephov, Judin, Ioannanov, Risayev, Zavov , Salafiilev, Niriev, Melkhiev, Addiev, Kosamov, Elmodam, Irov, Iosiev, Eliezerov, Iorim, Matfatov, Leviin, Simeonov, Judin, Josephov, Ionanov, Eliakimov, Meleev, Mainov, Mattafayev, Nessov, Ovidov, Davidov , Salmonov, Naasson, Aminadav, Aramov, Esromov, Faresov, Judin, Iakovlev, Isaakov, Abraham, Farrin, Nahorov, Serukhov, Ragav, Falekov, Everov, Salin, Kainanov, Arfaksadov, Simov, Noah, Lamekhov, Methuselah, Enoch, Jared, Maleleilov, Kainanov, Enosov, Sifov, Adam, God.

The Lord was baptized, having thirty years, because this age is the most perfect, and in it a person is reverent or unfit. Luke presents the Lord's genealogy in the opposite order, compared with the evangelist Matthew (), to show that the one born today in the flesh is from God - for see how the genealogy goes back to God - and together so that we know that He was incarnated for that to bring all mediating fathers to God and make them sons. I can say otherwise: the birth of the Lord, as seedless, met unbelief. Therefore, the evangelist, wanting to show that at another time, man was without seed, from the lowest ascends to God. He says, as it were: if you do not believe how the second Adam was born without a seed, then, please, turn your mind to the first Adam, and you will find that he was created by God without a seed, and after that do not be unfaithful. Some ask: how does Matthew call Joseph the son of Jacob, and Luke - Iliev? For it is impossible, they say, to the same thing to be the son of two fathers. They answer that Jacob and Eli were single-parent brothers, but from different fathers, that, after Elijah’s death, Jacob took his wife to raise his children from her, and that therefore Joseph is called the son of Jacob by nature, and Iliev - by the Law. For Jacob really gave birth to him by nature, and he was his own son, and he was the son of Iliev only according to the Law. For the Law commanded that the wife of a deceased childless be combined with his brother, and that the union born from this union should be considered a child of the deceased (), although by nature it was from a living person. Therefore, evangelicals speak correctly and do not contradict each other. Matthew recorded the natural father of Joseph, and Luke - due to him by his father according to the Law, that is, Elijah; and both show that the Lord was born in order to sanctify nature and the Law.

Synodal translation. The chapter is voiced by the roles of the studio “Light in the East”.

1. In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate ruled in Judea, Herod was a tetrarch in Galilee, Philip his brother, a tetrarch in Iturea and Trahonite, and Lysanius a tetrarch in Aviline,
2. When the high priests Anne and Caiaphas, there was a verb of God to John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness.
3. And he went all over the surrounding country of Jordan preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins,
4. as written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah, which says: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: prepare the way of the Lord, make straight paths to Him;
5. every valley must be filled, and every mountain and hill may decrease, the curvatures will be straightened and uneven paths will become smooth;
6. And all flesh shall see the salvation of God. "
7. John who came to be baptized by the people said: the offspring of vipers! who inspired you to flee from future anger?
8. Create the worthy fruits of repentance and do not think to say in yourself: “our father is Abraham,” for I tell you that God can raise children from Abraham from these stones.
9. Already the ax is at the root of the trees: every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
10. And his people asked: what shall we do?
11. He answered them: whoever has two clothes, give that to the poor, and whoever has food, do the same.
12. The tax collectors came to be baptized, and said to him: teacher! what should we do?
13. He answered them: Do not demand anything more specific to you.
14. The soldiers also asked him: what shall we do? And he said to them: Do not offend anyone, do not slander, and be content with your salary.
15. When the people were waiting, and all thought in their hearts about John, whether he was Christ, -
16. John answered everyone: I baptize you with water, but the Strongest of me is coming, Whose I am not worthy to untie the shoe belt; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
17. His shovel is in his hand, and he will cleanse his threshing floor and gather wheat in his granary, and he will burn the straw with unquenchable fire.
18. Much and more he preached to the people, teaching him.
19. Herod is the tetrarch, convicted of him for Herodias, the wife of his brother, and for all that Herod did evil,
20. He added to everything else that John had imprisoned.
21. And when all the people were baptized, and Jesus, being baptized, prayed: heaven was opened,
22. And the Holy Spirit descended on Him in bodily form, like a dove, and there was a voice from heaven, saying: You are My Beloved Son; My grace is in you!
23. Jesus, beginning His ministry, was about thirty years old, and was thought to be the Son of Joseph, Elijah,
24. Matfatov, Leviin, Melkhiev, Iannaev, Josephov,
25. Mattafiev, Amosov, Naumov, Ifimov, Naggeev,
26. Maafov, Mattafiev, Semeyev, Josephov, Judah,
27. Ioannanov, Risaev, Zerubbabel, Salafiilev, Niriev,
28. Melkhiev, Addiev, Kosamov, Elmodamov, Irov,
29. Iosiev, Eliezerov, Iorim, Matfatov, Leviin,
30. Simeonov, Judah, Joseph, Jonans, Eliakim,
31. Meleaev, Maininov, Mattafayev, Nafanov, Davidov,
32. Jesse, Ovid, Boaz, Salmon, Naasson,
33. Aminadavov, Aramov, Yesromov, Faresov, Judin,
34. Jacob, Isaakov, Abraham, Farrin, Nahorov,
35. Serukhov, Ragav, Falekov, Everov, Salin,
36. Kainanov, Arfaksadov, Simov, Noah, Lamekhov,
37. Methuselah, Enoch, Jared, Maleleilov, Kainanov,
38. Enosov, Seth, Adam, God.