Luke 3:21
Verse
Context
The Baptism of Jesus
20Herod added this to them all: He locked John up in prison.21When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as He was praying, heaven was opened,22and the Holy Spirit descended on Him in a bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.”
Sermons
Bakht Singh
T. Austin-Sparks
Zac Poonen
Harold Vaughan
Al WhittinghillSummary
Commentary
- Adam Clarke
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Matthew Henry
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
Jesus - being baptized - See on Mat 3:16, Mat 3:17 (note).
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
BAPTISM OF AND DESCENT OF THE SPIRIT UPON JESUS. (Luk 3:21-22) when all the people were baptized--that He might not seem to be merely one of the crowd. Thus, as He rode into Jerusalem upon an ass, "whereon yet never man sat" (Luk 19:30), and lay in a sepulchre "wherein was never man yet laid" (Joh 19:41), so in His baptism He would be "separate from sinners."
John Gill Bible Commentary
And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape,.... In a corporeal form, in a visible manner, and was seen with bodily eyes, at least by John the administrator; to whom this was a signal of his being the Messiah, and a fresh confirmation of it: like a dove upon him; either in the form of a dove, or this corporeal form, whatever it was, descended and hovered on him as a dove does: and a voice came from heaven; at the same time the Holy Ghost came down upon him; which said, thou art my beloved Son, in thee I am well pleased: and was the voice of the Father; and the whole of this was an answer of Christ's prayer; See Gill on Mat 3:16, Mat 3:17, Mar 1:11.
Matthew Henry Bible Commentary
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, 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, Luk 3:21, Luk 3:22. 1. It is here said that, when all the people were baptized, then Jesus was baptized: 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. 2. Notice is here taken of Christ's praying when he was baptized, which was not in Matthew: being baptized, and praying. He did not confess sin, as others did, for he had none to confess; but he prayed, 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: Ask of me and I will give thee, etc. Thus he would put an honour upon prayer, would tie us to it, and encourage us in it. 3. When he prayed, the heaven was opened. 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, a new and living way into the holiest; sin had shut up heaven, but Christ's prayer opened it again. Prayer is an ordinance that opens heaven: Knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 4. The Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him; our Lord Jesus was now to receive greater measures of the Spirit than before, to qualify him for his prophetical office, Isa 61:1. When he begins to preach, the Spirit of the Lord is upon him. 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, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. 5. There came a voice from heaven, from God the Father, from the excellent glory (so it is expressed, Pe2 1:17), Thou art my beloved Son. Here, and in Mark, it is expressed as spoken to Christ; in Matthew as spoken of him: This is my beloved Son. It comes all to one; it was intended to be a notification to John, and as such was properly expressed by, This is my beloved Son; and likewise an answer to his prayer, and so it is most fitly expressed by. Thou art. It was foretold concerning the Messiah, I will be his Father, and he shall be my Son, Sa2 7:14. I will make him my First-born, Psa 89:27. It was also foretold that he should be God's elect, in whom his soul delighted (Isa 42:1); and, accordingly, it is here declared, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. II. A long account of Christ's pedigree, which had been more briefly related by St. Matthew. Here is, 1. His age: He now began to be about thirty years of age. So old Joseph was when he stood before Pharaoh (Gen 41:46), David when he began to reign (Sa2 5:4), and at this age the priests were to enter upon the full execution of their office, Num 4:3. 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 Tisri; that, after this, he lived three years and a half, and died when he was thirty-two years and a half old. Three years and a half, the time of Christ's ministry, is a period of time very remarkable in scripture. Three years and six months the heavens were shut up in Elijah's time, Luk 4:25; Jam 5:17. This was the half week in which the Messiah was to confirm the covenant, Dan 9:27. This period is expressed in the prophetical writings by a time, times, and half a time (Dan 12:7; Rev 12:14); and by forty-two months, and a thousand two hundred and threescore days, Rev 11:2, Rev 11:3. It is the time fixed for the witnesses' prophesying in sackcloth, in conformity to Christ's preaching in his humiliation just so long. 2. His pedigree, Luk 3:23, etc. 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 all the families of the earth are blessed, 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 seed of the woman, 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 which, that is, which Joseph was the son of Heli, but which Jesus; he was the son of Joseph, of Eli, of Matthat, etc., and he, that is, Jesus, was the son of Seth, of Adam, of God, Luk 3:38. 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 hōs enomizeto (Luk 3:23), not, as it was supposed, referring only to Joseph, but uti sancitum est lege - as it is entered into the books, 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. One difficulty occurs between Abraham and Noah, which gives us some perplexity, Luk 3:35, Luk 3:36. Sala is said to be the son of Cainan, and he the son of Arphaxad, whereas Sala was the son of Arphaxad (Gen 10:24; Gen 11:12), 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 Hellenist Jews, was obliged to make use of that translation, and therefore to take it as he found it. The genealogy concludes with this, who was the son of Adam, the son of God. (1.) Some refer it to Adam; he was in a peculiar manner the son of God, 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 Son of Adam and the Son of God 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 sons of God.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
3:21-22 Jesus’ baptism marked the beginning of his public ministry and his anointing as the Messiah (the “Anointed One”). The voice of God from heaven confirmed Jesus’ identity and mission. 3:21 As he was praying: Luke emphasizes Jesus’ trust and reliance on God in prayer (5:16; 6:12; 9:18, 28; 11:1; 22:32, 41, 44; 23:34, 46). • the heavens opened: This image was a sign of God’s presence (Isa 64:1), divine revelation (Ezek 1:1; John 1:51), and the end of an age (Rev 4:1; 15:5; 19:11).
Luke 3:21
The Baptism of Jesus
20Herod added this to them all: He locked John up in prison.21When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as He was praying, heaven was opened,22and the Holy Spirit descended on Him in a bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.”
- Scripture
- Sermons
- Commentary
God's Glory
By Bakht Singh5.4K38:25Glory Of God1SA 4:222CH 7:1LUK 3:21JHN 1:33JHN 21:3In this sermon, the preacher addresses the common prayer among believers for revival and the sense that something is missing in their spiritual lives. He emphasizes the need to learn how to pray according to God's purpose and to prioritize prayer over other activities. The preacher identifies three major obstacles to experiencing revival: the love of money, the love of power, and the love of fame. He also highlights the danger of idolizing and glorifying men instead of giving glory to God. The sermon references the story of Hannah in the Bible as an example of praying to meet God's needs. The preacher concludes by urging believers to commit themselves to God and to seek His glory above all else.
(Christian Leadership) the Way of the Cross
By Zac Poonen2.6K1:24:41LUK 3:211CO 7:12In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of understanding and applying the verse from 1 John 4:17, which states that as Jesus is, so are we in this world. He highlights that this truth is unique to believers in the new covenant and sets them apart from figures like Elijah and John the Baptist. The preacher also discusses the principle of sacrifice in serving God, using the example of Jesus observing how people gave in the temple treasury. He emphasizes that Jesus is not concerned with the quantity of our actions, but rather the sacrificial heart behind them. The sermon concludes with a call to embrace this way of sacrificial living and to be aware of the watchful eye of Jesus in our lives.
(The Power of the Holy Spirit - 4) the Anointing Oil
By Zac Poonen2.3K1:03:09LUK 3:21LUK 4:18In this sermon, the preacher discusses the importance of the continuous supply of oil for the 3,500-branch lamp stand, symbolizing the church's responsibility to spread the gospel. He uses the story of a widow in 2 Kings chapter 4 as an example of the church being weak, helpless, and in debt to share the gospel. The widow is instructed to pour oil into vessels, which represents the anointing oil that can empower believers to fulfill their calling. The preacher also highlights four reasons why believers may not receive all that God has for them, including lack of knowledge, failure to ask, lack of faith, and asking with wrong motives.
The Divine Anointing - Part 2
By T. Austin-Sparks1.9K58:30Divine AnointingLUK 3:21LUK 4:17In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of the new birth and the transformation it brings to a person's life. The sermon is based on the Gospel of Luke, specifically chapter 3, verse 21, and chapter 4, verse 17. The speaker highlights that the new birth brings a sense of purpose and direction, as well as a responsibility to live according to God's will. The sermon also emphasizes the significance of living a dignified and orderly life as a testimony to the Lord. Overall, the sermon encourages believers to recognize the transformative power of receiving Christ into their lives and to live in alignment with their new identity in Christ.
The First Body of Christ (Hindi)
By Zac Poonen1.1K55:52LUK 3:21
This sermon emphasizes the importance of living out what we preach, drawing from the example of Jesus who lived faithfully before beginning His ministry. It contrasts the need for spiritual authority with mere noise in Christian preaching today, highlighting the significance of living a life that backs up our words. The message stresses the importance of hearing God say, 'You are my beloved son/daughter, and I am well pleased with you,' as the ultimate goal in our Christian walk.
Preeminence of Prayer in the Life of Jesus
By Harold Vaughan98741:52PrayerMAT 5:1MAT 6:33MAT 21:12MRK 11:17LUK 3:21LUK 9:18HEB 5:7In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the significance of Jesus' final words on the cross: "It is finished." He explains that these words were a prayer to God, declaring that the work of redemption was complete. Jesus' prayer was a culmination of his sacrifice and the fulfillment of God's plan. The preacher highlights the importance of prayer and the need for believers to have a deep, heartfelt connection with God, rather than just intellectualizing their faith. He encourages intensity in prayer, emphasizing that it is not just about going through the motions, but about engaging our hearts and aligning ourselves with God's will.
Acid Test Series 3 of 8 - Learning to Pray Like Jesus
By Al Whittinghill9831:01:31Christian LifeMAT 6:33LUK 3:21LUK 5:151TH 5:17HEB 1:9In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of prayer in the life of a believer. He highlights how Jesus' prayer life was the secret to his ministry and encourages his listeners to make prayer their first choice, not their last chance. The speaker also discusses the relationship between prayer and temptation, stating that a praying life is less prone to straying. He further emphasizes the need to enter into God's presence with thanksgiving and praise, and to have a regular place and time for prayer. The sermon references Luke 11:1 and Luke 23:34 to support these teachings.
Building the Body of Christ - 3 the First Body of Christ
By Zac Poonen67555:59LUK 3:21
This sermon emphasizes the importance of living out what we preach, highlighting Jesus' example of living a faithful life before beginning His ministry and the need for us to first do before we speak. It contrasts Old Testament preaching with the New Testament focus on living out the message. The sermon also warns against false teachings, the pursuit of money in the name of God, and the deception of relying on miracles as proof of God's approval.
These Works You Shall Do
By Anton Bosch4221:02:18Holy SpiritLUK 1:15LUK 3:21LUK 4:18ACT 2:22ACT 10:38PHP 2:1In this sermon, the speaker focuses on the concept of the "canosis" as mentioned in Philippians chapter 2. The speaker emphasizes the importance of having the same mindset as Christ, who humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death on the cross. The speaker also highlights that Jesus began his work on earth but continues to work through the church, as seen in the book of Acts. The sermon also touches on the physical suffering Jesus endured during his crucifixion and the power he had to escape that situation, but chose to die for our salvation.
Approval: God's Design for Growth
By Stewart Ruch39224:00Spiritual GrowthLUK 3:21In this sermon, the speaker reflects on a meeting that didn't go well and acknowledges his failure to care for and bless the people involved. He emphasizes the importance of kindness and gentleness towards others, as everyone is engaged in their own battles and seeking approval. The speaker then highlights the image of God as a community of love, with the father loving the son and pouring out His love upon humanity. He compares this love to a spring of water that is always available, but often goes unnoticed due to our own spiritual disorientation.
Overwhelmed With the Power of the Living God
By Denny Kenaston2EXO 33:18NUM 11:16ISA 61:1LUK 3:21JHN 5:30EPH 5:18Denny Kenaston preaches about the importance of being overwhelmed with the presence of the Holy Spirit, drawing examples from the lives of Moses, Jesus, and early disciples. He emphasizes the need for believers to seek and maintain the anointing of God in their lives, living under the continual influence of the Spirit to walk in divine character and carry out a supernatural ministry. Kenaston challenges the congregation to examine their hearts, asking if they have truly been enveloped in the presence of the Living God and urging them to seek a deeper connection with God through the anointing of the Holy Spirit.
Prayer: The Gospel of Prayer
By Leonard Ravenhill0The Power of PrayerSeeking Revival1SA 1:10PSA 24:3PSA 34:6PSA 86:1MAL 3:1MAT 6:6LUK 3:21LUK 6:12LUK 23:341CO 1:28Leonard Ravenhill emphasizes the transformative power of prayer, illustrating how Jesus made prayer a central part of His life and ministry. He argues that if Jesus, the Son of God, needed prayer, then so do we, especially in times of crisis. Ravenhill shares stories of individuals like Hannah and C.H. Spurgeon, who exemplified desperate prayer and reliance on God, highlighting that true prayer is a humble communication with God. He challenges the audience to seek revival through persistent prayer, asserting that prayer changes people, who in turn change circumstances. Ultimately, Ravenhill calls for a deeper commitment to prayer as a means of spiritual transformation and revival.
"we... beholding... the Lord Are Changed Into the Same Image"
By T. Austin-Sparks0Transformation in ChristThe Role of the Holy SpiritJER 18:4LUK 3:21ROM 8:29T. Austin-Sparks emphasizes the transformative power of beholding the Lord, illustrating how we are changed into His image through the process of spiritual formation. He draws parallels between the baptism of Jesus and our own spiritual journey, highlighting the essential connection between baptism and the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Sparks explains that true Christian life involves leaving behind the self-life and embracing the heavenly life, which is marked by the presence of the Holy Spirit. He stresses that our growth in Christ should be evident as we become more like Him over time, serving as the ultimate proof of our faith. The sermon calls believers to recognize their identity as 'Very Important Persons' in the eyes of heaven, distinguished by their relationship with God.
The Significance of His Baptism
By T. Austin-Sparks0BaptismIdentity in ChristLUK 3:21T. Austin-Sparks emphasizes the profound significance of Christ's baptism, illustrating how it represents His identification with humanity's depravity and His role as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. He explains that baptism is not merely a ritual but a declaration of death to the old self and a new life in Christ, highlighting the necessity of humility, prayerfulness, and dependence on God. The sermon also discusses the open heaven that followed Christ's baptism, symbolizing the recognition and acknowledgment of God towards those who embrace this new identity. Ultimately, Sparks calls believers to understand their baptism as a testimony of their new life in Christ and to live in the reality of this transformation.
Matthew 3:13-17. the Baptism of Jesus.
By Favell Lee Mortimer0MAT 3:13LUK 3:21JHN 1:33ROM 5:8EPH 1:6Favell Lee Mortimer delves into the profound event of Jesus' baptism by John the Baptist, highlighting the humility of the Son of God and the divine honor bestowed upon Him by the Father and the Spirit. John, though initially hesitant, recognized his need for the Savior's baptism, emphasizing the continual need for the Holy Spirit in our lives. Jesus' baptism was necessary to fulfill all righteousness and demonstrate obedience to God's commands, setting an example for believers to humbly serve despite their unworthiness. The Father's declaration of love and pleasure in Jesus after His baptism serves as a powerful reminder of God's acceptance and love for all believers through Christ.
Revelation in Relation to Sonship
By T. Austin-Sparks0ISA 33:17LUK 3:212CO 4:6GAL 1:1T. Austin-Sparks preaches on the significance of sonship as exemplified by Paul in his letter to the Galatians. Paul emphasizes that his apostleship and the Gospel he preaches are not from men but through a revelation of Jesus Christ, highlighting the personal and direct nature of sonship. The sermon delves into the need for a revelation of Christ in the heart, emphasizing that true sonship involves a personal, independent, and ongoing relationship with the Lord, distinct from second-hand knowledge or traditional Christianity.
On the Character of Paul, as a Man of Prayer.
By Thomas Reade0MRK 1:35LUK 3:21LUK 5:16LUK 6:12LUK 9:28LUK 22:41ROM 8:152CO 1:101TH 5:17JAS 5:16Thomas Reade preaches on the character of Paul as a man of prayer and unbending integrity. He emphasizes the essence of prayer as a cry of the soul, a sign of penitence, and the breath of faith, highlighting Jesus' example of fervent prayer. Paul, a man of prayer, poured out his heart daily for the churches he planted, displaying the privilege of believer's adoption into God's family. Additionally, Paul's unwavering integrity is portrayed through his transparent character, seeking the testimony of conscience and faithfully preaching the Gospel with love and sincerity.
False Doctrines and Claims of Tongues People
By John R. Rice0LUK 1:41LUK 3:21ACT 8:14ACT 9:171CO 14:34John R. Rice addresses the tongues movement, acknowledging the sincerity and faith of its followers while critiquing the belief that speaking in tongues is the initial evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. He emphasizes the importance of being grounded in Scripture and highlights the false teachings and arrogance that can accompany the tongues movement. Rice points out the lack of biblical support for tongues as the primary evidence of the Spirit's fullness and challenges the notion that it is a superior spiritual gift compared to soul-winning.
- Adam Clarke
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Matthew Henry
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
Jesus - being baptized - See on Mat 3:16, Mat 3:17 (note).
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
BAPTISM OF AND DESCENT OF THE SPIRIT UPON JESUS. (Luk 3:21-22) when all the people were baptized--that He might not seem to be merely one of the crowd. Thus, as He rode into Jerusalem upon an ass, "whereon yet never man sat" (Luk 19:30), and lay in a sepulchre "wherein was never man yet laid" (Joh 19:41), so in His baptism He would be "separate from sinners."
John Gill Bible Commentary
And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape,.... In a corporeal form, in a visible manner, and was seen with bodily eyes, at least by John the administrator; to whom this was a signal of his being the Messiah, and a fresh confirmation of it: like a dove upon him; either in the form of a dove, or this corporeal form, whatever it was, descended and hovered on him as a dove does: and a voice came from heaven; at the same time the Holy Ghost came down upon him; which said, thou art my beloved Son, in thee I am well pleased: and was the voice of the Father; and the whole of this was an answer of Christ's prayer; See Gill on Mat 3:16, Mat 3:17, Mar 1:11.
Matthew Henry Bible Commentary
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, 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, Luk 3:21, Luk 3:22. 1. It is here said that, when all the people were baptized, then Jesus was baptized: 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. 2. Notice is here taken of Christ's praying when he was baptized, which was not in Matthew: being baptized, and praying. He did not confess sin, as others did, for he had none to confess; but he prayed, 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: Ask of me and I will give thee, etc. Thus he would put an honour upon prayer, would tie us to it, and encourage us in it. 3. When he prayed, the heaven was opened. 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, a new and living way into the holiest; sin had shut up heaven, but Christ's prayer opened it again. Prayer is an ordinance that opens heaven: Knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 4. The Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him; our Lord Jesus was now to receive greater measures of the Spirit than before, to qualify him for his prophetical office, Isa 61:1. When he begins to preach, the Spirit of the Lord is upon him. 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, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. 5. There came a voice from heaven, from God the Father, from the excellent glory (so it is expressed, Pe2 1:17), Thou art my beloved Son. Here, and in Mark, it is expressed as spoken to Christ; in Matthew as spoken of him: This is my beloved Son. It comes all to one; it was intended to be a notification to John, and as such was properly expressed by, This is my beloved Son; and likewise an answer to his prayer, and so it is most fitly expressed by. Thou art. It was foretold concerning the Messiah, I will be his Father, and he shall be my Son, Sa2 7:14. I will make him my First-born, Psa 89:27. It was also foretold that he should be God's elect, in whom his soul delighted (Isa 42:1); and, accordingly, it is here declared, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. II. A long account of Christ's pedigree, which had been more briefly related by St. Matthew. Here is, 1. His age: He now began to be about thirty years of age. So old Joseph was when he stood before Pharaoh (Gen 41:46), David when he began to reign (Sa2 5:4), and at this age the priests were to enter upon the full execution of their office, Num 4:3. 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 Tisri; that, after this, he lived three years and a half, and died when he was thirty-two years and a half old. Three years and a half, the time of Christ's ministry, is a period of time very remarkable in scripture. Three years and six months the heavens were shut up in Elijah's time, Luk 4:25; Jam 5:17. This was the half week in which the Messiah was to confirm the covenant, Dan 9:27. This period is expressed in the prophetical writings by a time, times, and half a time (Dan 12:7; Rev 12:14); and by forty-two months, and a thousand two hundred and threescore days, Rev 11:2, Rev 11:3. It is the time fixed for the witnesses' prophesying in sackcloth, in conformity to Christ's preaching in his humiliation just so long. 2. His pedigree, Luk 3:23, etc. 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 all the families of the earth are blessed, 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 seed of the woman, 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 which, that is, which Joseph was the son of Heli, but which Jesus; he was the son of Joseph, of Eli, of Matthat, etc., and he, that is, Jesus, was the son of Seth, of Adam, of God, Luk 3:38. 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 hōs enomizeto (Luk 3:23), not, as it was supposed, referring only to Joseph, but uti sancitum est lege - as it is entered into the books, 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. One difficulty occurs between Abraham and Noah, which gives us some perplexity, Luk 3:35, Luk 3:36. Sala is said to be the son of Cainan, and he the son of Arphaxad, whereas Sala was the son of Arphaxad (Gen 10:24; Gen 11:12), 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 Hellenist Jews, was obliged to make use of that translation, and therefore to take it as he found it. The genealogy concludes with this, who was the son of Adam, the son of God. (1.) Some refer it to Adam; he was in a peculiar manner the son of God, 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 Son of Adam and the Son of God 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 sons of God.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
3:21-22 Jesus’ baptism marked the beginning of his public ministry and his anointing as the Messiah (the “Anointed One”). The voice of God from heaven confirmed Jesus’ identity and mission. 3:21 As he was praying: Luke emphasizes Jesus’ trust and reliance on God in prayer (5:16; 6:12; 9:18, 28; 11:1; 22:32, 41, 44; 23:34, 46). • the heavens opened: This image was a sign of God’s presence (Isa 64:1), divine revelation (Ezek 1:1; John 1:51), and the end of an age (Rev 4:1; 15:5; 19:11).