Luke 3 - IVP New Testament Commentaries

John's Preaching and Jesus' Qualifications for Ministry

A good hunt dog is special, able to sniff out a quarry's location. A good hunt dog can point the way to the goal and indicate where we should be headed. John the Baptist was rather like that. He could point the way for those who wanted to know where God's plan was going. He was "the one who goes before," while Jesus is the stronger One to come.

The second section of Luke sets the scene for Jesus' ministry. After overviewing the ministry of John the Baptist, including a unique summary of his preaching and the reaction to it in 3:1-20, Luke goes on to detail Jesus' baptism, genealogy and temptations. These elements indicate a divine endorsement of Jesus, as well as presenting his moral and historical credentials to be the representative not only of the nation of Israel but also of all people as Son of Adam, Son of God.